Choice paralysis for first bass

[jonno1981]

Buy for you! You do you! 
Your first bass is less about tonal characteristics and more about feeling right in your hands. 
What is going to inspire you most to pick up, practice, improve and have fun? 
No one here can answer that for you. It sounds like you’re leaning on the Ibanez based on these factors. 

[Geek99]

52 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

Not this guy!

You’re weird 

just fit in already 

[Geek99]

55 minutes ago, ghostwheel said:

10. buy Precision and play it almost always whilst buying and selling other ones.

 

genau. 

This. ^^^ he speaks the truth.
 

Apart from the “and selling” bit. That’s always a sticking point 

[crazycloud]

6 hours ago, lvrossem said:

THe Ibanez felt way better in hand bc of its lower weight and thinner neck, and tbh, I enjoy the look with 2 knobs on each side of the head. I didn't really hear a difference in sound quality, but that's just me. What's holding me back is the fact that people say the Ibanez is "only for rock and metal" and that the Ibanez Gio's often have quality issues like fret buzz and warped necks. Can anyone testify whether or not these complaints are bs in the current year, and help me ove rmy decision fright?

I play predominantly 6 string basses these days and have several, including the GSR256B, which is basically the same as the current 206, but with a different preamp. I've had it since 2017 and gigged with it and it was great. Where I live is coastal and the weather varies a lot and the neck has been dead stable and I've had no issues with it. It was my first 6 string so I didn't want to spend a lot, and though I have a few more 'better' ones now it still gets used (it's on a stand beside my bed as I type this) and I have no trouble recommending it, or the 200 in your case.

 

If you like the feel of the Ibanez, buy it, it will las you a long, long time. The whole 'Ibanez is "only for rock and metal"' is a lot of crap as I use mine for everything. Also ignore the people telling you you must have a Fender as they fell like plating a dining table compared to the Ibby. I have 5 other Soundgears, a BTB, an RB (1983 build) and an ATK and have owned and played Ibanez basses and guitars since 83, probably owning 50 or more in that time, out of more than 200 instruments in total and have no trouble in recommending them. Buy new from a store to get back up; second hand can be cheaper but it's also a bit of a risk unless you know what to look for and if you have a friend who's experienced get them, or better still, lean on the store to set it up. It will likely be fine out of the box, but a second set of eyes is good. Some small adjustments can make a world of difference to how it feels and plays.

 

An amp isn't necessary these days and something like the Soniccake Pocket Master to be able to hear yourself, and a decent tuner.

 

Here's mine, just so you know I actually have it, with some marks from actually using it out.

 

 

 

[axr624]

If you buy a bass with tone controls, then you will be able to adjust the sound for different purposes....try as many different types as you can, you will figure out what you do and don't like.

 

Personally I'd say don't spend much until you're ready to go all in when you're clear of what you like...but do whatever suits you!

[Geek99]

I suggest you find the bass you want first then come back and we’ll talk pocket amps and so on. Keep it simple plus you might live near enough a basschat member to collect a bargain surplus amp plus maybe some tips 

Edited 19 hours ago by Geek99

[Geek99]

14 minutes ago, axr624 said:

If you buy a bass with tone controls, then you will be able to adjust the sound for different purposes....try as many different types as you can, you will figure out what you do and don't like.

 

Personally I'd say don't spend much until you're ready to go all in when you're clear of what you like...but do whatever suits you!

Properly setup those two seem

good choices to me 

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, ghostwheel said:

10. buy Precision and play it almost always whilst buying and selling other ones.

 

 

11. Find something a hundred times better than the Precision, sell the Precision and never get another one.

[Stub Mandrel]

Don't place great weight on advice that tells you what to do.

 

Focus on the advice that helps you make up your own mind.

[lvrossem]

I drank a few beers for courage and ordered the Ibanez 😁😁

[prowla]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Don't place great weight on advice that tells you what to do.

 

Focus on the advice that helps you make up your own mind.

Including this?

[Geek99]

2 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

11. Find something a hundred times better than the Precision, sell the Precision and never get another one.

Who let the blasphemer in ? 🫨

 

best not mention halibut 🪨🪨🪨

Edited 16 hours ago by Geek99

[Bolo]

1 hour ago, lvrossem said:

I drank a few beers for courage and ordered the Ibanez 😁😁

That's how I ended up with seven basses (so far). Let's not discuss amps, cabs, or pedals 

[bass_dinger]

10 hours ago, lvrossem said:

I have tried both at a local store, and I was surprised by just how big and heavy the Squier was (I'm on the skinny side). THe Ibanez felt way better in hand bc of its lower weight and thinner neck, and tbh, I enjoy the look with 2 knobs on each side of the head.

 

I had the same issue when I first started on bass. 

 

The Fender model felt huge and unwieldy, but the Washburn was much more nimble.  The neck was wider, and I liked the 3+2 tuners on the headstock (3 above, two below).

 

I chose the bass that I most enjoyed playing, and which felt right in my hands.

 

 

[chris_b]

Nice.

Let us know how you get on.

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, prowla said:

Including this?

 

I was aware of the irony

[axr624]

Congrats! Here's to hours of enjoyment 🎉

[Geek99]

I think that’s a wise choice @lvrossem

[crazycloud]

10 hours ago, lvrossem said:

I drank a few beers for courage and ordered the Ibanez

I have never done that.

 

 

 

It was vodka...

 

Congrats on the bass and I hope you love it and bond with it.

[kwmlondon]

19 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Buy the bass that feels best and is most likely to make you want to play it.

This.

 

Over my many years of playing I’ve found that if I am really into an instrument I will find a way of playing it that works, and if it’s not doing it for me I just won’t play it. Doesn’t matter about the string spacing or pickups if I enjoy it I’ll adapt my playing to make it work. Over time, and some that may be months or years, I’ll work out where I want to go next and for me that’s been a lifelong journey involving 4 strings 5 strings fretless etc but bottom line is that I have a bass that I WANT to play every day and that’s the best instrument you can aspire to. IMO.

[ezbass]

21 hours ago, lvrossem said:

Ibanez is "only for rock and metal"… Can anyone testify whether or not these complaints are bs in the current year, and help me over my decision fright? Thank you!

Back when I was playing 5 string basses, the 2 basses I gigged with were both Ibanez, one fretted and one fretless. Among the genres I played on them were: rock, pop, reggae, soul (you get the picture). I never had anyone question the tone of my basses, quite the opposite. Ibanez instruments are well made and, because of the reduced dimensions over Fender type basses, very comfortable to play. 

[Jolltax]

Go with the bass with the nicest neck and that feels the most comfortable, as a learner it doesn't really matter about the pickup configuration as long as you got somewhere comfy to rest your thumb whilst playing the bottom string - decent basses all sound similar enough for pickup configuration not to matter.

 

For me, comfort and the neck the most important thing.

 

I think some of the best necks on (new) budget basses are Sire, second hand Yamaha (not the super cheap ones) are also lovely

 

[Terry M.]

22 hours ago, neepheid said:

It's all cobblers that "this bass is only for that music" nonsense.  Get the one which felt the best/most comfortable to you.

I couldn't agree more with this. I wonder how this "play bass A for this genre and bass B for that genre" started. @Lozz196 echoed this with saying you can play any music on any bass,something I've been saying since I picked the instrument up. 

[PaulThePlug]

Best Bass is the one that you want to pick up!

It Started with a GSR200B, then another, then came the SR a 600, then a 300 then more...

I likes an Ibanez.

Edited 3 hours ago by PaulThePlug