Thread: Home Recording
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Old 06-09-2012, 07:23 AM
Bob1131 Bob1131 is offline
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Location: Georgia, USA
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There are a lot of choices in the used bass market, so depending on your budget you should be able to find something that will do the job for you. I have a Fender Squier P-Bass that I bought used for $75.00. I would like to get a fretless or perhaps a hollow body like the Hofner for a different sound, but that will come later.

Some things to consider and watch out for when buying used:

1. Check for hum and static from the pickups (live it might not be very noticeable but on a recording it will ruin the entire track).

2. Make sure the volume and tone pots work smoothly without producing crackles and pops! Yes, sometimes just a little tuner cleaner can work wonders, but there is no guarantee. If the bass is pristine in every other way, you could replace worn and crackling volume and tone pots.

3. Make sure the jack plugs in securely with no play. A loose connection will cause crackles, hum and varying volume.

4. Check for excessive fret wear, especially if the bass is strung with round-wound strings which function like metal files on both your fingers and the guitar frets! (I prefer flat wounds which last longer and are much kinder to my fingers). Fret wear can cause rattles that will be very noticeable in a recording.

5. Check the neck angle and straightness. Bass strings exert a lot of pressure and if the instrument has not been properly maintained the neck could become twisted which cannot be corrected effectively. Neck angle can generally be remedied easily on an electric and some bowing can typically be corrected with a truss rod adjustment, but severe bowing or angle can be a symptom of a bigger problem.

6. Listen carefully to the tone! There is nothing worse than muddy bass on a recording. Each note needs to be solid and clear (some of that is technique, but a lot is the instrument itself).

I hope that helps.
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