Bass Guitar question

[Xue Sheng]

Anyone here play the Bass?

I played guitar for years but one day lost interest, I picked up a digeridoo and it has been really cool but... I was in a music store the other day looking at an acoustic Bass and thinking :hmm: and then I heard one of the store employees playing a bass and I thought I just may want to give that a try.

Anyone have any suggestions on a good acoustic bass (with frets) for under $500... and under $300 would not hurt my feelings either...or any other Bass guiar info

 

[granfire]

awe...I am waiting for my electric one to come back from the shop...and no, I can't play.

acoustic one? COOL!

 

[oaktree]

This is just my opinion.
I like cheap light basses.i had an acoustic before felt to much
Like an acoustic guitar. I really like to get an up right very cool.
I played expensive basses and brands but the cheap ones
To me had the best feel. The bass you get is a personal preference and you need to
Play it and see how it handles. I really like basses with a wood finish.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I play bass, but I've never had an acoustic one so I can't make any recommendations on that. If you have any other bass questions, feel free to shoot them my way.

 

[Carol]

I also play bass, but have never played an acoustic bass.

With many of the instrument manufacturers opening up shop in China, the range of instruments (and the quality thereof) that you can get for under $500 has grown quite a bit.

I play an Ibanez, I'm a bit partial to their basses. They have an acoustic for $199. Never played it, but if I were in the market, that's probably where I'd start to look

 

[smithr]

I play bass, I currently have an Ibanez and a Rickenbacker - both electric and both very beautiful instruments. I played an upright acoustic bass in college. I would recommend either Fender or Ibanez for an acoustic, I also recommend that you actually play the instrument before you buy - there are subtle differences between each instrument that you should explore before buying. Think about the weight of bass while you hold it, listen to the tone, listen for differences in tone as you move to higher frets, look at the action of the strings, etc.

A good way to get an idea of prices and what is out there is to search Ebay. Obviously, the problem is that you can not play it first (unless the seller is nearby), but at least you can get a idea of what 300-500 will buy.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Checked out a Dean tonight and a couple others I never heard of and the ones I never heard of were more expensive than the Dean.

I will be checking out an Ibanez soon

 

[TheArtofDave]

If you're still wondering you should pick up a Fender Jazz bass. They sound amazing, and they aren't very expensive or should not be now. I prefer a four string but have friends trying to talk me into a five or six string. It's personal preference though. Also I've had a Washburn woodgrain bass, and those are also terrific. Unfortunately I've had bad luck with my basses getting stolen.

So when I can afford to get another bass Fender Jazz bass is what I'll likely get. I don't know too much about acoustic basses. But my advice would be to try some out before you buy. Like fiddle around at a consignment shop. If not then just go with a regular bass. You're already in the minority. Now all you have to do is get bad *** at playing again.

 

[crushing]

Xue, My daughter recently expressed an interest in playing the bass. Please let us know how it goes.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I will, but it is on hold at the moment.... family issues in China and an unexpected trip by Mrs Xue is likely

 

[granfire]

I hope nothing serious!

 

[Xue Sheng]

Thanks, it is serious, but not life and death.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Well...I did it...kinda sorta....well at least it has 4 strings......but it is a...shall we say...a little bit smaller

I just bought a Gretsch......Ukulele....

apparently when I stopped playing guitar and started the Didgeridoo it triggered a need in me to play non-mainstream instruments......ever since I watched a few videos of Jake Shimabukuro I have been rather intrigued by the Ukulele

This one

 

[Gnarlie]

I also play the Uke. It's an easy transfer from guitar (the same as playing the top 4 strings with a capo at the 5th fret.)

People will always mock the Uke but I have always found it a charming instrument.

Between me and my gf, we have nine.

Gnarlie

 

[jks9199]

You might check out Steve Perry's blog Old Enough to Know Better; he's gotten into ukes lately, too. Even put together a book on their history...

(FYI, that's Steve Perry, the author of The Man Who Never Missed and many other books, and a silat player, not Steve Perry of Journey.)

 

[Xue Sheng]

Frankly I'm amazed at how excited I am about this, I have not been this excited about a musical instrument since I bought my first didgeridoo...actually I think I am more excited about the Uke than I was the Didge

 

[wingchun100]

I like buying used gear too. When they are new and fresh out of the factory, a lot of them sound the same to me. But once they are in the pawn shop or sitting in the used section of the music store, they take on a new personality. They have been beat up, used, had strings changed, had PICKUPS changed, been through all kinds of weather, etc. In my opinion, nothing beats a used instrument...but you have to be a judge of how used is TOO used. No use in buying something that disintegrates in your hands!

 

[Xue Sheng]

 

[Xue Sheng]

Finally had the time so I decided to FINALLY go look for a Bass and I do not plan on buy an expensive one. Also I cannot find an Ibanez in the price range I am looking, saw a nice Fender and another rather impressive Rickenbacker.... but I do not think I should be looking at things over $1000 at this time.... or at any time for that matter...my days of dreaming of rock God status are way way way WAY behind me....and Mrs Xue would likely hurt me...so....

Since I am not sure how long I will play a bass, and I have enough guitars collecting dust at my house, I do not want to spend big if it is going to end up just another dust collector, therefore I am not going to spend big. My only requirement is the intonation. It has to stay in tune for the entire length of the neck.

I looked at a nice used Fender Squier last night in the price range I am looking for and after work today I will go to another music store to check out a few other bass guitars. It is likely I will buy something between now and Monday. If there is nothing I like at the place I am going tonight I will go apply the Chinese bartering skills I have learned from Mrs Xue on the Squire and see what they will do.

The Squier looked something like this

 

[oaktree]

A squier bass like it's guitar counterpart is a decent standard bass, I personally like fender jazz bass from fender.