Jump to content
Hamer Fan Club Message Center

Beginner Bass Advice


Recommended Posts

Hey - new guy here...looking for some quality advice.

My daughter seems to have some emerging interest in picking up a bass and amp.  I don't think she's very serious about it, but I generally try to be supportive...

I don't want to spend real money on this, but I also don't want to buy junk that would discourage playing.

I don't know anything about bass really, so I'd love to hear some advice on what I might be looking for.  She seems to like the look of anything retro (a P-Bass is a good look to her).

 

I hope everyone is doing well.  I assume it's pretty quiet now that (surely) bubs and Diablo have acquired their final pieces of gear and are just enjoying making music.

I haven't bought or sold a guitar since my last visit here, so I'm a bit frightened to even make this post or to scan the forums.

Thanks!

-mitch

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good to hear from you!

The Squier Classic Vibe series is very well regarded. New will cost you about $400; used about $300, they hold their value well.
In a perfect world you'd find her a 1995 MIM PBass for cheap. I had one and sadly let it go.

As far as amps, A Fender BXR 300C is enough combo amp to satisfy her for years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great to hear from you!

A short-scale (30") might also be a great place to begin.  The Squier Classic Vibe Mustang Bass is well regarded and can be had very reasonably. 

CME has this cool Olympic White, $400, new, and free shipping.

on10kq27gp6ksz2xynjn.jpg

 

For another $175 they offer the MIM Fender version in a P/J layout and a plethora of piñatas (it is cinco de mayo!) colors.

pdt3azgl0ul4awoiblow.jpg 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Feynman said:

I haven't bought or sold a guitar since my last visit here, so I'm a bit frightened to even make this post or to scan the forums.

 

Ya don't have buy or sell to hang out here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a bit left field, but . . .

I recently bought a Gold Tone 25" scale electric acoustic micro bass.  Has the advantage on not needing an amplifier and being easy on un-callused fingers.  Very well made and fun to play.  You can use silicone or silver wrapped strings.  Silicone are ridiculously fun, the metal ones are louder.  

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/gold-tone-25-scale-acoustic-electric-microbass

spacer.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A used USA made Peavey bass can be found cheap, and they were good.  Look for a Peavey Fury.  Lots of bang for the buck, and you will be able to get all your money back if you sell it. 

If your daughter wants to play around the house a small amp will be fine.  If she should be in a band she will need something bigger.  If you do not want her to play bass at all, take her to look at an Ampeg SVT with the warning that she is going to have to move it herself. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Steve Haynie said:

A used USA made Peavey bass can be found cheap, and they were good.  Look for a Peavey Fury.  Lots of bang for the buck, and you will be able to get all your money back if you sell it. 

If your daughter wants to play around the house a small amp will be fine.  If she should be in a band she will need something bigger.  If you do not want her to play bass at all, take her to look at an Ampeg SVT with the warning that she is going to have to move it herself. 

Great idea on the SVT. Seal the dissuasion by making the Peavey a T-40.  Thirteen pounds of attitude!  

peavey-t-40-xl.jpg

They actually play and sound great.  Just reeeeeally heavy!  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a hack bassist, and my Squier Vintage Modified P-bass (fretless) is plenty good enough for me. It's been a million years since I looked at bass amps, but my old solid-state Ampeg was great.

Oh yeah, and welcome back!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Steve Haynie said:

If you do not want her to play bass at all, take her to look at an Ampeg SVT with the warning that she is going to have to move it herself. 

@Feynman - I have one here that you can try.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Mitch!

I was gonna post the Fender/Squire Mustang bass.

I had the predecessor to that silicon string bass (mine was a strange Guild Ashbory).

Ibanez also makes a short scale bass that I think is cool and is easy to play;

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez/GSRM20-Mikro-Short-Scale-Bass-Guitar-Starlight-Blue-1290447863927.gc?cntry=us&source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=Cj0KCQjwncT1BRDhARIsAOQF9LkfSqNz-33GvCzxhts2cbJrTuzsXLTS9Nb9SYCYTS25Scm1KAlEvsEaAqS5EALw_wcB

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

A used USA made Peavey bass can be found cheap, and they were good.  Look for a Peavey Fury.

Better yet, a Peavey Predator!

And I unreservedly do not recommend any Carvin basses. I had a few, trying hard to love them (they were local when I lived in SoCal) but you'd be so much better off with a MIM Fender or an Ibanez or maybe even a shovel with a pickup bolted to it...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MITCH!!!!!!

You've been missed around here...

 

When my son was starting out on bass at 8-9 years old, I got him an Ampeg BA-108 Bass Amp ($89 at the time) and a MIJ Fender Mustang Bass ($289 at a GC blowout).  He still has both, and I've purchased two more of those Ampegs - one for my other son (a gigging bassist) and one for me as practice amps.  

Can't go wrong with a quality bass amp for under $100, and the new ones have a CD/Aux input, phones (for parental-approved silent practicing), and are loud enough for playing with a tame drummer.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Ampeg/BA108V2-1x8-Bass-Combo-Amplifier-1391534730535.gc?cntry=us&source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6-LA4dqd6QIV1AiICR0KPAwtEAYYASABEgLnEPD_BwE

 

Avoid anything Peavey, basswise.  They're all boat-anchors, and if she's starting out, she'll probably prefer a shorter scale instrument.  The Squier Classic Vibe stuff is pretty decent these days and comes in a lot of cool colors - not like the awful sunburst-only options many of us had as kids!  

You won't go broke with any of those, for sure, but I'm sure she'll want to weigh in as far as what she likes the look and feel of - if she likes any particular band/artist, see what they play or what their bassist plays and that might help.

Good luck, and remember...

 

 

Headphones are awesome for beginners!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, cmatthes said:

Avoid anything Peavey, basswise.  They're all boat-anchors

 

I weighed a couple of my '80s USA Peavey basses, a Foundation and a Patriot bass, and they are both around 7.5lbs. They weigh less than either of my Cruises or my Monaco bass. Hell, my Monaco Elite and an ash-bodied Tele each weigh close to 9lbs. The only real boat anchors are the T-40s and the T-45s. I think neck shape, balance on a strap and body contouring are just as important for comfort.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

+1 for the Peavey suggestions. I lefty-ized my old DynaBass for my guitar playing son - great bass! 

Plus, I think its now worth almost half of what I paid for it new in '86!  Getting up there in value!! :D

WQZL5IM.png

 

Those modern Squier basses are not too shabby either. Old bandmate of mine bought a P/J met. blue Precision of some sort for $125 off of Craigslist, and that thing plays really well...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, all.  It's nice to see some old friends still around, and I always appreciated the advice I got here more than all other forums combined (except TGP of course - that place is the best).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Feynman TRC.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...