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What kind of stuff are you mainly into? I almost always recommend one of two options. For a NEW bass, I'd go for the Ibanez GSR200 (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-GSR200-4String-Bass?sku=519524). It's what I learned on and will run you about $200. However if you go USED (and there's no reason you shouldn't, just have someone who knows their gear to take a look before you buy), I'd get a Mexican Fender P or J bass. Actually I'd recommend the used Fender over anything else. Do you only want to spend $300 for bass AND an amp?
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Dec 12, 2007 18:21
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You should be able to find a little starter amp for $50 or so, maybe an even better one if you continue on the used route.
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Dec 12, 2007 18:39
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Also, join up at http://www.talkbass.com it's a great resource. This is also a great do-it-yourself bass resource for learning: http://wheatsbassbook.org/
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Dec 12, 2007 19:10
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thegloaming posted:So I just realized that J and P actually stand for kinds of basses and not just model names, so now I'm going to need to decide between Jazz and Precision. Based on Wikipedia research, it seems like Jazz Basses have a brighter tone, richer midranges, and less emphasis on the fundamental harmonic, making them suitable for "power trios". Unfortunately, my limited musical experience makes these descriptions sound vague and unclear, so I'm counting on you guys to set things straight. I understand that the Jazz bass has a fuller sound, but what else can you tell me about the two, such as appropriate genres/styles, that will help me decide? I would disagree with the "Js have a fuller sound" thing as well as the mid-range part. I feel like the P-bass has more mid punch. But the J is definitely more versatile and can do pretty much any genre.
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Dec 12, 2007 19:34
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PenguinBob posted:I saw a forum where someone was talking about George Porter Jr. "He's not that good, I didn't hear any slapping..." I died a little inside. Where was this? I'm gonna go beat the poo poo out of that kid. (Porter is my #1 inspiration) What I would give just to be able to hold that P Bass of his 
Scarf fucked around with this message at 14:59 on Dec 13, 2007 |
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Dec 13, 2007 14:54
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Archr5 posted:I'm resurrecting this thread because I'm considering picking one of these up to learn bass on. About 99% of the time a Squier will be of lesser quality than an MIM Fender. Squiers are Fender's lowest price-point instruments. But if you like it, go for it. But I'll also say that I've heard of many people being pretty happy with this bass. Scarf fucked around with this message at 00:57 on Jan 21, 2008 |
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Jan 21, 2008 00:53
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Archr5 posted:I'm going to go play the Ibanez GSR200 and compare it to the Squier and get whichever I like more at this point. I definitely see people's usual fit and finish complaints when I pick up an affinity or one of the "signature" models from Squier, but those complaints really go away when I handle the Vintage Modified Jazz. But if the GSR200 has the same range of sounds and feel or is even close I may end up with that one based on price and recommendations alone. Honestly you should be able to find a used MIM Fender that DOESN'T need work for that price. I'd move on and keep looking if you're going the MIM route. Hell they're only like $450 new, one owner should drop that to about $300 or a little less imo.
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Jan 24, 2008 04:58
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I keep hearing more and more people raving about how pleased they are with the Squier Vintage Modified basses. I think I'm going to have to try one out this weekend if I can find one. Stay tuned, if I get to pick one up I'll write up a little review.
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Jan 25, 2008 20:09
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Archr5 posted:awesome, it'd be nice to hear from someone who actually plays and can bring out the flaws in the Squier VM. I'd argue that Ibanez has the greatest price:quality ratio in the business on almost all of their guitars/basses.
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Jan 27, 2008 08:51
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2nd link just goes to the front page  Question about your GSR200 though, have you ever taken it in to get a setup done (truss rod adjustment, bridge adjustment, etc.)? Usually that can eliminate a lot of buzzing and make a old bass feel new again. Also, what is your budget for an amp?
