My first bass was a Squier affinity P bass. I got rid of it first chance I had, but I'm still playing bass almost 20 years later. My recommendation is to get something cheap and simple and worry about what bass suits you once you're a better player. The point of a beginner bass is to introduce you to the instrument and get you started. Keep it simple.
100% agree! and a Precision is a perfect starter. look at soo many famous players, so many of them recorded their first albums on a Fender P, and later on found a bass that was better for them that ended up becoming their signature
@@projectz975 , I agree, but looking back I went the opposite direction, trying several different more unique basses before "seeing the light" and getting a really good P bass for me (80's MIJ) that is now my main player. There's something to be said about how well they fit in the mix and their versatility across genres.
Man my first and only bass is also a squier affinity p, and it has been my workhorse, idk abt you but with that jazz pickup at 100% and the p pickup at 50% you get a tremendous sound.
Your first bass should be one that you're going to want to play and have fun doing so. If that happens to be one of the basses listed here, just go for it. You can always upgrade or add to your collection later, especially once you're skilled enough to take advantage of the features higher end basses have.
This right here, if you don't think your bass is cool and fun then you're not going to want to keep practicing. My first bass was a thunderbird because I thought Shavo from system of a down was cool, but I really hated it. It was so uncomfortable and heavy. My next bass after that was a 5 string Ibanez, which wasn't much better. The neck dive was just as bad and I hated the active eq, and I used the lowest string so rarely that it wasn't even worth having it there. After that I got a regular P-bass and it was like magic. Had loads of fun playing that thing and I became a much better player because of it
As a guitarist turning bassist, this comment has so much truth to it. I learned on the cheapest bottom tier squier strat i could buy. I learned how to tone shape to make it sound pretty decent when I finally got to that point of learning. That really helped my tone shaping abilities later on Now, 10 years later, I still have the guitar and I just went and completely changed out the guts on it and made a really comfortable, usually guitar. Plus it’s got some nostalgia to it. Nothing like people trashing on squires but saying my tone is great then showing them I’m using a squire
@@boalston2484 I love your story. I've got a similar one. I got a Squire Affinity Strat at a pawn shop for $25 a few years ago. I never intended to play it (I already had a lovely Mexi Strat). I just wanted it as a wall hanging (my decor is cheap guitars on my walls), so I didn't even plug it in at the pawn shop. I didn't mind the neck being bowed like... a bow, but I got out my tools and fixed it, then set up the bridge for laughs and plugged it in. That was 8-10 years ago, and I play it as much today as any guitar I have. It's never needed another adjustment. It's every bit as good as the Mexi imo. (I'm primarily a bassist, so I might miss some nuances.) The neck pickup is so bluesy and musical it makes me weep! That pickup sounds better than the Mexi (which I eventually sold). Some Squire series are plywood junk, but they're all perfectly suitable as student guitars. (From what you said, it doesn't sound like you've got a plywood model.) All Fenders (Squires included) can be set up to play beautifully, which is priority #1 for a beginner. It's just the hardware and the tone that can make you eventually want something else, but those things aren't important for beginners, and for the price you pay, they're nearly disposable. But some Squires are inherently fantastic instruments. I've especially got mad respect for the Squire Affinity series after my experience with that pawn shop prize Strat. I've heard others since then go on about the Affinities, but I know they have other Squire models that are also quality instruments.
Ibanezes are very comfortable and great for beginners. I got one from my friend. I have disconnected preamp and made passive GRS200. no battery issues anymore.
My first bass is an Ibanez IJSR190, from a starter kit that included an amp, bag, stand, strap, etc. I love it so far, though I still dont own another bass due to me starting a year ago.
@@nairamdiam not really. amp is on a small board. You need to unsolder 2 or 3 wires and solder them to pots. I took pictures before to be able to go back in future.
@@nairamdiamextremely easy. Cut off the red and black wire that go to the battery and remove the battery. Connect the remaining black wire from your input jack to the black output wire from the board. Then, lastly just connect your yellow input jack wire to the green output wire from the board. There should be no more wires into or out of the board. You can use small wire nuts if until you’re comfortable soldering the wires.
@@RunkStillRides You did a great job at explaining it, however I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner. Imagine someone who never opened any electronic object, buy their first bass, and right before learning how to position their hands and pluck, they'd need to worry about tinkering with it, and likely buy extra material to do it. With a chance to mess it up. That's 99% of people who will purchase their first instrument. On the other hand they could just buy one and immediately start practicing and not worry about the gear. For beginners, I'd say if some gear already puts questions like that in your mind, get it out of the list, it's not like there's no other options, quite the opposite. Maybe pick a few on the web, go and try them in boutiques, say that it's your first bass, let them guide you to something you didn't expect and take one you just like and find comfortable and let the seller try and set it to make sure you don't buy a lemon ( be it just because it fits you well when you hold it and you find it sexy, you're judgement is not on point anyway ) and off you go to practice. Mods and customization is a guilty pleasure that comes down the line.
A former guitarist of mine, once told me about a punk band she'd been in years earlier where the beginner bassist had gotten given a 6 string bass as his first. That always struck me as a horrible decision for both a newbie and a punk band.
Buy a bass that fits your hands and makes you happy when you play, so you want to play more and practice more often. For a beginner, sound is of secondary importance. More important is how comfortable it is, and how good is in terms of intonation and tune holding. Any cheap bass will sound good enough, and bad enough, so over time it will be easy to learn what you want from your next instrument.
I started playing bass in 1967 just so I could be in a band. I’m 70 now and still at it. The choices were thin back then. My 3rd bass was a Gibson EB-0, I stayed there a long time. I still have an EB-2c, I love that mudbucker.
Got our band back together after 54 years. Still fun. My first bass was a Montgomery Ward Airline. Traded up to a Fender Jazz a couple of months later. Man, I wish I still had that one!
I can relate. I just turned 70. My first bass was a sears Silvertone bought used. Built by Danelectro, lipstick tube pickups and heavy as heck. Wish I still had it. Life got in the way for 30 years, but I recently bought a Fender player P bass and started again. Got lots more time to practice now that I'm retired, but I'm too dang old to stand and play. Still having fun.
I know it’s super late lol but I’m 15 and I really want to learn to play bass, how did you start??? Like was it a class or specific book? Because I have no clue how to start
I’m in an online Squier bass group, I have an affinity jazz, everyone in the group says how they love the squier. Then they always say how they changed the pots, bridge, tuners, nut,pickups and it sounds so good now
@shauncronin3961• I bought a brand new Squire jazz bass and it is totally unplayable right outta the box. The frets are uneven and buzz terribly, they need to be filed down and leveled but the Music Store refused to make any adjustments or give a refund. That thing is still in the case with the price tag on it...never again will I buy a Squire bass guitar from Fender.
@@madmaximilian5783I have seen the same. A Squire should be sold as a slab of wood with no electronics, no strings, no bridge. At least then, you get a good starting point to make what you want without paying for all the low end components. For the money I like my Jackson Pro series that use the discontinued Ibanez high end neck thru 4 string bass body, Nordstrand pickups, Gotoh tuners, and has a switch to make it passive or active. Also has the individual bridge components that give it less subharmonic crosstalk and massive sustain combined with the neck thru. Hit a note onstage, set down the bass, go to the bathroom and come back and she’s still singing.
@@madmaximilian5783Learn to tune the instrument. The same can be said about any bass. None sound good out of the box. Adjust the truss rod on the neck and string length on the bridge. It's easy to do this. If you can’t do it yourself, take it to a guitar specialist. But to say that this is a bad instrument just because you don’t know how to tune it is not seriously simple.
I'm an old timer. Playing almost 62 years. Your advice is spot on. I might add that although I usually play a fairly high end bass, that gives me the choice of either passive or active, I usually play it in passive mode. As you said, it's just more simple.
As a guitarist of 10+ years going wanting to get into bass more during the pandemic, bought a secondhand Japanese Fender Mustang. Great for transitioning from a guitar. Love it, definitely doesn't sound small.
I tried all the short-scales in a big music store in Japan and walked out with a Mustang, which was head-and-shoulders above the alternatives. A year later, however, I'd sold it it. The tone just didn't stack up against my 34" scale basses, and it got little use.
I think the most important thing is to get one that feels good, isn't too heavy, and balances well on a strap. This usually means the top strap button should be somewhere around the 12th or 13th fret. This is something a lot of the basses in this video also don't do. (violin bass, SG, and explorer) They'll have a tendency to neck dive. You'll see lots of people online who say they don't, but you'll definitely have an easier time with something with a better strap button position. having the strap button further over makes the neck of the bass hang closer to you as well. The explorer doesn't actually have an especially "long neck" as is mentioned in the video, but having the button further toward the bridge means the bass will hang with the neck sticking out further, which makes it feel longer, and more prone to dive. Don't be afraid to go with an active bass, either. In general, if you set all the knobs roughly in the middle it'll sound reasonable, and you can play with the knobs to taste. Nothing to worry about. If I had to recommend a bass to a beginner, I'd probably suggest either something fender-ish. P, J, or PJ, with a fender-ish body shape (likely a Squier), or if they're more interested in a more "modern" sound and budget allows, my personal preference would be an Ibanez sr-300e or yamaha trbx-304. They're a fairly ergonomic bass, and you can get a wide variety of sounds, (the gimmick switches are a bit intimidating, but just set them to "normal" and leave them alone). Of all the basses I've owned, the sr-300e seems like one of the easiest to play, and sounds great. I haven't owned the yamaha, but it's got a fairly similar feel, and versatility. (its sound has a bit less bite to it, but that could be good or bad, depending what you like)
Fourteen years ago I bought my first bass, a Yamaha RBX 374, recommended to me by my music teacher at school. Having owned a fair few basses in the since, I always seem to gravitate back to that cheap old bass. Something about the neck, the pups, the feel and the sound of that instrument just got a hold of me and wouldn't let go. I'll never get rid of that bass!
I largely agree with this, but there's a couple things to note: 1. Active basses tend to have some kind of toggle for the EQ, allowing it to be used in a passive mode where one of the knobs, typically treble, is your tone knob. 2. 5-strings, and even 6-strings. I get your point, and you are correct, it's more to worry about and some slight differences that could make learning a bit harder. However, if there's one thing I learned with starting guitar, it's to start with what inspires you. I was always big into hard rock and heavy metal, so you can imagine I wasn't thrilled with starting on an acoustic, though I still pushed on. When I got my first electric, my love for playing skyrocketed. Similarly, I'm primarily inspired by players like Eugene Abdukhanov from Jinjer and Jared Smith from Archspire when it comes to bass. Eugene plays a 5-string, since Jinjer moved to drop A, and Jared plays a 6-string. I feel like starting on a 4-string would kinda put me in that miserable beginner phase like I had with guitar. It isn't what inspired me, so why would I wanna play it? I'll take a couple extra learning curves if it means I get to play the music that inspired me to pick up bass, all day, everyday.
Totally agree about what inspires you. In fact my main advice is to get something you think is cool. The want to pick it up and play will superceded learning curves, but these also don't help in the majority of cases. Cheers! 😃
I’d like to add that having owned the Höfner violin bass, it is not comfortable at all to sit down with. The edges dig into your leg a little and it just doesn’t balance very nicely. Beginners tend to sit down a lot, which is why I can’t recommend that bass for beginners. Something to keep in mind.
I started off on a 5 string and I'm very glad I did. It made it much easier to use 4 or 6 string basses, and it allowed me to be able to play more songs much easier. It also made learning Modes much easier
My first bass was an active 5 string Ibanez Soundgear I bought new in 1988 when I was 13. I still own and use it. After that I bought a custom Carvin 5 string fretless that I also still own. I am actually glad I started out on 5 string. Having the low B is super normalized to me. I also had zero issues going straight to 7 string guitar when I started playing that.
@@dewicahayafitri1089 I'm planning to buy Yamaha TRBX 305 as my second bass. Being able to play lower string is attractive to me. I play standard tuning and Drop D/C mostly and retuning is a headache. It's active but you can replace the battery easily in this bass. Do you think I should buy a 5-string active bass or should stick with the 4-string passive bass?
I've tried both passive and active basses and come to the conclusion that I want my preamp to be on the floor, not in the bass. No hassle with batteries, plus you always "know what you're gonna get" even with a new bass. Good pickups and technique also go a long way.
For a beginner, go for a passiv bass. P bass, jazz or PJ type would cover the most of styles. The pickups and the feel of the neck is most important IMO, then comes the strings. For both beginners it can be wise to start with lighter strings, like 40 - 95. Also, short scale basses are nice if 34 scale basses is hard for you to play.
I absolutely love Sire basses, I have two of them myself. The price to quality ratio is excellent and the sound is awesome. But I do agree that the preamp can be very confusing, at least to someone who is not very technical or doesn't yet know the controls very well at all. However, Sire basses have a bypass switch where you can basically turn the bass passive if the whole knob heaven gets too complicated. Great video btw!
Yeah man that blend that's a real confusing component there, and the concept of three ranges of pitch that can be adjusted, there's a real mind blower must take a genius to figure that out.
