Bass Starter Packs for Kids are getting so much cooler these days

[Grand Wazoo]

When I was a kid in the 80's no such thing as a cool bass starter pack, have a look at this one for example

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JAXVILLE-DEMON-ELECTRIC-BASS-PACKAGE-PB-STYLE_W0QQitemZ170458539090QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item27b01ee452"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JAXVILLE-DEMON-ELECT...=item27b01ee452[/url]

Edited April 14, 2010 by Grand Wazoo

[Bankai]

When I started playing bass last year I purposefully didn't want to buy a starter instrument. That meant Encores, Squiers etc. They were all out as far as I was concerned.

The reasons for this came from my drumming. I've been drumming over a decade and my first kit was a 1960s beauty. It was worn, it wasn't the best, but the quality was there and that made me want to play. I've seen so many people start the instrument, buy a cheap kit (CB, Percussion Pro etc.) and then get disenchanted with it, and subsequently playing drums at all due to dissatisfaction. And I'm not suprised they do when they have something like that as their introduction. Toneless, hard to play and poor quality.

As such, when I decided I'd have a go at playing bass, I'd go out searching for a good piece of kit second hand. In the end I bought a Shine Extreme Series 845, not the best some might say (well, it isn't!) but it's a damn sight better than some starter kit that one could purchase off of eBay for a similiar price. I loved it, I loved the intrument and more importantly, I've stuck with it.

So here I am, a year down the line, now with a Fender Jazz and an Ashdown half-stack.

My message to parents out there, considering purchasing an instrument for a budding musician (or any older budding musicians who are purchasing for themselves) is to buy second hand. What you get might be a bit road worn but what you/they'll get out if it will make it worth it!

[Bankai]

Although the guitar in that starter pack does look all nice and shiny like

Sorry to rain on your post...

[Pete Academy]

The basses in packs are actually quite good. It's usually the amps that let them down.

[throwoff]

As my dad was a bit of a guitar player my first bass set up was bought from low price bits not as a whole.

Washburn XB120
Squier 15W practice amp (there was something going on at the time with Fender/Squier starter amps the Squier ones were litterally identical with a Squier plate on and 1/3 cheaper!
Ritter Gig bag
Venom Cable
Some Dunlop picks

I think he paid £220 or there abouts. The bass was actually very nice, im a bit ashamed of the fact I covered it in stickers and ruined it!

If I have a kid one day who expresses an interest in playing I think thats the way I would buy stuff, make sure its decent enough quality.
Anyone who is buying a starter guitar now days would be a plum of the highest caliber not to buy a Line 6 Spider 15 amp for example, Incredibly intuitive and simple to use plus a HUGE range of sounds ideal for a learner who is still finding out who he wants to be as a guitarist.

EDIT - This deserves a new thread!

Edited April 14, 2010 by throwoff

[Prime_BASS]

My first bass was a Epiphone T'bird, not the best Starter bass, bridge is naff, and the god damn neck dive, but it looks the bees knees and sounds pretty good.

I would alsways suggest to any new starter to buy one of the CV VM or deluxe squier over a starter pack. Good bang for buck, will last a lifetime and when you feel the need to upgrade you'll probably be in a better position in the way knowing what you want, or even cheaper just upgrade the bridge and pups.

You don't really need all the bits and bobs when starting. In my opinion the gear that's in a starter pack is crap anyway.