First bass advice (with a twist)

[TheBlueFalcon]

I've just had a chat with a sales guy who has been giving me advice about buying my first bass. He thinks I'm trying to get too far ahead of myself with my decision. I can understand his point, so wanted some other opinions about it.

I know that a lot of people would say buy something cheap to learn on and then look at something better later on, but what if I actually want to spend say £500 on one? What if I want to get something that is a few steps up from the average starter bass? I know if people are starting out and intend to be in a band, they would (at some point) look at buying a certain make/model to get a specific sound. But what if I have no plans (none yet anyway) to be in a band? What if I just want something that will have the feel and sound that I know I'll be happy with, but also looks awesome?

I remember reading somewhere that you should buy a first bass that you are happy with, so that you want to pick it up and play it. So should I just go with what makes me happy?

Edited October 1, 2009 by TheBlueFalcon

[TheBlueFalcon]

I've changed my thread to a different subject, rather than start another new one. I'm starting to wonder if my constant questions are getting annoying.

[Skywalker83]

[quote]So should I just go with what makes me happy?[/quote]

well....yes. Buy a bass that you like and that you will want to play!

Thats a fair bit of cash for a first bass you have quite a few options with £500. I remember scraping £150 together for my first bass.
If you can, buy used, and also try teh bass out before you buy it.

But remember buying a more expensive bass WILL NOT make you a better player.
What i would do is split the cash between a bass and a semi decent practice amp and spend the rest on getting some lessons.

[bh2]

I've heard that it's a good idea to buy the best and then you can play up to it... it's a good motivator to learning and it's always a good thing to pay as much as you can afford. You should be able to find a good used Fender Precision or Jazz for that sort of cash.

Good luck and let us know what you've settled on.

[Rayman]

Go and try a pile of basses, as many as you can, and take your time, because if you spend 500 quid and end up with a bass you're not happy with, you're goosed.

Second hand, £500 will buy you an excellent bass, starter or not. A nice Precision or Jazz would be top of [i]my[/i] list, and used you could find a nice MIA model. No one could ask for anything better.

[TheBlueFalcon]

[quote name='Skywalker83' post='614041' date='Oct 1 2009, 05:52 PM']well....yes. Buy a bass that you like and that you will want to play!

Thats a fair bit of cash for a first bass you have quite a few options with £500. I remember scraping £150 together for my first bass.
If you can, buy used, and also try teh bass out before you buy it.

But remember buying a more expensive bass WILL NOT make you a better player.
What i would do is split the cash between a bass and a semi decent practice amp and spend the rest on getting some lessons.[/quote]


I understand that a better bass will not make me a better bass player, but I think that a better bass might encourage me to want to be a better bass player. But I do agree with your comments and thank you for your advice.

[TheBlueFalcon]

[quote name='bh2' post='614047' date='Oct 1 2009, 06:02 PM']I've heard that it's a good idea to buy the best and then you can play up to it... it's a good motivator to learning and it's always a good thing to pay as much as you can afford. You should be able to find a good used Fender Precision or Jazz for that sort of cash.

Good luck and let us know what you've settled on.[/quote]

Buying the best I can afford is somethng I was advised to do by someone else, so I value your input. I have to say that I am not really a big fan of Fender. I don't think I would buy one, but also I am not the kind of person that would say anything negative about them just because I don't particularly like them. I see a lot of bickering and don't want to get involved in all of that. But thank you for your comments.

[TheBlueFalcon]

[quote name='Rayman' post='614057' date='Oct 1 2009, 06:09 PM']Go and try a pile of basses, as many as you can, and take your time, because if you spend 500 quid and end up with a bass you're not happy with, you're goosed.

Second hand, £500 will buy you an excellent bass, starter or not. A nice Precision or Jazz would be top of [i]my[/i] list, and used you could find a nice MIA model. No one could ask for anything better.[/quote]

The problem I have at the moment is that I'm relatively inexperienced. After buying a so called "new" bass from a dealer and it turned out to be a "Friday afternoon bass", I have now been put off anything that has been out of the box, other than to be checked and set up. So, after that palaver, I'm not going to consider 2nd hand until I can safely and competently evaluate the condition for myself.

I'm planning to go and look at some tomorrow. I can't play, so I can't try them for myself, so I already know that I am going to feel like a complete prat, but I have to hear some and get closer to a decision.

Edited October 1, 2009 by TheBlueFalcon

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='TheBlueFalcon' post='614333' date='Oct 1 2009, 10:50 PM']The problem I have at the moment is that I'm relatively inexperienced. After buying a so called "new" bass from a dealer and it turned out to be a "Friday afternoon bass", I have now been put off anything that has been out of the box, other than to be checked and set up. So, after that palaver, I'm not going to consider 2nd hand until I can safely and competently evaluate the condition for myself.

