I'm new, and my Bass is broke.

[NewUser]

I have a Dean metal man that looks like Dimebag Darrels, I've only played around a year, I tried to tighten truss rod and it broke the bolt off. I only paid 100 for it used, I don't know what to do with it. It will cost more to fix than it's wort. I'm trying to find something else to play. I don't have an amp yet. I have almost 500 saved. I need an amp and bass. I would like to tell you all what I like, and am thinking about and would like feedback.

Any ideas on what to do with my broke bass?

Guitars I like;

Sire Marcus Miller M2 4 string, and am searching for a used one hoping to get used for half price.

I also like Traben, they are showing up in my price range, around 250. Because of easier to find trabens I might get a traben I don't like the Tribal Flame bridges on them and want to find one with traditional dot inlays and remove the flashy bridge and replace with something more traditional. Could you all help me to know what kinds of bridges would replace and fit with no mod other than drilling new holes. I have painted two guitars for friends and they turned out good, I used car paint, I have done my fair share of auto body work and have the ability to paint, fill in the old holes with wood filler and repaint guitar.

I also like the DeArmond Pilot and went to look at one at my local guitar store, it is 200 but the neck has a bow and I am afraid to get it after what happened to my Dean.

I'm finding ampeg 15 combo amps for around 250.

I like Jazz, classic rock and country.

[Dad3353]

Good evening, NewUser, and ...

Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

A sad tale; a sad tale indeed. Tell us your location; I'm sure there'll be someone around to recommend a course of action for the Dean truss rod. It may be useful to team up with a more experienced BC member to help you with things. 

[NewUser]

I am in Tennessee, the tale is not so sad, I learned a lesson, do not mess with truss a rod. And I didn't give up, I am saving up for better stuff. Here is another question.

The guitar, I'm told has Rotosound RS66LB Medium Light Long Scale Bass Strings. If this is what really is on it, I like those and am told they are the lightest strings and good for a beginner. Is it true? I've been wondering, I could luck up and find a good 5 string bass in my price range of 250 what would be equal to those strings in a 5 gauge set? Or maybe even a lighter set? I am not using a pick, I slap with my thumb and gallop index and middle finger and do the pull up pop with my middle finger; I also like doing vibrato with my other hand on the fretboard.

Edited December 3, 2020 by NewUser
wrong finger

[Geek99]

You probably just tightened it up too much all at once - put it down to experience, although maybe you can swap the neck out for another ?

gently does it 

[synthaside]

Welcome welcome 

Golden rule of truss rods ..... if in doubt ...  don't turn it more than a 1/4 turn , 

Onto new  gear .....   In my experience the traben stuff are more style over substance they aren't bad instruments per say but you are paying more for the styling than the substance. 

When I first started playing in  1999 /2000 I was desperate for an black and white Epiphone explorer because to me it was the coolest thing i could imagine .... After playing it in a store their resident  bass guy talked me into trying a thunderbird because ....   first because he could modify it so it wouldn't neck dive  and not having to hold a silly weighted instrument up with my fretting hand would  let me learn to actually able to play it worth a damn ,  He aslo had an inkling that If grew out of the music i loved as a young teen, I could use the tbird for all sorts of rock

l love the Tbird he was right and 20 years later I still have it  along with many more expensive instruments and i still use roto swing RS66's on it too. 

You are lucky at least in one respect  there are so many wonderful basses available very  cheap these days for example many of the Harley Benton's' s blow many of the midrange basses I've tried out of the water , then i would spend as much money as i could on a great  at least 250 watt amplifier because it will last you forever .

 I'd recommend one of these  https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_mb_4_sbk_deluxe_series.htm?glp=1 , 


 

Edited December 4, 2020 by synthaside

[NewUser]

Synthaside, thank you for the suggestion, I will consider it. Traben style, yeah! I imagine myself at a Jazz club, Traben, Gloss black, Black hardware, rose wood fretboard with traditional dots and in front of me a beautiful woman singing wearing a sequin gown. 

 

Geek99, I looked around google for a Metalman neck, no luck, I found a whole build your own guitar kit that included the neck for 250, I would rather just get a new guitar, maybe in the future I will learn to open the guitar and fix it.

