first bass advice?

[Telenate]

Hey guys, I'm thinking of getting a bass soon, but I'm not sure what to get.

I want to get a fretless bass, (maibe a P-style bass) And I geuss if you want to reccomend something, I just want a versitile sounding bass. I just really like the looks of a p-bass. I don't want anything too high end, 250$ is my max ammount of money I want to spend. But I want something that will last a long time.

This isn't a P-bass, but I found some demos, and I like it's sound:

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....ss-?sku=512226

and it looks really sweet in the black finish.

But you get what you pay for, it dosen't have a real ebony fretboard, it's died rosewood made to look like ebony I think, (people have been calling it ebonal? ) and who knows how long until the hardware craps out on me.

But as long as the body wood is fine, It's good enough for me, electronics, and hardware can be replaced easialy and new pots are really cheap.

It's also the only fretless bass I found within the ammount of money I want to spend.

I might get a loaded body, and buy a fretless neck, but only if I find some good deals on e-bay.

Here's a decentley priced neck, "Ebonol" fretboard again:

http://cgi.ebay.com/FRETLESS-MAPLE-E...QQcmdZViewItem

As far as style of music I play, Alternitive rock mainly but also Metal, Blues, and some jazz. I might get into the whole funk thing too once I start playing bass, who knows?

[Agarn]

Here's an affordable fretless.
http://www.rondomusic.com/spb57fretless.html
A lot of TDPRI members rave about the quality of SX guitars and basses from Rondo. This one is a fretless P-style, with fretlines inlaid so it's easier to put your fingers in the right places on the neck. Lots of other interesting fretless models on the Rondo site.

[aunchaki]

Ebonol is a synthetic material. It's used on many fretless fingerboards due to its resilience.

[geoff_in_nc]

I have an SX fretted J bass, and I really like it. No, its not equivalent to a $1000 Fender MIA type bass, nor a boutique bass, but in addtion to threads here, if you go over to talkbass.com, you can find loads of threads about SX basses and how good they are for the $$.

When looking for a bass initially, I tried a lot of inexpensive ones - Squires mostly I guess, but also some Ibanezes, etc. Some were decent, some had horrible fret sprout, some just didn't suit me. Based on what I read, I took a chance on the SX, and I'm happy with it.

Obviously everyone's mileage may vary with these kinds of choices and personal tastes, but that's my two cents.

[crowenor]

The SX bass is the way to go if you don't want to drop a lot of bucks. I bought a SX Jazz
bass and love it a whole lot for the money.

[leftycajun]

if you're getting a fretless, try to find something with a bridge pickup (J-BASS! cough, cough). P basses are great (one of my favorite's, actually), but you won't get that fretless growl out of the p pickup up near the neck. On the other hand, if you're trying to emulate an upright tone it could be the way to go. As far as brands, you can't go wrong with a used mexican fender. I had a great Mexi J bass I still kick myself for getting rid of that was right in line with your budget.

[Telenate]

Originally Posted by leftycajun

if you're getting a fretless, try to find something with a bridge pickup (J-BASS! cough, cough). P basses are great (one of my favorite's, actually), but you won't get that fretless growl out of the p pickup up near the neck. On the other hand, if you're trying to emulate an upright tone it could be the way to go. As far as brands, you can't go wrong with a used mexican fender. I had a great Mexi J bass I still kick myself for getting rid of that was right in line with your budget.

I should see if my local music store has fretless versions of p-basses and j-basses.

what would you say is the main diffrence in tone between jazz basses, and p-basses?

[Sl8e]

If you're just starting out on a fretless get one that is set up properly. Maybe look for one with fret lines.

I've been playing fretless bass for 18 years now. You don't have to spend a ton of money to get what you're looking for.

Try the Squire Vintage Modified Jazz bass. The ebonol is okay. It has a bone nut. The bridge is standard Fender. You can set one up and get a lot out of the Squire. It may have a dead spot. See the Indonesian and Mexican Fenders don't g through the same quality controls that American Fender does. But look at the price difference. You're looking at $1000+ to $250. The other warning I have is don't buy a Mexican Fender. The Squier I played in the store was better than the Mexi-jazz at $100 more.

