Members rhancox Posted February 5, 2015 Members Share Posted February 5, 2015 I bought an Ibanez acoustic bass (AEB5E) in the spring of '13. The intention was to learn a little and record some backing tracks with it. I learned a little, but never got to the recording. Fast forward to this past fall, I was asked to play bass in this little acoustic group I'm in. We had just added a third guitarist and it was like "Hey, you still have that acoustic bass?" It has been a real gas learning to play. Now I want to upgrade to an electric bass. I'm plugging in the acoustic bass, so there's no problem being heard, but it's a little thin and tinny at the higher end no matter what I do with the tone. I can really only spend $200. Sorry, that's all I got if I still want some sort of amp and a case. I'm looking at these: Ibanez GSR200 (the GSR200B actually, 'cause I like the walnut finish),Squier Jaguar seriesYamaha (there are two models in the $200 range) I know that fit and feel are personal, I'm looking for opinions on value and quality at this price level. Are there others I should consider? Should I forget about any or all of the ones I have listed? The music we play is more acoustic (meaning, adapted for acoustic when needed) than pure electric. We play some Beatles, Pretenders, Dave Mason, Jack Johnson, Traveling Wilburys, James, Taylor, John Mayer, the Knack, Van Morrison, ELP, Jackson Browne, Old '97's, Warren Zevon, etc. I like a warm bass tone, personally, and don't have a need for grungy, over-driven sound. I don't see myself doing any slap bass any time soon. Thanks for your time and I look forward to reading your opinions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted February 5, 2015 Members Share Posted February 5, 2015 How bout one of these? Fits your budget and will produce tones that match your acoustic stuff does. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PROUCT-B...3D111567597384 I bought one of these the other day for $180 with free shipping and with some flat wound strings and some setup work, it gets a great tones that matches all kinds of genre. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-ELECTRIC-CLUB-BASS-Sunburst-LIMITED-EDITION-HIGH-QUALITY-LOWEST-PRICE-/121562292641? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 5, 2015 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2015 How bout one of these? Fits your budget and will produce tones that match your acoustic stuff does. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PROUCT-B...3D111567597384 I bought one of these the other day for $180 with free shipping and with some flat wound strings and some setup work, it gets a great tones that matches all kinds of genre. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-ELECTRIC-CLUB-BASS-Sunburst-LIMITED-EDITION-HIGH-QUALITY-LOWEST-PRICE-/121562292641? Interesting. Thanks for the consideration. One of my dilemmas is that I've only played my acoustic bass and have no experience with having an electric bass in my hands. That in itself is going to play a big factor in my decision. I learned just yesterday that the scale length of my acoustic is 2" shorter than a standard electric. I was at GC yesterday and struggled to get my hands around anything I tried to play. I have a feeling I might be going back once or twice before I really find the body style and neck that suits me. I'm not sure I want to hassle a long distance transaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators isaac42 Posted February 5, 2015 Moderators Share Posted February 5, 2015 Were I in your position, I'd definitely try to get hold of an Ibanez GSR200. I bought one a couple of years ago to have a cheap beater bass to take on the road, and it did the job famously. The neck should be similar to what you're used to, and you should get the sound you want by turning off the bridge pickup and going with the Precision style pickup by itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 5, 2015 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2015 Were I in your position' date=' I'd definitely try to get hold of an Ibanez GSR200. I bought one a couple of years ago to have a cheap beater bass to take on the road, and it did the job famously. The neck should be similar to what you're used to, and you should get the sound you want by turning off the bridge pickup and going with the Precision style pickup by itself.