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Not so beginner bass for a beginner advice please!!!!


Les Paul Lover
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Hi All!

My name is Antoine - new to this forum! :)


I'm mainly - OK exclusively so far - an electric guitar player and have been so for the best part of the last 16 years.

My Fiancee recently mentioned - in passing - that she wouldn't mind playing bass guitar, I've encouraged her, probed her, and though she doesn't say it, I think she's looking forward to it now!!!!!! :lol:

I'm aware through my own experiences that decent gear only encourages people to play, and if she didn't keep at it, and I didn't want to keep it for myself (quite unlikely!!!! :lol: ), i'd like to be able to resell the instrument I'm gonna get easily with no loss.


So, now I would like to ask for you advice if you would be so kind to offer it:


- the girl is 5'9, decent wing span, so no issues with scale, 34" or 35" would be fine, her hands would wrap around a 5 string neck no problem
- she likes wood (not being rude, she really does!), so a grain showing mahogany/bubingha/maple/alder/ash top would be cool
- She loves green but I know an amber/natural/vintage sunburst/transluscent black or other variations on woody tints would appeal to her. (I also know she likes translucent purple on flamed maple - good girl!!!!)
- she's a girl - she doesn't care if it sounds good, it'll have to be pretty first :rolleyes:
- the lowest under £500 the betterm ideally £300/£400 2nd hand.
- she doesn' like pick guards much. Oh no she doesn't!
- she likes rock/pop music - no metal per say.

She quite liked the Warwick shapes, or the Lakland Skyline 55-01 (I think), but she's/I'm very open to any suggestions.

And now, because we like pictures, here's a modest contribution of my whole collection:

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You will probably find alot of people suggesting the squier CV or VM jazz or precisions.

Or atleast a Mexican fender, if new touches the higher region of your budget.

Warwicks arnt my cup of tea. Although there is a corvette with a natural wood finish and no pick guard. Available in 4, 5 and 6 sting. I do t know price or resell price though. I find it ugly.

Best thing to do is take her to a shop that has a good selection, try em all out. See what feels best.
[url="http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0326902500"]squier 1[/url]
[url="http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0326608500"]squier 2[/url]
[url="http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0300575500"]squier 3[/url]

Edited by Prime_BASS
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I have this for sale. Ticks some of your boxes but not all of them. PM me if you are interested in having a look! Its up for £400 ono to Basschatters. Its a lot of bass for the money but its your call entirely. I hope she finds what she wants either way....

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=76888&hl=status+energy"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...l=status+energy[/url]

[url="http://www.guitarmart.co.uk/advert/G04326"]http://www.guitarmart.co.uk/advert/G04326[/url]

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Thanks guys for the replies!!!!!

Bilbo, thank you for the offer, but your bass is plain black - she won't like it like that!!!!! :) Sorry!

Prime bass, I had discounted squier/fender basses altogether because i thought they all come with pickguards - however that Jazz Bass is totally pickguard free!

That's part of my dilemna - she cares first about the looks of it, and I want to get her something she'll find appealing to play, with a cool factor (in her eyes) to it. If she stick to it, she may then want something else later, but I want 1st to get her started and kepping on going!!!!

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[quote name='Les Paul Lover' post='812706' date='Apr 20 2010, 04:17 PM']What you sayin' Bilbo? My lady's a effer??? :) :rolleyes:

Any advice at all?

What do people think about g & l L2000? The various warwick offering??
Some ibanez perhaps (i'm getting really confused with their model denomiation)?
Peavey?[/quote]
S
[i]If[/i] you can get a G&L (guessing it's a Tribute) for inside your budget, then that's well worth a look.
For about £500 you are probably mainly looking at Corvettes. Unlikely that Streamers/Thumbs are going to crop up at that price point, even if the used Warwick market is a bit flat at the mo'
Ibanez? I'll say it before someone else does.. Check out the SR500 or SR505. Easy to play, sound and feel good. Reasonable quality woods, hardware and electrics combine to make a good allrounder.
If that's too Hifi, check out the mid priced SRXs and don't forget to try an ATK or two; A good 'un may well be a match for some Stingrays.

Those were all Active instruments. If you want passive, have a look at Squier VM Jazzes or CV Jazzes. Both around £300 new. A good s/h Fender Highway 1 might be a good buy, too.

Can't really comment on Peaveys...

When buying, remember to apply what you've already learned when guitar buying! It's all about comfort, feel, tone, straight necks, well dressed frets and the ability to run a low action if desired without buzz...

Good Luck.

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Antoine do you visit the Orange forum? Got to say I love those Orange guitar and bass amps. I think I may have commented on your black PPC212(?) at some point. I have the White version and a Dual Terror.

