Recommend a good beginner bass?

[BuddytheReow]

I know it's been a while since I've kicked this idea around, but I think I'm gonna go with a Yamaha TRB304X. For the price point it seems like the best bang for my buck. I was torn between this and the Ibanez GSRS00. For the extra bit of cash it seems like you get that much more quality. My birthday's coming up so I'm gonna treat myself in the next few days.

Yamaha TRBX304 Bass Guitar - Mist Green

Electric Bass with Mahogany Body, Maple/Mahogany Neck, Rosewood Fingerboard, and 2 Humbucking Pickups - Mist Green

www.sweetwater.com

 

[peccary]

Yamaha make some great instruments, I'm sure you'll be stoked with that!

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

Of those two I think you made a good call. Headstock alone is much more attractive.

 

[cwsquared]

I second the suggestion of getting a used bass. Squier Classic Vibe if you decide to go the Fender Shaped Object route.

I have an older Squier Affinity P-Bass (before the newer PJ config) I snagged off FB Marketplace, with 15w Rumble amp (which I keep meaning to offload), for $175. Barely used. A bit of setup and it works great.

Sire is killing it with the Marcus Miller line. Arguably a much better value than Squiers and Mexican Fenders.

I love the P7 I got for Christmas. At $600, it's more than the price cap, but so nice.

A little TLC is always necessary but nothing major. Any competent tech can get you up and running for little money. Emphasis on competent.

I feel like this is the case with every instrument.

 

[BuddytheReow]

Can anyone recommend a good circuit for bass? Or at least a good circuit to mod to bass?

 

[cwsquared]

Can anyone recommend a good circuit for bass? Or at least a good circuit to mod to bass?

I assume you are looking for ones to build? This thread may be a good start: Pedals for Bass Guitar

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

I assume you are looking for ones to build? This thread may be a good start: Pedals for Bass Guitar

I stand by what I said in that thread. The moonn lofran I mentioned is currently my favorite bass fuzz. I assume you're interested in more than bassfilth though. I bring up the VIIB, hydra and ocelot constantly on this forum. Engineers thumb also.

 

[Feral Feline]

Creamery aka Milk Box is another good comp.


Utility wise:
Bax and All EQ
6-band (adjusted).
Unicab cab-sim
Split&Blend buffer perf or vero


On-board the bass:
You could vero the MusicMan preamp, or Ashbury pre; there’s a few others to consider as well, Sadowsky, etc…


Troll TalkBass — as in fishing for info and not baiting people — plenty of mental fodder there.

 

[BuddytheReow]

Slappin da bass, mon!

 

[PapaBear]

I know it's been a while since I've kicked this idea around, but I think I'm gonna go with a Yamaha TRB304X. For the price point it seems like the best bang for my buck. I was torn between this and the Ibanez GSRS00. For the extra bit of cash it seems like you get that much more quality. My birthday's coming up so I'm gonna treat myself in the next few days.

Yamaha TRBX304 Bass Guitar - Mist Green

Electric Bass with Mahogany Body, Maple/Mahogany Neck, Rosewood Fingerboard, and 2 Humbucking Pickups - Mist Green

www.sweetwater.com

I was in a music store today that had that exact model and color, noodled around on it a few minutes, then got the hell out of there, my wallet was getting warm

 

[BuddytheReow]

I was in a music store today that had that exact model and color, noodled around on it a few minutes, then got the hell out of there, my wallet was getting warm

I’ve only been fooling around with it for a few days, but so far I’m pleased with it.

 

[Coda]

Warning: the following comments are not intended to rile feathers, poke bears, and twist pantries; they are personal opinions, and only apply to one single individual…

I always hated the look of 95% of basses. Classic Fender/Gibson/Rick/Hofner…yes. But sometime in the 80s, it seems, things got weird. Strange headstock shapes, crazy long and big upper horns, small little bodies. None of it appeals to me. I guess I just like the classics…

 

[Diynot]

@Coda trigger warning:

 

[Feral Feline]

I have diverse tastes and like the classic shapes, but also enjoy unusual…

 

[fig]

Slappin da bass, mon!

Well hum my bucker, those are some clean lines! How do you like the active EQ? Is there a bypass for it?

 

[BuddytheReow]

Well hum my bucker, those are some clean lines! How do you like the active EQ? Is there a bypass for it?

The active EQ is pretty nice and you can dial in a flat EQ very easily. The knobs kind of "click" when you hit the middle position. Unfortunately I don't think you can bypass it since you need a power source in order for any signal to come through unless I decide to do some surgery on it.

 

[mybud]

The active EQ is pretty nice and you can dial in a flat EQ very easily. The knobs kind of "click" when you hit the middle position. Unfortunately I don't think you can bypass it since you need a power source in order for any signal to come through unless I decide to do some surgery on it.

I have two Yamaha's: TRB1005 fretless and fretted TRB1006. They are not top of the line by any means, but nicely made workmanlike instruments with active EQ as above. But you're right @BuddytheReow, the EQ is always in circuit.

This is a blessing and a curse if one (i.e., me) isn't careful, because as the batteries expire, the bass produces some really weird distorted sounds. Not groovy, ugly indigestion-type stuff. I once got caught out on a gig and had to replace the battery in fair haste. Very embarrassing. These days I check the battery before I leave the house and have plenty of spares in my gig bag in case.

For a long time it's been on my mind to mod them with an active/passive switch, basically true bypass with a 3PDT toggle and maybe an LED as a kind of rudimentary battery low indicator. First, to avoid that situation I described, but second to be able to use them in passive config for some of my pedals which don't seem to like the higher headroom that the active EQ provides.

If anyone has done this (or a related) mod, any advice or guidance will be appreciated as always.

 

[fig]

For a long time it's been on my mind to mod them with an active/passive switch, basically true bypass with a 3PDT toggle and maybe an LED as a kind of rudimentary battery low indicator. First, to avoid that situation I described, but second to be able to use them in passive config for some of my pedals which don't seem to like the higher headroom that the active EQ provides.

Switch selection seems important. You need to carefully measure the space you want to place it. The body thickness, the cavity depth, and the over dimensions. Also, as this is an active circuit, a mech. switch may introduce popping to the guitar's output.

 

[vigilante398]

Troll TalkBass — as in fishing for info and not baiting people — plenty of mental fodder there.

I basically live on Talkbass, I spend more time there than any other forum these days. Really cool people, really into gear (not to mention the fact that there's a 500+ page thread about me ).

I know I'm too late to suggest basses, but I play Ibanez SR exclusively, recently got rid of my SR500 and picked up an SR1600. I have little hands, and the SR have nice thin necks. Currently trying to talk my wife into letting me pick up a GSR200 for my daughter so she can get started on bass.

 

[mybud]

Switch selection seems important. You need to carefully measure the space you want to place it. The body thickness, the cavity depth, and the over dimensions. Also, as this is an active circuit, a mech. switch may introduce popping to the guitar's output.

Yes absolutely, @fig. I just looked at the fretless's innards and this would require routing a new cavity to accommodate the switch, well beyond my non-existent woodworking skills. I guess I'll just live with the preamp as is for now, and when it comes to overloading my pedals, I could (aha-moment!) simply turn the bass's volume down.