I haven't had any issues with fret ends with sire basses. Wood responds to temperature and humidity. Many times with the new instrument the fret ends are filed down the factory but when it gets to you the weather can be very different and it would can shrink a little bit and that is what causes fret creep. So you just put some tape on the neck flush to the bottom of the fret wire sticking out, that is to protect the wood from the file, get yourself a a file, nothing too coarse, then file them again, if you have not already done so
This is not directed@you 9831 as you may well understand how to use the Active Electronics. I'm tagging this onto your response for those that may not understand these things. If you know a really good front-of-house audio engineer, not some drunk at the local bar, get them explain to you how they mix and deal with the bottom end on the board. They will be able to explain to you why certain frequencies behave the way they do in your signal. They can also tell you specifically which frequencies are really critical to getting good bass tone. Once you begin to understand the science and physics how all that works you'll be able to dial in your tone much better. In many cases cutting one frequency is better than boosting another frequency . The more you boost things the morgaine you put into the signal and gain is additive and will create distortion in your signal . As the great players say "Learn how to play the bass, then learn how to play the amp"
I have found the necks on the four string basses tend to feel a little rubbery. By that I mean they Bend easily. I found that out setting intonation. Just by touching the tuner you can push the neck forward and the string starts to go flat. I've also found it if you just lean backwards a little bit it'll start to go sharp and that's because the wood is not really all that stable. The instruments with the roasted Maple necks are stiffer.
@MN Mitchell I have P7 and V3. P7 didn't and still doesn't have sharp fret ends, but it was about 700€ bass. V3 had some sharpness (I filed them) but it's way cheaper so I think the price is reflected in the finishing touch. I have other basses as well but the two Sires are my number ones for almost everything.
My first bass 4 years ago was a short-scale Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar in their perfect Cherry Apple Red. It's the bass I still use most for rehearsals because it's easy to move and carry, and it's got a beautiful tone.
Im still considered a beginner bass player, and I love my active pickup bass, unlearned how to setup how my tone should be like for every song I play. I also own an acoustic and I simply love it! Because of that I also bought a Kala Ubass and so many other paraphernalia I might not even need.
I've always been a Fender guy… I first learned on a Precision Bass that I borrowed from my high school. (I was a sax player in the jazz band, but since the bass player had his own bass, no one was using the school's, and the band director let me take it home.) Then a year later I got my own - a Fender Standard Jazz Bass (made in Mexico, equivalent to today's Player series). This was in the early '90s. I've owned a bunch of Fenders and Squiers since then, as well as a couple of other brands. My biggest recommendation in the Fender/Squier realm is this: if you have the money, get an American or Japanese Fender. Otherwise, stick with the Indonesian (higher-end) Squiers. I've found much better build quality and consistency in the Indonesian Squier instruments than what comes out of Fender's Mexico factory at twice the price.
@@JonnyDibble I'm working on a video for my channel demoing a new American Ultra Jazz Bass I just got, and comparing it to my Squier Vintage Modified 5-string Jazz Bass. Suffice to say, the American Ultra is better... but not 5 times better (even though that's roughly the cost difference). The Squier is really good!
I’ve had a Squier Bass for 26 years and it’s been excellent. Changed the pickups to Wilkinson’s last year as it was falling apart somewhat and it sounds amazing and plays like a dream. I’m also not too scared to take it to gigs as it cost me £125 back in the day. I hope it lasts another 26 years!
Sire is a good jumping off point. I've picked up plenty of crappy fenders in the last 40 years. My 63 is good, my 73 Jazz was one of a kind. Harley Benton from Thomann are some good low cost basses. They can be easily modded up. They use good wood with good QC.
Funny - the first choice for me if i had to choose the first bass for someone would be 5 string MM / JB style bass. If you don't focus on the slap, the 5th string doesn't bite. It gives support for the thumb and allows you to play a large part of popular songs tuned in drop without bothering to change the tuning of the instrument. The most important thing is that the bass can be set correctly so visit in shop and test before buy should be standard routine.
As a guitarist, I found full scale basses hard for me to play until I got a cheap short scale bass and put flatwounds on it. SO much easier to play I recommend them for guitarists transitioning to bass! Flatwounds on a short scale is a dream combination IMO. Also, taking your bass to a guitar tech to make it as playable as possible will do wonders!
I'm interested ! I'm currently trying to find a rather cheap bass (< 500€) I could buy because I will surely transition soon from guitarist to bassist inside my band. So I wondered which short scale bass you bought, because I find the Epiphone Newport attractive.
I play a Gibson Les Paul Jr bass a lot and I want to experiment with Round wound strings. My understanding is that I am going to really dig the sound. Thanks, reminded me I was going to do that
Love my short scale fender mustang. I don’t even know if I’m a guitar/bass player it’s just fun to play 😅 also I agree you gotta get a good setup from a “guitar guru” 🙏 makes all the difference
As a very long time bass player I must say that your comments are, in general, very right on. It is very easy for a newbie to get a bass that is more complex or harder to play than is necessary. Preamps are a big issue even for pros. More to go wrong and you know that battery is going to go dead at the worst possible time! Beginners should just get a low end Squier or Ibanez and get good at playing it. The low end basses are SO GOOD now there is almost no downside.
Started on TBird. Have to say after playing it for 3 years straight, every other bass just felt way simpler to play. I think it might be not to bad to start on a TBird because once you manage this one you can play anything else easily.
That is true, I learned on a plywood guitar with a plastic fingerboard that had plastic frets molded as part of the fingerboard (I'm serious!). Anything after that was easy...lol However, that only works if you already have the bug and want to play, no matter what. But to get acquainted with and take a liking to the instrument, that probably won't work...
@@JonnyDibble if you don't have the motivation to deal with the first hurdle of some neck dive without quitting you won't have the motivation to overcome the learning curve to actually play the thing
I felt the same way about the old hand me down thick strung guitar I learned on. It was oversized and the strings hurt so bad. But every guitar I’ve ever played since has felt like a cakewalk! I was really grateful to have learned initially on something more challenging in the end.
My first bass was a 1967 Hofner violin-body bass I was given. My next bass was a 1974 orange-gold Rickenbacker bass. My third bass, which I still have, is a 1976 Fender Precision bass, which was also given to me. I don't know that I'll ever get another bass.
As someone who either played or owned all of these models I absolutely agree. I also remember wanting an Epiphone SG so badly because it looked awesome when I was a beginner and the voice of reason was my uncle who organized a used Fender with a versatile PJ pickup and comfortable J bass neck (which looked ugly as hell but did a great job!)
The Epiphone SG bass is pretty mean. It sounds good with Rotosound strings because of their brightness and are easy to play because they are light gauge. The big humbucker gives you depth and thump and if you like blues it sounds great. Try playing a slow swing blues like G-C-D and you will sound like live Cream.
1:40 laughed out loud just as you said this. My first was an old Hofner 589 (strat style body, violin electronics) with flatwounds. I bought it from a guy in my high school Chemistry class sight unseen for $20. I quickly moved on to something more robust and growly, but felt pretty good about the old Hofner at the time... and I still own this bass :) Thanks for posting this video.
My 1st Bass was a Fender 5 String Electric Bass (A Squire Affinity J Model) in Black & it had a radius ed fretboard so it could be held more comfortably in the hands. I never had any damage issues because those have been cured by getting them packaged better.
I've been playing bass since 1978. My first bass was a short scale (30") bass from Sears with a 2 piece bridge with no intonation adjustment, a painted pine fretboard and flatwounds. My parents bought it for $69.95 bundled with a $50ish starter amp. I quit until about 1980-81. Prince/The Time inspired me to power through in spite of crap equipment. My next bass was a cheap Jazz Bass copy in 1984 which was a godsend.
The viola bass *could* be good for beginners because it is a short scale bass, but that's about it. And agreed, beginners should definitely avoid active basses to not have to deal with batteries and tweaking preamps.
I started off on an Ibanez sr300, and I’m so glad that I did. It lasted me until my second bass, my Warwick corvette, and it was good quality for the price.
I actually own two Squier Affinity Jaguar Basses, one in Lake Placid Blue and the other in Metallic Charcoal Frost. I like how they handle and the comfort of them. They have one single bass humbucker pickup on them in the middle for a well-rounded sound.
If your young, with small hands, get a 4 string short scale passive bass (quite a few out there). Forget about exotic wood finishes and multiple pickup active basses with many knobs. Make decision on the neck (width, string spacing) and how playable it feels.
Timestamps Please still watch the video. This guy is a great creator and deserves your views. This is mostly for reference in case you want to go back and watch specific parts later. 1:33 Hofner Violin Bass 2:08 Epiphone EB-1 SG 3:17 Epiphone Thunderbird 3:57 Ibanez TMB100 5:07 Sire M2 (or M-series in general) 6:26 Squier P-Bass (contemporary) 7:58 Bass 6 Things to avoid: 9:20 Acoustic basses 10:06 Active basses 10:57 5-string basses
My first bass was an Ibanez SR300. It had an active preamp that was a nice EQ option, and a really nice neck. The pickups had no character whatsoever, which was pretty bad, but I didn't find the active preamp to be confusing. If anything, it pushed me to learn more about EQs, frequency ranges, and where the bass guitar should sit in a band.
@@markriffalo27 They're not "bad" they sounded fine and the whole bass played like butter. They just don't have that recognizable tone of a P bass, Jazz bass, Stringray, Rickenbacker, Warwick, etc. With that said, replacing them with anything you want should be relatively easy down the line if you're not happy with it.
The first bass i played on was my uncle’s cheap blue Washburn, the strings on it were so old and worn that the sweat on them turned them copper red, playing it the first time made my fingers hurt so bad i almost quit entirely, but i kept going and fell in love with bass playing enough that i actually got new strings for it, once i had to return it i got my actual first bass which was a black Squier Jaguar PJ bass, i stuck with that bass a long time and it really felt like home, however it did have some problems that eventually became too annoying to have, the input jack would get loose and there was no way of tightening it and since it was an “active” bass (only had a bass boost knob which made it so loud i barely used it) whenever the battery began to run out, the bass started to have a really distorted and awful sound, despite my love for the feel of that bass i eventually had to sell it and level up, i bought a Sire P7 bass which truly enamoured me since the first time i played it, it’s so good i will most likely keep it forever :) Overall it might be a good thing to have a bass that’s hard to play when you’re starting out because it really helps you build up the calluses on your fingers, eventually you can play on any bass without it hurting at all, i see it as training more than anything, however i’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to start out with a comfortable playing bass, so try around and look for the bass that calls out for you, you might just find an axe for life💗
Great advice Jonny. I got a violin bass early on for the shorter scale and lighter weight but the sound, as you said, is not a versatile cup 'o tea. I've tried many basses, but for a beginner, the Ibanez Soundgear basses are a fine choice. Low price, decent quality, good sound and absolute lovely necks. I would also advise a professional set-up and the right strings, those two things alone can make all the difference between a nice playable bass and an unpleasant closet queen.
Fully agree about the ibanez. I had the gsr200 (?) It rocked live while I had mortgage and kids. Nobody ever cared as long as you are playing in time (correct notes is optional!)
Cream era Jack Bruce whomped away on a Gibson EB bass. Any way. My son commandeered my seldom used Schecter Diamond 4 string. ( I'm a guitarist and never grasped the space between the notes coolness.) I bought myself a MIM Fender PJ bass and he took to that like a duck to water. He diversified his listening and expressed an interest in fretless. Santa was good that year and my son never went back to fretted. It's been 4 or 5 years. He has the ear for fretless and its nuances.
My most used bass is the Squier Affinity P bass and I've had that since I started playing. I have dropped a set of Steve Harris signature pickups in it and fitted a high mass bridge and upgraded the tuners but other than that I haven't spent anything on it, it's an absolute machine, I just love it. From there I got a Yamaha 5 string and a Cort A6 six string (both active), different tools for different jobs. I guess the point of my post here is that I think it's most advisable to stick with simple to start with then perfect your craft before expanding your skillsets. That P bass is strung with flats but through various pedals, it makes for all sorts of crazy and interesting tonal ranges, yet it's such a basic, simple instrument in terms of on board controls and electronics, just add pedals to this blank canvas and you can play anything. Great video, thanks.
I began playing on a 5-string bass. As well as it being much wider and harder to play than a four string, the one I was using was particularly heavy and the added weight to my shoulder made it far more difficult to play standing up. I can't say I regret it because when I started picking up 4-string basses I found they were so much easier to use in comparison and the experience I gained from learning on a 5-string was really beneficial in the long run, but I still wouldn't recommend starting on a 5-string either.
I feel like that would depend on what your goal as a bassist is. If it's your goal to just be a bassist, then probably not, but if your goal is specifically to be a 5 string bassist, you should start on one. I exclusively play 5 strings and never have any intention of picking up a 4 string.
Been playing bass since 64. First bass was a Lindell dbl pu. Played it two years and sold it for $118.00. Current collection - 67 Gibson Eb2. 87 MIJ P bass. Carvin LB2. Steinberger headless. Guild acoustic bass. P bass is my favorite. Any questions?
