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something like this?
Yeah that looks solid, every bassist needs at least one P in their quiver so you may as well start out with one.
My only concern would be that the upgraded SD pick-up has been installed and wired in properly so just be sure to hear it plugged in and twiddle the knobs whilst you're at it to make sure there's no crackling and that they work.
Assuming that's all good then that'll be a fine place to start.
@sadexpunk that should be a good bass!
thanks for the confirmation. ive just messaged him/her. theyre in nottingham about 30 miles away and im at work for 5 days from tomorrow so it may not happen, but ill at least have a go at sorting something out.
I can also recommend the Fender Rumble 25 amp to start with.
yep, thats the one ive been googling and looking for on ebay. my mate says he has a fender practice amp i can borrow until i find one, alongside a tuner, stand and lead so once i find the right guitar then i should be able to sign up for 'yousician' and get started, and then just buy the other stuff as and when i find it.
thanks
I kind of like the 70s look of that with the square block inlays on the fretboard and the guard on the bridge, but the pickguard would have to go.
I'd be wary of that Ebay Squier. From the sounds of it, its trigger's broom, with new neck, electronics and bridge. Could be great, could be rubbish, you've no way of knowing till its in your hands.
Its relatively expensive for a first bass, an unknown quantity and you may struggle to sell it on, if you decide it isn't for you, what with all the customisation. Plus, that scratchplate is hideous!
Squiers are fine, the lowest end Sonic models are around £180, their midrange Affinity line is more like £270ish and the Classic Vibes are getting towards £380.
If it was me, I'd go into a local shop, have a look at what attracts you in terms of shape, colour and cost, talk to staff and see what they steer you too.
right, point taken chaps, and yes if theres any possibility of buying a dud then id be better taking someone with me, altho that may prove difficult.
Squiers are fine, the lowest end Sonic models are around £180, their midrange Affinity line is more like £270ish and the Classic Vibes are getting towards £380.
so this affinity is overpriced too yes?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387794886661
Maybe, maybe not. It's not a Squier Affinity any more, so the £270-ish no longer applies
modified with Vintage fender pickups and electrics, ......has many mods new machine heads finger board, vintage pickups, pots electrics
If done well and with upgraded higher quality componentry then maybe. A bit like someone who's bought an entry level equipped bike and then is selling it on with the same frame but 'improved' the forks, drivetrain, etc. It might be a lot better but if the kit's been installed with a rock then it may not be.
TBH as a first bass i wouldn't be looking for modified stuff unless you know who's done it / have someone who knows what they're doing to check it over with you. You can get a really capable bass for sub £200 in 'vanilla' spec, well set up from a shop (or pay someone to do it, or learn yourself - lots of videos and basics like action, etc. are not that hard, no worse than trimming gears - go slowly, see what effect it's had go a bit further if needed, etc.)
And i wouldn't buy that black and blue one, no matter how good the upgrade and componentry, because it's gopping (subjective opinion)
The best bass is the one that you will pick up every time you walk past it, even if it's only for a couple of minutes. That one would have to be wrapped in a sheet. And then put in a box. Encased in concrete. Under the sea..
What @theotherjonv said. That Squier Affinity is another unknown quantity and there's no way I'd be paying that for it. You could get a used Fender Player level guitar for that sort of money, or a new Yamaha BB series, where you know its rock solid quality.
Go to a shop, which is rich coming from someone who bought a bass off Amazon, but any other basses I buy will be ones that I've picked up and played.
@sadexpunk I'd avoid that eBay bass personally. It's been "upgraded" and the seller is a bit misty-eyed abut how much improvement he's made to it. You can get a brand new Squier Affinity P or PJ bass new for £240 or so, and you'll have the benefit of shop and manuf warranties, and you won't have to change the pick guard either!
thanks, appreciate the advice.
affinity guy said he'd drop to £400 but ive explained that after talking to a few expert mates, i think ill go '£200ish thank you very much'.
on the subject of going into music shops, im pretty sure theres none left in lincoln now. google shows broken links and shops that i know are closed. ive asked my mate who he uses (he hasnt seen my question yet) but as an experienced bassist i guess he just buys online now.
so i think what i buy will be a gamble of sorts, but if it goes wrong, £200 is easier to swallow than £400.
thanks
Thats the whole point of beginner guitars. Don't like it? No great loss.
Some Squier options from PMT, who, coincidentally, have a branch in Nottingham.
