Best kind of bass guitar?
 

looking to learn to play bass. .
anyone know the best kind of bass guitar out there?
thanks

Its how much $ you want to spend really. Ive owned a few different Fender Jazz bass's, 4-string & 5-string. First of all, I would buy a 5-string because most popular styles of today's music require a five if you want to mimic today's covers correctly. The Fender Music Man would be my choice if I went that route with a 4-string. But the guage spacing of the strings are just to close on the five's, etc. If you do go 5-string, make sure the brand you choose has the wider guage string spacing. What I recommend for a beginner or anyone is Ibenez, they use the wide guage spacing. I have a Ibenez 5-string GSR-205, Active pickups, Transparent Red. Beautiful bass guitar, And it play's with the action & sound better, or just as good as bass guitars that I have had well over $1000.oo in. I payed a total of $300.oo for the Ibenez, including a new hard shell guitar case. So by far, I recommend Ibenez for a good low end bass. Good Luck!

If you dont have alot of money to play about with go for Ibenez. Have a good starting range. Look for the Ibanez Soundgear.

But really cant go wrong with a fender Jazz ;) ((Providing you have the money, and happen to be certain you wont enjoy the trumpet or darts more after a few weeks of BassssI'n))

different brands have different feels
i would advise u to play around with different brands of basses to see which one u like the most

Try every one in the shop - you might surprise yourself.

It doesn't always follow that spending more money will get you a better bass, although the high-end basses are generally better made, with more expensive materials, there are still some expensive "planks" out there.

If you're just starting out,and want a cheap, functional instrument, you'll not go far wrong looking at the Squier and Epiphone ranges.

Thing is, once you get round to high-end basses,(and you will if you're a serious player), you might want to consider going to a builder and having an instrument made to exactly your specifications.

my personal favorite type of bass are Trabens. they have awesome tone and sustain, and they look awesome. :band:

( http://www.musicbanter.com/games-lis...litz-game.html )

The other day I saw a couple of self-confessed bass guitarists chatting in the Intro section I think, so it's a coincidence that today there is another chance for any bassists to come out and confess their guilty guitar secrets....

What do you mean?

I bought the "Hofner Ignition Ed Sullivan Show limited edition Bass" which is the cheaper version of the bass. I guess to understand how wide the price differences can be on Hofner basses: it's more than £2,000 for a brand new German made Hofner bass or less than £200 for a used Chinese made bass. I figured because of licensing reasons it was cheaper to have Ed Sullivan Show instead of "Paul McCartney" appearing on the bass. Notice in the video he also avoids saying "The Beatles." Everything he says about the German made edition I don't have on my bass. I guess my guilt is wanting Beatles Gear and falling for marketing ploys. If I had to recommend a first bass it would be a Fender Precision bass just because of its mighty tone, but if you have to lug around a bass nothing beats the light weight and compact size of a Hofner bass. Which is the reason Paul preferred them in the early touring days of The Beatles.

The no longer available German made Ed Sullivan Show bass

Hofner Ignition Ed Sullivan Show bass:
http://store.basscentral.info/conten...050582FULL.JPG

I didn't know you had a guitar, Neapolitan! And just like Paul McCartney, I think you chose well. It's an instrument with a nice tone, and as the guy says, a lot of excellent practical characteristics, being small, light and semi-acoustic. Perfect for practicing anywhere or for blowing away an audience at Shea Stadium.

@ Atai: I didn't really mean anything by "guilty guitar secrets". I'm afraid that just because of the sound of the words I was tempted to joke about bass-guitar playing as being some shameful secret obsession, but quickly abandoned the idea. I should have edited my post but had to rush off to work. Sorry if I left behind any kind of negative impression - that was certainly not my intention.

If you're just starting, models don't matter much. Someone recommended the Ibanez Soundgear line, and honestly I'd second it. Those feel the most comfortable. My second bass was an Ibanez Soundgear, and I held onto that thing for like eight years. It could be argued that outside of tone, weight, and cut design, that the models themselves don't really matter much, but rather the time spent with practicing and developing techniques and getting comfortable with the instrument and playing it is the thing with it.

Fender has it's own unique vintage tone. But for hard rock and metal, I personally prefer Spector.

I wanted to give my advice on the kind of bass to buy, but then I realised this thread is like 14 years old, which is longer than I’ve even been interested in music.

I wonder what did he buy, and does he still slap that bass


(Anyway, anytime and everywhere I’d go with a Fender Jazz Bass, it just feels the most versatile out of all the basses I’ve ever held in my hands. But then again I might be biased, as a 1997 japanese JB was my first ever bass, and I’ve played it now for 6 years)

The best bass is the one that works for you. You like it's tone, how it plays and the way it feels.

yeah, but nevertheless there might be guidelines on what to pick when you're just starting out.

Like even the simplest ones:

when I was buying my bass I didn't know anything about anything equipment wise, I didn't know how to play at all, and the two things I could choose were a P-bass and a jazz bass, and the guy who owned the place just asked "You want to be more like Sid Vicious or Bootsy Collins?"

And so began my love affair with my sweet Baśka

Precision Bass (P-Bass): Known for its thick and punchy tone, the P-Bass is a classic choice. It's versatile and well-suited for various genres.

Jazz Bass (J-Bass): This type of bass is known for its brighter and more articulate sound. It's also versatile and works well in different musical styles.

Music Man StingRay: Recognizable by its distinctive shape, the StingRay is known for its powerful and clear sound. It's often chosen by players in rock and funk genres.

Ibanez SR Series: Ibanez is known for producing sleek and fast-playing bass guitars. The SR Series is popular for its slim neck and a variety of tones suitable for different genres.

Fender Jazz Bass V: If you're interested in a five-string bass, the Jazz Bass V is an extension of the traditional J-Bass with an additional low B string.

Schecter Stiletto Series: Schecter offers a range of bass guitars with modern features and versatile tones. The Stiletto series is known for its sleek design and powerful pickups.

Gibson Thunderbird: Recognizable by its unique body shape, the Thunderbird offers a distinctive look and a deep, rich tone. It's often favored in rock and heavier genres.

Hofner Violin Bass: If you're a fan of the Beatles, you might be interested in the Hofner Violin Bass. It has a unique hollow-body design and a warm, vintage tone.
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