My first bass was a Hoffner. I honestly think the weight and size is great for beginners, but restringing it was so difficult when you are doing it for the first time due to the floating bridge.
I just bought the Hoffner lefty, on Amazon even though I’m right handed. I’ve also seen videos how to switch out the components and make it sound like an original 61 Hoffner bass using reissue German parts, which I would do it once I acquire some skill. i’ll get a different kind of righty bass and switch back-and-forth to create a new neural pathways in my brain.
My first bass was a Gibson EB-0 bass played through a Sunn tube head and Sunn 2x15 cab. It was booming!! I didn't initially know it was a short scale bass. I recommend Yamaha basses for beginners. I have a RBX 375 and a TRBX 305 along with a Spector euro 4.
Back in 1996 I bought my first bass and it was a 1996 Ibanez gio 4 string pj bass. They only made this version of the gio for 3 years from 96-99. I got it for around $300 and I still play it to this day. I've had to do a couple soldering fixes but that's it. Still plays great. It has a really thin profile neck that I now look for in every bass I play. Ibanez really did a great job with the build that year.
I’ve just got a Cort B4 with the Bartolini pickups, Bartolini preamp, hip shot tuners and bridge; it was an ex demo with a few marks on it but I got it for £350! It’s just amazing, it’s my first bass but I have had an active guitar in the past and it is active/passive switchable! My opinion, it was a steal and well worth the extra £100 that I had in mind!
I bought a Cort B4 many years ago because I loved how balanced & comfortable it felt...my hands seemed to flow up & down the neck. After many years of playing, the active electronics quit working, but I still love the nice round tone of those Bartolini pickups, even in passive mode
My first bass was a hofner violin and even though it is very limited in what it has allowed me to do. It is still the bass I play the most and I have found a way to get it to fit into most genres.
Everyone who wants to learn bass should just be issued with a passive P style bass. It teaches you how to change your tone by altering your right hand technique and position. no eq or bridge pickup to rely on.
Your argument is a really wise perspective. Seems people today would rather have technology make them look good over actually being good with a solid technique. Shortcuts always come at cost. Nothing worse than playing for 20+ years wanting to just play songs and realizing you really don't know crap and start all over building a solid foundation in technique.
Oooo, you got me with the SG, I didn’t own one of these but my school had one and I found that it had immense clarity! Same cheap base single pickup model, but I actually preferred its tone to my fenders for a lot. I would reccomend it to a beginner for the exact same reasons you wouldn’t, I just had very different experiences with how it sounded and played. Interesting stuff! Side note, I now teach at a school that’s been selling a thunderbird bass in the lobby for over a year and no one’s bought it kuz all us teachers agree with you on that one-cool bass, but not what any of us would actually suggest our students start working with. With you on that one at least!
Also with 5 strings you have to decide what way you want your 5th string to go. Apparently most people go lower with their 5th so B-E-A-D-G, but silly me, I wanted to go higher with my 5th string in E-A-D-G-C tuning which meant I had to screw around finding an applicable string solution and praying the default nut would work with my altered string thickness solution. Now, this was not my FIRST bass and I kinda knew the headache I was getting into, so I got there eventually and didn't mind the improvisation, but if I took all this on as a beginner I would have been miserable.
I got my first bass in 1981. A Hofner violin bass. I’ve subsequently acquired many other brands over the years and still have the Hofner plus a Fender Jazz, Sire P bass and a cheap fretless which I’ve been improving (Fazley). I actually still love the Hofner and it’s got a nice set of flat wounds on it. I think the short scale is one of the positives for someone starting out. As you say - a lot of Beatles fans are drawn to this bass (my reason back in 1981) but it’s a nice bass and so light. Cheers
Musicman Subs are IMO one of the best options for beginner to intermediate. You get so much for the price and the 2 band eq is not terribly complicated. Yes, the large pole pickup does run pretty hot but it's easily manageable. Still, the articulation and action is far superior to any P Bass. Especially Squiers!
@@DmitryIsc199Are you serious right now?! 1)Have you ever seen the Stingray MM or the Bongo? Both have 2 pickups. 2)That's not the bridge position. That's the harmonic sweetspot.
@@jeredalmeida1880 as someone whos going to play in a softrock band would a stingray sub be any good ? ive been debating on whether i should get a stingray or pbass.
Yup! My main gigging bass is a Sub Ray4 that I modded. Ken Armstrong p/u. Coil splitting. Push/pull Tone control with mid boost/cut from Kelling Sound. All passive!! And smokes other basses that cost 3x more.
My first bass 20+ years ago was a passive Ibanez PJ for $200. I’ve purchased tons of basses since, but it’s still one of the best decisions I’ve made. It was an excellent first bass. My only regret-not diving into theory in those early years 😅
I missed one somewhere, but if you just want the list, you're welcome: 1. Hofner Violin Bass 2. Epiphone SG/EB0 3. Epiphone Thunderbird 4. Ibanez TMB100 5. Sire M2 6. Squier Contemporary P-Bass
All of these basses are far superior to the options I had when I was in my teens (many moons ago!) … I was only too happy to play my imported (from who knows where), “Bolero”, by Gibson 😉 … remember that bass, James Paul DeCesare?!
I started out on a five string bass because I figured I could just ignore the 5th string but that it would be there if I wanted it. And I was exactly right (although the point about the narrower string spacing is a good one). For the first few years, the fifth string was almost exclusively a thumb rest for my right hand, but as I've gotten into playing metal over the last year or two, it's become indispensable, because lots of metal songs are tuned down from a regular 4-string bass's range. Instead of tuning my strings several times a day as I jump from song to song, I can just slap a capo on whatever fret I need and then play the BEAD strings while ignoring the G string. Of course, this doesn't help for tunings that aren't in intervals of fifths, like drop D, but this has allowed me to play hundreds of awesome songs that I wouldn't have bothered with otherwise. Oh, also, my bass is an active bass. 😜 I didn't really know the difference when I bought it, but I don't really have any complaints (although I also don't take advantage of it much either). I just bought some rechargeable 9V batteries and swap them out every month or two.
My first bass was a sunburst Peavey Milestone II that I got new way back in 1995. It was effectively a Precision copy (the body shape was slightly different and the nut was narrower) made by Cort in South Korea, and not only was it really solid but it started my almost 30-year love affair with the P-Bass (and single pickup basses in general).
Right On!!! I have the Sire M2 5 string. Far from beginner. Honestly I love the sound, but the pickups are troublesome to get down. It is a beautiful bass.
I agree, Höfner basses have their tonal limitations but that actually makes you play around with right hand position and amp settings to get a deeper understanding of tone.
As somebody who plays a lot of 5-string now but was talked out of it when I first started playing 20yrs ago, I kinda wish I’d started on a five string because even now it’s hard for me to “think” in five string, if that makes sense. Great video!
Great video man, you never see videos of basses you SHOULDNT buy. Id add any extended range basses as well (not just because of the extra string) unless you're dead set on playing in a very low tuning. The added string tension on the high end can REALLY mess with tone and playability. Even with extra long strings you're gonna notice a difference.
@@thierry18 - P-bass or J-bass, I reckon! I'd started on a J-bass copy myself and was actually quite surprised at how much less comfortable P-basses were for me, once I got opportunities to play on some that belonged to friends and also in shops!
I own all those bases (except the Ibanez) and I agree with everything you've stated about all of the others....yes the Sire controls will get you nuts, yes Squires are inconsistent as hell, and your comments about the Violin bass, the Epi Thunderbird....right on the money!!! What a valuable and truthful video. Great Work Jonny!
Helpful video. Great job. I agree with all points. And, I think the most important thing to foster in beginners is inspiration; inspiration to put in the time to learn the instrument and get better. If a particular bass inspires them, excites them to play more everyday, it will be money well spent. Even if that means buying a thunderbird or violin bass, so be it. You can't put a price on inspiration. And as that student gains experience they will learn what they like and what they don't. And can trade in the bass for something else. Cheers.
I just bought the Ibanez Talman passive short scale model for my daughter who's just starting out. I wasn't expecting much given the price, but this little bass is just so much fun to play! She loves it 😊
My first bass was a viola. During my tenure as a player of bass I always got more opportunities because I played anything other than a p-bass. It helps to stand out. FOLLOW YOUR HEART! this guy has valid thoughts but don’t let them stop you from getting that 7 string monster you want to get Man now I want a Bass VI!
Interesting video. I play 5s exclusively as they cover every possible scenario. Also, they allow me to play across the board more quickly than a 4 in almost all genres
I play for 30 years now and i have to say,good job, great video. You are honest and know what you are talkin about. Very helpful content. Take care,keep the groove and a happy new year.
My first was a Rogue VB100, which made me want to stop all together (neck divey and felt crappy to play). Wasn't until I upgraded to my SUB Ray 4 when I fell in love w playing. I play in a bass drum rock duet and have been loving my Squier Affinity H Jag and my E1 SG (notably on your list 😂). I've found the sg is excellent to get a darker tone and with a POG octave, sings sweet clarity, def not for anyone who isn't looking to mod tho. Great vid Johnny! 🔥🔥🔥
When I got my first bass, I'd already been playing guitar for about 20 years. It was a Squier 70s Vibe J bass, and while I liked the sound and build quality (I'm a bit of a gear snob), the neck felt like a toothpick in my hands and I just didn't like the overall feel. I traded it towards a Sire Marcus Miller V7 5 string (I love the sound of J basses, and Sire makes one of the only lefty 5 string J basses on the market) and *instantly* fell in love with it. It has the standard Marcus Miller preamp (like the M2 you showed), so I just set them all at the neutral position and tweaked the amp EQ to get a decent starter tone (good enough to jam at home). Probably not the right choice for most beginners, but it was the right choice for me :)
I just knew my first (and so far only) bass, the thunderbird would be on this list lol. But to me they are are just so cool looking it makes me want to play. My second bass was going to be an eb-3, looks like I should reconsider 😱.
@@JonnyDibble thing is ,I do agree with what you say about the neck dive and the size of the thing to a certain degree. But the sound and the look make it worth it for me, but I do totally get where your coming from. 👍🏻
I've played it only once but the EB-3 left me with an awesome, positive impression. It's always a good thing to try an instrument before buying it, of course but if you manage well with the T-Bird I'd definetly give it a go
I have an Ibanez SR 400 from the 80's in my stable. Yes it is an active bass, but what I like about Ibanez is the slim neck. For a beginner, that could be a good thing. I love mine and it gets picked up more often than my Fender P bass. My P bass does have flatwounds on it for recording is why I don't use it too much live. I think you've given some really good information. I agree with every point you brought up. I've been playing for over 40 years and had to figure out all this by trial and error. The main thing for a beginner, is that the instrument is EASY to play. The setup needs to be right. The worst thing for a beginner is to have an instrument that is hard to play. That will make them give up before they even have a chance.
I would add a caveot about the active vs passive bass thing. A lot of low cost passive basses need a pre-amp, otherwise you get a bad buzzing drone through the speakers (even a practice amp will give that annoying drone without a pre-amp). So if you consider that into the cost with a passive bass, then you might want to consider getting an active bass for the same cost as a passive + pre-amp, as long as it's quality and not something that's still cutting corners.
I have a Ibanez TMB100 and I enjoy very much playing with it. The electronics are not great but you can easily change it later on. I changed it to passive, it plays and sounds amazing! I have no experience with the other basses you've mentioned but I totally disagree with you regarding the TMB100. I don't think this bass needs to be avoided. I recommend it, specially for beginners.
I have a tmb 100 too. I'm not a beginner but i often buy used basses, try them in my band and then resell them. I hate the tmb 100. It's pretty terrible. Chunky neck. Neckdive. Pre amp is too hot. Also don't like the steep radiance of the fretboard. It's not terrible but i would recommend 95% of other basses over this one to beginners first
As a guitar player with quite short fingers, I started basd with an Ibanez GSRM20 short scale bass. For 199 € the build quality of mine is very good. The setup was okay but I adjusted the intonation a bit. I replaced the cheap plastic knobs and mounted a Hipshot D-Tuner. It's not a bass with a lot of character but it gets the job done with comfort. It could also be a nice first bass for a child or teen. More than a year ago I got an Ibanez EHB1005SMS. That's a slightly short multiscale headless 5-String with fanned frets. Not really a beginner instrument. It is active but can be switched to passive as backup. The bass is not very heavy and i like it a lot. It fits in a padded guitar bag. Although I don't play it often anymore, I respect the little GSRM20 for what it is and haven't sold it yet.
This is some really good advice. I remember starting with a epiphone sg and being really frustrated with how my playing sounded so dull. When I got my fender p bass it just came to life
Today, I only play 5 string; Yamaha RBX5 (passive) and Ibanez SR fretless (Active) since 2010 and 2013. I really love these. However, I started with a Ibanez Road Bass 4 strings way back in the mid 80s. It was recommended from a very honest sale person whom I still buy my stuff and bring others to buy from. I bought my first 5 string Horner (Passive hum bucking) BA5 which was a nightmare to find a carry case. I had a Samick 4 string with Di Mazio passive P J combo during my overseas studies in the late 90s (too expensive to ship them over). I am now hopping to get a Fender or Squire Bass Bass
Right off the bat you got on my wrong side. :-) I love my Hofner and I also like the "SG" basses. I guess that you are to young to understand how to play these basses. I started playing bass in 1968 and it was a Black Jack violin bass. I still play 60s and 70s style music and these basses are perfect for that kind of music.