 

The amps I'm leaning towards are the Ampeg BA110V2 1x10 Bass Combo Amp, they are around 100 which would give me more money for a bass and in the future I could get another one and use both of them at the same time by use of an A/B split pedal, I think would work?

The other amp I'm thinking of getting is the Ampeg BA115V2 1x15 150W Bass Combo Amp around 200

[Geek99]

I have the ampeg ba108 (it’s little brother) and it’s awesome 

[NewUser]

Geek99 thanks for the feedback, I'm highly considering the ba10 for it's price, just under $100 which would leave me $400 for a bass. I've already got my Christmas shopping done so the money I have reserved for my Bass is my present to myself. I love playing and I'm over playing with no amp and a guitar with broke truss rod.

[Newfoundfreedom]

Have you considered the Traben Neo? It doesn't have the gaudy flame bridge, instead it has (in my opinion) a much more attractive plain music Man style oval. This is mine with Seymour Duncan Baseline pickups and preamp. It sounds and plays absolutely amazing. They're not to everyone's taste, but they're a lot of bass for the money. 

[NewUser]

6 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

Have you considered the Traben Neo? It doesn't have the gaudy flame bridge, instead it has (in my opinion) a much more attractive plain music Man style oval. This is mine with Seymour Duncan Baseline pickups and preamp. It sounds and plays absolutely amazing. They're not to everyone's taste, but they're a lot of bass for the money. 

There is one on reverb in my price range. The bridge I'm really drawn to is the tribal, not the tribal flame just tribal. I love the black out Traben but don't like the fancy inlays, I prefer traditional dots like you have. Also I want piano high gloss black body and headstock. I don't think the guitar I want exist so I'm likely to seek out a used Traben and modify it. 

[NewUser]

I have a question about your Traben. 

Is this in it?

https://www.zzounds.com/item--EMG877?siid=230602&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpq7DkvrA7QIVg5yGCh2jMAdCEAQYAyABEgJvo_D_BwE

 

[Newfoundfreedom]

22 hours ago, NewUser said:

I have a question about your Traben. 

Is this in it?

https://www.zzounds.com/item--EMG877?siid=230602&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpq7DkvrA7QIVg5yGCh2jMAdCEAQYAyABEgJvo_D_BwE

 

No. Mine has Seymour Duncan Preamp and pickups. 

[horrorshowbass]

On ‎03‎/‎12‎/‎2020 at 22:43, NewUser said:

I have a Dean metal man that looks like Dimebag Darrels, I've only played around a year, I tried to tighten truss rod and it broke the bolt off. I only paid 100 for it used, I don't know what to do with it. It will cost more to fix than it's wort. I'm trying to find something else to play. I don't have an amp yet. I have almost 500 saved. I need an amp and bass. I would like to tell you all what I like, and am thinking about and would like feedback.

Any ideas on what to do with my broke bass?

Guitars I like;

Sire Marcus Miller M2 4 string, and am searching for a used one hoping to get used for half price.

I also like Traben, they are showing up in my price range, around 250. Because of easier to find trabens I might get a traben I don't like the Tribal Flame bridges on them and want to find one with traditional dot inlays and remove the flashy bridge and replace with something more traditional. Could you all help me to know what kinds of bridges would replace and fit with no mod other than drilling new holes. I have painted two guitars for friends and they turned out good, I used car paint, I have done my fair share of auto body work and have the ability to paint, fill in the old holes with wood filler and repaint guitar.

I also like the DeArmond Pilot and went to look at one at my local guitar store, it is 200 but the neck has a bow and I am afraid to get it after what happened to my Dean.

I'm finding ampeg 15 combo amps for around 250.

I like Jazz, classic rock and country.

The answer is always an Ibanez, cheap and very cheerful. SR300EB or it's 5 or 6 string cousins new/used on ebay or talkbass could be a good shout. The Sire stuff is great too.

Edited December 10, 2020 by horrorshowbass

[horrorshowbass]

This is a bit of a weapon if budget allows

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/new-fender-squier-contemporary-jazz-w-roasted-maple-neck.1491692/

 

[NewUser]

I let a guy look at my bass last night. He says he can fix my bass for 75 or, fixed it's worth around 150 and offered to just buy it for 75, make the repair and sell it himself.