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/products/bass/bassguitars/for-beginners?filter.customFields.manufacturer=Squier&sort=price%7Easc
I'm in Sheffield and there's dozens of bass guitars available on marketplace. A Squier P is nice to have but they've shot up in price because the new ones keep getting more expensive. No way I'd pay over 400 for a used one though.
Look for Ibanez, Yamaha, Harley Benton. You'll get something very useable for 2-300.
If you know any students they might be able to get student discount on the Fender website. It used to be 20% off everything. That's where I got my Mexican Jazz and Squier P from. Not sure if it's still a thing.
Some Squier options from PMT, who, coincidentally, have a branch in Nottingham.
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/products/bass/bassguitars/for-beginners?filter.customFields.manufacturer=Squier&sort=price%7Easc/blockquote >
thanks a lot, some decent options there. my mate also said his favourite basses are squier precision, so just out of interest, whats the difference between a P and the different models?Look for Ibanez, Yamaha, Harley Benton. You’ll get something very useable for 2-300.
thank you, will do
If you know any students they might be able to get student discount on the Fender website. It used to be 20% off everything. That’s where I got my Mexican Jazz and Squier P from. Not sure if it’s still a thing.
not off hand i dont, but id mebbes be able to find a mates son or daughter if need be.
thanks
EDIT: out of interest, what makes a desirable looking bass? what would you be looking for say in that pmtonline link vs the 'gapping blue' one? why does that look crap to you all? i wouldnt have a clue at this point.....
Guitar shopping should be a pleasure, an experience well worth an hour or so's drive for. I'm lucky I have Andertons close by, but I'd travel and have a mess about.
Even if you can't play, you can still see how heavy they are, does your hand fit round the neck, can you slide up to the low frets comfortably and so on. Everyone was a beginner once and you shouldn't be intimidated even if a 10 year old is perched on a massive amp in the shop hammering out some unplayable solo. The shop should be approaching in the spirit that if they treat you well now, they'll have a customer for life!
thanks a lot, some decent options there. my mate also said his favourite basses are squier precision, so just out of interest, whats the difference between a P and the different models?
P for Precision, thats just the model of bass Leo Fender invented way back when and sort of became the defacto bass guitar. 1 split pickup half way between neck and bridge. Very simple electronics, just volume and tone controls. Typically have somewhat thicker necks, but not always. My favourite.
Jazz, another Fender invention, a slightly different shape, a bit lighter, a bit thinner in the neck. Slightly more complicated, but still simple controls due to 2 pickups, bridge and neck, with volume controls for each and a tone control.
PJ is half way between the 2 - P style neck pickup and a J style bridge pickup.
P and the different models?
Short version, historically it's been 1/ pick up configuration although now you get P's and J's with 'non classic' pickups; 2/ body shape (J bass has the waist offset, supposedly to play sat down (? may be a tale) and 3/ Neck profile and width.
In real terms it means they tend to have distinctive sounds but as per the list of players, a J(azz) bass isn't just for Jazz players, plenty of heavy rock J players too.
https://www.fender.com/articles/instruments/precision-bass-or-jazz-bass-which-is-right-for-you
This is my Squier P bass and I love it. 50's style, neck like a baseball bat. Sounds exactly like you'd expect a P to sound with a big hefty thump. Nothing fancy.
It's a good contrast to the 70's style J that I have. That's a Mexican Fender and there's nothing to tell them apart in build, finish or sound quality. I'm sure an expert could point out the differences.
I've used 0000 wire wool to take the glossy finish off both necks. That highly polished finish can be quite grippy on a sweaty palm.
Sounds pretty gnarly with a pick.
out of interest, what makes a desirable looking bass? what would you be looking for say in that pmtonline link vs the ‘gapping blue’ one? why does that look crap to you all? i wouldnt have a clue at this point…..
IDK to be honest, it's a personal thing. For me - in general -
I prefer light coloured pickguards (although a white with a black guard seems to be ok)
I don't like coloured headstocks
A black guitar needs a white guard, although red pearloid / tortoiseshell can also work (I know it's not a bass but eg: https://lifeguitars.co.uk/products/1987-squier-stratocaster-mik-upgrades-cosmetic-modifications-electric-guitar)
I don't really like reds, prefer green/blue and also prefer the more pastel shades - my bass is Surf Green / white, my Jazzmaster copy is a metallic champagne brown/grey. Exception is a Gibson ES335/345/355 that must be cherry red.