Very, very good advice! I agree with all you said. A lot of beginners want to run before they can walk & at times you'll find a beginner who will go for or want a bass which has a lot, especially the beginner who has a lot of money to throw around. I actually believe the most ideal beginner basses are Squiers, Yamaha & Ibanez, these brands have amazing basic basses for the beginner & onwards. I still gig with my Squier 70s VM mod bass, which I haven't felt I needed to change anything on the bass, accept for the strings; I've never even felt the need to change it for a Fender Mex or American Standard! I don't think snobbery should have a place in choosing a good beginner bass or advanced bass, it just needs to sound good, be built well & easy to play. You know your stuff & I hope beginners out there will appreciate your advice, it's very good! 👍🏾 Bless.
I've been playing guitar for 39 years, and have suddenly had an urge to buy my very first bass guitar after playing a friend's bass recently. A beginner bass guitar is good for me. Thanks for the advice.
I know this is just personal preference, but while I didn't technically "start" with acoustic bass, it was what I ended up playing the most when I was learning. It's nice to play something without needing an amp; just pick it up and go! It also helped me learn the "floating thumb" technique, since I had no pickup to rest my thumb on. Learning to use a floating thumb helped me tremendously by the time I finally got a 6-string bass. It may not be for everybody, but my acoustic was a great learning tool, and I wish I still had it in my collection
As a guitarist of over 20 years, I've interacted with a lot of musicians. I can definitely see why you rolled your eyes when you said about guitar players switching over to bass lmao, a lot of us are just so self-centered it's unbelievable. Also, I picked up a Stingray 5 as my first bass a couple months ago, and I'm loving every second of the learning experience. People think it's exactly the same as playing guitar, but there's a whole world of difference that you won't understand unless you properly try. Used my bass in my first mix today and it sounds so much better, so much fuller than it did without the bass. I don't know how to riff on a bass yet, or how to slap, but I'm working my way up to that soon enough. (Another thing I'd add to this list you made would be headless basses. String replacements are hella expensive due to the double ball end strings and tuning can be difficult if you aren't familliar with the concept of tuning a headless instrument) Really good video, thank you for sharing!
The Ibanez soundgear series are definitely the best choice for everything. Cheap, great sound, great looks, and suitable for absolutely all music styles. You don't wanna get rid of them easily. I bought one as a 2nd bass for 300€. It was even better than i expected. Comes with great standard strings too!😊
my first bass was a 4-string Ibanez soundgear, but when i decided to buy a 5-string i went with a Sire M5 because of the 35" scale length. also the preamp can be turned off so it's both a passive and active bass. it needed more setup than the Ibanez though and i still cant get the action quite as low as on the Ibanez.
My first bass was a Fender Precision Bass bought used in 1978. I now regularly play an Ibanez sdgr 300. Lightweight, comfortable to play, and great sound. This would be my recommendation.
I fell for the lpb squire jag h bass partly because of you and I would like to try upgrading it as I love the colour and feel of it. Scared of changing the pickup as I have no experience but I'm set on getting a heavy bridge, some flatwounds, a pearl guard as well, it'll look beautiful!
You really don't need a heavy Bridge with flat wounds and the bass is through body anyway so if you string them up to through body and over the saddle you got as much contact as you're ever going to get. If you do look for a bridge, heavy metal like brass will accent the fundamental frequency ( more bottom end) but less of the top end, 9and if you want more top-end you want to find an aluminum Bridge. I know hipshot makes them in various metal choices. I think Babczic is aluminum. Also the Bad Ass 2 Bridge was actually a zinc alloy, that's what always gave instruments with those bridges that tone. it affects the tonal Spectrum differently than other metals. Changing pickups is no big deal if you're handy with a soldering iron. Take pictures of it wired up before you take anything apart. And for what it's worth EMG is now all plug-and-play no soldering required. The components have wire pins coming out in the cables are female see you this clipping together following the diagram it's ridiculously easy. Also it's best to learn how to do your own setup work. I started 1975 by 1978 I was sick of paying people to do with that thought a good set-up was. You're not going to damage the instruments of machine you can always change settings to whatever go back to wherever. There are plenty of RUclips videos on how to set up a Bass. Even though it's fairly simple basic understanding of geometry, watch more than one video cuz people approach it in different ways. The one Sadowsky has is pretty good. Good luck
I've been playing bass for a long while (since 1997), but it was always an on/off thing. First picked up a Squier Jazz and later a MIM Fender, had to sell them and picked up a few years later a pawn shop find that wasn't great (short scale, not set up well, etc). I finally gave that one away and despite the years, I would still put myself as a beginner at the time. I then picked up over the span of a year (in order): Epiphone SG EB-3, Epiphone Thunderbird Pro, Ibanez BTB747. I only mention this because it wasn't UNTIL I picked up these that I feel that I went to an Intermediate player. (Not going to say I've put the Ibanez to work much, as it is still a bit "too much bass" for me, but I have it as a goal bass to play...decently)
Your advice is perfect in every way. Start off with a simple passive bass. As you progress and really love playing you can always add to your collection of more upscale instruments
bought an old Squire P. Gave it a little tlc at the shop. Been playing about a year. Got a good ear and good instruction. I don't see myself looking for another bass any time soon.
I bought a Sterling sub 4 string last year for $150. It's one of the most fun basses I've played and has that stingray sound. I went from being an ugly guitar player to the big fat beautiful bass player I am today and that is the first 4 string I've ever owned. Now I want the 5 string real deal stingray but damn they're expensive and I'm not in an active band anymore so I can't justify the cost. But the sterling sub ray would be my pick for a starter bass.
@@themightyv4271 There is! And it's nicer than the SUB series but I wanted the full size and it was a Christmas sale. I would've gotten the Ray24 but it only came in baby blue and like a custard yellow? 🤮. I despise pastel colors. Most of my basses are black lol
@@JAYZIGGY5 - Oh! 😄 Yeah, I do quite like pastel colours, but not necessarily on guitars or basses 😄 I also prefer long-scale basses, but I remembered that a guitarist friend of mine had said something a while ago about possibly getting himself a medium-scale MusicMan bass 🙂
@@themightyv4271 It's just personal preference I guess but when I played it in the store it was just awkward for me. I don't understand the pastel color craze on instruments right now. People seem to really love those colors. Just not me. Old-fashioned I guess.
As a guitarist dabbling in bass and constantly learning how to lay down bass tracks for my stuff, an Ibanez Microbass does wonders! Got it for less than $150.00 and it's still holding up after three years.
IMO, you can't go wrong with an Ibanez SR. Even the cheapest modern era SR's (not the "Gsr") are very consistent, easy to play and look as good as the more expensive models. They're perfect for guitar players too, especially the 5 string versions.
I played a couple of borrowed electric basses, at music stores and parties. 30 minutes here, 20 minutes there. I loved the sound, knew very little. So naturally I built my own first bass. As an admirer of Jack Casady and John Entwistle, I made a Thunderbird-shaped body with 1 inch solid maple back, 1/2"-ish mahogany upper and lower front bits and red oak with a nice grain for the raised bit down the middle. Body was flat relative to the neck, like a Fender. It remains the heaviest electric bass I've ever encountered. Ordered a 1 piece maple P-bass neck from Fender, bought a used pickup that I thought might be a Guild humbucker and added a Jazz bass pickup at an angle, like the bridge pickup on a Strat. I didn't understand intonation, so Gibson the bridge was too far from the neck, until I bought replacement hardware and carved a new pocket for it to sit in. My college roommate had a short scale Gibson SG style bass, one humbucker, felt nice to play but didn't have a huge range of tones. In complete ignorance I worked out a complicated system where the two Guild coils could be in series or parallel, and the Fender Jazz pickup (bridge? neck? I don't know, still) could be substituted for one of them. 4 pole, double throw, switch. The impedances didn't match, and in one switch setting it sounded really snotty and kinda hollow- like common tones were inverted and cancelled, so things with the same amplitude over the two pickups, several inches apart, were gone. I did no experiments, prototyping or development, just dreamed it up, soldered it together and never labeled the toggle swiches or the 6 step rotary switch. All three coils come to a common point and the rotary switch could use that common point as ground OR use the non-common point of one coil as ground and the non common point of another coil as "signal", thus using 2 coils in series, in a humbucking configuration. I worked at a place that used sprayed 2 or 3 part paint inside plastic boxes and then used a silver nitrate solution to make them conductive for shielding. The painter did my bass body and I wired everything with shielded 2 conductor cable,. and wrapped aluminum foil around the Jazz pickup. The cover over the electronics pocket was one-sided printed circuit board, un-etched, so a reasonable Faraday cage. After about 7-8 years I redid the wiring, moved the bridge, and found one swich setting that I liked. I played with my acoustic guitar friends, played in a back-yard band with a real drummer and a sax player. Got a Peavey TKO, Black Widow speaker. Nice. Played with an eclectic bunch of co-workers for a couple of years, Friday night after work. Company party one year when we had no money for entertainment. 2 guitars, bass, live drummer and conga player, 2 flutes, keyboards. I was a useful singer on a couple songs. I'd learned "Tequila" for the back yard band and we added "Green Onions", "Desifinado", "Kansas City", "Louie Louie", "Money", "Black Magic Woman", etc. My second bass was a 2nd-hand 1990s reissue Thunderbird, with the black metal hardware. It sounds more like a double-bass than anything else I've played. It flatters my playing and never disappoints me. Having learned on a P-bass neck, the Thunderbird was much more comfortable. John Entwistle had really big hands. I realized I'd overdone the maple back on my first bass body but it sure did sustain! Really, the body was backward, it should have been thin maple, if any, and more mahogany. And I should have put the big humbucking pickup down by the bridge, for amplitude, and the Jazz pickup near the neck. At one point a friend had a planer and I considered taking it all apart and halving half or more of the maple removed, but, really, I'd want a different neck too. Sounds like another instrument. I've never had the time or money to follow up on that.
My first bass was a Squier affinity P bass. I got rid of it first chance I had, but I'm still playing bass almost 20 years later. My recommendation is to get something cheap and simple and worry about what bass suits you once you're a better player. The point of a beginner bass is to introduce you to the instrument and get you started. Keep it simple.
Agree mate
100%, get something you think looks cool and you'll want to pick it up and play
100% agree! and a Precision is a perfect starter. look at soo many famous players, so many of them recorded their first albums on a Fender P, and later on found a bass that was better for them that ended up becoming their signature
@@projectz975 , I agree, but looking back I went the opposite direction, trying several different more unique basses before "seeing the light" and getting a really good P bass for me (80's MIJ) that is now my main player. There's something to be said about how well they fit in the mix and their versatility across genres.
Man my first and only bass is also a squier affinity p, and it has been my workhorse, idk abt you but with that jazz pickup at 100% and the p pickup at 50% you get a tremendous sound.
Your first bass should be one that you're going to want to play and have fun doing so. If that happens to be one of the basses listed here, just go for it. You can always upgrade or add to your collection later, especially once you're skilled enough to take advantage of the features higher end basses have.
Same name different spelling
This right here, if you don't think your bass is cool and fun then you're not going to want to keep practicing. My first bass was a thunderbird because I thought Shavo from system of a down was cool, but I really hated it. It was so uncomfortable and heavy. My next bass after that was a 5 string Ibanez, which wasn't much better. The neck dive was just as bad and I hated the active eq, and I used the lowest string so rarely that it wasn't even worth having it there. After that I got a regular P-bass and it was like magic. Had loads of fun playing that thing and I became a much better player because of it
I just got my red squier p bass mini and love it but beginning to play.
As a guitarist turning bassist, this comment has so much truth to it. I learned on the cheapest bottom tier squier strat i could buy. I learned how to tone shape to make it sound pretty decent when I finally got to that point of learning. That really helped my tone shaping abilities later on
Now, 10 years later, I still have the guitar and I just went and completely changed out the guts on it and made a really comfortable, usually guitar. Plus it’s got some nostalgia to it.
Nothing like people trashing on squires but saying my tone is great then showing them I’m using a squire
@@boalston2484 I love your story. I've got a similar one. I got a Squire Affinity Strat at a pawn shop for $25 a few years ago. I never intended to play it (I already had a lovely Mexi Strat). I just wanted it as a wall hanging (my decor is cheap guitars on my walls), so I didn't even plug it in at the pawn shop. I didn't mind the neck being bowed like... a bow, but I got out my tools and fixed it, then set up the bridge for laughs and plugged it in. That was 8-10 years ago, and I play it as much today as any guitar I have. It's never needed another adjustment. It's every bit as good as the Mexi imo. (I'm primarily a bassist, so I might miss some nuances.) The neck pickup is so bluesy and musical it makes me weep! That pickup sounds better than the Mexi (which I eventually sold).
