"Clueless" or what kind of bass should I buy?

[gurpgrrl]

I want to buy a bass, but I am completely clueless about brands, styles, etc and I really don't want to walk into Guitar Center (blech!) as a female who knows nothing. I am petite, I have small hands, and I want a lighter bass. I know some are designed for smaller handed people, but I don't know where to start looking. Please help! Give me some lingo to throw around, too, so I don't look like a walking target to some scuzzy salesguy. Thanks!

[He*Said*Strip*]

It really depends on what kinda of bassist you are.

Don't go for brands - go for the bass that has the features YOU want.

For instance - I play a pretty melodic style (I've been a guitarist for a long time before I picked up bass), I like to play a lot of top end stuff, so I needed cutaways that would let me access every fret, and (like you) I was after something a little lighter, because my previous bass was a heavy vintage model and was killing my back. As a few extras I was also hoping to get active pickups and as much variety with tone control as I could.

After much searching I found what I was looking for, and it has every feature I was after.

Was it an Ibanez? A Rickenbacker? A Fender?

No.... it was a good ol' Yamaha

It was fairly moderately priced and a Fender at the same price had NONE of the above mentioned extras.

So basically the moral is.... have an idea of what you are looking for, but don't let big names dazzle you. There's no point in having some expensive bass when you can barely play it, it's not what you want.

If the salesmen are mean or rude to you then you have every right to leave- people like that don't deserve your money! Take a parent or older friend with you so they know you mean business!

[gurpgrrl]

Thanks for the input, He*Said*Strip. The problem is, I don't know what kind of bassist I am. (My favorite bass line, that I wish I could emulate, is from Love will tear us apart by Joy Division. Is that a melodic style?) My boyfriend loaned me his Squier by Fender, and it's so big and heavy that playing it seems impossible, and I'm kinda discouraged.

As for my concerns regarding Guitar Center - I didn't mean to give the impression that I'm a kid. I'm actually 31, (although I look younger; I didn't realize I type younger, too!) . Guitar Center is notorious for treating everybody like crap - men, women, boys, girls, but especially those who look like they don't have much money, which is the impression I give by how I dress. Hmm... maybe I will find a cute salesguy and try to flirt a little to get what I want! Or, more likely, I will look at some options online and find something cheap and small and just go try it out.

[He*Said*Strip*]

whoops! Yeah I had no idea what your age might be! I still say maybe take a friend in for moral support, that way you won't feel as intimidated, and it's always good to have someone to back you up.

It would be good for you to go in and actually try out a few basses... I can't imagine spending that kinda of money on something I was going to use so often yet not able to even touch before buying. Is there anywhere else you can go to buy? Maybe it's worth a trip to another town.

This Guitar place you are speaking of sounds really awful... if you are going to buy something from them, chances are you're going to have to take it there eventually for repairs or for a service... which is probably something to keep in mind too.

I know just how you feel, we have somewhere really similar to that where I live...you just have to learn to take what they say with a pinch of salt. It's people like us who are keeping them in business.

[HalfStack]

Oh Boy,
I bet we all could tell some stories about the treatment women recieve at alot of music stores.
"can I help you find our student section?" or you just get kind of ignores. It is a boys club in most cases that you have to break into.

Ibenez does sell some pretty nice sounding entry level basses.
I'm mostly a guitarist but I do own a Ibenez TR-70 & it has a great sound & a pretty deep cutaway to access the high end.

It's not so heavy that my shoulder feels like it's going to fall off.

It does the job for studio work or just for when I'm writing a song I like to play with base lines sometimes.

I would probably stick with your loaner untill you have more of an idea what kind of sound your going for.

And in the mean time read up baby & arm yourself with information before you walk into that guitar center
that way you will have the confidence to say hey I'm looking to buy a bass & ask them to get you an amp & leave you alone so you can plug a few in & mess around.

[ERIC31]

If you have small hands you should go with an Ibanez. they are light, have nice thin easy playing necks and won't break you financially. Play some locally and then when you decide go to this site and get it for WAY less $$. www.musiciansfriend.com

[robbie]

I have an ovation acoustic electric because I also can't bear the lead weights and have small hands.I have a bass proceesor as well that boosts the tone and bottom end and gives me 80 different sounds to play around with.Recentlt I checked out a 5 string warwick fretless bass and oh my god is it sweet! It is now seriously on my wish list.Good luck check out lots and you'll know when you find whats right for you cause it's also about personality!

[konzertmeister]

Anything yet?
All I can add is SHOP SHOP SHOP, because you will KNOW when you've found the right one.
Brand and price range are usually the first things that sales people will ask or offer, but close your eyes and concentrate on the instrument that just feels right.