And then rules go out the window.... Ceeper's Bronco on the previous page is lovely despite being red(ish)
Sharkattack's is also lovely, but I'd also have said I don't like gold pickguards.
And all this is irrelevant, because I'm an amateur noodler that my wife has allowed to have my guitars on display so visuals are almost as much a factor as how 'good' they are.
must admit i do love pastel colours too, especially that mint green colour you see on a lot of front doors and garages.
sunburst anyone?
something like this would seem good value, but should i avoid the 'jack of all trades master of none' type starter pack and just wait to get the one that i want when it comes up? same with the amp, comes with a rumble 15 but should i hold out for a 25 as recommended?
the comments on it also suggest flimsy lead and strap. buy cheap buy twice?
I like a sunburst. This is the one I have:
Thats a not bad bundle. The Rumble 15 is £120 on its own elsewhere on PMT, £240 for similar Affinity PJs, so unless these are slightly cheaper specced bundle models, looks good. You don't really need a gig bag, but you've got everything to get you started there.
Same pack is £30 dearer at Guitar Guitar btw:
https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/210316367594025--squier-affinity-precision-bass-pj-pack-3-colour-sunburst
That's not a bad starter kit to my mind.
Lead and strap can be replaced easily.
Bass is decent - sell on their own for £230-ish
If you exceed the sound from a 15W bass combi-amp in your house the council will be around in their noise abatement van - if you need bigger then you might want quite a bit bigger (and you can contact chiefgrooveguru for that)
Agreed. I got one of those Affinity PJs, and despite getting other basses since I've kept it, modded it and will probably hang on to it. It's good to play, looks good (mine is black/black which is the best colour ?), and is versatile.
looks promising then.
the same advert is on pmtonline and andertons, so i'll suss out if theres any difference in postage costs. itd be nice to go to nottingham and see guitars in the flesh but i dont think i'll get the chance any time soon.
and yes, i read in the early pages about chiefgrooveguru and barefaced. are they top end amps then? how do they compare to say orange?
EDIT: just seen pmt do indeed do black. hmmmmm...... i prefer a bit of colour, but i also prefer the oak coloured neck. opinions split?
well, first they're not amps. They're cabs, speakers basically that you need an amp 'head' to drive. The Rumble you're considering is a combi-amp with it all in one thing, but at prolevel like Barefaced you can put 'any' amp into the cab(inet) - so you can put an Orange amp into a Barefaced cab.
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/orange-ad-200-bass-head-orange/4893
fascinating, thanks. id always thought a cab was another word for an amp. so likening it to my hifi system then (bear with me) the guitar is like a cd player, plugging into an amp which then plays through a pair of speakers yep? only the guitar amp would be the orange bass head, connected (inside) to the cab (speakers).
looks big money too! pleased i'll just be a bedroom plodder 😀
cheers
Colourways and different fretboard colours.
The necks are all made of maple on a Squier. The colour differences are on the actual fingerboard/fretboard. The darker ones are pau ferro, a modern hypoallergenic and sustainable alternative to the traditional rosewood. They tend to be unfinished and require occasional treatment with lemon oil.
The lighter coloured ones are maple, usually a layer of maple bonded onto the neck. They tend to be finished with a polymer/ varnish and are thus easier to keep clean. I prefer maple aesthetically and it looks awesome on the reds, blues, greens and blacks.
There’s a world of bullshizzle out there with folk thinking the fretboard finish makes a difference to the tone. I’m sceptical, and simply love maple.
(Gear4Music do that pack in Lakeland blue)
This is my Fender Jazz in dark midnight with maple. 
I think maple works on some but generally prefer rosewood / pau ferro
Here's mine (OK, stock photo). I wanted the Fender American Performer, v. similar colour but a nicer finish - but couldn't justify based on my ability. One day, perhaps
nice guitars, and yeah im starting to get an idea of what colours i like now the more i look at them. i think my perfect combo so far would be that pastel green above, with a maple fretboard/head.
(Gear4Music do that pack in Lakeland blue)
i can see a cheaper squier sonic starter pack in california blue on that site, but cant see the above?
thanks
EDIT: found the right colour, just need to find it in a P starter pack now 🙂
Can't find it for you in a starter pack, but you can get it. It's 'old' stock so to speak - Fender/Squier cycle colours from time to time, and i don't think they have it in their current line but vaguely remember it fairly recently. Not Affinity series, but perfectly good Squier. I suggest get it bought...... distance selling means you can send it back in the meantime if you do find a starter kit (but pretty sure you won't). Maybe call them and ask if they'll do the same starter pack deal but swap basses out for you - worst is they'll say no.
https://www.soundpad.co.uk/guitar/bass-guitars/squier-fsr-sonic-precision-bass-surf-green?gQT=0
it's even got the Maple neck
If you can stretch to Fender pricing there's other options. What will you get for £500 more..... better materials in the body and neck maybe, maybe a nicer finish - the satin of the Mustang is beautiful, I haven't looked at P or J basses for a while, definitely better hardware and of course the name.