Some Squire series are plywood junk, but they're all perfectly suitable as student guitars. (From what you said, it doesn't sound like you've got a plywood model.) All Fenders (Squires included) can be set up to play beautifully, which is priority #1 for a beginner. It's just the hardware and the tone that can make you eventually want something else, but those things aren't important for beginners, and for the price you pay, they're nearly disposable. But some Squires are inherently fantastic instruments. I've especially got mad respect for the Squire Affinity series after my experience with that pawn shop prize Strat. I've heard others since then go on about the Affinities, but I know they have other Squire models that are also quality instruments.
Ibanezes are very comfortable and great for beginners. I got one from my friend. I have disconnected preamp and made passive GRS200. no battery issues anymore.
My first bass is an Ibanez IJSR190, from a starter kit that included an amp, bag, stand, strap, etc.
I love it so far, though I still dont own another bass due to me starting a year ago.
Is it hard to do? I want to buy this bass very much but I would like to get rid of the preamp, because this phat eq thing is useless
@@nairamdiam not really. amp is on a small board. You need to unsolder 2 or 3 wires and solder them to pots. I took pictures before to be able to go back in future.
@@nairamdiamextremely easy. Cut off the red and black wire that go to the battery and remove the battery. Connect the remaining black wire from your input jack to the black output wire from the board. Then, lastly just connect your yellow input jack wire to the green output wire from the board. There should be no more wires into or out of the board. You can use small wire nuts if until you’re comfortable soldering the wires.
@@RunkStillRides You did a great job at explaining it, however I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner.
Imagine someone who never opened any electronic object, buy their first bass, and right before learning how to position their hands and pluck, they'd need to worry about tinkering with it, and likely buy extra material to do it. With a chance to mess it up.
That's 99% of people who will purchase their first instrument.
On the other hand they could just buy one and immediately start practicing and not worry about the gear.
For beginners, I'd say if some gear already puts questions like that in your mind, get it out of the list, it's not like there's no other options, quite the opposite. Maybe pick a few on the web, go and try them in boutiques, say that it's your first bass, let them guide you to something you didn't expect and take one you just like and find comfortable and let the seller try and set it to make sure you don't buy a lemon ( be it just because it fits you well when you hold it and you find it sexy, you're judgement is not on point anyway ) and off you go to practice. Mods and customization is a guilty pleasure that comes down the line.
A former guitarist of mine, once told me about a punk band she'd been in years earlier where the beginner bassist had gotten given a 6 string bass as his first. That always struck me as a horrible decision for both a newbie and a punk band.
6 string bass or a bass VI?
@@JonnyDibble 6 string bass.
lol 😂 are there any punk bands in existence that feature a bassist with a 6'er?
@@_Only_Zuul that's why he is a true punk doing opposite to normal human would.
@@_Only_Zuul Well, there was at least one.
Buy a bass that fits your hands and makes you happy when you play, so you want to play more and practice more often. For a beginner, sound is of secondary importance. More important is how comfortable it is, and how good is in terms of intonation and tune holding. Any cheap bass will sound good enough, and bad enough, so over time it will be easy to learn what you want from your next instrument.
Good advice for beginners. I love my in westone spectrum DX. I have 19 basses but for a small neck the sterling sub is good for small hands .
I started playing bass in 1967 just so I could be in a band. I’m 70 now and still at it. The choices were thin back then. My 3rd bass was a Gibson EB-0, I stayed there a long time. I still have an EB-2c, I love that mudbucker.
It’s awesome you’re still playing at 70 keep rocking man
I love the word Mudbucker!
Got our band back together after 54 years. Still fun. My first bass was a Montgomery Ward Airline. Traded up to a Fender Jazz a couple of months later. Man, I wish I still had that one!
I can relate. I just turned 70. My first bass was a sears Silvertone bought used. Built by Danelectro, lipstick tube pickups and heavy as heck. Wish I still had it. Life got in the way for 30 years, but I recently bought a Fender player P bass and started again. Got lots more time to practice now that I'm retired, but I'm too dang old to stand and play. Still having fun.
I know it’s super late lol but I’m 15 and I really want to learn to play bass, how did you start??? Like was it a class or specific book? Because I have no clue how to start
I’m in an online Squier bass group, I have an affinity jazz, everyone in the group says how they love the squier. Then they always say how they changed the pots, bridge, tuners, nut,pickups and it sounds so good now
@shauncronin3961• I bought a brand new Squire jazz bass and it is totally unplayable right outta the box.
The frets are uneven and buzz terribly, they need to be filed down and leveled but the Music Store refused to make any adjustments or give a refund.
That thing is still in the case with the price tag on it...never again will I buy a Squire bass guitar from Fender.
I have an Affinity P. Upgraded p/u and pots. Sounds amazing! But still an utter piece of junk. Lol
@@madmaximilian5783wanna sell it
@@madmaximilian5783I have seen the same. A Squire should be sold as a slab of wood with no electronics, no strings, no bridge. At least then, you get a good starting point to make what you want without paying for all the low end components. For the money I like my Jackson Pro series that use the discontinued Ibanez high end neck thru 4 string bass body, Nordstrand pickups, Gotoh tuners, and has a switch to make it passive or active. Also has the individual bridge components that give it less subharmonic crosstalk and massive sustain combined with the neck thru. Hit a note onstage, set down the bass, go to the bathroom and come back and she’s still singing.
@@madmaximilian5783Learn to tune the instrument. The same can be said about any bass. None sound good out of the box. Adjust the truss rod on the neck and string length on the bridge. It's easy to do this. If you can’t do it yourself, take it to a guitar specialist. But to say that this is a bad instrument just because you don’t know how to tune it is not seriously simple.
I'm an old timer. Playing almost 62 years. Your advice is spot on. I might add that although I usually play a fairly high end bass, that gives me the choice of either passive or active, I usually play it in passive mode. As you said, it's just more simple.
As a guitarist of 10+ years going wanting to get into bass more during the pandemic, bought a secondhand Japanese Fender Mustang. Great for transitioning from a guitar. Love it, definitely doesn't sound small.
Yes it does. Mustangs have weak low end. The only short scale bass I've ever heard not sound weak is an Alembic
I tried all the short-scales in a big music store in Japan and walked out with a Mustang, which was head-and-shoulders above the alternatives. A year later, however, I'd sold it it. The tone just didn't stack up against my 34" scale basses, and it got little use.
@@Hndsmstrngr1My mustang has plenty of low end.
I think the most important thing is to get one that feels good, isn't too heavy, and balances well on a strap. This usually means the top strap button should be somewhere around the 12th or 13th fret. This is something a lot of the basses in this video also don't do. (violin bass, SG, and explorer) They'll have a tendency to neck dive. You'll see lots of people online who say they don't, but you'll definitely have an easier time with something with a better strap button position. having the strap button further over makes the neck of the bass hang closer to you as well. The explorer doesn't actually have an especially "long neck" as is mentioned in the video, but having the button further toward the bridge means the bass will hang with the neck sticking out further, which makes it feel longer, and more prone to dive. Don't be afraid to go with an active bass, either. In general, if you set all the knobs roughly in the middle it'll sound reasonable, and you can play with the knobs to taste. Nothing to worry about.
If I had to recommend a bass to a beginner, I'd probably suggest either something fender-ish. P, J, or PJ, with a fender-ish body shape (likely a Squier), or if they're more interested in a more "modern" sound and budget allows, my personal preference would be an Ibanez sr-300e or yamaha trbx-304. They're a fairly ergonomic bass, and you can get a wide variety of sounds, (the gimmick switches are a bit intimidating, but just set them to "normal" and leave them alone). Of all the basses I've owned, the sr-300e seems like one of the easiest to play, and sounds great. I haven't owned the yamaha, but it's got a fairly similar feel, and versatility. (its sound has a bit less bite to it, but that could be good or bad, depending what you like)
Fourteen years ago I bought my first bass, a Yamaha RBX 374, recommended to me by my music teacher at school. Having owned a fair few basses in the since, I always seem to gravitate back to that cheap old bass. Something about the neck, the pups, the feel and the sound of that instrument just got a hold of me and wouldn't let go. I'll never get rid of that bass!
Love this. Nice one!
My first decent bass was an RBX 375. For what it was, it was a really good instrument! My only wish is that they could be played passively.
Same first bass for me too, bought new from GAK in black. At the time I didn't appreciate just how good it was.
Rbx550 for me over 30 years ago. It's my currently in my nephew's bedroom, and my brother knows I'll buy it back when he wants to upgrade.
That is a nice bass
I largely agree with this, but there's a couple things to note:
1. Active basses tend to have some kind of toggle for the EQ, allowing it to be used in a passive mode where one of the knobs, typically treble, is your tone knob.
2. 5-strings, and even 6-strings. I get your point, and you are correct, it's more to worry about and some slight differences that could make learning a bit harder. However, if there's one thing I learned with starting guitar, it's to start with what inspires you. I was always big into hard rock and heavy metal, so you can imagine I wasn't thrilled with starting on an acoustic, though I still pushed on. When I got my first electric, my love for playing skyrocketed. Similarly, I'm primarily inspired by players like Eugene Abdukhanov from Jinjer and Jared Smith from Archspire when it comes to bass. Eugene plays a 5-string, since Jinjer moved to drop A, and Jared plays a 6-string. I feel like starting on a 4-string would kinda put me in that miserable beginner phase like I had with guitar. It isn't what inspired me, so why would I wanna play it? I'll take a couple extra learning curves if it means I get to play the music that inspired me to pick up bass, all day, everyday.
Totally agree about what inspires you. In fact my main advice is to get something you think is cool. The want to pick it up and play will superceded learning curves, but these also don't help in the majority of cases. Cheers! 😃
I love eugene too! I don't own a bass, but he is a bassist i look up to
I’d like to add that having owned the Höfner violin bass, it is not comfortable at all to sit down with. The edges dig into your leg a little and it just doesn’t balance very nicely. Beginners tend to sit down a lot, which is why I can’t recommend that bass for beginners. Something to keep in mind.
I started off on a 5 string and I'm very glad I did. It made it much easier to use 4 or 6 string basses, and it allowed me to be able to play more songs much easier. It also made learning Modes much easier
I did the same, 5 string is a way to go for versatility AND simplicity( you have more notes in one possition of hand)
I'm currently learning how to play guitar and have seen a lot of tabs on bass that seem really easy to play now.
Well good for you buster
My first bass was an active 5 string Ibanez Soundgear I bought new in 1988 when I was 13. I still own and use it. After that I bought a custom Carvin 5 string fretless that I also still own. I am actually glad I started out on 5 string. Having the low B is super normalized to me. I also had zero issues going straight to 7 string guitar when I started playing that.
My first bass was 5 string bass too. No regret at all! In fact, I'm very grateful for getting familiar with 5 string bass right away
@@dewicahayafitri1089 I'm planning to buy Yamaha TRBX 305 as my second bass. Being able to play lower string is attractive to me. I play standard tuning and Drop D/C mostly and retuning is a headache. It's active but you can replace the battery easily in this bass. Do you think I should buy a 5-string active bass or should stick with the 4-string passive bass?
I've tried both passive and active basses and come to the conclusion that I want my preamp to be on the floor, not in the bass. No hassle with batteries, plus you always "know what you're gonna get" even with a new bass. Good pickups and technique also go a long way.
Yeah, I don't mind as long as there's an on/off switch.
I do not agree! The Music Man bass configuration is the best possible choice for live performance!
For a beginner, go for a passiv bass. P bass, jazz or PJ type would cover the most of styles. The pickups and the feel of the neck is most important IMO, then comes the strings. For both beginners it can be wise to start with lighter strings, like 40 - 95. Also, short scale basses are nice if 34 scale basses is hard for you to play.
I agree! Keep it simple and classic to start with
Get them used to the long scale bass 34” . Then they can play 32”-30”.
What about squire bronco bass?
I absolutely love Sire basses, I have two of them myself. The price to quality ratio is excellent and the sound is awesome. But I do agree that the preamp can be very confusing, at least to someone who is not very technical or doesn't yet know the controls very well at all. However, Sire basses have a bypass switch where you can basically turn the bass passive if the whole knob heaven gets too complicated. Great video btw!
Yeah man that blend that's a real confusing component there, and the concept of three ranges of pitch that can be adjusted, there's a real mind blower must take a genius to figure that out.
I haven't had any issues with fret ends with sire basses. Wood responds to temperature and humidity. Many times with the new instrument the fret ends are filed down the factory but when it gets to you the weather can be very different and it would can shrink a little bit and that is what causes fret creep. So you just put some tape on the neck flush to the bottom of the fret wire sticking out, that is to protect the wood from the file, get yourself a a file, nothing too coarse, then file them again, if you have not already done so
This is not directed@you 9831 as you may well understand how to use the Active Electronics. I'm tagging this onto your response for those that may not understand these things. If you know a really good front-of-house audio engineer, not some drunk at the local bar, get them explain to you how they mix and deal with the bottom end on the board. They will be able to explain to you why certain frequencies behave the way they do in your signal. They can also tell you specifically which frequencies are really critical to getting good bass tone. Once you begin to understand the science and physics how all that works you'll be able to dial in your tone much better. In many cases cutting one frequency is better than boosting another frequency . The more you boost things the morgaine you put into the signal and gain is additive and will create distortion in your signal . As the great players say "Learn how to play the bass, then learn how to play the amp"
I have found the necks on the four string basses tend to feel a little rubbery. By that I mean they Bend easily. I found that out setting intonation. Just by touching the tuner you can push the neck forward and the string starts to go flat. I've also found it if you just lean backwards a little bit it'll start to go sharp and that's because the wood is not really all that stable. The instruments with the roasted Maple necks are stiffer.