[/quote'] Thanks. My first choice, without knowing anything, is the Ibanez. I love the look, especially the walnut finish model, and they are light. Looking at the specs between my previously mentioned choices, the Ibanez has a flatter fretboard over the Squier and Yamaha. The Squier has a 91/2" radius and the Yamaha is 10", while the Ibanez is 12". I'm not sure which would be better suited for me, though my acoustic Ibanez has a 15.75" radius so when you talk about being used to something, the GSR200 would fit that description. The unfortunate thing about just trying out basses, at least at our Guitar Center, is that you can't put it on a strap and really get the feel for how it will play for you. The GSR200 was terrible on my lap. I couldn't get it to stay still and when I did, the playing position wasn't natural enough. I tried the Fender equivalent to the Squier Jaguar and it was easier to handle on my lap, but that doesn't tell me how it's going to play from a strap. Maybe when I go in there with money in hand, they'll let me try them with a strap. But if they won't, as the sales guy said, at least you have the 30-day return time if it doesn't fit you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted February 6, 2015 Members Share Posted February 6, 2015 I checked your local (San Antonio) CraigsList and found a couple of possibilities:Ibanez SR250 $220: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/msg/4873431908.htmlIbanez SR400 w/hard case $250: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/msg/4863284004.html The San Antonio Guitar Center has a Peavey Grind BXP with a case for $249.99: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Peavey-U...73-i4168251.gc A used Ibanez or Peavey is usually a good bet so if none of those does it for you, keep an eye out for something along those lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 6, 2015 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2015 I checked your local (San Antonio) CraigsList and found a couple of possibilities: Ibanez SR250 $220: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/msg/4873431908.html Ibanez SR400 w/hard case $250: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/msg/4863284004.html The San Antonio Guitar Center has a Peavey Grind BXP with a case for $249.99: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Peavey-U...73-i4168251.gc A used Ibanez or Peavey is usually a good bet so if none of those does it for you, keep an eye out for something along those lines. Thanks for the heads up, DeepEnd. I'm still about a month away from being able to "pull the trigger", as it were, but the Peavey is a looker. The only downside is it's a 35" scale length. The jump from 32" (my acoustic) to a standard 34" of an electric was quite an eye-opener. I'll need to put a Peavey in my hands to get an idea of how it feels. Stretching 4 frets down at the low end on a 34" was impossible. Feel and playability is going to be a major factor in my decision. The objective of this thread was to get an idea of the quality in my price range and create a short list of possibilities and then go out and see which ones feel and play the best for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted February 6, 2015 Members Share Posted February 6, 2015 Sorry about that. My guess is that you'll be better served by a short scale bass like a Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar or an Ibanez Mikro. Gretsch used to make a short scale that was reasonably priced but I haven't seen one in a while. You might also try various body shapes like a violin shape or Thunderbird bass to see what feels right. A bass that sits further to the right will put the end of the neck closer. Personally, I'm 6'+ and have no problem playing a standard bass so I forget they're not for everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted February 6, 2015 Members Share Posted February 6, 2015 Interesting. Thanks for the consideration. One of my dilemmas is that I've only played my acoustic bass and have no experience with having an electric bass in my hands. That in itself is going to play a big factor in my decision. I learned just yesterday that the scale length of my acoustic is 2" shorter than a standard electric. I was at GC yesterday and struggled to get my hands around anything I tried to play. I have a feeling I might be going back once or twice before I really find the body style and neck that suits me. I'm not sure I want to hassle a long distance transaction. By the way those are short scale 30" which should match your acoustic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 6, 2015 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2015 By the way those are short scale 30" which should match your acoustic. My acoustic is actually 32", but I've been looking at the short scale basses too. The Ibanez Mikro is 28". More like a guitar size. It would certainly be easier to play, but is there a different in tone? I'm not big fan of the violin-styled bass body. But it might turn out to be the best feel for me, who knows. I'm trying to stay as open as possible in my search, but I must confess, there is a certain look that I gravitate towards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted February 6, 2015 Members Share Posted February 6, 2015 My acoustic is actually 32", but I've been looking at the short scale basses too. The Ibanez Mikro is 28". More like a guitar size. It would certainly be easier to play, but is there a different in tone? I'm not big fan of the violin-styled bass body. But it might turn out to be the best feel for me, who knows. I'm trying to stay as open as possible in my search, but I must confess, there is a certain look that I gravitate towards. That's why I went with the club bass. It doesn't have that top heavy neck and its very comfortable sitting. 