I bought a Squier and did an overhaul on it. The only thing that stuck was the body. Everything else is gone. So all I got for 3 bills was a body. But I have a feeling I would have regretted buying an SX. You don't know what you're getting from them. I've seen some of their basses up close and they are less than perfect, a lot less.

Don't do a P fretles either. The pickup is too far from the bridge. The only reason to get a P is if you have the P-J set up. Otherwise it's for frets.

[Telenate]

I'm going to trust you guys and go with the Jazz bass.

I suppose there is a reason there aren't many fretless p basses...

All I really care about is wood quality, I can urpgrade later. Infact, I like to upgrade, it makes the instrument your own. Do the rondo basses have good wood quality?

[Telepatio]

I'm suprised your going for a fretless if you are just picking up bass. Way more difficult to learn on.

That said, do as Jaco did. Get a Jazz Bass, pull the frets out and fill in the holes with marine epoxy.

For sure if you are looking for something with tonal versatility go with the Jazz over the P-bass. It won't quite have that P "thump" but the P can't do half of what the Jazz can do.

Remember that bass is somewhat the opposite of guitar. Tone for guitar is so much dictated by the amp. Bass tone is in the instrument so pick one that sounds good through a variety of amps.

[Telenate]

Originally Posted by Telepatio

I'm suprised your going for a fretless if you are just picking up bass. Way more difficult to learn on.

That said, do as Jaco did. Get a Jazz Bass, pull the frets out and fill in the holes with marine epoxy.

For sure if you are looking for something with tonal versatility go with the Jazz over the P-bass. It won't quite have that P "thump" but the P can't do half of what the Jazz can do.

Remember that bass is somewhat the opposite of guitar. Tone for guitar is so much dictated by the amp. Bass tone is in the instrument so pick one that sounds good through a variety of amps.

I've played a fretless bass and I thought it was easier, probobaly because fretless basses have such a nice action, it had fret markers too.

I'm not a 100% bass newbie, I know how to slap and pop, fingerpick, I can play a few riffs, and I know tons of scales. (though, that carries over from guitar)

I play my friend's bass sometimes, atleast every month, most of the time once every week.

[casterway]

No one wants to hear you slap and pop, trust me.

I have a VM Squier fretless jazz that's really nice, and only cost $280.

[Telepatio]

ahahaha! slap and pop has been the ruin of many aspiring bass players.

[geoff_in_nc]

Originally Posted by Telenate

Do the rondo basses have good wood quality?

My SX has a very nice neck IMHO. I can't say anything from experience about the body as mine is an opaque finish, but I believe I've read they're pretty good - not a ton of scraps pieced together, and definitely not plywood.

[Telenate]

[QUOTE=Sl8e;1855347]You don't know what you're getting from them. I've seen some of their basses up close and they are less than perfect, a lot less. [QUOTE]
One of my friends has a rondo strat, and it goes out of tune really fast with the whammy bar.

So there is deffinitley a quality issue, and unlike if I get something from musicain's friend, I can't send it back if I don't like it.

[Telepatio]

MOST strats go out of tune with the whammy bar.

[Telenate]

Originally Posted by Telepatio

MOST strats go out of tune with the whammy bar.

not my squire.

Dosen't even have locking tuners... Why it stays in tune so well? The world may never know.

[JohnnyRick]

RIC

Put the $250 down and pay the rest off. You're young. You'll thank me in 10 years.

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by Telenate

first bass advice?

Yeah, get to the bag as quick as you can and give a good target for your infielders.

And guard the line against left-handed batters.


Sorry, you can see why I couldn't resist.

[kalipigeon]

I'd go for the Jazz as well...when you decide you want a P still, you can always route for a P-bass pickup in the traditional position and slap a guard over the route. then you've got a PJ so you can have thump and mwah tones. Plus the benefit of Squier/Fender parts is they're mostly drop in replacements, so you can always slap a Fender neck on there if you want to go fretted and not worry about it fitting.