Buying a bass for beginners

[funky_numba]

Hi all,

Would really appreciate some help/ advice re buying a bass guitar for a beginner.

I've long been a fan of funk, soul for some time now. Recently been attending BIG-BAND gigs of which my sis has been the singer for some of them.

I'm a big fan of Level 42, Jamiroqui, etc. Listening to them has always given me an itch to learn funk / jazz music. Been wanting to try bass for ages but thought it would be too much like hard work!!!

Now I'm confused by all the technology re what to buy as a first 4-string bass. Do I choose one with active or passive pickups, what strings would I use, what amp should I buy to start with. Could I use a particular bass for learning basic stuff... but also use the same bass to learn swing-jazz and slap bass??

I have been 'googling' and 'youtubing' for some inspiration. Found what I thought was a nice bass.. Yamaha RBX 170. Well within my budget too. Sounds really nice!!! I've heard that Yamaha basses are really good for beginners, however, I've also heard that Washburn basses are good too.

I'm lost now!!! I have the funds but I don't know how to proceed. Buy the Yamaha RBX 170 or opt for a Washburn? If Washburn.. what model?? Or what??

Can you guys pleeeeez give me some ideas, reviews, opinions, how you started off?

Many thanks for any help!!

[BASainty]

[quote name='funky_numba' post='983027' date='Oct 10 2010, 03:13 AM']Hi all,

Would really appreciate some help/ advice re buying a bass guitar for a beginner.

I've long been a fan of funk, soul for some time now. Recently been attending BIG-BAND gigs of which my sis has been the singer for some of them.

I'm a big fan of Level 42, Jamiroqui, etc. Listening to them has always given me an itch to learn funk / jazz music. Been wanting to try bass for ages but thought it would be too much like hard work!!!

Now I'm confused by all the technology re what to buy as a first 4-string bass. Do I choose one with active or passive pickups, what strings would I use, what amp should I buy to start with. Could I use a particular bass for learning basic stuff... but also use the same bass to learn swing-jazz and slap bass??

I have been 'googling' and 'youtubing' for some inspiration. Found what I thought was a nice bass.. Yamaha RBX 170. Well within my budget too. Sounds really nice!!! I've heard that Yamaha basses are really good for beginners, however, I've also heard that Washburn basses are good too.

I'm lost now!!! I have the funds but I don't know how to proceed. Buy the Yamaha RBX 170 or opt for a Washburn? If Washburn.. what model?? Or what??

Can you guys pleeeeez give me some ideas, reviews, opinions, how you started off?

Many thanks for any help!![/quote]

Im always in the Yamaha Camp, even though I didn't learn on the RBX 170 I have played one and they are very very very good for the price range you wont get much better, and then once you feel like you can move up in basses Yamaha do great follow ups like the RBX270 and then the RBX374/375 (375 being the 5 string version) and then they go even further.

They have a very high standard of build quality and just never ever go wrong.

Iv played a few different basses and different makes but I keep going back to my Yamaha's =]

When it comes to strings it all depends on what kinda sound your looking for? There are quite a few different string types.
Depending on what sound you want will depend on what strings to buy.

I hope this has helped a little bit =]

[charic]

Check out the for sale forum here. Your money could stretch a lot further than you realise

[gary mac]

You can't go far wrong with a Yamaha, the build quality and components are always reliable in my experience.

A Yamaha would certainly be my choice out of the two.

[stingrayPete1977]

A good squier Jazz will cover all those genres really well as you will see from the you tube clips although there is nowt wrong with Yammys if they have taken your fancy.Check out how many people on this forum have very expensive gear and rave about the latest Squier range and how it put Fenders old sufff and Mexican range to shame.Plus they always have the option of adding active circuits and better pickups etc as you go.

[charic]

Worth a look!

Yamaha RBX A2 £200:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=80382"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=80382[/url]

Vintage Modified Precision Bass with mods £175:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=105298"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=105298[/url]

Yamaha RBX 170 £80:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=103190"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=103190[/url]

Jim Deacon P/J £65:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=105781"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=105781[/url]

Like I say, scope out the marketplace

[BASainty]

[quote name='charic' post='983121' date='Oct 10 2010, 10:01 AM']Worth a look!