@MN Mitchell I have P7 and V3. P7 didn't and still doesn't have sharp fret ends, but it was about 700€ bass. V3 had some sharpness (I filed them) but it's way cheaper so I think the price is reflected in the finishing touch. I have other basses as well but the two Sires are my number ones for almost everything.
My first bass 4 years ago was a short-scale Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar in their perfect Cherry Apple Red. It's the bass I still use most for rehearsals because it's easy to move and carry, and it's got a beautiful tone.
Im still considered a beginner bass player, and I love my active pickup bass, unlearned how to setup how my tone should be like for every song I play. I also own an acoustic and I simply love it! Because of that I also bought a Kala Ubass and so many other paraphernalia I might not even need.
I've always been a Fender guy… I first learned on a Precision Bass that I borrowed from my high school. (I was a sax player in the jazz band, but since the bass player had his own bass, no one was using the school's, and the band director let me take it home.) Then a year later I got my own - a Fender Standard Jazz Bass (made in Mexico, equivalent to today's Player series). This was in the early '90s. I've owned a bunch of Fenders and Squiers since then, as well as a couple of other brands. My biggest recommendation in the Fender/Squier realm is this: if you have the money, get an American or Japanese Fender. Otherwise, stick with the Indonesian (higher-end) Squiers. I've found much better build quality and consistency in the Indonesian Squier instruments than what comes out of Fender's Mexico factory at twice the price.
I'm a big Squier fan and definitely recommend MIJ basses! I don't love the Player series, but early 2000s MIM were excellent 😁
@@JonnyDibble I'm working on a video for my channel demoing a new American Ultra Jazz Bass I just got, and comparing it to my Squier Vintage Modified 5-string Jazz Bass. Suffice to say, the American Ultra is better... but not 5 times better (even though that's roughly the cost difference). The Squier is really good!
Agreed. The fretwork on my MIC Classic Vibe P-Bass is much better than my MIM Strat.
I’ve had a Squier Bass for 26 years and it’s been excellent. Changed the pickups to Wilkinson’s last year as it was falling apart somewhat and it sounds amazing and plays like a dream. I’m also not too scared to take it to gigs as it cost me £125 back in the day.
I hope it lasts another 26 years!
Sire is a good jumping off point. I've picked up plenty of crappy fenders in the last 40 years. My 63 is good, my 73 Jazz was one of a kind. Harley Benton from Thomann are some good low cost basses. They can be easily modded up. They use good wood with good QC.
Funny - the first choice for me if i had to choose the first bass for someone would be 5 string MM / JB style bass. If you don't focus on the slap, the 5th string doesn't bite. It gives support for the thumb and allows you to play a large part of popular songs tuned in drop without bothering to change the tuning of the instrument. The most important thing is that the bass can be set correctly so visit in shop and test before buy should be standard routine.
Yes. Buy from a shop and shop around for a good shop and bass.
This seems like good advice for me
As a guitarist, I found full scale basses hard for me to play until I got a cheap short scale bass and put flatwounds on it. SO much easier to play I recommend them for guitarists transitioning to bass! Flatwounds on a short scale is a dream combination IMO. Also, taking your bass to a guitar tech to make it as playable as possible will do wonders!
I'm interested ! I'm currently trying to find a rather cheap bass (< 500€) I could buy because I will surely transition soon from guitarist to bassist inside my band. So I wondered which short scale bass you bought, because I find the Epiphone Newport attractive.
I play a Gibson Les Paul Jr bass a lot and I want to experiment with Round wound strings. My understanding is that I am going to really dig the sound. Thanks, reminded me I was going to do that
I seem to fall in this lot.
Thinking of starting with squire bronco bass
@@mroortI love my short scale Harley Benton HB60 with flatwounds.
Love my short scale fender mustang. I don’t even know if I’m a guitar/bass player it’s just fun to play 😅 also I agree you gotta get a good setup from a “guitar guru” 🙏 makes all the difference
As a very long time bass player I must say that your comments are, in general, very right on. It is very easy for a newbie to get a bass that is more complex or harder to play than is necessary. Preamps are a big issue even for pros. More to go wrong and you know that battery is going to go dead at the worst possible time! Beginners should just get a low end Squier or Ibanez and get good at playing it. The low end basses are SO GOOD now there is almost no downside.
Started on TBird. Have to say after playing it for 3 years straight, every other bass just felt way simpler to play. I think it might be not to bad to start on a TBird because once you manage this one you can play anything else easily.
That's one way to learn! Good wany to train yourself. I know lots of people could fall at the first hurdle though
That is true, I learned on a plywood guitar with a plastic fingerboard that had plastic frets molded as part of the fingerboard (I'm serious!). Anything after that was easy...lol
However, that only works if you already have the bug and want to play, no matter what. But to get acquainted with and take a liking to the instrument, that probably won't work...
Same! That thing was a beast, and having to drill a new hole for the strap as well.
@@JonnyDibble if you don't have the motivation to deal with the first hurdle of some neck dive without quitting you won't have the motivation to overcome the learning curve to actually play the thing
I felt the same way about the old hand me down thick strung guitar I learned on. It was oversized and the strings hurt so bad. But every guitar I’ve ever played since has felt like a cakewalk! I was really grateful to have learned initially on something more challenging in the end.
My first bass was a 1967 Hofner violin-body bass I was given. My next bass was a 1974 orange-gold Rickenbacker bass. My third bass, which I still have, is a 1976 Fender Precision bass, which was also given to me.
I don't know that I'll ever get another bass.
As someone who either played or owned all of these models I absolutely agree. I also remember wanting an Epiphone SG so badly because it looked awesome when I was a beginner and the voice of reason was my uncle who organized a used Fender with a versatile PJ pickup and comfortable J bass neck (which looked ugly as hell but did a great job!)
Good decision! No one wants a dud as their first impression
The Epiphone SG bass is pretty mean. It sounds good with Rotosound strings because of their brightness and are easy to play because they are light gauge. The big humbucker gives you depth and thump and if you like blues it sounds great. Try playing a slow swing blues like G-C-D and you will sound like live Cream.
If the sg bass didn't fit you - this doesn't mean that everyone shouldn't try it. Let people make their own decisions.
1:40 laughed out loud just as you said this. My first was an old Hofner 589 (strat style body, violin electronics) with flatwounds. I bought it from a guy in my high school Chemistry class sight unseen for $20. I quickly moved on to something more robust and growly, but felt pretty good about the old Hofner at the time... and I still own this bass :) Thanks for posting this video.
My 1st Bass was a Fender 5 String Electric Bass (A Squire Affinity J Model) in Black & it had a radius ed fretboard so it could be held more comfortably in the hands. I never had any damage issues because those have been cured by getting them packaged better.
I've been playing bass since 1978. My first bass was a short scale (30") bass from Sears with a 2 piece bridge with no intonation adjustment, a painted pine fretboard and flatwounds. My parents bought it for $69.95 bundled with a $50ish starter amp. I quit until about 1980-81. Prince/The Time inspired me to power through in spite of crap equipment. My next bass was a cheap Jazz Bass copy in 1984 which was a godsend.
The viola bass *could* be good for beginners because it is a short scale bass, but that's about it. And agreed, beginners should definitely avoid active basses to not have to deal with batteries and tweaking preamps.
I started ona. Viola bass and I loved it, I’m now playing a thunderbird along with it
@@JackMaskell-ll5qc quite the contrast!
I agree. Short Scales can be great!
@@JonnyDibble both are very good for stoner and industrial rock
I don't get it. Because you might have to change a battery every few years?
I started off on an Ibanez sr300, and I’m so glad that I did. It lasted me until my second bass, my Warwick corvette, and it was good quality for the price.
I actually own two Squier Affinity Jaguar Basses, one in Lake Placid Blue and the other in Metallic Charcoal Frost. I like how they handle and the comfort of them. They have one single bass humbucker pickup on them in the middle for a well-rounded sound.
If your young, with small hands, get a 4 string short scale passive bass (quite a few out there). Forget about exotic wood finishes and multiple pickup active basses with many knobs. Make decision on the neck (width, string spacing) and how playable it feels.
My first bass was a Yamaha rbx350 I picked up at a pawn shop for $75 15yrs ago. It is the only bass I own to this day.
Wow! That's awesome.
@@JonnyDibble my only question is. How do you date them by serial numbers?
Timestamps
Please still watch the video. This guy is a great creator and deserves your views. This is mostly for reference in case you want to go back and watch specific parts later.
1:33 Hofner Violin Bass
2:08 Epiphone EB-1 SG
3:17 Epiphone Thunderbird
3:57 Ibanez TMB100
5:07 Sire M2 (or M-series in general)
6:26 Squier P-Bass (contemporary)
7:58 Bass 6
Things to avoid:
9:20 Acoustic basses
10:06 Active basses
10:57 5-string basses
🥲
My first bass was an Ibanez SR300. It had an active preamp that was a nice EQ option, and a really nice neck. The pickups had no character whatsoever, which was pretty bad, but I didn't find the active preamp to be confusing. If anything, it pushed me to learn more about EQs, frequency ranges, and where the bass guitar should sit in a band.
i agree with this 100%
That's the bass that I want to buy. Are the pickups really bad?
@@markriffalo27 They're not "bad" they sounded fine and the whole bass played like butter. They just don't have that recognizable tone of a P bass, Jazz bass, Stringray, Rickenbacker, Warwick, etc. With that said, replacing them with anything you want should be relatively easy down the line if you're not happy with it.
@@_imago ahh got it. Thanks for the output
The first bass i played on was my uncle’s cheap blue Washburn, the strings on it were so old and worn that the sweat on them turned them copper red, playing it the first time made my fingers hurt so bad i almost quit entirely, but i kept going and fell in love with bass playing enough that i actually got new strings for it, once i had to return it i got my actual first bass which was a black Squier Jaguar PJ bass, i stuck with that bass a long time and it really felt like home, however it did have some problems that eventually became too annoying to have, the input jack would get loose and there was no way of tightening it and since it was an “active” bass (only had a bass boost knob which made it so loud i barely used it) whenever the battery began to run out, the bass started to have a really distorted and awful sound, despite my love for the feel of that bass i eventually had to sell it and level up, i bought a Sire P7 bass which truly enamoured me since the first time i played it, it’s so good i will most likely keep it forever :)
Overall it might be a good thing to have a bass that’s hard to play when you’re starting out because it really helps you build up the calluses on your fingers, eventually you can play on any bass without it hurting at all, i see it as training more than anything, however i’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to start out with a comfortable playing bass, so try around and look for the bass that calls out for you, you might just find an axe for life💗
Great advice Jonny. I got a violin bass early on for the shorter scale and lighter weight but the sound, as you said, is not a versatile cup 'o tea. I've tried many basses, but for a beginner, the Ibanez Soundgear basses are a fine choice. Low price, decent quality, good sound and absolute lovely necks.
I would also advise a professional set-up and the right strings, those two things alone can make all the difference between a nice playable bass and an unpleasant closet queen.
Set ups make alllll the difference. Cheers!
Fully agree about the ibanez. I had the gsr200 (?) It rocked live while I had mortgage and kids. Nobody ever cared as long as you are playing in time (correct notes is optional!)
Cream era Jack Bruce whomped away on a Gibson EB bass. Any way. My son commandeered my seldom used Schecter Diamond 4 string. ( I'm a guitarist and never grasped the space between the notes coolness.) I bought myself a MIM Fender PJ bass and he took to that like a duck to water. He diversified his listening and expressed an interest in fretless. Santa was good that year and my son never went back to fretted. It's been 4 or 5 years. He has the ear for fretless and its nuances.
I've been playing for about 2 years, and I am still using my Squier affinity series P bass. It's really reliable, and has a J pickup at the bridge
My most used bass is the Squier Affinity P bass and I've had that since I started playing. I have dropped a set of Steve Harris signature pickups in it and fitted a high mass bridge and upgraded the tuners but other than that I haven't spent anything on it, it's an absolute machine, I just love it. From there I got a Yamaha 5 string and a Cort A6 six string (both active), different tools for different jobs. I guess the point of my post here is that I think it's most advisable to stick with simple to start with then perfect your craft before expanding your skillsets. That P bass is strung with flats but through various pedals, it makes for all sorts of crazy and interesting tonal ranges, yet it's such a basic, simple instrument in terms of on board controls and electronics, just add pedals to this blank canvas and you can play anything.
Great video, thanks.
