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I wanna buy a bass...


tedjamwell

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I'd like to give the instrument a try. Funds would be limited for now, based upon the fact that I see no reason to shell out a big nut on something that I have no guarantees that I'll be any good at...

 

However, I don't want a POS that I'll get PO'd at because of build quality either. Just looking for something I can learn on, maybe fool around with in living room jam sessions with (assuming I get good enough). I have no illusions of making a career out of it, I have a career already. If I find that I have a knack for it though...

 

Anyone with thoughts on a good inexpensive beginners bass? One that is solid enough for me to stay with it awhile? I have no problem with the idea of modifying one, down the road aways either. If the instrument itself is solid enough, I'm pretty handy with tools and a soldering iron. As long as the structure is sound.

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For best budget basses with no mods needed & best bang for buck votes ESP LTD. Though for guitars votes Schecter. Ibanez has nice lower price basses & guitars too but rather dislikes the stock J & P pups performance with effects like overdrive & distortion.

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What do you consider a limited budget? Do you live where you can pick up used gear cheap? Go used first, then pick up something new. To be honest, you probably won't know good quality from crap anyway at your level. A great bass might need a simple truss rod adjustment and have a buzz on the frets when you try it, where a crappy bass might sound great, because they tuned it down a 1/2 step and the action is high.

 

Take a bass playing friend or confidant with you and have him/her look it over, like you would a first car. I would ask for at least a week where I could get my money back. No guarantee, no sale. Then take it to another store and have the tech look at it. You could have a twist in the neck or need some other major repairs.

 

If you decide to follow the advice previous to this post, then Ibanez, ESP, Jay Turser, Samick, Rondo, and Fender make decent bass packages for little money. Problem is that you'll never get half of what you spent if you sell them. [edited to add] Stagg is the new kid on the block, and you can find some decent deals if you can find a dealer.

 

Good luck.

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I actually owned a bass a large number of years ago, never did much with it and ended up selling it. I'm a little older, a little wiser, and never got rid of the bug. I pick out bass lines from every piece of music I listen to. I figure I have to give it a fair shot at least.

 

I used to own a Yamaha BB300, with a pre CBS fender Bandmaster head on top of a 2 x 12 cab loaded with EV force 12's I got the whole package for cheap money at the time, actually I sold it for more than I paid for it. Had a baby a little early in life and ended up working 12 hour shifts to get ahead. I needed the money at the time, more than I needed a bass that wasn't making me any.

 

I was actually thinking about the SX models. They are cheap, and if the build quality is half as good as I've been reading about, it sounds like it would do for a while. If i find that I'm playing a lot and outgrow it's capabilities, I'll spring for a nicer one. It's not that I can't afford it, I just can't justify spending the money on a '62 Fender reissue Jazz at my playing level (or lack thereof).

 

Not that the thought doesn't give me wood...:D

 

By the way I'm in MA.

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