Back to my pics - that's one regret. I started during lockdown and bought an Ibanez on looks on line and instantly it was wrong for me. Persisted for a while but didn't love it, then one day on a whim went into Andertons that had opened up again (so must be maybe 21 now), talked to them about why it was wrong and they put a short scale in my hands - the Fender one above. But I couldn't justify what was about £900 at the time, but they told me they could get a Squier on order and so i went for that. No probs with the Squier, but I could have afforded the Fender - it was just after lockdown and I'd barely spent anything for a year - I couldn't justify it to myself.
It would have been worth it, I've played it practically every day since, even if just for a couple of mins between Teams calls when WFH.
Not saying you should stretch to the Fender, but maybe you should stretch to the Fender......
Your analogy to the CD player is correct but this bit sounds a bit confused, maybe just the wording
only the guitar amp would be the orange bass head, connected (inside) to the cab (speakers).
The amp, often called an amp head or just a head usually sits on top of the cab and is connected to the cab with a speaker cable which usually plugs in the back of the cab.
Yep, possibly my bad phrasing or using jargon - Orange head into a Barefaced cab means plugging the head into the cab, it's not 'installed'
Usually just sits on top (is that why it's a 'head'?)
eg:
Fender head into Barefaced cabs
[gap between posts is because all this talk saw me away for a brief Saturday morning 15 minute Rage (Against the Machine) session at head shaking volume through the headphone amp. Do I *need* a second bass that I can keep in Drop D, for such moments? My wife might end up Killing in the Name of household finances]
yeah i dont think i can really justify fender pricing at this point, pretty sure itll be a squier precision.
I suggest get it bought…… distance selling means you can send it back in the meantime if you do find a starter kit (but pretty sure you won’t). Maybe call them and ask if they’ll do the same starter pack deal but swap basses out for you – worst is they’ll say no.
you mean call soundpad? or pmt/andertons to ask? im not toooooo precious about the green, any nice pastel colour with a maple neck would do i suppose (altho that green is probably my favourite pastel colour). and you recommend getting a sonic in better colours than an all black affinity say? looks over quality at this stage?
and thanks for the barefaced/bass head confirmation, yes id understood it wrong. so a bass head sits on top of a cab, which is purely a speaker, and is pretty much pro-level. and the rumble 15/25 etc is a mix of both.
cheers
as it's old stock/limited edition colour, you might not find it elsewhere and if you're buying mail order then doesn't make a huge difference where it comes from. Some LGSs may be better than others, of course. You could call around and ask if anyone has one, or do some googling (Ipswich has one too, apparently) - and then ask for a similar deal to the starter kit, which they'll probably do. Bit like the LBS, if you buy guitar and amp they might be able to give you the lead and tuner gratis, etc.
https://www.music-world-ipswich.co.uk/products/guitars/fsr-squier-sonic-precision-bass-surf-green/
If not fixed on colour then Affinity > Sonic, not necessarily in quality of hardware but the Affinity PJ in the starter pack has more of it - twin pickups (bridge and neck) and therefore extra controls for them but both are adequate starters in terms of learning to play. There's a school of thought for beginners that less is more, do you want to be arsing about trying to dial in the perfect mix of neck and bridge tones or actually learning to play?
Maple/ Rosewood neck is very much the equivalent of SRAM vs Shimano of the guitar world. Neither is better, you just prefer one to another. Or don’t really care. Personally I think it depends on the colour scheme.
Given that your mate has offered to lend you everything for now, I wouldn’t worry about those starter packs, just put a bit more money towards a better bass. It’s very similar to the bike world. A bit more money at the bottom end makes a big difference, less so as you go up the price ranges. Fender are the Santa Cruz of the guitar world. (I have three, plus a COMBO amp, but that’s my issue). Other brands are just as good but without the name or marketing/ sponsorship budget.