I began playing on a 5-string bass. As well as it being much wider and harder to play than a four string, the one I was using was particularly heavy and the added weight to my shoulder made it far more difficult to play standing up. I can't say I regret it because when I started picking up 4-string basses I found they were so much easier to use in comparison and the experience I gained from learning on a 5-string was really beneficial in the long run, but I still wouldn't recommend starting on a 5-string either.
I feel like that would depend on what your goal as a bassist is. If it's your goal to just be a bassist, then probably not, but if your goal is specifically to be a 5 string bassist, you should start on one. I exclusively play 5 strings and never have any intention of picking up a 4 string.
Been playing bass since 64. First bass was a Lindell dbl pu. Played it two years and sold it for $118.00. Current collection - 67 Gibson Eb2. 87 MIJ P bass. Carvin LB2. Steinberger headless. Guild acoustic bass. P bass is my favorite. Any questions?
My first bass was a Hoffner. I honestly think the weight and size is great for beginners, but restringing it was so difficult when you are doing it for the first time due to the floating bridge.
Paul made em famous w the a Beatles but they are a pretty garbage instrument all in all.
I just bought the Hoffner lefty, on Amazon even though I’m right handed. I’ve also seen videos how to switch out the components and make it sound like an original 61 Hoffner bass using reissue German parts, which I would do it once I acquire some skill. i’ll get a different kind of righty bass and switch back-and-forth to create a new neural pathways in my brain.
My first bass was a Gibson EB-0 bass played through a Sunn tube head and Sunn 2x15 cab. It was booming!! I didn't initially know it was a short scale bass. I recommend Yamaha basses for beginners. I have a RBX 375 and a TRBX 305 along with a Spector euro 4.
Back in 1996 I bought my first bass and it was a 1996 Ibanez gio 4 string pj bass. They only made this version of the gio for 3 years from 96-99. I got it for around $300 and I still play it to this day. I've had to do a couple soldering fixes but that's it. Still plays great. It has a really thin profile neck that I now look for in every bass I play. Ibanez really did a great job with the build that year.
I’ve just got a Cort B4 with the Bartolini pickups, Bartolini preamp, hip shot tuners and bridge; it was an ex demo with a few marks on it but I got it for £350! It’s just amazing, it’s my first bass but I have had an active guitar in the past and it is active/passive switchable! My opinion, it was a steal and well worth the extra £100 that I had in mind!
I bought a Cort B4 many years ago because I loved how balanced & comfortable it felt...my hands seemed to flow up & down the neck. After many years of playing, the active electronics quit working, but I still love the nice round tone of those Bartolini pickups, even in passive mode
My first bass was a hofner violin and even though it is very limited in what it has allowed me to do. It is still the bass I play the most and I have found a way to get it to fit into most genres.
Everyone who wants to learn bass should just be issued with a passive P style bass. It teaches you how to change your tone by altering your right hand technique and position. no eq or bridge pickup to rely on.
Such a solid first choice
Your argument is a really wise perspective. Seems people today would rather have technology make them look good over actually being good with a solid technique.
Shortcuts always come at cost. Nothing worse than playing for 20+ years wanting to just play songs and realizing you really don't know crap and start all over building a solid foundation in technique.
Government issue p bass
Oooo, you got me with the SG, I didn’t own one of these but my school had one and I found that it had immense clarity! Same cheap base single pickup model, but I actually preferred its tone to my fenders for a lot. I would reccomend it to a beginner for the exact same reasons you wouldn’t, I just had very different experiences with how it sounded and played. Interesting stuff! Side note, I now teach at a school that’s been selling a thunderbird bass in the lobby for over a year and no one’s bought it kuz all us teachers agree with you on that one-cool bass, but not what any of us would actually suggest our students start working with. With you on that one at least!
Also with 5 strings you have to decide what way you want your 5th string to go. Apparently most people go lower with their 5th so B-E-A-D-G, but silly me, I wanted to go higher with my 5th string in E-A-D-G-C tuning which meant I had to screw around finding an applicable string solution and praying the default nut would work with my altered string thickness solution. Now, this was not my FIRST bass and I kinda knew the headache I was getting into, so I got there eventually and didn't mind the improvisation, but if I took all this on as a beginner I would have been miserable.
I got my first bass in 1981. A Hofner violin bass. I’ve subsequently acquired many other brands over the years and still have the Hofner plus a Fender Jazz, Sire P bass and a cheap fretless which I’ve been improving (Fazley). I actually still love the Hofner and it’s got a nice set of flat wounds on it. I think the short scale is one of the positives for someone starting out. As you say - a lot of Beatles fans are drawn to this bass (my reason back in 1981) but it’s a nice bass and so light. Cheers
Musicman Subs are IMO one of the best options for beginner to intermediate. You get so much for the price and the 2 band eq is not terribly complicated. Yes, the large pole pickup does run pretty hot but it's easily manageable. Still, the articulation and action is far superior to any P Bass. Especially Squiers!
I enjoy MM but...nope. There's only bridge position that makes a newbie suffering especially if we're talking about finger technique
@@DmitryIsc199Are you serious right now?!
1)Have you ever seen the Stingray MM or the Bongo? Both have 2 pickups.
2)That's not the bridge position. That's the harmonic sweetspot.
@@jeredalmeida1880 as someone whos going to play in a softrock band would a stingray sub be any good ? ive been debating on whether i should get a stingray or pbass.
Yup! My main gigging bass is a Sub Ray4 that I modded. Ken Armstrong p/u. Coil splitting. Push/pull Tone control with mid boost/cut from Kelling Sound. All passive!! And smokes other basses that cost 3x more.
My first bass 20+ years ago was a passive Ibanez PJ for $200. I’ve purchased tons of basses since, but it’s still one of the best decisions I’ve made. It was an excellent first bass. My only regret-not diving into theory in those early years 😅
I missed one somewhere, but if you just want the list, you're welcome:
1. Hofner Violin Bass
2. Epiphone SG/EB0
3. Epiphone Thunderbird
4. Ibanez TMB100
5. Sire M2
6. Squier Contemporary P-Bass
All of these basses are far superior to the options I had when I was in my teens (many moons ago!) … I was only too happy to play my imported (from who knows where), “Bolero”, by Gibson 😉 … remember that bass, James Paul DeCesare?!
I started out on a five string bass because I figured I could just ignore the 5th string but that it would be there if I wanted it. And I was exactly right (although the point about the narrower string spacing is a good one).
For the first few years, the fifth string was almost exclusively a thumb rest for my right hand, but as I've gotten into playing metal over the last year or two, it's become indispensable, because lots of metal songs are tuned down from a regular 4-string bass's range. Instead of tuning my strings several times a day as I jump from song to song, I can just slap a capo on whatever fret I need and then play the BEAD strings while ignoring the G string.
Of course, this doesn't help for tunings that aren't in intervals of fifths, like drop D, but this has allowed me to play hundreds of awesome songs that I wouldn't have bothered with otherwise.
Oh, also, my bass is an active bass. 😜 I didn't really know the difference when I bought it, but I don't really have any complaints (although I also don't take advantage of it much either). I just bought some rechargeable 9V batteries and swap them out every month or two.
My first bass was a sunburst Peavey Milestone II that I got new way back in 1995. It was effectively a Precision copy (the body shape was slightly different and the nut was narrower) made by Cort in South Korea, and not only was it really solid but it started my almost 30-year love affair with the P-Bass (and single pickup basses in general).
Right On!!! I have the Sire M2 5 string. Far from beginner. Honestly I love the sound, but the pickups are troublesome to get down. It is a beautiful bass.
I agree, Höfner basses have their tonal limitations but that actually makes you play around with right hand position and amp settings to get a deeper understanding of tone.
As somebody who plays a lot of 5-string now but was talked out of it when I first started playing 20yrs ago, I kinda wish I’d started on a five string because even now it’s hard for me to “think” in five string, if that makes sense. Great video!
Great video man, you never see videos of basses you SHOULDNT buy. Id add any extended range basses as well (not just because of the extra string) unless you're dead set on playing in a very low tuning. The added string tension on the high end can REALLY mess with tone and playability. Even with extra long strings you're gonna notice a difference.
Thanks very much! Yeah totally agree, any non-standard style bass is a bit of a no go for beginners
A 34" p bass is the way to go, unless you need a short scale bass or every song you want to learn is played on an extended range bass.
@@thierry18 - P-bass or J-bass, I reckon! I'd started on a J-bass copy myself and was actually quite surprised at how much less comfortable P-basses were for me, once I got opportunities to play on some that belonged to friends and also in shops!
I own all those bases (except the Ibanez) and I agree with everything you've stated about all of the others....yes the Sire controls will get you nuts, yes Squires are inconsistent as hell, and your comments about the Violin bass, the Epi Thunderbird....right on the money!!! What a valuable and truthful video. Great Work Jonny!
Helpful video. Great job. I agree with all points. And, I think the most important thing to foster in beginners is inspiration; inspiration to put in the time to learn the instrument and get better. If a particular bass inspires them, excites them to play more everyday, it will be money well spent. Even if that means buying a thunderbird or violin bass, so be it. You can't put a price on inspiration. And as that student gains experience they will learn what they like and what they don't. And can trade in the bass for something else. Cheers.
I just bought the Ibanez Talman passive short scale model for my daughter who's just starting out. I wasn't expecting much given the price, but this little bass is just so much fun to play! She loves it 😊
Great advice here. None of those basses are particularly terrible, but should be avoided for beginners, even if the price is right.
Absolutely 😊 Cheers!
My first bass was a viola. During my tenure as a player of bass I always got more opportunities because I played anything other than a p-bass. It helps to stand out.
FOLLOW YOUR HEART!
this guy has valid thoughts but don’t let them stop you from getting that 7 string monster you want to get
Man now I want a Bass VI!
Interesting video. I play 5s exclusively as they cover every possible scenario. Also, they allow me to play across the board more quickly than a 4 in almost all genres
I play for 30 years now and i have to say,good job, great video. You are honest and know what you are talkin about. Very helpful content. Take care,keep the groove and a happy new year.
My first was a Rogue VB100, which made me want to stop all together (neck divey and felt crappy to play). Wasn't until I upgraded to my SUB Ray 4 when I fell in love w playing. I play in a bass drum rock duet and have been loving my Squier Affinity H Jag and my E1 SG (notably on your list 😂). I've found the sg is excellent to get a darker tone and with a POG octave, sings sweet clarity, def not for anyone who isn't looking to mod tho. Great vid Johnny! 🔥🔥🔥
When I got my first bass, I'd already been playing guitar for about 20 years. It was a Squier 70s Vibe J bass, and while I liked the sound and build quality (I'm a bit of a gear snob), the neck felt like a toothpick in my hands and I just didn't like the overall feel. I traded it towards a Sire Marcus Miller V7 5 string (I love the sound of J basses, and Sire makes one of the only lefty 5 string J basses on the market) and *instantly* fell in love with it. It has the standard Marcus Miller preamp (like the M2 you showed), so I just set them all at the neutral position and tweaked the amp EQ to get a decent starter tone (good enough to jam at home). Probably not the right choice for most beginners, but it was the right choice for me :)
I just knew my first (and so far only) bass, the thunderbird would be on this list lol. But to me they are are just so cool looking it makes me want to play. My second bass was going to be an eb-3, looks like I should reconsider 😱.
That's what matters, if you want to play it !
Looks play a massive role I think. But good to know what to expect from those particular beasts
Eb-3 basses have a very distinctive sound, and horrible neck dive imo, but if the eb-3 is what you want go for it.
@@JonnyDibble thing is ,I do agree with what you say about the neck dive and the size of the thing to a certain degree. But the sound and the look make it worth it for me, but I do totally get where your coming from. 👍🏻
I've played it only once but the EB-3 left me with an awesome, positive impression. It's always a good thing to try an instrument before buying it, of course but if you manage well with the T-Bird I'd definetly give it a go
I have an Ibanez SR 400 from the 80's in my stable. Yes it is an active bass, but what I like about Ibanez is the slim neck. For a beginner, that could be a good thing. I love mine and it gets picked up more often than my Fender P bass. My P bass does have flatwounds on it for recording is why I don't use it too much live. I think you've given some really good information. I agree with every point you brought up. I've been playing for over 40 years and had to figure out all this by trial and error. The main thing for a beginner, is that the instrument is EASY to play. The setup needs to be right. The worst thing for a beginner is to have an instrument that is hard to play. That will make them give up before they even have a chance.
I would add a caveot about the active vs passive bass thing. A lot of low cost passive basses need a pre-amp, otherwise you get a bad buzzing drone through the speakers (even a practice amp will give that annoying drone without a pre-amp). So if you consider that into the cost with a passive bass, then you might want to consider getting an active bass for the same cost as a passive + pre-amp, as long as it's quality and not something that's still cutting corners.
We bought first bass for my son. we tried Squier, Jackson Ibanez..but the Yamaha RBX170 Blue bass had the best tone of all.. Highly recommended!!
