nilebodgers Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 I'd agree with everyone else that has said some kind of P-Bass or J-Bass as a starting point. You can't go very wrong with either as a first bass. Ordinary nickel roundwound strings would be a good start, you can always turn the tone knob to take the high zing off if that is what you need to do to get a sound you like. Getting a good bass setup is very important though. If your bass is very hard to play (e.g. very high action or string height at the nut is too high) you are less likely to stick with it. For an amp I'd recommend something simple with a headphone socket and an aux input so you can connect a PC/iPad/whatever to allow you to play along with backing tracks or youTube lessons without annoying anyone else. I personally use headphones a lot as it is so revealing of sloppy muting or imprecise playing, it's a lot easier to fudge things with normal amplification. Also - get a tuner and get used to being in tune whenever you play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozkerr Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 12 minutes ago, nilebodgers said: Also - get a tuner and get used to being in tune whenever you play. And a metronome. I use an app on my tablet and plug it into the aux in on my amp when playing late at night. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 13 minutes ago, lozkerr said: And a metronome. I use an app on my tablet and plug it into the aux in on my amp when playing late at night. Or get one of these, this was my first metronome 😂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleOhStephan Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 Just now, Reggaebass said: Or get one of these, this was my first metronome 😂 Does it take batteries or is it mains powered? 😬 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 2 minutes ago, DoubleOhStephan said: Does it take batteries or is it mains powered? 😬 Even before that😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larwood Posted October 5, 2019 Author Share Posted October 5, 2019 (edited) Many thanks again for all your help i have narrowed it down to 3 to try they are all in stock at my local PMT shop, Before I go on Monday which is the best value and to play reggae and yardbirds type music cheers Gretsch G2220 Electromatic Junior Jet Bass II SS £285 Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Special SS Bass, £199 Squier Classic Vibe 70s Jazz Bass V £339 full size Edited October 5, 2019 by larwood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Special SS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJpullchord Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 As above. Don’t get a tuner though. Get used to using your ears. A tuning fork is more than sufficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larwood Posted October 5, 2019 Author Share Posted October 5, 2019 3 hours ago, hooky_lowdown said: Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Special SS. 3 hours ago, DJpullchord said: As above. Don’t get a tuner though. Get used to using your ears. A tuning fork is more than sufficient. Thanks for that but I have been told that one is unavailable , and I have been looking at record shops around the south Yorkshire midlands area but no one seems to have one , so choose of 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleat Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 The Gretsch for sure.. superb basses for the money, and will certainly perform well for those styles of music. Also one to consider especially for Reggae is an Epiphone EB-0 …. if you want lots of bass, that will do it ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 3 hours ago, larwood said: Many thanks again for all your help i have narrowed it down to 3 to try they are all in stock at my local PMT shop, Before I go on Monday which is the best value and to play reggae and yardbirds type music cheers Gretsch G2220 Electromatic Junior Jet Bass II SS £285 Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Special SS Bass, £199 Squier Classic Vibe 70s Jazz Bass V £339 full size You won't go far wrong with any of those. Might also be worth considering a Sire V3 if you can find one locally to try. it's basically a Jazz bass but it has an active preamp which makes it tonally very versatile indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozkerr Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 6 hours ago, Reggaebass said: Or get one of these, this was my first metronome 😂 I have one too! Still use it on occasion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blank Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 11 minutes ago, lozkerr said: I have one too! Still use it on occasion. I have one as well which I still use on occasion although I tend to use an app more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 13 hours ago, hooky_lowdown said: Yes, but for a complete beginner it's not ideal. A beginner should start with the basics, bass and amp, and later find out about effects and how they change your tone/sound. 