So I can pay him 75 to fix it, or sell it to him and pocket 75. I told him I would sleep on the decision. 

After sleeping on it I think I will sell it tonight before he changes his mind. Tomorrow I'll go visit several pawn shops and see what I can find.

[StickyDBRmf]

Do you have any musician friends out there in Tenessee that know about stringed instruments? Pawn shops are great-if you know what a solid playable instrument is thatcan be set up proper. I mean, I've set up MANY instruments for nuthin'...just happy to give a novice a playable instrument before he did or bought something stupid. I know Covid situation is tricky right now, be careful, be smart, etc. But a used Squire, Ibanez, ESP, is gonna be for the most part, a quality instrument you can work with/learn on. If it feels good, that's the most important thing, if it plays in tune, the rest (look at the arsenals some of us have) will come later. Get yerself a playable instrument and take some lessons

[NewUser]

I don't have anyone that will set up a guitar for free but my contact I feel did me right. I sold the bass for 75.00 with a broken truss rod. I've made a decision. I want a Traben Array Limited, gloss black, black hardware, traditional dot inlays on the fretboard, no big letter T or fancy flames etc. I might be getting one and painting it. I know a few people that are interested in music and have guitars but they also got busy lives. One man band here. 

On 11/12/2020 at 12:27, StickyDBRmf said:

Do you have any musician friends out there in Tenessee that know about stringed instruments? Pawn shops are great-if you know what a solid playable instrument is thatcan be set up proper. I mean, I've set up MANY instruments for nuthin'...just happy to give a novice a playable instrument before he did or bought something stupid. I know Covid situation is tricky right now, be careful, be smart, etc. But a used Squire, Ibanez, ESP, is gonna be for the most part, a quality instrument you can work with/learn on. If it feels good, that's the most important thing, if it plays in tune, the rest (look at the arsenals some of us have) will come later. Get yerself a playable instrument and take some lessons

 

[NewUser]

Got me a Traben and Ampeg ba110

[NewUser]

So, I'm trying to figure out what all these knobs do on the guitar. 5 knobs! 

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 11, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[NewUser]

44 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

Welcome to the forum!

I remember when you first posted and restrained myself, but if you spend too much time here this thread will be more like 'I'm broke, and my bass is new'...

But you're finding that out already!

I can't help with the Traben controls, but it looks great, and you're onto a winner with the Ampeg. I presume the Ampeg 15 combos you mention in your first post aren't B15s?

Guitar center, search ampeg and then lowest to highest price. Sometimes it's the old style 15 for $150 sometimes it new style for $150, they have a steady flow of those things. My 10 was only a hundred bucks. It's a lot louder than I thought, I may have to return it. My girlfriend already complaining and I've got it just below volume level 1. 

I'm having a great day though!

But you're right, I blew my budget.

My bass is new and I'm broke.

The loudest I got it so far was only level 3 for a few seconds. It was too loud for me, I wasn't expecting that.

[MacDaddy]

11 hours ago, NewUser said:

Guitar center, search ampeg and then lowest to highest price. Sometimes it's the old style 15 for $150 sometimes it new style for $150, they have a steady flow of those things. My 10 was only a hundred bucks. It's a lot louder than I thought, I may have to return it. My girlfriend already complaining and I've got it just below volume level 1. 

I'm having a great day though!

But you're right, I blew my budget.

My bass is new and I'm broke.

The loudest I got it so far was only level 3 for a few seconds. It was too loud for me, I wasn't expecting that.

that's what it's all about 😎

[Ricky 4000]

That's a crazy looking bridge on that bass! 👌

[ProfJames]

Nothing wrong with a Traben!!  Have just sold mine (first bass I ever bought) to the chef at my local boozer.  Those bridges resonate through the whole body!!  

[Nibody]

I'd plus 1 the Ibanez idea. They have nice beginner friendly necks, insane specs for the price point, and a very versatile active EQ - Plus stylisticly you could turn up to a Jazz gig or the local Metal Festival with one and not look out of place.