Yamaha RBX A2 £200:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=80382"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=80382[/url]

Vintage Modified Precision Bass with mods £175:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=105298"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=105298[/url]

Yamaha RBX 170 £80:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=103190"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=103190[/url]

Jim Deacon P/J £65:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=105781"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=105781[/url]

Like I say, scope out the marketplace [/quote]

Iv I had the money I would bite bass guardian's hand off for that RBX A2!
That's a steal at that price considering they are about £450

[Ou7shined]

+1 for Squier... although I was going to say Precision to get that classic tone.
Stuart Zender from Jamiroqui used to play Warwicks (and Precisions) so maybe a cheap Rockbass would cut it - although I'm only guessing about this as I know three fifths of nothing about Warwicks.

[Schnozzalee]

Whats your budget? I started on a Warwick Rockbass Streamer, fantastic the only flaw I can think of was the boring colour finishes. Were I to start again i'd guess I'd go for one of the Squier Vintage Modified series.

[BASainty]

For example a Squier Vintage Modified Precision [url="http://www.drumshack.co.uk/product.asp?cookiecheck=yes&P_ID=4710"]http://www.drumshack.co.uk/product.asp?coo...s&P_ID=4710[/url]
Depending on your budget, but you cant deny that's a beautiful looking thing =]

Edited October 10, 2010 by 4StringFortress

[Cat Burrito]

I started on a Squier & I'd always recommend them. I had friends buy embarrassing shaped 80s instruments at the time which went on to have no resale value when they didn't stick at it. For your needs probably a Jazz bass but I would usually recommend a P-bass. Not that it matters really. They are both classic designs which fit every genre

[Neko]

[quote name='4StringFortress' post='983135' date='Oct 10 2010, 10:18 AM']For example a Squier Vintage Modified Precision [url="http://www.drumshack.co.uk/product.asp?cookiecheck=yes&P_ID=4710"]http://www.drumshack.co.uk/product.asp?coo...s&P_ID=4710[/url]
Depending on your budget, but you cant deny that's a beautiful looking thing =][/quote]

I second this! I had the VM for a while and it was really lovely, very classy looking and had a good sound. Nice weight too! Only reason I traded was because I wanted a jazz neck

You can probably get it cheaper if you go second hand too.

[funky_numba]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the prompt response !!!

My budget is around £200. A friend of mine said that he could get me a new Washburn bass (don't know model), amp and some kinda pedal (?).. all for £170. Still like the Yamaha series tho.

I saw another nice Yamaha bass.. BB 414. Sounds like a fatter sound than the RBX 170. Probably a lot more pricey tho. Anyone played the BB 414?
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Q3OUd7Ev0"]Yamaha BB414[/url]

On another note... best way to start learning? DVD, books?

Thanks again!!!

[BASainty]

[quote name='funky_numba' post='983309' date='Oct 10 2010, 01:24 PM']Hi Guys,

Thanks for the prompt response !!!

My budget is around £200. A friend of mine said that he could get me a new Washburn bass (don't know model), amp and some kinda pedal (?).. all for £170. Still like the Yamaha series tho.

I saw another nice Yamaha bass.. BB 414. Sounds like a fatter sound than the RBX 170. Probably a lot more pricey tho. Anyone played the BB 414?
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Q3OUd7Ev0"]Yamaha BB414[/url]

On another note... best way to start learning? DVD, books?

Thanks again!!![/quote]

Yeh I own a BB414 (notice in my sig)
Brand new they cost around £250-£300 but they are discontinued so you can only pick them up second hand.
I bought mine from here for £140 which is a absolute steal!
They are amazing basses pick ups are very hot build quality and finish you would expect from a top end bass.
They will go forever and never fail on you, if you can find one on here or ebay I would highly recommend grabbing it.
Its the kind of bass that you will never get rid of simply coz it will stand up to any future basses you buy.

I would say best way to start learning get some lessons only as many as you need just to get the basics, then you can decide weather to carry on or start to teach yourself.

[Sean]

[quote name='4StringFortress' post='983324' date='Oct 10 2010, 01:36 PM']Yeh I own a BB414 (notice in my sig)
Brand new they cost around £250-£300 but they are discontinued so you can only pick them up second hand.
I bought mine from here for £140 which is a absolute steal!
They are amazing basses pick ups are very hot build quality and finish you would expect from a top end bass.
They will go forever and never fail on you, if you can find one on here or ebay I would highly recommend grabbing it.
Its the kind of bass that you will never get rid of simply coz it will stand up to any future basses you buy.

I would say best way to start learning get some lessons only as many as you need just to get the basics, then you can decide weather to carry on or start to teach yourself.[/quote]

What he said! There a review of a Yamaha BB415 in the reviews section of this forum and other than the B-string stuff all the comments apply to the BB414s I've played too.

