New to Bass - what should I get?

olafgarten · October 2022

Hi all, recently I've wanted to try out playing the bass. I know very little about bass guitars and had a few questions about what I should buy and how I can use it.

Firstly, I'm considering whether I should start with a short scale, I'm not very tall (around 172cm) so would a shorter scale work better?

Next would be whether I can use it with my Katana. I have a Katana 100 but would only be using this at home where I keep it on 0.5 watt mode most of the time, would this sound any good and is it possible to do any damage at that volume level?

I don't want to spend very much as I'm just trying it out to see if I like it, so probably aiming to spend under £200 on the guitar.

Any advice or recommendations are much appreciated.

RocknRollDave · October 2022

Can’t advise on what to buy, but a common criticism of guitarists* when they switch to bass is that they “play bass like a guitarist”, so my advice would be to really strip it back to the basics and listen carefully to bassists, so you play like a bassist, not a guitarist.

*including me. I’m a rubbish bassist.

stickyfiddle · October 2022

Oh god that - playing bass well is about playing sympathetic basslines that are complimentary to the rest of the arrangement. Most guitarists when they pick up a bass think it's just about playing roots and 5ths, which is fine but utterly boring for player and listener alike (in most contexts).

In terms of kit you can't go wrong with a P-bass unless you already know it's not right for you (e.g. you have your heart set on a Hofner, or all your bass heroes play Jazzes, etc). Don't worry too much about size & scale. I'm 180cm and don't have especially beefy hands and I get on just fine with a 34" Precision. Short scales are great but they sound different and don't help guitarists feel more like it's a different instrument and hence play it like a different instrument.

olafgarten · October 2022

Thanks, I'm pretty bad on guitar as well, so don't expect to be too great on bass.

But I do know it's not meant to be played like a guitar, I've always appreciated a great bass line, it's the sort of thing you don't notice outright but elevates a good song to a great one.

I'll start looking into some P Basses, I was probably looking into a Fender style anyway.

ICBM · October 2022

I find the bigger problem with traditional P-Basses is the neck size, not the scale length - if so you may find a Jazz more suitable, although many modern Ps have less-huge necks too. (I've just picked up an old Washburn, which is essentially a reshaped P-Bass, and has a skinny neck.) Mustang Basses are also nice - I prefer the ones with the traditional mini-pickup - and sound good regardless of scale length. Don't rule out the cheap Squier Bronco either - they can be genuinely good despite the very basic pickup and bridge.

You can use the Katana at home, although you will probably want to set it to a higher power than 0.5W even if you're not playing louder - they just sound less crap

better like that. The only risk is to the speaker, so if you're not at the level where that's starting to have to work too hard or distort then it's fine.

slugelise · October 2022

I'm slightly biased because i've just bought one but you cant go wrong with a squier Classic Vibe Jazz bass, got mine for £190 so keep an eye out for a used deal. Vid here comparing it to a £4k CS bass, its hard to tell the difference playing it.

SteveRobinson · October 2022

Indeed! When I bought my CV Jazz Bass I tried them all up to the American Deluxe, which just pipped it on sound. As in the video above the expensive one had more depth/body to the sound but there wasn't much in it and I thought that was probably down to pickups which I could always change. Playability-wise there was nothing in it so I saved £1K.

I echo what @ICBM says about P-Bass necks being big. I can't get on with them hence the Jazz Bass.

thermionic · October 2022

I’m 167cm and have no problem with 34” scale, although I wouldn’t be surprised if a shorter scale bass would be easier to play (in much the same that my GS Mini is easier to play than a dread). Always gone for a Jazz but apart from picking up a friend’s 70s one many years ago I haven’t played a Precision in anger. Big fan of Squier basses (another Classic Vibe owner).

Regarding amps, you can pick up nice amps from Fender, Ampeg or Orange for a little over £100. Not loud enough for gigging but a big improvement on playing through a guitar amp around the house.

Ossyrocks · October 2022

I did exactly what you are doing late last year. I picked up a cheap Squire P bass for £100 off ebay to see how I got on.

Roll on 10 months and I've got a vintage 70's P bass and a big Markbass rig and I'm playing in a band!

I steered away from any bass I might have considered "easier to play" with a shorter scale length and decided to bite the bullet with a 34" scale bass right from the off. I'm glad I did, as I feel very comfortable on it now.

I would say pick up a cheap P bass and see how it goes. Be aware though, the guy I got the Squire off had wanted to learn bass and said he just couldn't do it, and when I saw the bass he sold me I knew why, I could fit my fingers between the strings and the fretboard! It took some setting up, but I got it playing nice in the end. When you're new to bass, a good setup and action is very important, well it was to me anyway.