I'm planning to go and look at some tomorrow. I can't play, so I can't try them for myself, so I already know that I am going to feel like a complete prat, but I have to hear some and get closer to a decision.[/quote]

You may not be able to play, but you do have to [i]wear[/i] it, balance it, and make a "noise" with it.
I'd assert that weight, balance and comfortable neck dimensions are most important.
The tone could be phenomenal, but that's no good if the ergonomics are wrong. It's bad practice to play a bass that's uncomfortable.

[TheBlueFalcon]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='614367' date='Oct 1 2009, 11:23 PM']You may not be able to play, but you do have to [i]wear[/i] it, balance it, and make a "noise" with it.
I'd assert that weight, balance and comfortable neck dimensions are most important.
The tone could be phenomenal, but that's no good if the ergonomics are wrong. It's bad practice to play a bass that's uncomfortable.[/quote]

I am set on an Ibanez, but I'm just trying to work out which model. As far as everyone suggests, the Ibanez basses are all very well balanced and weight isn't an issue. After trying an SR300 and an SR900, the Ibanez SR neck seems fine to me and the BTB necks aren't much different. Erganomics shouldn't be a problem at all.

Edited October 1, 2009 by TheBlueFalcon

[budget bassist]

Even if you can't play, as the above poster says, it's important that the bass is at least comfortable to you, if it's a good shop with good service, you shouldn't feel subconscious about picking up a bass and maybe just plucking some open notes to get an idea of the sound (you can at least play some open notes and hear a difference, whether you can play or not) and just see how it feels. Different neck dimensions will feel different to you, some better some worse. I may not be able to drive a car, but when i'm sitting in one i know what's comfy and what what would have heavy steering or a heavy clutch by comparison with others. You know what i mean?

Also the bodies on certain ibanezs are different to others, try sitting with them and see which feels more comfortable. I myself don't like large bodied basses like fenders, and on the guitar side of things, some les pauls really dig into my ribs, particularly the les paul custom. you just need to spend time finding the bass that suits you perfectly, because if you buy a new bass you don't like, you stand to make a loss on resale.

Edited October 1, 2009 by budget bassist

[Mecklenburg]

What if you spend £500 on a bass and don't even like playing bass?

As someone earlier said, buy a bass that isnt as expensive and use the rest for some lessons. I see little point in buying something so expensive when you can't even play the thing. Would you buy a Ferrari to learn to drive in?

Once you feel more confident in your playing abilities and know more about bass in general, you will actually be able to make a more informed decision for your next bass. You'll know what feels good and doesn't feel so good and you will have a better idea of what sound you like. Trade in the 1st bass and then get something at the next level above.

[misrule]

Do you know a bassist who would go along with you to try stuff out? I'm sure somebody in your area on here would help -- most of them probably jump at any excuse to visit a music store

As to value, I'm in the 'buy the best you can afford' camp. You'll enjoy playing a decent bass and if you prefer a different brand a few years down the line at least you'll have something good to sell on.

I took up classical guitar about ten years ago, bought a stunning guitar and I loved the tone every time I picked it up. It made learning a pleasure.

Cheers

Mark

[Jobiebass]

well TBH, cash wise, you would be better off buying a 2nd hand bass for around £500 then a new crappy starter bass. You will never get your initial cash back when you come to sell a crappy starter bass but if you get a 2nd hand bass at a reasonable price they will keep their value in general. The only bass ive lost money on is my first ever bass. I must have had 6-7 2nd hand basses around the £500-1.5k mark and always got my money back on them (not inc postage)

[midgetiser]

Buy the best you can afford is a good idea but remember you need the whole package - an amp and all the little things that add up like cables, straps, a metronome, a tuner etc.

My mate got a huge bonus from work and decided to learn the guitar so he went straight out and spent his entire bonus (£1000-£1500) on a shiney nice new electric guitar (can't remember what kind) and then spent £40 on a practice amp cos he'd just blown all his money and couldnt afford anything else. You gotta ask yourself whats the point of badly playing an amazing guitar through an utterly terrible amp!

If I were you i'd try for a 2nd hand bass for £300-£350 and spend the rest on a semi-decent practice amp and other wee bits & pieces!

[Brave Sir Robin]

as a starter, with 500 in the coffers, I'm definitely go second hand. 200 can get you a nice bass, 200 can get you a nice amp, and 100 will get you the rest (case / bag, cables, strap, couple of lessons, effect, starter book+CD, that sort of stuff). Yamaha and Ibanez are the 'safe' option. They are light, comfortable and good quality. I dont have much experience with Squiers, but they seem good starter choices as well. Trabens, Peaveys and Corts are also options.

