Learning the bass guitar

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 9:48 pm

Hi,

I've decided that I wouldn't mind learning the bass. I am a complete musical novice, though I'm not too bad on the drums on Rock Band

I was wondering if anyone on here could give me a few pointers...

how much should I expect to pay for a nowt too special bass to learn on?

how much could I expect to be charged for having the strings flipped (I'm a leftie)?

any tutorials (online or otherwise) which people have found useful?

this, and any other info would be gratefully recieved.

Thanks.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:25 pm

If you have the patience to learn the bass then you will forever earn my undying respect, my friend!

Marshall · Post by **Marshall** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:39 pm

I'd advise looking at the entry level Yamaha range; it was called the RBX range but it's been about 4 years since I purchased mine, may well have changed by now. I think they're about £130 off the net, or pop into HW Audio on St Georges Road and they have a few basses by Jim Deacon for £120- though you should be able to haggle them down to £100. There's also (generally) a choice between Precision or Jazz Bass (there are others, but for entry level stuff it's usually just the 2). These give you different sounds, precision is more of rocky kind of tone, whereas jazz is more of a warm tone, but with more variation (not the greatest description to be honest). Perhaps more importantly for a beginner though is the different neck sizes, for me the Jazz neck is far more comfortable as it's thinner, so I'd advised trying out which 1 is more comfortable.

As for the left handedness, people usually buy a dedicated left handed model rather than flipping the strings. Just looking at mine now, and I think the reason may be that whilst flipping the strings tend to work on a guitar, on basses the difference in thicknesses of each string requires the 'nut' to be sized appropriately rather than all 1 size, and it will knock the intonation out (basically keeping the strings in tune all the way up the neck) but I'm sure the shop would be able to advise you better! But I'd look for a left handed bass rather than flipping the strings, though they're more expensive sadly.

Depending on how much you're bothered, it may be worth getting it 'set up' at a shop (Booths is about £10 whilst HW is closer to £70 for the same job...), all that means is that a professional will get it playing as well as possible, that is, lowest possible action (space between strings and fretboard/neck), correct intonation, pickup height etc.

Tutorials? There must be millions online, can't recommend anything in particular though! One thing that definitely benefited me was playing to a metronome.

Any questions just ask!

Dave Sutton's barnet · Post by **Dave Sutton's barnet** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:50 am

Interesting choice, from scratch

Don't assume it'll be easier than guitar 'cos there's fewer strings - you're basically playing lead all the time

Get an amp with a headphone socket and use it - those nearby won't appreciate your early attempts

Be prepared for hard work, it don't come easy, but if you want it you'll get there

Good luck chum

InsaneApache · Post by **InsaneApache** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:27 am

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:Interesting choice, from scratch

Don't assume it'll be easier than guitar 'cos there's fewer strings - you're basically playing lead all the time

Get an amp with a headphone socket and use it - those nearby won't appreciate your early attempts

Be prepared for hard work, it don't come easy, but if you want it you'll get there

Good luck chum

What he said.

I learned to play the bass because I thought it would be easier than a guitar. Less strings and so on. Wrong. Anyroad you can get six string bass these days. One thing is to your advantage though, you wont 'grow' segs at the end of your fingers as you won't be holding down cheese wire.

As it's 30 odd years since I did learn, I've forgotten more than I remember.

Best of luck with it.

One thing, buy the best you can afford. It does make a difference.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:31 am

Marshall wrote:One thing that definitely benefited me was playing to a metronome.

You'll not receive a more solid piece of advice than this very nugget.

Marshall · Post by **Marshall** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:57 am

Didn't even think about amps!

The low end ones are really crappy to be honest, you could do alot worse than looking at this. You run it through your computer, and includes a metronome and basic drum track, and you can get loads of different sounds (though the price has shot up since I bought it 2 years ago for £30- second hand one?). Incredibly easy to set up and too.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 12:12 pm

Get a Trace Elliot bought.