👍 I just use the ampeg sound and headphones 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 9 hours ago, larwood said: Many thanks again for all your help i have narrowed it down to 3 to try they are all in stock at my local PMT shop, Before I go on Monday which is the best value and to play reggae and yardbirds type music cheers Gretsch G2220 Electromatic Junior Jet Bass II SS £285 Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Special SS Bass, £199 Squier Classic Vibe 70s Jazz Bass V £339 full size Why a five string squier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant1972 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 I recently took up the bass and got a Yamaha trbx174 as my first instrument... Very happy with it. Do get someone to do a proper set-up on your bass and factor it into the overall cost. I got a cheap Harley Benton 20w amp from Thomann... Just right for practicing in the spare room... Gets plenty loud, but not so loud as to p!ss off the neighbours. As a previous poster mentioned the Zoom b1 four is a great little tool... Has drum rhythm tracks you can play along to, lots of sound effects for you to tinker with and a looper function that is kinda fun to mess with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 (edited) 19 hours ago, DJpullchord said: As above. Don’t get a tuner though. Get used to using your ears. A tuning fork is more than sufficient. Beginners don’t have that confidence If they get it wrong it sounds dreadful and many or even most will give up. Make it easy for them to sound good. Using a tuner is a good crutch and it’s not an imprisonable offence Even if you sound rubbish to a practised ear just doing your exercises to a simple drum beat is a good confidence boost. Metronomes are valuable but sap the soul and confidence of a beginner. I think sometimes we forget here what it’s like to have zero confidence, knowledge, experience and guided input and adopt a very 1930s attitude to learning. Make it fun and confidence-boosting and more people will stick at it Edited October 6, 2019 by Geek99 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 It’s like saying “don’t watch youtube! Ever” Tuning by ear comes with time or not at all. It really doesn’t matter if you can’t do it. I still can’t get it right and you know what ? The sky has not fallen in. I don’t see the harm in ten minutes of random notes or noodling to a simple drum beat (as part of a balanced practice routine). How else will you gain the confidence to play with a drummer without the crutch of a metronome? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilebodgers Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I originally learned to play bass before there were any affordable tuners. Trying to get the rest of the band to shut up long enough to tune by harmonics and ear was a nightmare. That is one bit of the good old days I'm certainly not going back to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I learned to tune with pitch pipes and harmonics 40+ yrs ago but changed to a tuner as soon as i realised they were available and had a Boss tuner to start. Tuners can be picked up for a few quid these days. Tuner makes life easier so why not. ? Altho i prefer my Jazz basses I've always thought of P basses for reggae for some reason but its a style i don't play or listen to very often so i'm in no way an expert on Reggae. What about :- Tokai Puncher, Yamaha BB434 or similar range (don't know their full range) Aria did a nice P style bass as well that i remember quite a few talking about. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 52 minutes ago, nilebodgers said: I originally learned to play bass before there were any affordable tuners. Trying to get the rest of the band to shut up long enough to tune by harmonics and ear was a nightmare. That is one bit of the good old days I'm certainly not going back to! This. My band at school had a 3 piece brass section and we had a rule, if anyone needed to tune up everyone else had to shut up. When the call "Tuning" went out you shut up or you got told off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 15 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said: I learned to tune with pitch pipes and harmonics 40+ yrs ago but changed to a tuner as soon as i realised they were available and had a Boss tuner to start. I got a Boss TU-12 soon after I saw an early one in a shop, and I worked out what they were. Easy, accurate and soundless tuning, what a brilliant idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 For the first year or so I used to tune up to the E-A-D-G notes provided on the 'how to play bass' tape that came with my first bass. Looking back, because the process involved a fair bit of stopping and rewinding each time and with cassettes being what they were, I suspect that those recorded notes were actually dropping in pitch over time as the tape stretched. Then I got a battery powered tuner and that aspect of playing got a lot simpler and quicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 19 minutes ago, chris_b said: I got a Boss TU-12 soon after I saw an early one in a shop, and I worked out what they were. Easy, accurate and soundless tuning, what a brilliant idea. Just checked and mine was actually a Korg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I’ve got a in-line chromatic pedal tuner as part of my kit , I couldn’t do without it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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