Quote:
Originally Posted by polarred21
...I realize that the mainstream and better value holding basses are the Precision and the Jazz whether it be a Fender or a Squier...I will be playing and practicing in a small bedroom/office/now music room so the whopping size of these Fenders is the only real thing that's not appealing to me...Remember, I'm looking for around a $200 guitar...and a 20 watt or above practice amp $100 range. To drop $500 or $1000 on this endeavor right now does not interest me, I can afford it but I just don't need that much of a set-up.
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Uh, yeah, you do - referencing the "summary" post above:
Quote:
Originally Posted by posternutbag
I think I can summarize the good advice in this thread...
You aren't buying enough amp. You may just be practicing in your home right now, but soon you will want to play with others (solo bass practice is boring). When that happens, you will want at least 50 watts and a 10" speaker (100 watts and 15" is better).
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You already have some background and experience - not a rank beginner by any means - and stepping up to a $500 budget gets you into the realm of better-constructed, better-sounding, better-playing equipment that'll take you from the bedroom to band practice to a small gig without the need for upgrades. Some suggestions:
- If you're tight for physical maneuverability in your practice room (I'm in the same home office/converted bedroom situation, BTW) - and in view of the fact that you have no bass experience - I offered you a number of suggestions for short-scale basses in a prior post, all of which would fit well within your budget. While many supposedly-knowledgeable players consider them tonally inferior to a 34" scale instrument, when they're properly set up as they were back in their heyday they're simply a different flavor, much like a Gibson J-45 and a Martin D-18, and many well-known artists - Jack Bruce, Paul McCartney, Stanley Clarke, and Allen Woody, among others - built their signature sound around the unique tonal/handling qualities; should you decide to go this route I can offer some setup tips that will help get you off the ground...
- It's fairly easy to find a 100W/12" or 15" amp that fits both your budget and quarters, whether new or used: Fender, Peavey, Ampeg, and Acoustic all have models meeting these criteria, and you might be able to find a used Gallien-Krueger MB combo in the $300 range as well...
Bottom line: you'll never regret money well-spent on good equipment that really meets your needs...
