wishface

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1469269025' post='3097040'] You have "a few hundred pounds" to spend on a bass. Any bass you buy will be a compromise: what you can afford versus what you actually want to buy. You are being very vague on what you are looking for and as soon as someone offers a suggestion, you seem to go out of your way to dismiss it. Top tip. Go to guitarguitar or similar and try lots of basses in your budget. [/quote]I have dismissed nothing. In fact I repeatedly said that if I cannot get something good within my budget then I'm happy not to get anything at all. Again, what I do not want is to settle for buying something for the sake of buying a new instrument. I want a quality instrument, if that is not possible then fair enough. I don't know of guitarguitar, there's no such shop here. The biggest shops are PMT and then Mickleburg in Bristol. The former isn't hugely impressive. The latter is decent but has a small range (some nice instruments, but out of my price range, like a thousand quid rickenbacker )

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1469270163' post='3097050'] here's another tip, give us a clue as to where you are located, there are many friendly basschatters who may be up for a meet so you can try their stuff and get a feel for what you want [/quote]I live in north somerset

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1469270891' post='3097058'] Very true the OP isn't giving any idea of the sound he wants. After all, Tone should be the first consideration when choosing as it points to what pickup configuration to look at. This thread is a waste of time. [/quote] http://basschat.co.uk/topic/288764-buying-a-new-bass-need-help/page__view__findpost__p__3096736 That was an answer to a q you yourself had asked.

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1469218891' post='3096827'] Sire Marcus Miller V7 Jazz. Brand new £325, imo better than the MIM Fender equivalent Jazz...which will set you back about £50ish more even s/h. [/quote] this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marcus-Miller-sire-electric-bass-V7-Swamp-Ash-4-NT-Gigbag-/222187858556?hash=item33bb6daa7c:g:CFMAAOSwtnpXiTmC

[quote name='bh2' timestamp='1469214670' post='3096782'] I was lucky enough to find a used Fender Precision on Ebay £250... bit of a gamble but turned out to be a cracker. [/quote]My congratulations. I vaguely know someone that has a p bass that was, last i checked, for sale. I think he wanted £400 at the time. Might see if I can get hold of him and see if he'll go down on the price.

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1469212740' post='3096766'] The Sterling Sub basses are great bits of kit apart from the "hot" pre amp that is a problem for some people, myself included. If you want a Jazz, a second hand Mexican could be a good buy especially one of the post 09 models. If that is too much cash, a VM or Classic Vibe is generally considered a good buy. I had a black and maple VM77 and it was a cracker with no issues whatsoever. But it is a mass produced instrument and they can vary quality wise, especially Squier/Fenders. But imo, the best bit of kit in the £300 - £350 range is the Yamaha BB 424. At the price, whats not to like. [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/yamaha_bb424_b.htm?ref=search_rslt_yamaha+bb+bass_313031_11"]http://www.thomann.d...+bass_313031_11[/url] [/quote]Thanks, but that's sort of the point i'm making: "at the price". I'm not looking to compromise. If something decent is out of my means then that's too bad for me, but I don't just want something that's good for the price. I want something that's good.

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1469209526' post='3096731'] They'll have been the newer 'Sterling by Musicman SUB' - they're the cheap ones to which I was referring. You won't find a new USA Sub anywhere: as I said, they were discontinued a good while ago. [/quote]sounds like i should avoid these ones then

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1469203329' post='3096667'] There's nowt wrong with a cheap bass. Many cheap basses will simply get better with a few upgrades; nut, pickups, bridge, a good set up... It's worth remembering that most mass-produced instruments are made now by a computerised factory. The plant is set up to produce a perfectly serviceable instrument. What often lets a cheap bass down is poor quality tuning heads, frets not leveled and smoothed at the ends, nut not the right height, cheap BBOT bridge (bent bit of tin), ahhhh and a brand name; arguably the most expensive ingredient. What have you had? What do you have? What don't you like about what you've had? What sound are you after? What features do you like? [/quote] I'm not judging cheap basses per se, just that I want something that's good all round, not just good for it's value. It's time I had an instrument that lets me do what I want to do without having to fight it or having a crappy tone. Can't remember what i've had, but what I got currently is a Revelation RBJ67 that i brought for £165 from Rikaxxe in Bristol. He specialises in cheap stuff and these kinds of brands. Seems like a nice guy with experience in the industry, but I have no way to verify that and this bass isn't working out great. A couple of dead spots, intonation never seems to stay and it just feels oddly weighted - like it's too small and too big at the same time. It's a Jazz style instrument. If i pick over the neck pickup the instrument feels really short and my hand is awkward. It's kinda hard to explain. The varnished fingerboard is nice (and easy to clean), but higher up it's hard to get to the lower strings (my hands aren't weirdly small either). Tonally it's ok. Nothing earth shattering. Some fret buzz on the low E, which feels very flappy. The sound I like is a rounded tone, that's why I like the music man tone. But i like the Jazz tone. Geddy's tone (less the overdrive) is nice too, punchy but not overly trebly.

