OT: Music/bass guitars

[Chang Style Novice]

I wouldn't fu(k around with new in your position. Find a bass tutor and visit a few pawn shops with the guy. He'll probably have an extra one that you can use for the first couple lessons.

[Oso]

mostly I would agree, but from what I've heard from a musician friend here, I'm looking at $100+ at a pawn shop and I'd still have to buy an amp, though I'm sure a pawn shop would have one.

the Ibanez for $280 would give me a new instrument and a warranty + the amp and extra goodies.

this friend of mine did say he'd be happy to go shopping with me to help find something that wasn't all fu(ked up.

BUT, the Fender Precision comes in a nice sage green......

[Chang Style Novice]

Personally, I wouldn't worry much about a tuner and headphones. If you've got a decent ear, you can tune up to whoever you're playing with, and you've probably got headphones already.

An amp and case are nice to have, though. The thing is, you'll be getting a pretty bottom of the barrel everything at a price like that.

You'll definitely be able to find amps at any used instrument dealer or pawn shop that has a bass. I think you need to take your buddy up on his offer.

Happy plucking!

For fun, check out the Cheesey guitars site.

Dig this soviet-made thunder broom, for example.

[ShaolinTiger00]

Oso, you can't go wrong buying a Fender Squire series Jazz bass, or Percision bass and an amp. you can get this for around $200.00 american and then you can use this instrument until you've really honed your skills and are ready for a true quality instrument.

I've steered several young bass players in this route and they were all very happy.

[Oso]

If you've got a decent ear, you can tune up to whoever you're playing with,

well, the problem is, I don't think I do.

cool site




ST00, I've seen those in catalogs as well but thought that they were maybe to low priced to be any good at all. I know that the local music shop has them as well so I can go pick one up to see how it feels. Thanks, I'd written those off but will look again now.

[ShaolinTiger00]

btw: you will NEED to get an electric tuner. mandatory for most guitar and bass players until they can build their "ear" to know what it right & wrong.

don't waste your time with pitch pipes and tuning forks.

[Nick Forrer]

Originally posted by ShaolinTiger00
btw: you will NEED to get an electric tuner................
don't waste your time with pitch pipes and tuning forks.

Stoo has taken the correct and forced it to play guitar until its fingers bleed

[ShaolinTiger00]

The irony is that I'm a drummer.

but I spent alot of time playing the guitar and bass w/ friends and learned alot about them. I've got a few guitars. A Squier Stratocaster and a sweet Ovationelec/acoustic w/ Adonis soundholes..

[Oso]

don't waste your time with pitch pipes and tuning forks.

a what and a who...

which shows you where I am.

Found the Squier P-Bass in a kit w/ amp, tuner etc. for $399.


this is a long time desire that has come to a head and I need to do something about it. not 100% sure why but it's very compelling right now.

[yutyeesam]

Oso,
Very cool! In my opinion (I'm in an original bass oriented funk-indy rock-hip hop band that tours the midwest), the amp makes a VERY VERY big difference.

I think your choice of a fender jazz bass is great! But dude, the amp is totally where it's at. I would *HIGHLY* suggest an Ampeg Rocket amp, someday. The tone can make any sh1tty bass guitar sound badarse!

If you haven't gotten a teacher, let me dispell advice when I teach folks to play bass:

1. Strumming rhythms with the pick/fingers is THE MOST important to get first. This is the equivalent of learning stances in Kung-Fu. You gotta be strong with rhythm first.

2. With the tab you laid out on your signature, it seems like you know how to finger your fretboard (sorry for sounding sexual). Really build the strength of your pinky! That is the hardest finger to develop control over. So really work hard on that, it will definitely pay off.

3. Changing from one string to another fluidly (staying on beat).

4. Work on slide techniques: sliding up to notes, and sliding down to notes. Be able to slide with EVERY finger.

5. Hammer ons: keeping one finger (mainly the index finger) suspended on a fret and hit a different note on that string with a different finger. Kinda hard to explain.

If you find a good teacher who is open to what you want to learn, I'd suggest telling him to teach you these things. He'll invariably give you scales and stuff (I never really care for that stuff). I tend to teach technique and rhythm before I get into scales. I teach them through riffs that I made or other bassists have made.

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[Shadowboxer]

If you know you will stick with it, get the Fender P-bass. Find a teacher or basic instructional DVD or something. Practice everday to build those callouses on your fingertips, even if it's just 15-30 minutes.

[Oso]

lol, nope, I ripped the tab from a website

I'm a complete musical noob
this is my first foray into an instrument.

still surprised no one has figured out what song it is.



yutyeesam and shadowboxer, thanks for the advice.

[Sam Wiley]

Those Squier packages are great for beginners. If it didn't come with an electronic tuner, then get one.

Personally, I'm not that great a fan of Fender, but I do own a MIM Jazz Bass that is, IMO pretty good quality for one made in Mexico. If you stick with it for a while and finally decide to buy a better bass, my suggestion would be to go with the Standard series Precision or Jazz (those are the MIM ones). $420 is what I paid for mine, which isn't bad for the quality. The sound's pretty good, too.

And if you decide to make bass your main instrument, and want a higher end bass with a lot of versatility that you won't have to sell organs to afford, I'd suggest a Carvin. My main bass is a Carvin LB70PF. What I got cost just a little over $1000, and it's the best bass I've ever played. Besides that, It looks better than any bass I've ever seen on a rack in a store, with extremely highly figured quilted maple.

[TenTigers]

my two cents-the squier is good, stay away from the packages, though. The beginner amp is something most players outgrow within a few months. Try to get something that you can use to play in a garage band with-something that will be heard over the drums, not ear shatterring, Hartke, and Fender make nice powerful combo amps-usually with one 15" speaker.
You can also later on, upgrade your squier with replacement pickups from DiMarzio, or Seymore Duncan. The Precision is a versitile bass, as is the Jazz Bass. As long as it plays well, has good intonation, it will last till you want to totally upgrade-or go to a different type-more strings, fretless, etc. The amp will last till you want a monster stack-if you choose to go that route. This way you don't have to buy one amp, then a slightly larger one, etc
I hope that helps.

[Oso]

awesome ! thanks fellas, I knew there would probably be some bass players amongst our ranks.

final purchase will be mid to late september, I have a big seminar/training week the first week of september and kung fu still comes first. I'll let you know where I go but the Fender Squier is sounding like the most solid bet unless I can find something better at a good price in a pawn shop.