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March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | My 10 year old son is about to start bass lessons (private and in school). Temp made some good suggestions of basses to watch on ebay, but I'm wondering what the rest of you would suggest for a starter bass. I'd like to keep the cost under $300. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | Acoustic or Solid body?
Acoustic - Applause or the Olympia models present a lot of good features within means. My short list includes one of the two for learning. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Solid |
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January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | Consider getting a "short" scale bass... that would be 30 inch scale, or thereabouts.
Something like this perhaps?
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=bass/search/detail/base_pid/518523/ |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | How abour an ebay wonder for under 300? That way you get the fun of getting it and he gets to play it!
The question for you is 30" or 34" scale? New or used? |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | If you get him that EB-O that Charlie suggested he'll want to be Jack Bruce. Can you be Eric? |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Well, hell. Everybody can play like Eric Clapton. But why limit yourself?
Temp suggested going with a 34" scale. He can grow into it. I'm thnking used on ebay, but there are some good new instruments out there as well. Early this year I got him a Squire Strat. Nice guitar for very little money. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 71
Location: Charlotte NC | At 10 years old, he should just about be able to handle a 34" just fine or soon enough. Here is a list of the top 5 rated beginner basses:
Top 5 Beginner Basses
My first bass a few years back was the !Ibanez GSR200. I actually gigged with it for a few months with no problems. Just a hair over 200 bucks brand new. It's certainly no American Fender, Ric, Sadowsky or anything close to the high dollar G&L I have now, but it got the job done and was a great starter bass. Not easily damaged either as I found out with two toddlers in the house!
Be sure and check out TalkBass They have a great website and the forums are loaded with great folks of all ages from kids like yours to old geezers like me. They are always moderated to maintain no worse than PG content so he'll be in a safe hangout. I am LoJoe there too. My Talkbass Gallery is linked in my sig.
Tell him happy thumpin! |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | I don't play bass, and have no suggestions for a beginner, but hey...
Just now I'm watching Ben Harper on Austin City Limits. I have no idea who is bass player is, but that dude rocks. He plays a 5-string, and just took about a three minute solo that was absolutely stunning. He was sweating heavily, but man, to watch his hands, he wasn't hardly moving...simply awesome.
Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled thread. |
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January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | I thought Jack played a Fender Bass-Six? |
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June 2004
Posts: 12
Location: USA | Full scale is the way to go. You can't go wrong with a Fender Precision bass. Was my first bass in the early '80's. With only a few exceptions, a P-bass was my main bass for years. Check around for a good used Mexican built one. On the other hand, you can't go wrong with a Jazz either. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | Moody
I have a Hamer Korean import made of bubinga, it is a very high quality bass for the money. a little over your budget but if you are interested give me a call |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 53
| i would say the best cheap beginner bass would be a Tanglewood rebel(bass collection copy), Very late and has a very good sound, i have seen a lot of bass players use them, you can get them for about £120 in the UK
Chris |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Greetings from the Netherlands, where I'm visiting my father who has been ill of late.
Speaking from experience, go with a short scale for now. My son is now 15 and he's just moving up to the 34" scale. Everything's a bit more of a stretch to begin with, and with smaller hands it's just too hard.
We've had a EB-0 (like the one posted above but black) for going on 3 years now. It's a solid first instrument for what you pay, not nearly as crappy as a lot of other "starter" basses that have been dragged through the house. I don't play it much at all, but it's all right to noodle around on.
The short scale is have that I really have fun with is an Epiphone Viola bass I picked up a few years back. Not exactly a solid body, but good size for the boy, fun for you! It's very light since it's a hollow body, it's got a set neck, two mini humbuckers, nice MOP inlay on the headstock, and the craftsmanship on mine is excellent. Made in Korea I believe but -- "Set Up and Inspected in the USA". Body is flame maple lam front and back. I strung mine with tape wounds and it's easy to play and has interesting tone. Here's an example of one on the bay right now ... Epiphone Viola. For what it's worth, it a great bass to have around after Jr. moves on to something inspired by Dimebag Darrel. :D |
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May 2004
Posts: 383
Location: Indiana | A friend of mine had a couple Fernandez "Fender style " basses that I thought were very impressive. Except for the slightly different headstock, I couldn't tell much , if any, difference from my Fenders (sound or feel).And were right around $200-300. Another you might consider is the "Spirit " line of Steinberger. They are a little different (no headstock, small body) but are generally in the $300 range. I have 5 of the higher $$ Steinbergers and they are my main basses now.
Bill |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | The first bass I bought for my son to play in our bluegrass band when he was around 15 or 16, was an Epiphone SG style that had been used by a professional bass player and had been modified with a Gibson bridge unit and Shaller tuners, he had traded it in for a Fender style bass at my friend Bill's store and I bought it as soon as he dropped it off at the store. He tried to get it back within a day or so but I had it and kept it. It was very nice to play as the neck was similar to a guitar in dimensions and it sounded good for the type of simple bass that bluegrass country needs. My son, who was an avid guitar player, found it very easy to play and found work in other bands playing bass and making money once he learned it,
Bailey |
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Need bass suggestions
