Shopping advice needed for spoiled re-beginner :-)

[orys]

hello everyone, this is my first post here.

And I need your advice. But first, the background.

I just decided to come back to playing after about 6 years and suddenly found myself without a guitar.

And this is where the problem starts: I was lucky and had in possesion of custom made Jakubiszyn Precission, a dream guitar of my late uncle who was a proffessional player. I know that it tells you nothing, but mr Jerzy Jakubiszyn was a legendary guitar maker in Poland in 80s and 90s, who was making guitars completely from scratch - he wasn't using any third party components. Enough to say that his guitars are nowadays valued higher than original Fender.

So when I started my career of bassist in High School, my aunt took me one day and told me "you are the only one person in the family who plays bass, so I want you to use this". I have to say I was astonished - it's like if some learner driver was given a Rolls Royce.


This is me trying it on some jam session long time ago in the galaxy far far away

I was using this guitar since about 1997, playing in few bands, but when my band split in 2004, I barely touched this guitar since ( I played some accoustic guitar here and there, but for last few years it's just some playing and singing along with friends on odd occasions).

Recently I decided to get back to playing bass, and as I have some money (wchich was not a case 10 years ago) I planned to give the old Jakubiszyn a proper service. I went to one guitarmaker recommended to me by friend and asked him to look at it. At the beginning he wasnt too impressed, he looked at the guitar briefly and said some not too nice words about it, but he agreed to take the guitar in to do some minor job and quote me for more. I really liked his face, when I came few days later to pick it up and I caught him playing it and saying very positive things about it to someone in the back of the shop ;-)

But my cousin, daughter of my late uncle, decided to do something really nasty to me and she got married to some proffessional musician and now he is number one to be keeper of the family treasure and I had to send my beloved guitar back to Poland (it was hard to find someone I trust enough to carry it there )

And now when you have the background, you can imagine my point: I am walking from the shop to the shop, trying everything in my financial range, and all these guitars are so crap, even though I can barely play nowaday, since I wasn't practicing for so many years

The guys in the guitar shops look at me as at some weirdo - I can barely play and I moan about every guitar they show me like that princess from the Princess and the Pea fairly tale ;-) But is that because I am so spoiled, or because I have wooden hands after so long gap in playing bass, or simply because this precission bass was really the only one I ever played and I am just not used to different ones? Or they are really crap?

Off course I have no spare 1000 to buy something similar to what I used to play on, so I have to settle within my humble limit of, say, 300.

So far the guitar I liked the most was some Washburn I forgot which one, and one of these Spear S2 basses like that one (except that I am after 4):

Can you tell me if it's a good idea? It sounded nice to me and somehow I found it nice to play...

Spoke to a friend of a friend who gave me some e-bay links to things I should consider as well:
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Ibanez-ATK200-NT-Natural-finish-bass-guitar-/400233694651?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item5d2fc985bb#ht_500wt_1180"]http://www.ebay.co.u...b#ht_500wt_1180[/url]

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ibanez-BTB400-Active-Bass-Quilted-Top-/330621890358?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4cfa99af36#ht_1754wt_1398"]http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_1754wt_1398[/url]

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Cirrus-BXP-4-String-Bass-Highly-Figured-Bubinga-Top-/170716815284?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item27bf83dfb4#ht_2362wt_1398"]http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_2362wt_1398[/url]

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ibanez-SR300-ROM-Electric-Bass-Guitar-Sr-300-/170712849543?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item27bf475c87#ht_2526wt_1141"]http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_2526wt_1141[/url]

but somehow with my complete lack of knowledge I am not sure if I should go for second hand one...


Hm, I am moaning a lot, do I?

So maybe I will just finish and if you have any ideas how to help me in my misery, please do it ;-)

Edited October 26, 2011 by orys

[bigsmokebass]

Welcome to bass chat! Princess Orys

Thanks for the story, it's really nice and detailed other than your evil cousin I'm joking, it's logical really.

I have to say, i have seen that Spear on the 'For sale' part of this forum with some nice detailed pics, no more than £250 if I remember correctly. Seems really nice and a steal for the price.

Ibanez basses, does your friend play guitar? I cannot say a nice word about these, higher end models are fine but the budget range I think you would have to try for yourself if your picky like myself.

If you are really after a Pbass and your sticking to a budget, try a Squier "vintage modern", "artists" and "classic vibe' range for sure.
They might not be anything near your old bass and nothing like a real high quality Fender but Squiers quality over the last few years has improved so much, they're worth every penny!

There is also a brand called, Bass Collection who have been awarded Best bass under £1,000 and have created quite a buzz, I'd advise you check them out.

All the best with your search and I hope you enjoy the site.

