I'm buying a Bass Guitar

Cafe Society
1

I am in the process of purchasing a Bass Guitar for myself and I need a little help.

I have only dabbled before with some friends instruments and I have a limited knowledge of what I’m doing. However, I’m interested in starting to play so I would like to purchase my own instrument. This is my problem, what do I buy. I have looked on Ebay but that only furthers my confusion.

I have an idea of how much I would like to spend (somewhere around $250) but I dont really know what I can get for that. I see some used ones on eBay for around that but I’ve never heard of them. I’ve tried to stick w/ brand names like Fender but they also range in price from $150-$1500 so that doesn’t really tell me much.

Basically, what I’m looking for is some input as far as what to look for or stay away from. maybe some brand names, places to look, whatever…I’m lost. If it would help, I can list some auction links that I have found and could accept some input on those but I guess this is where I put the power in the hands of the dopers that I trust. thanks.

2

Strictly speaking what you want is an “electric bass.”

The real “bass guitar” is that instrument used by strolling mariachi bands in Mexico, called a guitarrón in Spanish: a hollow acoustic guitar with a huge overgrown body and longer strings to play the bass notes.

3

Ok what kind of music do you play? Are you getting a electric? If so, you will need an amp or an amp modeling device.

Try asking your question here:

http://www.harmonycentral.com/

They have a meesage board which I can’t link to because the site seems to have some problems.

4

Rock on. I picked up the low-end Yamaha bass from Musician’s Friend and a “headphone amp”, basically functions as an amp, but keeps you from upsetting the neighbors. Set me back around $250-300, but I had a tuner, strap, and other niceties already. My Yamaha is light and has great sound and I like it more than my old Ibanez, but I’d suggest both those brands. Peavy or Marshall for the amps.

5

I probably wouldn’t buy one off of ebay, unless they 100% guarantee that the neck isn’t warped. Personally I would never buy any instrument without playing it first, but that’s just my opinion.

Something like a Fender is pricey, but you pay for the name and the reputation behind it. And Fender makes a whole range of instruments, from the el-cheapo crap models all the way up to the really decent ones. Some clones are pretty good, some clones are crap. You can’t tell by looking at them, you have to play them to find out. The really cheap ones are almost made of pressboard. Avoid those at all costs. The better ones are made of good quality hardwoods. Look for something that feels very heavy for its size. Pressboard is light. Real wood is much more dense.

Something tiny like a Cort (like what Geddy Lee of Rush plays) is going to sound “punchy” where something really freakin heavy like a Rickenbacker is going to have a much smoother sound and much more sustain. It’s all a matter of personal taste. Personally, I have a Rickenbacker clone and love it (although one of the first things I did was take that damn pickup guard off), but if you played it you might hate it.

You’ll get more bang for your buck out of a used instrument, but you really have to know what you are looking at. With your inexperience you could easily get burned.

6

See if there is a Sam Ash or Guitar Center in your area and got there and play some before you make a decision on what to buy. I wouldn’t go the EBay route.

7

Check out this site: www.talkbass.com

8

What he said.

Educate yourself prior to purchase. Check with any of the used music equipment stores in your area after you have test driven some new models.

9

for the money, you can’t beat Ibanez. I’ve been abusing a 5 string EX for 10 years and the intonation is still dead on. (and that was the cheapest line I know of they sold). I own a 6 string Ibanez SoundGear and I’d recommend a 4 string version to start on.

DONT buy a used Rickenbacker 4001, as the double truss rod design can twist the neck. I know only too well :frowning:

I like slim necks, so I like basses like the Rick, the Ibanezs, Fender Jazz instead of the precision, or perhaps the Peavey Foundation (a good inexpensive bass).

Here’s what you do. Go to a local music store, find a bass that feels good to you. Don’t talk price, but make it understood that you are in the lower end market. Then go online and find your best price for the same model. Not Ebay, Musician’s Friend, Sam Ash, Manny’s Music etc…

go back to store and make them come “close” to the mail order price.

my .02

10

post edited to clarify

11

Since this is a non-factual question about musical instruments, I’ll move this thread to Cafe Society.

bibliophage
moderator GQ

12

Scale length is an issue as well. If you can fit it, it’s a good thing to get a 34" scale; this is the standard length, really, and the sound is more punchy with longer strings. Good success can be had with a 32" or even a 30(1/2?)" scale; however, try to avoid all basses with a scale length shorter than 30", as these will be little more than a guitar body with fat strings, causing poor technique and thin tone.