I have a Ibanez TMB100 and I enjoy very much playing with it. The electronics are not great but you can easily change it later on. I changed it to passive, it plays and sounds amazing! I have no experience with the other basses you've mentioned but I totally disagree with you regarding the TMB100. I don't think this bass needs to be avoided. I recommend it, specially for beginners.
i have one too, and i sometimes find myself wanting to sell it to buy a CV squier or a Harley Benton, but it is still an amazing bass for the price
I have a tmb 100 too. I'm not a beginner but i often buy used basses, try them in my band and then resell them.
I hate the tmb 100. It's pretty terrible. Chunky neck. Neckdive. Pre amp is too hot. Also don't like the steep radiance of the fretboard. It's not terrible but i would recommend 95% of other basses over this one to beginners first
As a guitar player with quite short fingers, I started basd with an Ibanez GSRM20 short scale bass. For 199 € the build quality of mine is very good. The setup was okay but I adjusted the intonation a bit. I replaced the cheap plastic knobs and mounted a Hipshot D-Tuner. It's not a bass with a lot of character but it gets the job done with comfort. It could also be a nice first bass for a child or teen.
More than a year ago I got an Ibanez EHB1005SMS. That's a slightly short multiscale headless 5-String with fanned frets. Not really a beginner instrument. It is active but can be switched to passive as backup. The bass is not very heavy and i like it a lot. It fits in a padded guitar bag.
Although I don't play it often anymore, I respect the little GSRM20 for what it is and haven't sold it yet.
This is some really good advice. I remember starting with a epiphone sg and being really frustrated with how my playing sounded so dull. When I got my fender p bass it just came to life
Cheers 😄 A P or a J is a great place to shart!
@@JonnyDibbleA great place to shart? 😂
@@sashaiscalledsasha hahaha AMAZING typo
Today, I only play 5 string; Yamaha RBX5 (passive) and Ibanez SR fretless (Active) since 2010 and 2013. I really love these.
However, I started with a Ibanez Road Bass 4 strings way back in the mid 80s. It was recommended from a very honest sale person whom I still buy my stuff and bring others to buy from. I bought my first 5 string Horner (Passive hum bucking) BA5 which was a nightmare to find a carry case. I had a Samick 4 string with Di Mazio passive P J combo during my overseas studies in the late 90s (too expensive to ship them over). I am now hopping to get a Fender or Squire Bass Bass
Right off the bat you got on my wrong side. :-) I love my Hofner and I also like the "SG" basses. I guess that you are to young to understand how to play these basses. I started playing bass in 1968 and it was a Black Jack violin bass. I still play 60s and 70s style music and these basses are perfect for that kind of music.
Didn't Felix Pappalardi play both?
Very, very good advice! I agree with all you said. A lot of beginners want to run before they can walk & at times you'll find a beginner who will go for or want a bass which has a lot, especially the beginner who has a lot of money to throw around. I actually believe the most ideal beginner basses are Squiers, Yamaha & Ibanez, these brands have amazing basic basses for the beginner & onwards. I still gig with my Squier 70s VM mod bass, which I haven't felt I needed to change anything on the bass, accept for the strings; I've never even felt the need to change it for a Fender Mex or American Standard! I don't think snobbery should have a place in choosing a good beginner bass or advanced bass, it just needs to sound good, be built well & easy to play. You know your stuff & I hope beginners out there will appreciate your advice, it's very good! 👍🏾
Bless.
I think if you want to go with a Talman, you should try the short scale one, the TMB30. It doesn't have the pickups issue, at last.
Just bought one for my daugther who's just starting out and is of smaller stature. It's so much fun to play!
I 100% agree with the stuff at the end, I have been playing for around one and a half years and I have only now just got an active 5 string bass
Yessss - unfortunately TMB100 really has a horrible active eq. I swapped mine to passive and the rest of the bass is pretty great!
If I kept it, I would've done the same!
I've been playing guitar for 39 years, and have suddenly had an urge to buy my very first bass guitar after playing a friend's bass recently. A beginner bass guitar is good for me. Thanks for the advice.
I know this is just personal preference, but while I didn't technically "start" with acoustic bass, it was what I ended up playing the most when I was learning. It's nice to play something without needing an amp; just pick it up and go! It also helped me learn the "floating thumb" technique, since I had no pickup to rest my thumb on. Learning to use a floating thumb helped me tremendously by the time I finally got a 6-string bass. It may not be for everybody, but my acoustic was a great learning tool, and I wish I still had it in my collection
As a guitarist of over 20 years, I've interacted with a lot of musicians. I can definitely see why you rolled your eyes when you said about guitar players switching over to bass lmao, a lot of us are just so self-centered it's unbelievable.
Also, I picked up a Stingray 5 as my first bass a couple months ago, and I'm loving every second of the learning experience. People think it's exactly the same as playing guitar, but there's a whole world of difference that you won't understand unless you properly try.
Used my bass in my first mix today and it sounds so much better, so much fuller than it did without the bass. I don't know how to riff on a bass yet, or how to slap, but I'm working my way up to that soon enough.
(Another thing I'd add to this list you made would be headless basses. String replacements are hella expensive due to the double ball end strings and tuning can be difficult if you aren't familliar with the concept of tuning a headless instrument)
Really good video, thank you for sharing!
The Ibanez soundgear series are definitely the best choice for everything. Cheap, great sound, great looks, and suitable for absolutely all music styles. You don't wanna get rid of them easily. I bought one as a 2nd bass for 300€. It was even better than i expected. Comes with great standard strings too!😊
my first bass was a 4-string Ibanez soundgear, but when i decided to buy a 5-string i went with a Sire M5 because of the 35" scale length. also the preamp can be turned off so it's both a passive and active bass. it needed more setup than the Ibanez though and i still cant get the action quite as low as on the Ibanez.
My first bass was a Fender Precision Bass bought used in 1978. I now regularly play an Ibanez sdgr 300. Lightweight, comfortable to play, and great sound. This would be my recommendation.
I fell for the lpb squire jag h bass partly because of you and I would like to try upgrading it as I love the colour and feel of it. Scared of changing the pickup as I have no experience but I'm set on getting a heavy bridge, some flatwounds, a pearl guard as well, it'll look beautiful!
Ooooh a pearl guard will be beautiful!
You really don't need a heavy Bridge with flat wounds and the bass is through body anyway so if you string them up to through body and over the saddle you got as much contact as you're ever going to get. If you do look for a bridge, heavy metal like brass will accent the fundamental frequency ( more bottom end) but less of the top end, 9and if you want more top-end you want to find an aluminum Bridge. I know hipshot makes them in various metal choices. I think Babczic is aluminum. Also the Bad Ass 2 Bridge was actually a zinc alloy, that's what always gave instruments with those bridges that tone. it affects the tonal Spectrum differently than other metals. Changing pickups is no big deal if you're handy with a soldering iron. Take pictures of it wired up before you take anything apart. And for what it's worth EMG is now all plug-and-play no soldering required. The components have wire pins coming out in the cables are female see you this clipping together following the diagram it's ridiculously easy. Also it's best to learn how to do your own setup work. I started 1975 by 1978 I was sick of paying people to do with that thought a good set-up was. You're not going to damage the instruments of machine you can always change settings to whatever go back to wherever. There are plenty of RUclips videos on how to set up a Bass. Even though it's fairly simple basic understanding of geometry, watch more than one video cuz people approach it in different ways. The one Sadowsky has is pretty good. Good luck
I've been playing bass for a long while (since 1997), but it was always an on/off thing. First picked up a Squier Jazz and later a MIM Fender, had to sell them and picked up a few years later a pawn shop find that wasn't great (short scale, not set up well, etc). I finally gave that one away and despite the years, I would still put myself as a beginner at the time. I then picked up over the span of a year (in order): Epiphone SG EB-3, Epiphone Thunderbird Pro, Ibanez BTB747. I only mention this because it wasn't UNTIL I picked up these that I feel that I went to an Intermediate player. (Not going to say I've put the Ibanez to work much, as it is still a bit "too much bass" for me, but I have it as a goal bass to play...decently)
Your advice is perfect in every way. Start off with a simple passive bass. As you progress and really love playing you can always add to your collection of more upscale instruments
bought an old Squire P. Gave it a little tlc at the shop. Been playing about a year. Got a good ear and good instruction. I don't see myself looking for another bass any time soon.
I bought a Sterling sub 4 string last year for $150. It's one of the most fun basses I've played and has that stingray sound. I went from being an ugly guitar player to the big fat beautiful bass player I am today and that is the first 4 string I've ever owned. Now I want the 5 string real deal stingray but damn they're expensive and I'm not in an active band anymore so I can't justify the cost. But the sterling sub ray would be my pick for a starter bass.
Great quality affordable basses for starting out on!
Very cool suggestion! 😀👍 There's also a medium-scale version, I think?!
@@themightyv4271 There is! And it's nicer than the SUB series but I wanted the full size and it was a Christmas sale. I would've gotten the Ray24 but it only came in baby blue and like a custard yellow? 🤮. I despise pastel colors. Most of my basses are black lol
@@JAYZIGGY5 - Oh! 😄 Yeah, I do quite like pastel colours, but not necessarily on guitars or basses 😄 I also prefer long-scale basses, but I remembered that a guitarist friend of mine had said something a while ago about possibly getting himself a medium-scale MusicMan bass 🙂
@@themightyv4271 It's just personal preference I guess but when I played it in the store it was just awkward for me. I don't understand the pastel color craze on instruments right now. People seem to really love those colors. Just not me. Old-fashioned I guess.
As a guitarist dabbling in bass and constantly learning how to lay down bass tracks for my stuff, an Ibanez Microbass does wonders! Got it for less than $150.00 and it's still holding up after three years.
Yessss! Have 5 string here, ideal
IMO, you can't go wrong with an Ibanez SR. Even the cheapest modern era SR's (not the "Gsr") are very consistent, easy to play and look as good as the more expensive models. They're perfect for guitar players too, especially the 5 string versions.
I played a couple of borrowed electric basses, at music stores and parties. 30 minutes here, 20 minutes there. I loved the sound, knew very little. So naturally I built my own first bass. As an admirer of Jack Casady and John Entwistle, I made a Thunderbird-shaped body with 1 inch solid maple back, 1/2"-ish mahogany upper and lower front bits and red oak with a nice grain for the raised bit down the middle. Body was flat relative to the neck, like a Fender. It remains the heaviest electric bass I've ever encountered.
Ordered a 1 piece maple P-bass neck from Fender, bought a used pickup that I thought might be a Guild humbucker and added a Jazz bass pickup at an angle, like the bridge pickup on a Strat. I didn't understand intonation, so Gibson the bridge was too far from the neck, until I bought replacement hardware and carved a new pocket for it to sit in. My college roommate had a short scale Gibson SG style bass, one humbucker, felt nice to play but didn't have a huge range of tones.
In complete ignorance I worked out a complicated system where the two Guild coils could be in series or parallel, and the Fender Jazz pickup (bridge? neck? I don't know, still) could be substituted for one of them. 4 pole, double throw, switch. The impedances didn't match, and in one switch setting it sounded really snotty and kinda hollow- like common tones were inverted and cancelled, so things with the same amplitude over the two pickups, several inches apart, were gone. I did no experiments, prototyping or development, just dreamed it up, soldered it together and never labeled the toggle swiches or the 6 step rotary switch. All three coils come to a common point and the rotary switch could use that common point as ground OR use the non-common point of one coil as ground and the non common point of another coil as "signal", thus using 2 coils in series, in a humbucking configuration.
I worked at a place that used sprayed 2 or 3 part paint inside plastic boxes and then used a silver nitrate solution to make them conductive for shielding. The painter did my bass body and I wired everything with shielded 2 conductor cable,. and wrapped aluminum foil around the Jazz pickup. The cover over the electronics pocket was one-sided printed circuit board, un-etched, so a reasonable Faraday cage.
After about 7-8 years I redid the wiring, moved the bridge, and found one swich setting that I liked. I played with my acoustic guitar friends, played in a back-yard band with a real drummer and a sax player. Got a Peavey TKO, Black Widow speaker. Nice. Played with an eclectic bunch of co-workers for a couple of years, Friday night after work. Company party one year when we had no money for entertainment. 2 guitars, bass, live drummer and conga player, 2 flutes, keyboards. I was a useful singer on a couple songs. I'd learned "Tequila" for the back yard band and we added "Green Onions", "Desifinado", "Kansas City", "Louie Louie", "Money", "Black Magic Woman", etc.
My second bass was a 2nd-hand 1990s reissue Thunderbird, with the black metal hardware. It sounds more like a double-bass than anything else I've played. It flatters my playing and never disappoints me. Having learned on a P-bass neck, the Thunderbird was much more comfortable. John Entwistle had really big hands.
I realized I'd overdone the maple back on my first bass body but it sure did sustain! Really, the body was backward, it should have been thin maple, if any, and more mahogany. And I should have put the big humbucking pickup down by the bridge, for amplitude, and the Jazz pickup near the neck. At one point a friend had a planer and I considered taking it all apart and halving half or more of the maple removed, but, really, I'd want a different neck too. Sounds like another instrument. I've never had the time or money to follow up on that.
of course, only a paul mccartney fanatic would buy a hofner as their first bass like i did 😂😂