I’ve bought basses online and been very happy with them but as an absolute beginner, I think it’s very important to take time to go to a shop. Like I said earlier, I went in to buy that very same starter pack you’ve posted. I tried it along with two other basses and felt the neck was a bit fat for me. The Cort was too narrow, but the Yamaha felt just right. I know it can be difficult to find time, but getting it right will make the learning process easier.
and thanks for the barefaced/bass head confirmation, yes id understood it wrong. so a bass head sits on top of a cab, which is purely a speaker,
broadly yes - except it's not just a bass thing, it's how most higher level guitar set ups work......an amplifier (head) into a cab (or cabs).
You'll have different types for bass and 6 string (which confusingly are frequently just called electric or electric guitar or guitar but a bass is an electric guitar too!) which deal with the different frequencies, and as well as amps and cabs for bass vs electric, within both of those there are different types - solid state vs valve/tube amps, size of cabs, open vs closed back......all of which offer different sound characteristics. Some pro players use the same over and over, others use different set ups at different times (when recording mainly, no one generally wants the faff of switching around amps and cabs between songs when playing live!)
and (BF) is pretty much pro-level.
so to speak - but lots of non-pro but very good players like having good kit, just as some of us like riding £4k carbon bikes.
and the rumble 15/25 etc is a mix of both.
Yep. Head and speaker in the same box (trying to avoid saying cabinet). Often called practice amps as generally more portable and not as loud - ymmv. To note - if you have a 65W practice amp you need to play it loud to make it work properly so don't necessarily think bigger is better unless you live in a soundproofed house with neighbours a mile distant.
More often these are solid state although you can get combo valve amps, and also with modern electronics, some enable various types of amps (and effects*) to be 'modelled' in to a single package (that headphone amp has two types plus three effects, I think). Often called modelling amps. Again, good fun (I have a Roland Cube) but you can waste so much time fiddling with settings instead of actually playing.
* and that's a real rabbit hole. As well as what the amp and cab sound like, most guitarists don't send the signal from the guitar to the amp, it goes through one or more effects pedals on the way that take the electronic signal and perform all sorts of sophisti****ery with it to give a modified sound. Look at the guitarists thread on here and marvel at their pedal board obsession. Most of the signature guitar sounds you recognise are only partly the guitar - if you can find a BBC documentary Lenny Kaye - On Guitar** it delves into this or there's loads on youtube. Or ask a guitarist friend (but block out most of the day for the answer)
Fortunately bassists in general have less in the way of offering, but there are bass pedals too and likewise, Joy Division / New Order wouldn't sound like they did without Peter Hook's chorus pedal. http://www.effectsbay.com/2017/02/peter-hook-talking-gear/
** was part of a series of three, not currently on iPlayer but you can find versions on line - was also Stewart Copeland - On Drums, and Tina Weymouth - On Bass, all of which are worth a watch.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002700
well ive seen a few examples of pastel green/maple/affinity on google, but not been able to find any in stock.
i rang pmtonline at nottingham to ask about stock and theyve only got black. they did say tho that theyve got a slightly more expensive green bass, an Ibanez TMB-100 Talman at £239.
i asked about starter packs and they stated that the starter packs are set, the ibanez wouldnt be part of one, and quoted another £145 for a rumble amp, £12 for a cable etc, so didnt look like they were trying to entice me in by giving any freebies.
tbh, even tho they stated that the ibanez was more expensive, i still liked the look of the squier sonic green/maple better.
so...... at present im torn between going for the cheaper sonic that looks better (to me anyway) vs a better affinity in a colour that im not toooo fussed about. gut feeling is quality should beat looks but obviously theres a balancing act. ideally ill find a pastel affinity with a maple fretboard, just not green. unless i try to find one with a rosewood fretboard. ho hum, decisions decisions.....the search continues 🙂
Another reason to tempt you into going into a shop - colours in stock photos are often very different in the flesh. Particularly greens and blues, even moreso with pastely greens and blues. At your stage, you want a guitar that makes you want to pick it up and play it, wandering round a shop and picking out one that has that certain something will help you do that.
Seriously, go to a shop or shops and get a feel of what works best for you. Unless you know exactly what you want, buying online is going to be a massive lottery.
I will echo what others have said about going into a shop and getting a feel for different instruments. When I started I played for years on Fender type basses simply because that's what the players who inspired me used. As the years went on I got into vintage Gibson basses with narrower fretboards which I personally find much easier to play. Now, the Fender necks didn't put me off playing but I think I could have advanced at a quicker rate if I had been playing something narrower from the start.