Edited October 26, 2011 by bigsmokebass

[bigsmokebass]

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/155692-spear-5-string-singlecut/

Hope this helps but you'd have to be quick as its stirring interest

[brensabre79]

Hi Orys

Welcome to Basschat!

An interesting story, shame about your cousin but if it has inspired you to play again maybe its all good

I would definitely recommend you look at the Squier Classic Vibe or Vintage Modified range.

The PBass in your picture looks more like a Jazz Bass neck (which is thinner and a bit easier to get around) and it seems to have a bridge pickup too. So I would recommend the Vintage Modified Jazz Bass.

I bought one of these myself. I also have an American Fender Jazz Bass (over £1,000) and a vintage Music Man (same!) but I play gigs 2 or 3 times a week and I take the Squier!

The feel of these instruments is not always consistent so I would recommend you get to a music shop where you can try a few for yourself. Basses (and guitars) are like people, some you like, some you don't but no two are ever the same! I hate playing in music shops too Orys, usually i just turn the amp down and get a sense of how the instrument [u]feels[/u] to play without an amplifier - that way nobody can hear... I usually only turn the amp on to check the pickups work

Also, the set up of the instrument is a personal thing - just like the guy in the shop who didn't like your bass at first, once it was set up it was great! So ask about whether the instrument has been set up since it came out of the factory. If it hasn't ask them to do it and try it again!

I hope this helps you in your quest to find a playable instrument. For less than £300 it is possible to get a good bass, just a bit harder

[brensabre79]

Here is a review of the Squier VM Jazz Bass

http://www.bassguitarmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=124:squier-vintage-modified-jazz-bass-issue-34&catid=37:bassguitars

Just search Google for lots of shops that sell them!

[orys]

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1319634724' post='1416668'].

The PBass in your picture looks more like a Jazz Bass neck (which is thinner and a bit easier to get around) and it seems to have a bridge pickup too. So I would recommend the Vintage Modified Jazz Bass.[/quote]

yeah, the bridge pick up was added later - you can see it that one of the knobs is different from the other two - it was hard to get them in communist Poland, you know, so the guy was just making them himself ;-)

This is a good advice about these basses, but I am wondering if I should use this opportunity to try something completely different - like this modern designs. I have to say that I liked this spear bass, so I maybe shall check more of them modern ones.

As for the link given by the other member - well, I see it's a bargain, but as for me the guitar has 20% too much strings :-) I struggle to be good on four so far, so maybe I just should stick to the classic approach.

Or maybe, as I am starting almost from scratch again, I should use it to go for fivestring one considering that I already lost my four string habits? ;-)

I am goint to a big store tomorow and I am planning to spent some time there trying everything they have ;-)

[KiOgon]

Hi Orys,
Great intro - welcome to the forum. If the Peavey Cirrus BXP in the ebay link is one you like the look of, I'd say it's a good buy at that price. Good sounding well made guitars but if it would suit you? Who can tell - only yourself
BTW the seller of the Peavy is nothing to do with me, although he could well be a member on here
Good luck,
John

[Mornats]

Welcome back to the world of bass! I had a 15 year break in bass playing and I'm loving getting back into it. Shame about your heirloom bass though.

If you can find a dealer it may be worth checking out the Overwater Classic J. They retail for £400 (out of your budget a bit but if you can sretch, it's worth checking out). They're pretty good quality. I bought an Overwater Contemporary J bass and I consider it the best bass I've played and i've played Fender American Jazz's (one of which is the only bass to stand up to my Overwater), Musicman Stingrays, Spectors, Schectors, and many more in the £800 - £1700 price range.

It's worth noting that every bass will play and feel different. I've tried 2 Fender American Jazz's and one was fantastic and the other was very much below average. It's all personal taste really. A guy in a guitar shop told me that if I pick up a bass and like playing it and can afford it then I should buy it, regardless of the make and I think this holds true (it certainly did when I picked up the Overwater whilst out shopping for bed linen!!)

You could try some of the basses mentioned here: [url="http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/guitars/10-best-bass-guitars-under-300-226841"]http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/guitars/10-best-bass-guitars-under-300-226841[/url]

Or try and pick up a dirt cheap bass for £50 or so, get used to playing again then try out some guitars in the shops with more confidence. When I got back into bass playing I had to get the guy in the shop to play a few for me so I could tell which sound I liked best! He was great though once I'd explained to him that I hadn't played for 15 years and barely know which way to hold one anymore (this was in J.G. Windows in the Metro Centre near Newcastle).

[quote name='orys' timestamp='1319635568' post='1416687']
I am goint to a big store tomorow and I am planning to spent some time there trying everything they have ;-)
[/quote]

Best plan I'm sure if you explain your 20 year gap they'll help you out and let you try them all.