Marshall · Post by **Marshall** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 12:19 pm

Or a MarkBass

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 12:24 pm

I've just bought a little Peavey Rage 158 for use in the house and I reckon that it'll deffo take a bass for practising purposes.

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:54 pm

Thanks for the tips, chaps. I'm hoping I'll stick at this, basically cos I think it's the coolest instrument (the 'its easier cos it's four strings' thing may also have been a slight factor...

). Though like I say, the best I got musically was year 9 lessons.

I'll pop my head into booths or hw audio this weekend, to purchase a geetar, amp and headphones. Thanks geezers.

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:20 pm

Every day I look in the window of the guitar shop opposite the BBC on Oxford Road (and still never remember what it's called). One thing I can add to this thread, the prices there make looking the only option.

markakamark · Post by **markakamark** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:39 am

don't be a wimp, learn the real guitar!

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:34 pm

TANGODANCER wrote:Every day I look in the window of the guitar shop opposite the BBC on Oxford Road (and still never remember what it's called). One thing I can add to this thread, the prices there make looking the only option.

Booths had a green Tanglewood Odyssey in the window for ages. I swore that one day I was going to treat myself to it. And here it is at the side of me!

Marshall · Post by **Marshall** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm

TANGODANCER wrote:Every day I look in the window of the guitar shop opposite the BBC on Oxford Road (and still never remember what it's called). One thing I can add to this thread, the prices there make looking the only option.

Musicground, obscenely expensive!

markakamark wrote:don't be a wimp, learn the real guitar!

Yup, follow this advice and end up with a cranium as large as my big headed bandmate here

InsaneApache · Post by **InsaneApache** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 5:42 pm

TANGODANCER wrote:Every day I look in the window of the guitar shop opposite the BBC on Oxford Road (and still never remember what it's called). One thing I can add to this thread, the prices there make looking the only option.

Blimey is that still there?

I bought a refelex cab and a 120 watt amp there in 1977. Tempus fugit.

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:23 pm

Bruce Rioja wrote:
TANGODANCER wrote:Every day I look in the window of the guitar shop opposite the BBC on Oxford Road (and still never remember what it's called). One thing I can add to this thread, the prices there make looking the only option.
Booths had a green Tanglewood Odyssey in the window for ages. I swore that one day I was going to treat myself to it. And here it is at the side of me!

Sounds like a Real Ale.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:40 pm

InsaneApache wrote:
TANGODANCER wrote:Every day I look in the window of the guitar shop opposite the BBC on Oxford Road (and still never remember what it's called). One thing I can add to this thread, the prices there make looking the only option.
Blimey is that still there? I bought a refelex cab and a 120 watt amp there in 1977. Tempus fugit.

I used to use Sound Control on Regent Road quite a bit but I don't think it's there now.

There is this dark sense of foreboding that accompanies visits to music shops - a sense of 'I'm going to end up talking to a Jimi Hendrix here, who's pretty sharpish likely to suss that I'm Billy Rubbishbollocks, and then he's going to get his mates out of the back and they're all going to have a proper good laugh at me'. However, I've only ever found the people at Harker & Howarth to be the most obliging, helpful people that you could hope to meet.

Credit where it's due and all o' that!

bedwetter2 · Post by **bedwetter2** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:00 pm

Talking of basses, before I straightened myself out and followed the 6 string path of righteousness, I quite fancied buying a Gibson EB01 (the bass equivalent of an SG Standard) because those humbuckers gave a great clipped bass tone.

Has anyone seen how rare and pricey those bad boys are now?

William the White · Post by **William the White** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:36 pm

Verbal wrote:
Bruce Rioja wrote:
TANGODANCER wrote:Every day I look in the window of the guitar shop opposite the BBC on Oxford Road (and still never remember what it's called). One thing I can add to this thread, the prices there make looking the only option.
Booths had a green Tanglewood Odyssey in the window for ages. I swore that one day I was going to treat myself to it. And here it is at the side of me!
Sounds like a Real Ale.

sounds like a BBC 4 tryout...

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Learning the bass guitar

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