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Jan 31, 2008 05:58
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Ok yeah just saw the link. Well I can't really say much about either as I haven't played them. I suggested the GSR200 because that's what I learned on and it did fine. Are you set on another Ibanez? My suggestion would be to get to a Guitar Center or any music store and start playing around. My 2nd bass was an Epiphone T-bird and I loved it http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Epiphone-Thunderbird-IV-Bass?sku=518391. I actually wish I hadn't gotten rid of it, has a great vintage rock gibson-punch sound to it. Only bad part about it was neck dive due to a bad strap-lug location, but I never found it unbearable. Here's an old sound clip I did for the guy I sold it to, goes from Neck Pickup, Bridge Pickup, and both mixed:  As for an amp, it's gonna come down to personal preference. You really gotta get out and play some if you're looking for a good gig amp. Brands to look for are Ampeg, Aguilar, Ashdown, Fender, Peavey, etc. Anything 200watt and over should be fine for small gigs. Only thing I would suggest is staying away from Behringer. They may have gotten better, but I've had nothing but bad experiences with their stuff... Personally I like the Ampeg B-115. I think they make a version thats 220watt or so. To reemphasize: go out and play as many basses as you can! You never know, you might fall in love with a good Fender P or J. Scarf fucked around with this message at 06:14 on Jan 31, 2008 |
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Jan 31, 2008 06:10
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GetHardHero posted:I think guitar center is just going to have to put up with me going there and loving around for an entire day. Every time that I have gone there it makes me angry because there is usually some douche shredding on the most expensive guitar there, some twelve year old prodigy playing the drums or bass and making me want to throttle him for his talent. I have played a few other brands and have always like the way an Ibanez feels. Thanks for the advice! Then go for it man. Ibanez is quality imo. If I'm not mistaken that 400QM is active electronics? Big plus in my books, I'm a tweaker and I love having a preamp on my basses. Although there is something to be said for awesome vintage passive tone too 
Scarf fucked around with this message at 06:34 on Jan 31, 2008 |
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Jan 31, 2008 06:31
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wet pussy posted:I ordered a bass last week and got it on Saturday, and start lessons sometime next week so I'm excited. Is there a good way to learn chords online? Do you even use chords that much on a bass? I'm pretty well-versed in music and play many instruments and have a ton of theory knowledge behind my belt so I am not looking for an explanation of chords, just fingerings and appropriate use of them. Chords are a little rare depending on what you're playing. But I throw in double-stops pretty often when playing funk.
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Jan 31, 2008 13:44
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qball posted:Has anyone had any experience with the Thunderbird IV? Yes and I absolutely loved mine and wish I hadn't gotten rid of it. Its great for rock tones and can even do some vintage motown type sounds if you dial it in just right. It is by no means a modern-sounding instrument, and I dug the hell out of that. The only downside of the T-bird is the neck-dive. Epiphone really should have put the strap lug behind the neck instead of on the (non-existent) horn. But you can always move it yourself. In case you missed it on the last page, here are some soundclips of me loving around on my Tbird. Neck pickup, Bridge pickup, both pickups. edit: Actually the last part is probably neck volume at 70% and bridge at 50% with tone on full. It was my preferred setting on it.
Scarf fucked around with this message at 14:58 on Feb 8, 2008 |
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Feb 8, 2008 14:39
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qball posted:I can't believe I missed that on the last page, probably because I was reading it at work and not listening to the sound clips. I'd put it above an MIM Fender. I have never been let down by an Epiphone product and I've owned like 4. Edit: I also think that mine might have been an older one. I could have sworn when I bought it, the specs said that the wings were mahogany instead of all Alder, but I can't remember to be sure... Shouldn't make much of a difference though.
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Feb 8, 2008 15:41
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Bubble Babble posted:I'm hoping this is the right place to put this. I didn't want to start another thread, because this seemed to fit. Being able to read sheet-music already puts you miles ahead on the learning curve, same with theory. Although you'll be (at least I assume) reading bass clef now. The hardest part for you will just be technique, but since you've played piano and wind instruments, your fingers should be in great shape in terms of dexterity; being able to position them. As a bass player with limber fingers, you'll also probably be able to sound notes with 3 or even 4 of the fingers on your right hand, a HUGE plus. Being able to hit triplets and quadruplets is a big achievement. I'd say within a few months (with a good teacher) you'll be able to play along with simple basslines; easy country-western/bluegrass and slow R&B or Motown. And more importantly know how/why the lines were formed in such a way (the theory). It really just depends on your teacher, there are basically two types... those who will teach you theory and proper technique, and those who will just teach you to play whatever songs you want to learn. Definitely go with the former.
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Feb 20, 2008 19:37
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Jan posted:I've been looking to make a (double) jump from acoustic guitar to electric bass for a while now, seeing as I have a better hand at rhythm than melody. Seeing as I might get a pretty lucrative internship this summer, I figured I'd reward myself with a decent starting bass. The douches at the local store keep trying to push those Squier Affinity starter kits on me, and I'd rather not get something that I might outgrow in a matter of weeks. I've been looking at one myself, mainly because it's the only SG-style bass currently in production that is long-scale. Don't know about it for a starter bass though... What kind of stuff are you going to want to play? They have a very distinct tone and aren't well suited for everything.