When I was trying to teach myself, I had my grandpa's huge-whopping Fender, but I actually learned to play on a cheap little piece of junk that fit my hands and let the music come out of me because I could actually fret the silly thing. It changed my life, and I will never be the same. DEFINITELY, take friends with you. The more, the merrier. We've all had the "are ya gonna be paying for that yaself, darlin?" experience - so bring whomever will help you to ask questions and feel confident... when I was in my teens I always brought my most obnoxious friend who is the biggest pest in the world, but helped me get questions answered thoroughly. And any decent music store will let you play, and play and play and try different ones to your hearts content. If they don't, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY!!! And take your business to a more respectful establishment.
Strings are important, too. When I first learned to play, I found that the fatter strings were actually easier for me, than the thinnger ones. So you might ask about string gauges on the basses your try out. And remember, fretting the string as-close-behind-the-fret-as-possible requires less than half the pressure of fretting it in the middle of two frets. First work for accuracy and speed will follow. Too bad you're in TN. I'd just L*O*V*E* to go shopping with you.
I wish you the best.

[Sharondipity]

I know exactly what you are talkin' about- I'm also a petite gal with small hands.

Daisy Rock has some cool new basses out on the market now- the Rock Candy Series basses. One's hot pink, and the other's a champane pink. If you don't mind a pink bass, it's for you. I know I certainly want one of these! I like how Daisy Rock has finally put out some cool guitars and basses for adults and not those flower and heart designs more for the 'lil girls. Their guitars aren't too expensive, either. I hope Daisy Rock guitars are good quality instruments, though.

[suelee]

Ok, I know I'm getting in on this wa-a-a-ay late, but here it is...

My first bass was a Danelectro longhorn... short scale and very lite, 'cos I, too, am petite with small hands. Next bass was a Gretsch Electromatic (?)... again, short scale and pretty lite but a better pickup than stock. Both purchases were pawn shop buys.

Then I discovered long scale and flat-wound strings, and my life changed. I now have two Epiphones... the EB3 and a Thunderbird. They're almost as tall as I am. And they are so much fun to play. I added another strap pin to the base of the Thunderbird neck for better balance.

Morale of the story..... don't fear the bigger bass.

[Hoot]

I played Peavey Dynabasses and Unity basses for years, then I switched to the Spector 4 years ago and it's wonderful. I also picked up a 1972 Fender MusicMaster bass and it's very light. There is a Fender Lite bass that I played in a studio that was very small and light as well.

[halmooky]

my secret...

I don't have a brand preference. I went to a used guitar shop in NYC (mojo) and got my first bass...the guy had just resoldered the volume knob on a beat up old carlo robelli. it's a little heavy but it sounds like a p-bass so who cares? I only paid $70 for it.

the other bass I've got I bought off a friend in need. seriously, most basses (as long as they're not really painfully heavy) will do, so you may as well buy something used and save your wallet some trouble, because bass equipment is very pricey =(.

[Maggis]

I don't get it... I'm petite with small hands and i play a jazz bass it's HEAVY and I just love my big fuck off heavy bass I think it gives you control when you play and has the added bonus of making you sweat.

Those little ones always feel arkward and force you to wiggle your hips in a ridiculous fasion when you play them...

Ok so my advice is similar to the other person shop shop shop... and try loads of basses Don't buy the first thing you see. I'd always advise anyone NEVER to buy online because you can get a hundred of exactly the same bass and only one could be decent. You may find that what you think you want is in actual fact rubbish. posture is everything if you end up with a heavy bass! And erm don't listen to the sales men because half the time they don't know there ass from there elbow

Finally when you do find the one you want make sure they set it up for you before you wanlk away with it... don't go with anyone go with someone who can play and ask them to make sure the Intonation is right if they don't know what your talking about don't bring them along.

[pejones]

if you are looking for lite, small and affordable...I say go for a danelectro...they are usually in the $200 price range...I don't know much about the longhorn....and I would stay away from anything with built in effects...but the danelectro that I have has a great tone...light-weight...easy to play and you get great harmonics...sounds real good through an ampeg

[fjadams]

gurpgrrl said:

I want to buy a bass, but I am completely clueless about brands, styles, etc and I really don't want to walk into Guitar Center (blech!) as a female who knows nothing. I am petite, I have small hands, and I want a lighter bass. I know some are designed for smaller handed people, but I don't know where to start looking. Please help! Give me some lingo to throw around, too, so I don't look like a walking target to some scuzzy salesguy. Thanks!

I've played bass since 68 and also have very small hands. Look for a short scale bass, at least to start with. Right now I have a Rogue short scale that I put a DiMarzio Rail in for tone. Some brands you might look at are Daisy Rock, Gretsch, Guild Starfire, Squire, Fender Mustang or P Bass Jr., Gibson or Epiphone EB-O, Hamer, etc. Alternately you might look for a thinner neck like the old Vox's were.

You might want to get one off of EBay, since you will save a lot of cash doing that. Do a search for "short scale bass" or bass 30", 32", etc.

1 other thing, since it is a short scale you will get more "twang" than with a longer scale. You might want to look into getting a set of GHS 3060 nylon wrapped or another like Roto-Sound or Fender (which I don't really like), or Elixer. They cost a little more but last a long time and give you that thump you like.

Hope this helps.