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1469202338' post='3096648'] Ask yourself what you want - if the answer is Fender Jazz, then buy one - there are various options classic vibe, roadworn, highway one, us std and you really need to make the judgement with your ears and fingers as the most expensive option isn't necessarily the one that you'll gel with. A bass that inspires you to pick it up and play it is way more valuable than one that leaves you feeling 'meh', only you can answer the question of whether an instrument has that special quality. [/quote] I can't afford a Fender Jazz, or at least i've not seen one at a price I can afford. I'm not wedded to any particular brand however, but that is a classic instrucment I know to be a quality model. Also I like the pickup placement (as opposed to the precision with it's single split pickup in the middle). Having those options for where to pluck from is important, but I like the music man tone and the location of the single humbucker pickup is good as well. I don't know enough about all different makes and types to express a meaningful preference.

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1469204374' post='3096677'] A secondhand USA SUB can be had for £350 or so, when they come up - they've been discontinued a while now. The SUB/Sterling new ones are, as I said, a different thing altogether, a much cheaper bass in every respect. The USA SUB Ray is pretty damn close to a USA Ray (£700 up secondhand) if you're on a budget. [/quote]The ones that were in the shops i visited in town today were around £300, i found a second hand one for £280 but it was buzzing all over the place. Id on't know if they are USA ones or whoever. This is the problem I have; I don't know all this secret manufacturer stuff and I don't want to commit to something without being 100% sure

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1469200860' post='3096629'] Depends which ones - the USA Subs are basically MM basses with a cheaper finish, they were so popular they were discontinued, because sales of the 'real thing' went down. I've had both, and there wasn't a whole lot between them, certainly sonically. The Sterling SUBs are a different (cheaper) bass altogether. [/quote]The 'proper' music man basses are very expensive, these ones are about £300. Are you sure they are better?

[quote name='bassix' timestamp='1469199525' post='3096606'] Try loads of stuff, buy secondhand. [/quote]The shops don't actually have a huge choice, I assume they are told what to sell by dealers with whom they have a working relationship. Hence my question about SUB brand.

are the SUB musicman basses any good?

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1469198586' post='3096580'] Made in Mexico. Broadly speaking top end Fenders are made in the USA. After that it gets a bit fuzzy. Made in Japan Fenders are highly rated, as are some Made in Mexico's (by some people). Then you have the Squier range made in Indonesia or China or possibly somewhere else in the Far East if they've moved production again when I wasn't looking. Some of the more expensive Squiers are as good if not better in some respects than the bottom end of the Mexican range. [/quote]Ok are these actually good basses though, or what good for the price? I don't want another cheap instrument.

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1469196054' post='3096532'] What's the budget? What kinds of basses do you like (shape, sound etc), 4-5-6 string? What kind of music do you play? Si [/quote]Well i'm not in a band but i enjoy a variety of styles from ambient to heavy metal.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1469197978' post='3096564'] It's within the bounds of possibility that you could pick up a MIM Fender Jazz on here for around 300 notes. This one's sold, but should give you an idea of what's possible. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/283176-fender-70s-jazz-bass-mim-l250-sold-now/"]http://basschat.co.u...-l250-sold-now/[/url] [/quote]What is MIM?

I'm a competent if amateur player and I have the oportunity now to buy something a little better than the cheap end instruments I've always played. These haven't been the best instruments and I'd like some advice on getting something genuinely decent not just decent for its price. That said it'll likely have to be second hand because I don't think can justify more than a few hundred quid (no fender jazz for me). Any help is appreciated, thanks.

I agree.