Lots of good advice can be found at www.carolkaye.com (she has some good concepts) and www.bunnybass.com .

13

Go to www.talkbass.com . The most common cheap beginner’s instrument we suggest over there is an Essex from www.rondomusic.com . The MIM (Made in Mexico) Standard Fenders are all right too, but cost more. If you have a little more money, the lower end Yamahas are probably the best bang for the buck-- solid construction, sound, playability, and looks. That’d last you a while.
Good luck; it’s fun. Get a teacher

14

Yes, I’d second going in and actually playing one for your first, it’s how I picked out my Ibanez. I ordered the Yamaha on a whim and it’s turned out to be very, very nice.

15

Yes, I forgot to mention earlier; the Yamaha low-end model is shockingly nice, period. It plays like much more expensive basses. I’m actually wondering how they managed that!

16

I dunno, Joe, but lemme tell ya about it. It’s not as neck-breakingly heavy as some of the other basses I’ve played. The strings came set at the perfect height out of the box, no tweaking required (for me at least), and the sound is beautiful for a low-end model. Money well spent. Wish I had more time to play it, honestly.

17

Dopers, I thank you for all of your help. You’ve told me exactly what I needed to know. My only question is, does it even matter if I buy a crappy instrument if I’ve really never played anyway. How would I even know the difference.

18

Well, you probably wouldn’t notice at first, but as you learn and you listen to bass on your favourite tracks, you will begin to hear how a good bass should sound.

It can also depend on your amp.

It’s just patience that will learn ya.

19

Well, buying a crappy instrument will make a difference to the negative.

The question I’d have is “Is the instrument itself crap” (warped neck, incorrectly set up, dirty controls) or is the brand crap.

For a beginner, there’s no such thing as a crap brand - you need to play for a while, get a sense of your style, of what you want out of an instrument before you can really figure out what constitutes “good” for you. There are a bunch of great instruments that I can’t stand, because they are totally unsuited to my style.

As for a bad instrument, you’re kinda at the mercy of the person who sells it to you. You want a reputable place where the guys in the guitar center are good at fixing or setting up instruments. To find one, you might go to a local band at a bar and ask the bassists/guitarists where they go for repairs/purchases. It may sound judgemental, but the better the guitarist and the better their instrument, the more you can trust what they say.

Whatever you buy, take it and have the guy look at it and give you their assessment.

A general checklist:
Check all hardware: is anything loose? Especially check the jack (where the cord connects)

Plug the instrument in, and work all the controls - turn the knobs, flick the switches - do you hear any gritty sounds coming out of the amplifier? the controls are dirty and need to be cleaned.

Pluck something steady and start playing with the controls. Ask the person who’s selling you the instrument to walk you through what the controls should do - there are some basic setups, but who knows on the bass you’re looking at.

As for Setup, intonation, and neck warpage, it’d be best if someone else look at that.

Setup has to do with how high the strings are off the fingerboard and it affects playability.

Intonation has to do with whether the string length is correct (adjusted at the bridge) so that notes stay in tune the higher up the neck you play. the quick test (for a beginner) would be to play the open string, and then place your finger on the 12th fret (the one halfway up the fingerboard, typically with two dots) and see if that note is an exact octave (higher, but still in tune).

Warpage is a big nasty that can affect poorly made instruments, or instruments that have been subjected to a lot of abuse. Essentially speaking, there should be no twist to the neck (looking down the fingerboard from the headstock to the bridge), and there should only be a very slight, even forward bow when you look at the neck from the side.

Basically, if you buy a new instrument from a chain, then you run little risk. . .

If you buy a used instrument from anywhere, be sure to have someone experienced assess the instrument.

20

I’d just say make sure and buy a good brand. You want something you can “grow into” versus something for right now. You don’t want to learn to play a little bit, then have to buy a whole new bass. Yamaha, Ibanez, Fender, etc. have earned their reputations.