28" may be too short plus finding strings for it nearly impossible. Its not like you can just cut longer strings down to fit a shorter scale like you do on a guitar. The string ends at the tuner are tapered down to the core. If you tried to wrap the entire string diameter in the tuner the string would just snap off. (outer wraps wind at a greater arch then the core strings and it winds up snapping) A standard Ibanez isn't bad for the money. My buddy has two of their less expensive models and they are fairly easy to play. The neck has more of a shredder shallow D shape to them and the pickups are sufficiently mediocre and the instruments tone generic. They are lighter then a precision and look OK. Squires can be bought for chump change just because there are so many of them now. I have an 80's Squire II Precision with Lace Sensors and its as good as any basic Fender you'd buy. The newer Squires are not as close to a normal fender Like the order ones were. Some are actually pretty lame coming up in the Toy guitar range, but at least they do have some resale value. Generics are nearly valueless once you buy them, especially in the bass market which only sees half the traffic of guitars. This is why it pays to shop around. I'd be scanning EBay to get to know my prices then buy when you find something decent at a good price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted February 6, 2015 Members Share Posted February 6, 2015 Next time you're in Guitar Center, check out the Epiphone EB-0: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Epiphone-EB-0-Electric-Bass-100375831-i1150056.gc. It's a short scale SG style bass that sells for $199.00. Folks either love or hate them because of the humbucker pickup. Here's a similar Ventura bass on your local CraigsList for $260: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/msg/4852017373.html. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 I've got a Mikro. The scale and body are small, but the sound is big.Use only the P pickup and turn the tone down, and you'd be in the ballpark for your sound.It's physically very light and easy to play. I had an EB-0 for a while. The humbucker was just OK - not as bad as most people say.It was pretty heavy for a short scale and had horrible neck dive. Fit and finish were better thanI was expecting for its price though. Not my cup of tea, but I think the viola type bass that wrgkmc linked to (or something similar) sounds like what you're looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 7, 2015 Author Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 I've got a Mikro. The scale and body are small' date=' but the sound is big. Use only the P pickup and turn the tone down, and you'd be in the ballpark for your sound. It's physically very light and easy to play. I had an EB-0 for a while. The humbucker was just OK - not as bad as most people say. It was pretty heavy for a short scale and had horrible neck dive. Fit and finish were better than I was expecting for its price though. Not my cup of tea, but I think the viola type bass that wrgkmc linked to (or something similar) sounds like what you're looking for. I've never like the look of the viola-type body either, but I find that it's the most comfortable, I just may have to change my tastes. I like the potential of the Mikro but I really want to get a feel for a full-size bass before I decide. At Guitar Center, they wouldn't let me play one with a strap, standing up. I went to Sam Ash yesterday and they had nothing on the wall in my price range except for a left-handed Yamaha 5-string. Time to scout out the mom and pops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 . . . At Guitar Center' date=' they wouldn't let me play one with a strap, standing up. . . . Time to scout out the mom and pops.[/quote'] Not even if you brought your own strap? That's what I'd do, just bring a strap and let them know what I wanted to do and why. That said, yes, it sounds like you should try local mom and pops. Here are a couple of possibilities at Alamo Music: Squier Bronco $149.99: http://store.alamomusic.com/fender-bronco-bass/. Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Short Scale $179.99: http://store.alamomusic.com/fender-vintage-modified-jaguar-bass-special-ss-short-scale/. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted February 10, 2015 Members Share Posted February 10, 2015 ....I like the potential of the Mikro but I really want to get a feel for a full-size bass before I decide..... The Ibanez acoustic bass (AEB5E) that you used is listed as 32" scale. Normally considered medium scale. The standard full size scale is 34". Larger ones are also made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 10, 2015 Author Members Share Posted February 10, 2015 The Ibanez acoustic bass (AEB5E) that you used is listed as 32" scale. Normally considered medium scale. The standard full size scale is 34". Larger ones are also made. Right. That's one reason why I'd like to go up 2" to the standard scale length than go down 4" to the Mikro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted February 10, 2015 Members Share Posted February 10, 2015 The Mikro isn't the only short scale bass in town. Both the basses I mentioned in my last post are short scale and have 30" scales. 