Aside from the debatable sonic differences, laquered maple boards can also feel different under your fingers to rosewood type boards.
Hi to the the fellow bass players on here (new, learning or seasoned old hands...)
Had to share this as really made me smile today. Scott and Ian's sheer delight in covered these bass gems is infectious. Disco might not be your thing but some great bass moments here...
Big switcheroonie of gear for me over the Xmas period.
Having packed in my gigging rock covers band of 15 years I decided to sell a bass to fund getting a 5 string and spending some proper time learning to play it. Sold my Cort A4 Plus and picked up a Mark Bass Gloxy MV5 in the Andertons sale.
I also sold off my big gig amp and cabs (Mesa Boogie BB750 Big Block and 2 x Barefacd Big Baby 2 cabs - sorry Alex) and headed off to Bass Direct in Leamington Spa to look at some smaller replacements. Came home with a full GR Bass set up.
Who knew that carbon fibre had made it into the bass cab world! My Barefaced cabs were pretty light but the GR Bass AT212 cab I bought is a one finger lift at 21lbs. And it is a 2x12 cab (My 1 x12 Barefaced cabs were about 32lbs each). And I picked up a GR Bass 800 head as well.
update. off to see my mates quiver of bass guitars on friday, one of which is fender precision, so thatll give me a feel for a squier P.
mate of a mate has offered me a squier P in 'tobacco burst' for £50, 'logo'ed up as a fender'. i asked if it had been modded (see, im learning) and he told me 'just the head'.
not sure what that means really, or the condition of the guitar either, but he'll send me some pics tomorrow he says.
£50 might be worth a gamble, but i spose its dead money if i dont particularly like it, or its tatty or whatever, and that £50 could go towards a new one.
I suspect he just means he’s added a Fender sticker to the headstock. There’s not much else on the head to be “modded” to be fair. (Smiley face)
50 quid is a fair gamble imho. If it plugs in and plays it’ll be fine to learn on, some folk spend more than that on strings
As for “tatty” have you seen what fender charge for faux “roadworn” versions from their “Custom Shop”?
hes just sent me a few pics. says it was like that when he bought it.
wotcha reckon?
Ask what strings are on it. Difficult to tell from the photos, but look to me like flatwounds. If they are, it wouldn’t be a great choice to learn on. It’s £20-30 swap to round wounds but may also need a set up to compensate and then it starts to add up.
Are you on FB? What comes up in your area if you search for 'Squier bass'?
Ask what strings are on it. Difficult to tell from the photos, but look to me like flatwounds. If they are, it wouldn’t be a great choice to learn on. It’s £20-30 swap to round wounds but may also need a set up to compensate and then it starts to add up.
ive asked and am awaiting a reply.
Are you on FB? What comes up in your area if you search for ‘Squier bass’?
nothing of any interest anywhere near.
thanks
i asked about the strings, and also whether it was a sonic or affinity squier. the answer ive just received is "Looking at pickups id say affinity.
Strings are roundwound"
even so cheap id prefer an affinity, as im told the cheaper sonics lose their tuning a bit easier, so can any squier experts confirm that it is indeed an affinity?
thanks
IANASE but I'd be surprised if Squier can do Sonic pricing on twin pick ups, Doesn't automatically make it an Affinity either, but more likely. Also not sure it's not classified as a PJ rather than a P, but even Fender's naming goes a bit flaky.....is it a PJ, or a P with PJ pickups.....
Looks like this but different headstock colour, unless the photos are misleading.
But honestly, I think you're overthinking a bit at £50. It takes seconds to retune with a decent tuner, or there's tricks to tuning it that can help, and in any case the only time retuning is a PITA would be if you're gigging and then retuning every song would be a pain. But if you get to that stage (ooh, accidental pun) then you can either get better machine heads, get a spare, upgrade, and pay some hairy roadie to retune it for you.
£50 might be worth a gamble, but i spose its dead money if i dont particularly like it, or its tatty or whatever, and that £50 could go towards a new one.
You'll always be able to move on a squire stickered as a fender on Gumtree / Facebook Marketplace. Just be 100% honest in the description.
lovely, thanks, ill let him know ill take it.
just been round my mates to get a feel for a fender precision to see how the weight and size feels and its fine. hes lent me a small fender amp, lead and tuner, so im good to go when i get the guitar.
thanks
YAY!
Well, I just adjusted my truss rod for the first time and nothing snapped or exploded and the action feels lovely.
Feeling like a very accomplished big grown-up boy right now.