For the amp, with 200 second hand, you can get a ashdown, gallien krueger backline, Hartke, or Roland combo, with more than enough power for practise and holding your own in a band, and good solid tone. I got a Ibanez K5 second hand for £220, which like a souped up SR505. That's the kind of gear you can get if you shop around.

Edited October 2, 2009 by Brave Sir Robin

[Dr.Dave]

[quote name='TheBlueFalcon' post='614325' date='Oct 1 2009, 10:47 PM']Buying the best I can afford is somethng I was advised to do by someone else, so I value your input. I have to say that I am not really a big fan of Fender. I don't think I would buy one, but also I am not the kind of person that would say anything negative about them just because I don't particularly like them. I see a lot of bickering and don't want to get involved in all of that. But thank you for your comments. [/quote]

Mate - no need be so polite , though it's nice to see all the same!!

If you don't fancy a Fender - fine. Bare in mind though that a lot of sounds you've heard will have been produced by one and it's no bad thing to cut your teeth on something industry standard - you can't then use the instrument as an excuse to yourself as to why you're not progressing as you'd like to.

The same is true of a cheaper bass - so if you end up spending 500 spots on something not too way out you , and it's set up something like , you can be confident that whatever problems you have aren't the fault of the bass.

That's particularly so with a used bass - even more if you buy one in these parts where we tend to be a bunch of honest good guys. £500 will buy you a lot of used bass and any set up problems with it have most likely already been ironed out by the previous owner.

End of the day - if something feels awkward in your hands (I understand that there's always a degree of awkwardness for a beginner) it will always feel awkward - so try as many basses as you can lay your paws on just to see how they feel in your hands.

[Geek99]

I've been there. Don't spend it all on a bass, you need a decent amp too.
Buy used for best value, I recommend fender japan, and recent squiers.
A pricey bass won't make you better than a cheap one, but you'll fight it less and most of the struggle is at the beginning. Make it easier for yourself.

[TheBlueFalcon]

Thanks to all of you. I appreciate all the help and advice everyone has offered.

I've been to have a look and feel of some today. The sales guy demonstrated a few of them for me as well. I've got the price down a bit on the one I was looking at, so I think I'm just going to go for it. Although I haven't held or heard it, I can safely compare it to the ones I have held/heard today and know that it will be a good choice. I really don't intend to ever sell it, which is why I am willing to pay out a bit more for a better one. I'm not saying it will be the only bass I will ever own, as I might buy another bass (or two) at some point in the future, but I will be buying something with the intention of keeping it.

I already have a Studio 110 for practicing on, but will be considering a Promethean P5110 when they are available and if we get them at a sensible price in the UK. I've also got pretty much everything else I need, just have to order a couple of books and find someone local for a few lessons at some point. So I am pretty much set, just need to make my final decision on the bass.

[Alien]

I'd go along with some of the previous posts and say get a decent amp too.

You're less likely to get disheartened if you're getting a decent sound, as opposed to sounding like somebody farting in a jar. A cheap bass through a decent amp will always sound better than a good bass through a cheap amp.

I'd say look for something with no less than 100 Watts, and a single 12" or 15" speaker or a pair of 10" speakers. In the sort of price range you're looking at, Hartke, Peavey, Ashdown or Laney would be a good start, a Roland Cube 100 would be one to look out for too. There are plenty of other good amps out there, so don't limit yourself to these.

Oh, and spend a few quid on a decent lead too, don't just go for a cheap one. Talk to our own OBBM - top quality stuff at very reasonable prices.

A

[TheBlueFalcon]

[quote name='Alien' post='614959' date='Oct 2 2009, 04:39 PM']I'd go along with some of the previous posts and say get a decent amp too.

You're less likely to get disheartened if you're getting a decent sound, as opposed to sounding like somebody farting in a jar. A cheap bass through a decent amp will always sound better than a good bass through a cheap amp.

I'd say look for something with no less than 100 Watts, and a single 12" or 15" speaker or a pair of 10" speakers. In the sort of price range you're looking at, Hartke, Peavey, Ashdown or Laney would be a good start, a Roland Cube 100 would be one to look out for too. There are plenty of other good amps out there, so don't limit yourself to these.

Oh, and spend a few quid on a decent lead too, don't just go for a cheap one. Talk to our own OBBM - top quality stuff at very reasonable prices.

A[/quote]

"farting in a jar"

I got the Studio 110 as the smallest and one of the best for up to £200. I had to keep it small (for now) and it has more than enough volume for my current situation. I will be looking to upgrade it when my circumstances change though. I was offered an Ashdown Amp and Cab for a very tempting price but the cab was just too big, which was a little unfortunate. My decent lead is also waiting to be used.