If you can persuade her, the Cv Squiers are very nice....im tempted to get one myself as a backup. My girlfriend used to play bass well before I met her, and now shes interested in learning again. I told her she is free to use my Squier when I get it. Very VERY good instruments for the £250-270 price tag. Olympic White CV 60s Jazz has an ultra fast neck.

Edited by Musicman20
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[quote name='Les Paul Lover' post='812391' date='Apr 20 2010, 11:41 AM']Prime bass, I had discounted squier/fender basses altogether because i thought they all come with pickguards - however that Jazz Bass is totally pickguard free![/quote]

It's also a fretless.

I'd still be inclined to look at the Squier Classic Vibe's. They're ace.
Other than that,I'd say look at the Ibanez Soundgear series. I know a couple of people with SR300's-they're good
instruments.
You can get some nice Cort's and Schecter's around that price range too.

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[quote name='Doddy' post='812881' date='Apr 20 2010, 06:53 PM']You can get some nice Cort's and Schecter's around that price range too.[/quote]

+1 on Schecters and Corts.

I'm biased but I love Schecters. The ones I've played (both 4's and 5's) have been well made with a strong modern tone. There are plenty of woody finishes available too.

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[quote name='Ruck' post='813156' date='Apr 20 2010, 10:14 PM']Im selling my beloved 1997 Bubinga corvette soon:



should be in your price bracket, give us a PM if she likes it.[/quote]

You must at least consider buying this. If only to stop me pestering the Mrs, thus resulting in divorce on grounds of mental cruelty and I simply can't afford that. :)

That is seriously nice.

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[quote name='Musicman20' post='812865' date='Apr 20 2010, 06:38 PM']Antoine do you visit the Orange forum? Got to say I love those Orange guitar and bass amps. I think I may have commented on your black PPC212(?) at some point. I have the White version and a Dual Terror.

If you can persuade her, the Cv Squiers are very nice....im tempted to get one myself as a backup. My girlfriend used to play bass well before I met her, and now shes interested in learning again. I told her she is free to use my Squier when I get it. Very VERY good instruments for the £250-270 price tag. Olympic White CV 60s Jazz has an ultra fast neck.[/quote]

Yeap - that actually is the picture I took for my introductory thread at the orange forum!!!!! The classical has now disappeared, I've "lent" it to my niece who's trying to start to learn to play! Who are you at the orange forum? Are you musiman there too?


Woaw!

Thank you very much for all the answers, it's much appreciated - You guys have given me a lot of ideas/directions to explore.
Thank you again!!!

What is the difference between the warwick corvette and the other models? Say the warwick FNA Jazzman?

How do the westone thunder Ia & IIa compare to more modern basses?

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[quote name='Ruck' post='813156' date='Apr 20 2010, 10:14 PM']Im selling my beloved 1997 Bubinga corvette soon:



should be in your price bracket, give us a PM if she likes it.[/quote]


Certainly is very pretty - how are they these warwick? What type of core tone does the corvette go for? Is it an active one?

Edited by Les Paul Lover
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[quote name='Les Paul Lover' post='813198' date='Apr 20 2010, 10:44 PM']Yeap - that actually is the picture I took for my introductory thread at the orange forum!!!!! The classical has now disappeared, I've "lent" it to my niece who's trying to start to learn to play! Who are you at the orange forum? Are you musiman there too?


Woaw!

Thank you very much for all the answers, it's much appreciated - You guys have given me a lot of ideas/directions to explore.
Thank you again!!!

What is the difference between the warwick corvette and the other models? Say the warwick FNA Jazzman?

How do the westone thunder Ia & IIa compare to more modern basses?[/quote]

Hi!

Small world isn't it ha ha! Yeah I'm Musicman20 over on that forum as well.

With Warwick...they have a very Warwick tone...but I'd test the neck first. They get a lot of love in general but I for one could not get comfy on the Streamer 5 neck...first fret seemed agessss away.

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[quote name='Musicman20' post='813567' date='Apr 21 2010, 11:06 AM']Hi!

Small world isn't it ha ha! Yeah I'm Musicman20 over on that forum as well.

With Warwick...they have a very Warwick tone...but I'd test the neck first. They get a lot of love in general but I for one could not get comfy on the Streamer 5 neck...first fret seemed agessss away.[/quote]

Hi hadn't thought about that - I've tried basses in the past and they all quite well with good/easy neck access, but those warwick do seem to have a shorter body/longer neck than others.

I'll have to investigate!!!

Woop woop!

I know have further excuses to hit the local music shop and its poor range of instruements!!!!!!!

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