It's one of those bottle testers where once you've done it successfully it seems ridiculously straightforward. From there you'll be setting up the intonation like a pro, eliminating fret buzz, lowering the action and generally becoming an avid amateur luthier!
Intonation is a whole 'nother can of worms, I've got a 5 string LTD that 'feels' amazing' but the E-string (Ie the string you probably use the most) just sounds tinny and muted and thin and rubbish, next job is to work out why.
Anyone got any of the Sterling Stingray clones? I've got money burning a hole in my pocket and an eye on the black body\pickguard and maple fingerboard Sub Ray4.
I wouldn't have bothered with a Ray4, I was kind of saving with an eye on a Ray34 or even a used US Stingray, but that black and maple is calling to me.
Are they any good? Or best avoided?
Never played one but do love the look of them. One of the bass podcasts we’re talking about them and preferred the even cheaper Intro series. Passive not active but they reckoned the cheap preamps in the Sub series weren’t great anyway. Also the pickups in the Intro are wired like the Ernie Ball ones, so sound more like a proper Stingray.
Low End Lobster on YouTube did a pretty deep dive into the Sub series and compared a whole lot of mods, both preamp and pick ups.
just picked up the bass, looks like the amp ive borrowed is a rumble 15, got a lead and tuner so im good to go. just need to source a strap now.
also need to suss out how to tune it. its got an input and output, so do i plug the lead into it then a 2nd lead from tuner to amp or somethings? ill have to find a video or two.
ill sign up to yousician for a year and see how i progress.
cheers
EDIT: cant see a discount on there now, have i missed the boat with that?
A few codes here. Not sure if any work though, but worth a try.
https://yousician.valuecom.com
You can just plug into tuner to quickly check tuning then swap lead over to amp. Make sure amp is switched off before plugging in.
A few codes here. Not sure if any work though, but worth a try.
https://yousician.valuecom.com
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thanks, doesnt seem to be any option to add a code tho, just goes through to free 7 day trial, stick your card details in and we'll take it in 7 days time. ive emailed them, see if they reply with anything.Make sure amp is switched off before plugging in.
yeah? so always connect leads before switching on yes? thats good to know.
thanks
I've got a crackle somewhere.
Playing through an iRig into the MacBook and listening through headphones via Yousician. All the connections are spotlessly clean.
Sometimes it's fine then and almighty electronic crackling sound kicks in when I play. It's not fret buzz or anything it sounds like static.
Any idea what to investigate before I break something?
well those nice people at yousician sent me a 25% off code, so im in now for a 7 day free trial. could have timed it better as i start 5 days work but im sure ill just keep the sub anyway.
work pc wont allow the app download, so am i right in thinking that you can only use it within the app? no interaction from within the website itself?
cheers
Yes I've got the app launcher on the desk top. I never go to the website.
Do you like AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Steppenwolf, Thin Lizzy Beach Boys etc? Loads of stuff to get going at.
Looks like Fender Play has locked me in for a year. I got a cracking discount last year and forgot to cancel it before auto renewal. Oh well...
Do you like AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Steppenwolf, Thin Lizzy Beach Boys etc? Loads of stuff to get going at.
i dont mind the odd one, but im hoping that yousician will do more than just let me copy other songs by showing me bass tabs. im hoping that itll teach me the basic nuts and bolts of playing bass, how to play it, tips and tricks, fretboard hand placements, strumming/plectrum comparisons, maybe some music theory, scales, keys, all that sort of thing.
will it?
I really liked bassbuz when I first started learning, I think he just gets the delivery and pacing right for learners
is that a paid sub too, and if so how does it compare to yousician?
thanks
Its not a sub, it is just a course, probably takes about 3 -4 months, I don't know about yousician, but I thought it was better as a grounding "base" than fender or scots bass lessons. But after you finish it you will move onto one of the others. In my experience, I wouldn't jump into an annual subscription straight away, try them for a month and then swap to annual if you get on with their offering.
A week isn't long enough to really sample if their teaching style fits you IMO.
will it?
No.
The guitar program is a lot more educational. The bass one is more about playing.
As an absolute beginner what you'll realise is that playing bass is physically difficult and your fingers won't want to do it. You'll have no speed, no stamina, terrible accuracy and you won't be able to hop strings and quickly fret notes. It'll sound horrible.
If you jump straight into music theory at this stage you'll be trying to memorise abstract concepts like the C major scale, the circle of fifths or something (stuff that makes no sense at this stage) while also not being able to actually play it.