Good luck!

Funkfingers · October 2022

The first thing that you need that can not be bought is bigger calluses.

On guitar, calluses develop near the fingertip, covering roughly the last third of the last bone of each finger.

On bass guitar, the strings meet the fingers roughly half way along the last bone of each finger.

The second thing you need is a change of mindset. Bass is more than just a bigger electric guitar with fewer strings. It fulfils a different function within a band context. Bass is what dancers wiggle their butts in time with - even when the player is Les Claypool!

The third thing you need is attitude.

KKJale · October 2022

Funkfingers said:

On bass guitar, the strings meet the fingers roughly half way along the last bone of each finger.

I feel moved to gently suggest that that doesn't sound quite optimal.

prowla · October 2022

Buy a used Fender; if things don't work out bass-wise you'll be able to sell it for what you paid so it'll be a zero-cost adventure.

I'd not bother with short scale ones, tbh; the idea that your bass has to be as near to the guitar doesn't really hold water IMHO.

slugelise · October 2022

Best idea is to go find a music shop and play a few, p and j fender (as someone else said, you'll get your money back), and the delights of 4/5/6 strings (hint you only need 4)

You don't have to buy new from a music shop, but just get a feel there, then find something 2nd hand when you know that you want.

dindude · October 2022

Whatever works for you, I have a short scale and really like it, and I really am trying to develop bass player technique and mindset. I find personally going to a P Bass which feels massive and I revert to plectrum and root note trappings as I’m not comfortable.

Either way the Ibanez Talman are crazy good basses for around the £200 mark they do both a 34” and 30”.

stickyfiddle · October 2022

dindude said:

Whatever works for you, I have a short scale and really like it, and I really am trying to develop bass player technique and mindset. I find personally going to a P Bass which feels massive and I revert to plectrum and root note trappings as I’m not comfortable.

Either way the Ibanez Talman are crazy good basses for around the £200 mark they do both a 34” and 30”.

This is the whole point to me - you're not immediately comfortable so you're less encouraged to play it like a guitar. It's a good months-long process to get there and after 2 years I'm nowhere near where I'd really like to get to but that intro process where you have no choice but to play it differently is super-important imo.

chrisj1602 · October 2022

You can’t go wrong with Squier Jazz or Precision. Even if you are planning to buy used, I’d recommend going to a shop and playing a couple first.

p90fool · October 2022

I'm tall, but a hand injury means I struggle with a full scale P-Bass these days, so I bought one of these;

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/181218336171008--ibanez-tmb30-short-scale-bass-mint-green

I absolutely love it, and it sounds great, with no dead spots.

bertie · October 2022

olafgarten said:

New to Bass - what should I get?

therapy

Rocker · October 2022

slugelise said:

Best idea is to go find a music shop and play a few, p and j fender (as someone else said, you'll get your money back), and the delights of 4/5/6 strings (hint you only need 4)

You don't have to buy new from a music shop, but just get a feel there, then find something 2nd hand when you know that you want.

That type of behaviour is just plain wrong IMHO. By all means try a bass or two in a shop but if you like what is in your hands, buy it from the shop. Otherwise take a chance and buy unseen from an internet seller, which might cost less but there is more to value than price

Kebabkid · October 2022

As you appear to be in Surrey, I'd get down to Andertons and try what they have but you can't go wrong with a Sire and they have a great selection of them and I believe the only place you can find them in the UK

Dave_Mc · October 2022

Rocker said:

slugelise said:

Best idea is to go find a music shop and play a few, p and j fender (as someone else said, you'll get your money back), and the delights of 4/5/6 strings (hint you only need 4)

You don't have to buy new from a music shop, but just get a feel there, then find something 2nd hand when you know that you want.

That type of behaviour is just plain wrong IMHO. By all means try a bass or two in a shop but if you like what is in your hands, buy it from the shop. Otherwise take a chance and buy unseen from an internet seller, which might cost less but there is more to value than price

Yeah, I don't much like doing that either. It's not completely black and white- I don't think there's a problem with trying something that you're just curious about, to see what it's like. If you really love it you may buy it, for example, or it may sow the seed of GAS and you may get it later. But actually trying something where you know going in you're going to buy elsewhere- it's obviously not the crime of the century or anything like that (and to be clear, I'm not suggesting for a second it is), but it doesn't quite feel like cricket either. Not illegal (nor should it be), but not quite 100% totally ethical either.