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1456173050' post='2986306'] Practise this if nothing else. Put on an album you like, or a spotify playlist of different stuff, and try to play along. At least a couple of songs away. If you're serious about getting good, your listening ability is crucial. [/quote]I find it difficult to hear the actual bass part, that's the problem.

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1456137205' post='2985652'] Learn lots of songs, play lots of gigs. [/quote]Id like to try and learn some stuff by Mike Lepond in Symphony X because he's all round a great player IMO right now. THat would be a good standard, but I can't find any tab anywhere and I'm no good at learning off the disc

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1456133732' post='2985582'] Because it's trying to run before you can walk. Also it pigeonholes your playing technique at a very early stage - who knows what you may be interested in five years hence? If slap is your only technique then you'll be cutting yourself off from some great music that doesn't use it. [/quote]I agree, but I have been playing a while so I'm not completely green. Problem is the youtube generation has probably beguiled me. Now it's so easy to click on a clip of some wizard of the bass slapping/tapping and doing all the slick stuff. In fact these people are so prevalent that i'm not sure what to think. I'm not that into slap personally. What I think is most important is to find something i do on the bass, or some way of doing things (complex or simple), that no one else does. I think Tony Levin is the best example of this (literally with his funk fingers). Otherwise you get lost in wanting to do all the tricks that the cool kids do on their youtube double thiumping slappity slappity videos. I mean look at someone like Michael Manring, that guy is light years ahead of me. Is it even worth trying to go down that road? He has a bass custonm built to do the stuff he does, that's never going to be the case. Im sure that makes no sense.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1456137161' post='2985650'] If you're not already in a gigging band. . . join one. Join one where you can incorporate what you know. Take it from there. [/quote]Sounds like a good idea. That will have to wait till i get a decent amp and some transport as it's isolated round here. Being in a band would be a good thing though.

[quote name='philparker' timestamp='1456046599' post='2984696'] There are a few directions open to you and which one you take can depend on your personal circumstances, what you want to play in the future (are you in a band or likely to play in a band?) but my advice would be: Don't bother with tapping or advance slapping, soloing or any other 'advanced' techniques. Split your practise into manageable and achievable sessions with some technique or theory based, but the majority of time on playing and familiarising yourself with different genres to suit your future needs. For example work your way through some of the classics i.e. popular pub songs and get to know the different patterns that bassists play. Then pick a genre like blues, reggae, funk, Motown etc. and spend a month or two (or 6!) working your way through some of the classic songs of that genre. Pick a particular bassist like James Jamerson and work through his bass lines, pick a band like Jamiroquai or Incognito etc. work through their bass lines and if you can manage that over the next two years or more - you'll be an improved bass player. There are lots of other things that will help like learning to read, transposing bass lines, creating your own bass lines to chord structures etc. you could also take a structured progression like graded exams or get direction from a good teacher (if you can afford the financial outlay). Playing in a band or with other musicians can accelerate your playing skills, but there is so much material out there, the possibilities are endless. Buy lots of music/tab or download music/tab; give yourself a manageable goal and work your way through. Good Luck! [/quote]THanks, but why not learn slapping and tapping and what not?

[quote name='scalpy' timestamp='1456050386' post='2984749'] If you haven't already get something like an iReal pro app. Practice walking basslines, which are fantastic for putting all those scales and arpeggios into good use. Walking basslines also serve as a fast track into soloing over chord changes etc. Then in iReal you can change the genre so you can work on creating basslines that are suitable off the cuff, preparing you for working on sessions or with singer songwriters. Lots of people on here ask about reading, please don't learn. I'm not the greatest player by any stretch but I can read well and get at least 30 gigs a year out of it, as better players can't read, I want my work to keep coming in! [/quote]What is iReal? Sounds like an ios app. Is it on android?

I have some facility on the instrument. I'm self taught. I can't really read music. I know scales. I mainly practice through modes up and down the neck so I know where the notes are and I know chords and some arpeggios. But I don't know what I should be practising to get get really good - I mean to really know what to play. I can noodle around, and it sounds semi-impressive (because that's what's important of course!), but i suspect it's not really 'proper' music. I'm not aspiring to be a jazzer or a theory buff, just to be a really good player. So what do I need to focus on? Do i need to improve technique and learn tapping and slapping? Should i learn to read? What do i need to do so i don't get stuck in scale/mode patterns? I think that's the problem. Thanks.