28" is an odd length and not representative of the breed. Another possibility is to tune a standard scale bass down a full tone so that you end up playing further up the neck, effectively yielding a 30.3" scale for a 34" bass or a 31.2" scale for a 35" bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 18, 2015 Author Members Share Posted February 18, 2015 I ended up pulling the trigger on a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz bass. The natural finish. Sam Ash had their President's Day sale where I could get $100 off if I spent $599 or more. My plan was to buy a $200 bass, a $200 amp (Fender Rumble 40) and a case. That would have been around $500. I played a Fender American Standard Jazz bass at a local guitar shop (where I bought my 12-string) and I loved the fit and feel. They had an Ibanez model similar to the one I was thinking of, but it didn't hang well and forced my right hand/arm back whereas the Fender allowed me to hang my right arm in a more neutral and natural position. I played some songs that we play in our group that are very busy, bass-wise, and it didn't take long to get used to the feel and play the songs easily. I tried the Ibanez again and it just felt awkward. I played the Fender again and it felt nice and easy. The Squier model is $100 more than I was planning on spending, but then this Sam Ash sale came along. I found a better case than I was looking at and got the total over the $599 threshold and got the $100 discount. For about $50 more than I was expecting to spend, I got a better bass and a better case, for just a few dollars over my original budget. I have to wait for the bass, but the amp and case will be here on Friday. I don't mind waiting. It's what I want and I love the look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted February 18, 2015 Members Share Posted February 18, 2015 Congratulations. Happy New Bass/Amp/Case Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted February 19, 2015 Members Share Posted February 19, 2015 It occurs to me that you may need to mike your amp or use the XLR out. I have a 60 Watt SWR 1X12 amp and while it's very clean it's not extremely loud. You may find that your Fender 40 Watt 1X10 is loud enough on its own but you also may not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 20, 2015 Author Members Share Posted February 20, 2015 I already have that figured out. We use a 16-channel mixer with a PA. With my acoustic bass, I just straight in to the mixer. With my new rig, I'll use the amp as big DI box. I'll go in to the amp and use it to shape my tone and then use the XLR output to go to the mixer. I'll have the amp near me as a monitor, as using the XLR output doesn't mute the amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 20, 2015 Author Members Share Posted February 20, 2015 The case and the amp are in town. Can't wait to see that white truck with the dog on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted February 23, 2015 Author Members Share Posted February 23, 2015 Got a chance to play the bass I'm waiting on (Squier Vintage Modified Jazz 70's) at Guitar Center today. I believe I have made the right decision. Even though I had to play sitting down, it was still so easy to hold and play. Comfortable and smooth. A joy to play. And I didn't have to compete with any Jaco-wanna-be's. It was quiet and the sales guy I had talked to a couple of weeks ago was there and he remembered me and was more than happy to accommodate me. I used the new amp, the Rumble 40, at our gig last Friday night and it was great. I had the EQ flat, the gain was at 12:00 and I only had the volume at about 25%. It was plenty loud enough, especially with the "vintage" effect on. Great tone and perfect blend with the rest of the group. Now I just have to wait for Sam Ash to get their shipment of the bass so they can send it out to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted February 23, 2015 Members Share Posted February 23, 2015 How much did your pay for the bass? Musicians friend and guitar center sells them for sells them for $299 with free shipping. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/squier-vintage-modified-jazz-bass-70s/h99641000002000?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=CIC 1vInx-MMCFQ4vaQodoBUAzQ&kwid=productads-plaid^80558347707-sku^H99641000002000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^51870555867 Sam ash has the sunburst for $279 http://www.samash.com/squier-vintage...FYRAaQodzwcARQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.