Yousician will have you playing to a beat and keeping time from day one which I'd argue is an essential skill for a bass player. It'll teach you to keep your head up because you can't watch the monitor if you're staring at the fretboard. Treat it like going to the gym. Pick an easy tune and just play it repeatedly until it's easy then move up a level. It'll take a few months to start feeling good but it's so much better than just sitting in an otherwise silent room going bom-bom-bom-twang-buzz-bom-bom.
I'm time poor. I work all day and have a kid so for an hour after his bedtime I can plug in and bang out full tunes for an hour. When I've got more time I'll go back to SBL and learn some theory. But then I think what's the point? I'll probably never play outside the house, I'm hardly going to compose any music.
When I do go back to music theory now I see lots of techniques that make more sense now because they're actually useful and pop up in the dozens of songs and millions of notes I've played so that's something.
When you do want to start with theory learn chord tones. I don't know why they're not page 1, lesson 1 of all bass education but for some reason scales always come first. Learn chords and you can instantly play along with other instruments like guitars and pianos. But, only if you've been putting in the hours on your fingers.
As an absolute beginner what you’ll realise is that playing bass is physically difficult and your fingers won’t want to do it. You’ll have no speed, no stamina, terrible accuracy and you won’t be able to hop strings and quickly fret notes. It’ll sound horrible.
you would appear to be bang on the money there. who'd have thought Warhead and Blitzkrieg Bop could ever sound so sh1t?? 😀
incidentally, did you ever install the app on your phone? thought id try that for work but once in it i cant come out of it to go back to normal phone duties. cant see an 'exit app' anywhere. any ideas other than switching the phone off and then back on?
thanks
Never used it on the phone sorry. MacBook with an amp at first then and iRig with headphones.
Are you playing with fingers or a pick?
Another thing you'll notice is that even on technically easy songs where you're just pedalling away it's hard to get a consistent tone from each note. Like volume, duration, lack of fret buzz and whatnot. I sometimes play really long, repetitive songs just to practice making all the notes sound the same.
Another thing you’ll notice is that even on technically easy songs where you’re just pedalling away it’s hard to get a consistent tone from each note. Like volume, duration, lack of fret buzz and whatnot. I sometimes play really long, repetitive songs just to practice making all the notes sound the same.
This is an underrated point. It makes perfect sense when you think about it, but in practice, everyone always wants to zoom off somewhere more interesting, but the ability to play in consistent tempo and dynamic level, with pick, fingers or whatever, is so important. As an ex-drummer, its exactly like practicing rudiments, for exactly the same reasons.
I have simple tastes when it comes to music, so I'm perfectly happy to pick or pluck alone to relatively simple and repetitive tunes that I enjoy. Hysteria will come one day!
Are you playing with fingers or a pick?
im open to trying both, but naturally finding a pick easier.
Funny, I find pick much harder, due to having to remember to mute unplayed strings. Fingers kind of takes care of that for you, once you get used to it.
I try to practice both.
Funny, I find pick much harder, due to having to remember to mute unplayed strings. Fingers kind of takes care of that for you, once you get used to it.
i should probably expand by saying i find the pick gets me 'better' results, i find it not so ergonomically efficient tho. strumming more efficient but im hitting 2 strings at once, getting different results each 'pluck', it just doesnt sound as efficient as the pick. altho the downside of the pick as you say is that the open E string is still ringing long after ive moved onto a different string 😀
only day 2 tho, and i probably wont get much chance to practice again til monday. hence just going through the yousician app on my phone to see what its all about, altho first impressions are its very limited. not had a thorough look at it yet tho.
I play with my fingers 90% of the time. It's more difficult to learn and everyone I know who started with a pick never bothered to play with fingers as it felt like a frustrating step backwards. Starting out with a pick is probably like doing driving lessons in an automatic.
I started with my thumb anchored on the pickup but it's almost impossible to mute the strings and prevent all kinds of horrible noises. Then I found the 'floating thumb' on YouTube and switched. I had to slow down a lot to adopt a new habit but it was absolutely worth it.
I save the pick for rock stuff like Pixies, Buzzcocks, Ramones and stuff.
I've been hitting a wall recently like I've run into a speed limit. I've been trying to play stuff with proper solos in or tricky little fills and finding my fingers just don't move that fast. I'm getting there though. I always start slow and build up to it. I can feel it coming but some days I'm useless so I have a break.
When I said it's like going to the gym I wasn't joking!