[the_skezz]

I'm with everyone who said Squier. Affordable and of great quality...I much prefer my Vintage Modified Jazz to my 50s Fender P (which was over twice the price). Good for beginners and more experienced players.

[Doddy]

[quote name='funky_numba' post='983309' date='Oct 10 2010, 01:24 PM']On another note... best way to start learning? DVD, books?[/quote]

Lessons.

[LawrenceH]

No disrespect to others above, but given what you list as music you like I would ignore suggestions to buy a P-bass without an extra pup at the bridge. Before anyone jumps on my back, yes they are great for some funk (Paul Jackson of the Headhunters springs to mind), but the core tone is sort of exactly the opposite of Level 42 etc!

A jazz type, MM, or a P-J, will be more versatile. I started on a Yamaha RBX170 and it was a great bass to begin on, ergonomic, well-constructed and reliable. The core tone was a little weak but you'll struggle to find better in the sub-£100 bracket that these go for 2ndhand.

Having said that, I'd say the BB414/424 is a very worthwhile step up. I don't think you need look beyond the Yamaha range at the low end of the market, there might be others as good but I don't think there's better pound for pound. If you want a jazz then the CV Squier is a safe bet, and there's one for sale on here I believe.

[funky_numba]

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='983380' date='Oct 10 2010, 02:44 PM']No disrespect to others above, but given what you list as music you like I would ignore suggestions to buy a P-bass without an extra pup at the bridge. Before anyone jumps on my back, yes they are great for some funk (Paul Jackson of the Headhunters springs to mind), but the core tone is sort of exactly the opposite of Level 42 etc!

A jazz type, MM, or a P-J, will be more versatile. I started on a Yamaha RBX170 and it was a great bass to begin on, ergonomic, well-constructed and reliable. The core tone was a little weak but you'll struggle to find better in the sub-£100 bracket that these go for 2ndhand.

Having said that, I'd say the BB414/424 is a very worthwhile step up. I don't think you need look beyond the Yamaha range at the low end of the market, there might be others as good but I don't think there's better pound for pound. If you want a jazz then the CV Squier is a safe bet, and there's one for sale on here I believe.[/quote]

[charic]

My money would go on the second hand yammy a2 if the budget was 200. I really really liked the last one I played. Are you dead set on going new?

[funky_numba]

Great!!!!!! Thanks for that!!

On a similar note.. if I bought one particular bass guitar, would it be suitable for playing 'big band' swing music as well as playing funk/ soul etc, or would I need to buy another type of guitar for each style of music? What dictates the sound of a bass.... string type, pickup type, guitar body type?

Sorry for the heavy question there.

Any help is very much appreciated!!!

Thanks again..

[BASainty]

[quote name='funky_numba' post='983710' date='Oct 10 2010, 07:54 PM']Great!!!!!! Thanks for that!!

On a similar note.. if I bought one particular bass guitar, would it be suitable for playing 'big band' swing music as well as playing funk/ soul etc, or would I need to buy another type of guitar for each style of music? What dictates the sound of a bass.... string type, pickup type, guitar body type?

Sorry for the heavy question there.

Any help is very much appreciated!!!

Thanks again..[/quote]

If you pick the right bass you can use it for most styles and yes depending on the strings will change the sound of your bass.
Also depending on the amp you use and also if you use any effects that will also change the sound of your bass.

[funky_numba]

[quote name='charic' post='983678' date='Oct 10 2010, 07:29 PM']My money would go on the second hand yammy a2 if the budget was 200. I really really liked the last one I played. Are you dead set on going new?[/quote]

Yes, I'm going new. Don't think I trust second hand. No come back if it goes wrong. New bass should get me a warranty.

[charic]

That's fair enough. There's not really a LOT to go wrong though. Short of breaking it yourself which wouldn't be covered.

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='charic' post='984028' date='Oct 11 2010, 06:24 AM']That's fair enough. There's not really a LOT to go wrong though. Short of breaking it yourself which wouldn't be covered.[/quote]

Yeah, what charic said - a bass isn't really very high tech! I think all my basses have been secondhand and I kind of prefer it. The wood on an older bass is likely more stable than on a new one.

In answer to your question, pickup type and importantly position, body wood, neck wood/construction all seem to impact on different aspects of the tone. But, with their twin pickups and sensible body woods something like the BB414 or a jazz would be versatile enough to cover any style, really, apart from sounding like a double bass - having said that, flatwounds, solo neck pickup, bit of foam at the bridge and it'll do the same sort of tonal job.