Want to start playing bass - Looking for recommendations for a bass and amp/cab rig

E

Econ

Well-known member
I’ve been playing guitar for over 40 years and just recently started to get interested in playing bass. My choice of music when playing guitar is 80’s hard rock, hair metal, progressive rock and top 40 music. But when thinking about bass, I’d like to concentrate more into top 40 music. I‘m looking for recommendations for a bass and an amp/cab rig. This would be for home playing. Looking for something practical but also something that I would no overgrow. Don’t know of I should go for a P bass or a J bass. My hands are small, so also don’t know if a should consider a short scale bass or even a tiny bass. There are no music stores close to were I live. So I need to rely on research and recommendations from fellow musicians.

Your feedback is much appreaciated.
 
Econ said:
I’ve been playing guitar for over 40 years and just recently started to get interested in playing bass. My choice of music when playing guitar is 80’s hard rock, hair metal, progressive rock and top 40 music. But when thinking about bass, I’d like to concentrate more into top 40 music. I‘m looking for recommendations for a bass and an amp/cab rig. This would be for home playing. Looking for something practical but also something that I would no overgrow. Don’t know of I should go for a P bass or a J bass. My hands are small, so also don’t know if a should consider a short scale bass or even a tiny bass. There are no music stores close to were I live. So I need to rely on research and recommendations from fellow musicians.

Your feedback is much appreaciated.
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Fender and a lot of other companies make great PJ basses that would be the best of both worlds and more versatile than one or the other. Personally I wouldn’t go for a short scale due to the difference in tone. Even with small hands you’ll learn your way around the fretboard.

I’m not sure what you’re looking to spend but these are killer basses that you wouldn’t have to worry about outgrowing if you decided to take it to the next level

https://www.fender.com/en-US/electr...es/player-plus-precision-bass/0147363323.html
 
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Compared to a P Bass, the J Bass has a substantionally slimmer neck on the nut that makes it easier to play.But personally, I like the sound of P-PUs more as it‘s the classic sound for rock.
I got an affinity P/J and it‘s all I ever need as a bass oriented guitar player. I think mine was even made of alder in 2016 before Fender switched to agathis.
There are shortscale P/J Jaguar Basses from the affinity line too, if you are affraid of the long scale. But honestly, I got used to the longer scale after a while.
 
I'd go for a J Bass. They are easier to play than a true P and if you solo the neck pick up it'll sound close enough to a P. Some of the Squiers are really nice.

You'll get used to the 34" scale. It's really not an issue. What is more critical is how the bass hangs and where the nut ends up positioned relative to your body. Luckily Leo Fender got that right, so if you buy a P or J you'll be fine.

For an amp, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Aguilar Tone Hamer series if they are within your budget. The newer Fender Rumble series gets lots of praise. I'm not a huge fan of them, but they certainly get the job done.
 
Squier makes lots of great, inexpensive PJ basses; but I would actually suggest their jaguar PJ specifically because it's a shorter scale length and easier to adapt to.

As far as amps, for small home practice the fender rumble, for gigging you can't go wrong with Aguilar
 
Thank you all for the great feedback. The Fender Player Plus Precision is definitely a solid choice. Will also look into Specter. I don’t have any budget constraints, but don’t want to overspend, given that this will be my first bass rig
 
Econ said:
Anyone with experience with Hartke or Genzler?
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Hartke cabs were everywhere back in the 80s but most used a 400rb or 800rb with them.

I wouldn't over think it. If you don't mind spending for an Aguilar or Darkglass amp, then I'd just do that. The Ampeg SVT AV cabs (1x12, 2x10, and 2x12) are nice for that Ampeg sound.

It's like guitar amps. Sure there are things other than Marshall/Fender/Vox/Mesa/5150, and those things probably sound fine. But why bother unless you just want to be adventurous. Ampeg, Aguilar, Dark Glass, and Gallien Krueger already have it covered.
 
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Get a Bluesman, you can get good deals on them, I have one that comes with a p bass as well as a j bass pickup, it outplays my friends fenders and sounds as good or better. It plays very, very well and is fun to play. You can find them used for great prices sometimes.

Watch some clips on YouTube. They sound great.
 
MM Sub bass. Sound of a Stingray at a fraction of the price. Best sound-for-buck value I can think of.

For rock, I'd go Ampeg every day of the week.
For pop, funk, jazz, fusion and so on, I'd go Gallien Krueger. Old units are cheap.
 
BeZo said:
Spector and Ampeg.
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Oh yea

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Old Trace Elliot stuff is an insane value right now. I got the head and both cabs to my door for $700 from GC's used section.You gotta have a strong back though, this shit isn't light. My buddy used an identical setup in a top 40 band for years. I can coax pretty much any sound out of it that I'd ever need, although I mostly play metal/stoner stuff with it.

I've got $1100 in the whole rig, after replacing the pickup with a killer sounding SD SMB-4D.
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I've since added an Ampeg 8x10, because there's no replacement for displacement. I will eventually add another head (either Darkglass or Mesa) so I can run a bi-amp rig.

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+ for 810 cabs. Best you can get to really feel the bass. Amp choice same with guitar. Try to listen comparisons on YT to decide what colour you like more. Or maybe check favourite artist amp.
But choosing bass is so hard. They’re sound really different (body, pickups, on board circuits etc.). To me, selection of basses that covers main sounds contains at least 8 or 10 pieces. So it worth to do same research with checking setup of favourite artists
 
I HATE moving my 810. Stairs are just awful. It's fine of course if you have a second set of hands to lift the other end. But solo up or down a flight of stairs is terrible. Don't understand why it does not have side handles.

I typically use a pair of Bag End 15s if I am just lugging my own stuff.
 
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