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Apr 10, 2008 19:41
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Don't get me wrong, I love the sound of a Gibson bass, particularly the EB-0, 3, and 4. But it's definitely not for everyone. I'd highly recommend playing one first if you can.
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Apr 10, 2008 20:01
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Jan posted:Well, I can't really get a feel for playing it if I don't know how to play. ...I guess that's why it's not really a starter bass. Well its just hard to explain. There's no reason why it can't be a starter bass, but it's just not very versatile for different styles of music.
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Apr 11, 2008 03:38
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Azver posted:I want to buy a Vintage Modified 70's Jazz bass, and slowly swap out the parts. In particular, putting in a warmoth neck. Anyone around here have any experience swapping out the necks of basses? Does it have any kind of effect on the instrument outside of having a new neck? Like, would say, the tone of the instrument be negatively effected? Honestly after putting a VM-J through the paces, the neck is one piece I'd leave alone (except for removing the decal from the headstock...). Plus I'm not sure if the Squier neck pocket is cut to the Fender specs that Warmoth necks are. I'd definitely contact Warmoth beforehand and ask.
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Apr 16, 2008 13:54
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Azver posted:I was thinking about doing that, but I'm just kind of afraid of putting together a bass from the basic parts. I feel like I'd screw something up. How hard is it to wire everything together? And would I need anything aside from a sodering iron and a screwdriver, since the Warmoth stuff all comes pre-drilled? Warmoth necks are not pre-drilled.
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Apr 16, 2008 17:25
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Azver posted:Haha, guess I'm hosed then. I'll probably just look around for something else. Thanks for the heads up, guys. Well its a good thing... that way you drill it to the holes in the neck pocket to make sure it's a tight fit.
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Apr 16, 2008 18:15
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Stop Motion Dong posted:Is this a good bass to purchase? It'll be my first bass, so I'm just starting out. Traben is alright, I'm just not a fan of basswood or their gigantic bridge-plates. What kind of music are you into and want to play? GK is pretty solid for amps, should make for a good starter rig.
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Apr 17, 2008 13:39
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Stop Motion Dong posted:Metal/rock mostly. Are there any good alternatives to Traben in that price range (5-string)? I would DEFINITELY recommend an Ibanez over a Traben. They're among the best bang-for-buck companies out there.
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Apr 17, 2008 16:15
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oval office Puncher posted:I didn't read too many other replies so this probably has been said already, but there's a ton of overlap between the skills required to play bass and guitar (left hands are virtually identical, co-ordination between picking/plucking and fretting etc.) so you can easily learn both at once. If you get a GOOD teacher you'll not only be learning the hand techniques but be learning to read sheet music and learning theory about the instrument and its role in a musical setting. Neither of which would be the same between guitar and bass.
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May 11, 2008 22:25
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blingasaurus rex posted:(although I can't really tell the difference between the P and the J) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpd7r0PdVnU That video should help. It was made to demonstrate the ability of a Lakland bass to produce P, J, and MM sounds with side-by-side comparisons, but it also does a good job of demonstrating the differences between each of those basses as well. Honestly a Jazz bass would probably be best for you as it is the most versatile. EDIT: But if we're going by versatility alone I'd recommend the Lakland but it's a bit out of the price-range Scarf fucked around with this message at 00:22 on Jun 11, 2008 |
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Jun 11, 2008 00:19
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casibanita posted:What kind of strings are you guys using? I just bought and Ernie Ball Hybrids and put them on and I'm not a big fan of the "twang" I'm getting with them. I play just about every style and slap and pop alot, so can anyone give me advice on a new set of nice deep strings? Try some DR Fat Beams. Basically DR's "Marcus Miller" signature strings.
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Jul 7, 2008 23:43
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mack posted:I'm looking to buy my first bass and get started. Right now I can't decide between these $200-300: The FM means "Flame Maple" which is just a prettier wood grain veneer on top... nothing really substantial in terms of the bass itself. The DX seems to be the "Dynamix" pickups. Active electronics means that you have an onboard active (powered by a 9v battery) EQ on the bass itself to help shape your tone. It really isn't anything necessary, a LOT of people prefer the sound of a passive bass. Can't really go wrong with any of them. I learned on a GSR200 and it is a decent bass. Just go pick them up in a shop if you can and try them out. Also, the EB-3 isn't a J-bass in any shape or form... and frankly I wouldn't consider any of those basses to be.