Of course, you could tell the shop (only really applies if buying new) about the cheaper price elsewhere and give them a chance to match it (or get close). That's probably (just about, and only if you suspect they can get close) ok. The other problem is that you might like the one you try in the shop more than the one you buy later online!

slugelise · October 2022

Maybe you should ask your local music shop how they feel about it? Mine are quite happy for me to go and play various instruments, to build a relationship and hope that at some point I fall in love with something and actually buy it. In the meantime they pick up string and the odd pedal purchase. Browsing and trying in shops is ok, even by the shops.

JCA2550 · October 2022

Get a decent 2nd hand Jazz bass copy. It's a great versatile design and as others have said, the neck is not as much of a handful as a P bass, a better introduction when coming from guitar. 2 other bits of advise I suggest are, to play along with a lot of stuff you wouldn't necessarily want to play guitar to, loads of great bass lines in classic pop and soul and don't try to adapt how you play guitar to it. If you're mainly a pick player, try playing bass with fingers.

olafgarten · October 2022

Thanks everyone, I've put a WTB post on here for a Jazz Bass of some sort and will see what comes up.

In terms of trying from a shop, I'm close to GuitarGuitar Epsom so will go and try it out.

They don't stock that much in my ideal price range but I might splurge if I really like something.

Dave_Mc · October 2022

slugelise said:

Maybe you should ask your local music shop how they feel about it? Mine are quite happy for me to go and play various instruments, to build a relationship and hope that at some point I fall in love with something and actually buy it. In the meantime they pick up string and the odd pedal purchase. Browsing and trying in shops is ok, even by the shops.

Yeah that's also true- every shop is different. I've been in shops which have talked me into trying stuff I wasn't even interested in, because they wanted me to try it (which was awesome). And sometimes it works- that thing you didn't think you would like might be exactly what you need!

Secret_Sam · October 2022

Some alternative suggestions: the Yamaha BB series basses are great, and somewhat underpriced, especially secondhand.

You could also consider the Ibanez sr range. The cheapest models are a bit clunky, but the midrange ones are surprisingly good. Plenty around secondhand.

Most basses are 34" scale length, because they tend to sound and feel right that way, so I would suggest getting used to those. If you learn to play properly, you won't be spending all your time in first position, so going with a shorter scale length won't make as much difference as you might expect.

Of course, on 5-string models, you can play bottom E around 5th position. But if you are planning to keep switching between bass and guitar, you are likely to find 4-strings less confusing (bottom E not bottom B )

Fenders have good resale value, but do plan on paying for a good setup: in my experience (I've had three) they usually need a bit of work.

The Precision models I have tried did not have pickup balance or separate pickup volumes: I make a lot of use of those, so Precisions are not for me.

There are many bass neck profiles and widths, so trying out a bunch of them is strongly recommended. The weirdest one to me is the thick but very narrow Rickenbacker, but many people love them.

Last piece of advice: work on your left hand technique: thumb and fingers properly opposing each other. No thumb-pointing-down-the-neck, and no sticking your thumb over to play bottom G. Guitarists can get away with it, but you can't.

Secret_Sam · October 2022

Last suggestion: get a good teacher. Check the MU handbook for a good session player who does lessons.

elstoof · October 2022

Secret_Sam said:

The Precision models I have tried did not have pickup balance or separate pickup volumes: I make a lot of use of those, so Precisions are not for me.

Precisions only have one pickup

Secret_Sam · October 2022

Really? It's been a while, but I didn't think I was that senile yet ...

It depends on the model. Someone was trying to sell me a Roscoe Beck model a few years back. Definitely had two pickups and I definitely didn't like it.

Some other Precisions have two as well, because Fender keep finding ways to make new products out of the same tired ingredients, rather as McDonald's make a whole menu out of burgers, buns and cheese.

But a single pickup bass won't have pickup balance either :- )

I did quite like their Stingray copy from the 90s or 00s. It had one big pickup and three band active eq. Can't remember the name, and they didn't make it for long. Which means that by now it is either a secondhand bargain or a priceless collector's item.

stickyfiddle · October 2022

Secret_Sam said:

Really? It's been a while, but I didn't think I was that senile yet ...

It depends on the model. Someone was trying to sell me a Roscoe Beck model a few years back. Definitely had two pickups and I definitely didn't like it.

The Roscoe model has 2 pickups but it ain’t a P bass!

elstoof · October 2022

Sure, you can get Precisions with Jazz pickups, PJ sets etc, in the same way you can find teles with humbuckers. Since the mid 50s though, P basses have a single split coil pickup as their defining feature

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New to Bass - what should I get?

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New to Bass - what should I get?