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Jul 26, 2008 06:51
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Are you talking about fretting-hand speed, or fingering-hand speed? If the latter, look for rudimentary snare-drum cadences (ones without super fast rolls) and just do them on one note. The bass is a drum, keep repeating that to yourself. Trust me.
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Aug 1, 2008 22:04
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Akur0 posted:also this guy agree's with your bass=drum theory I meant more along the lines of theory and the relationship of the bass and the drums in a band.
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Aug 2, 2008 21:11
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Akur0 posted:although I find myself unnerved every single time some random retard on the internet proclaims les claypool to be the greatest ever, especially considering he's so unorthadox he might as well play guitar. Not quite... Claypool is a great bassist and is always rhythmically on point. He can groove as well as anyone AND can innovate at the same time. You might want to get a little more time under your belt before you start blasting PROFESSIONALS on how well they play bass.
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Aug 3, 2008 17:32
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Wanh posted:You might want to as well, 3toes. From what I read, Akur0 wasn't blasting any PROFESSIONALS. I'm sure a lot of other goons would agree after listening to any Primus song that Les' style is slightly unorthodox. And I do agree it does get annoying when people glorify Les because he has a unique playing style. #1, what? #2, Claypool has played in various outfits aside from Primus #3, I'd hardly consider slap-bass "unorthodox" and #4, It's no more annoying than any fanboyism such as Victor Wooten, Myung, Flea or anyone else.
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Aug 3, 2008 19:16
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RoryGilmore posted:Posted awhile ago that I was looking to start playing bass, but I didn't have the cash at the time. Now I do! I've heard it's pretty bad. In my opinion it's kind of hard to start "progressive" seeing as how it kind of requires a fair amount of knowledge of theory/time signatures/etc. But if you're dead-set on a six string, I'd look to Rondo first.
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Aug 10, 2008 04:21
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Xankrys posted:Stupid newbie question: Is it bad to slap near the bridge? Every video tutorial i've seen has said to slap near the neck, right by where it joins the body, but i just cannot slap there. The reason they slap against the neck is that the strings are a bit looser and will in fact hit the frets to create more percussive sound. It's also easier (for most people) to perform the pops up by the neck for the same reasons. Is your thumb pointing up or pointing down when you slap?
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Aug 21, 2008 22:21
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Xankrys posted:Thumb up, right by the bridge. Get a solid slap sound on all four strings. Nah it's not, just different. Do what works.
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Aug 23, 2008 01:50
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zincaito posted:Right now I'm leaning towards getting something different. I thought the neck would be pretty thin, and it starts that way near the headstock, but it seemed to almost double in size by the 20th fret. Anyone know if the MIM Fender Jazz's would have the same scale? That's not scale, that has to do the neck's profile, nut width, etc. Do you mean thin as in side to side or top to bottom? If it's side to side, that's the profile of any fender jazz bass neck (atleast the standard models).
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Sep 12, 2008 16:11
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zincaito posted:Yeah, I didn't mean scale as in scale length. Scale as in neck width from lowest string to highest string. The nut width is 1.5" according to the internet, but it gets much, much bigger than that closer to the bridge. I want it to be smaller at the bridge end of the fingerboard. Right... because the bridge is a different width than the nut. If you want overall narrow string spacing you need to look into something like a Hofner violin bass.
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Sep 12, 2008 18:18
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Trouser Mouse Bear posted:I ended up just buying a Warwick Corvette ( Double $$ ) 5 string and I find that when fingering *tehehe* the 12th fret for any 5 strings there is buzz between 12th fret and the nut. Does it start only at the 12th? Try it on the 11th, 10th, 9th, etc. until it goes away. I'm thinking maybe a fret or two needs leveling/dressing. I've honestly never run into that. Also, is the Double buck a bolt-on or set/neck through?
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Sep 19, 2008 03:48
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That's really kind of weird since the string shouldn't be vibrating at all between the fingered fret and the nut... So you've got no buzzing between the fret and the bridge?
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Sep 19, 2008 13:48
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Akur0 posted:got another question people, nearing december I want a fretless and I found this pretty little number. Never heard of it. Just get one from Rondo. edit: actually, if you don't mind spending a bit more, I'd recommend picking up a Squire VM Jazz Fretless and see what you think: http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-Vintage-Modified-Fretless-Jazz-Bass?sku=519637 Should have one at a guitar center or something. Scarf fucked around with this message at 17:33 on Sep 24, 2008 |
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Sep 24, 2008 17:18
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