I want to learn Bass

[Aaron]

As title says, I'd like to learn bass. I am a drummer, I know not-alot about bass or guitar, although have played violin for 11 years so I figure there are some transferrable skills. I like bass.

Question: Am I right in [as with drums] avoiding entry-level and getting second hand intermediate or pro level gear? If yes, what would you guys suggest. My budget for bass only is $500AU; I have a 15w practice amp that i'll use.

[Understanding In a Crash]

$170 is pretty entry level in my mind besides being just over the bare minimum and the bass is still a good work horse to me... not that it has a choice.

Details on the practice amp plz :thumb:

[Phalanx]

if you're enthusiastic about it, then by all means don't buy a cheap piece o' carp just because it's the conventional thing to do with any instrument. I don't really know what $500AU is in pounds but all i'll say is just try a 5 string (or 6 for that matter) as for many people, they soon realise that 4 strings is a slight hinderence especially if you want to play more specific genres (this is debateable, but it's what I think).

[Sammy_L_D]

i'll say is just try a 5 string (or 6 for that matter) as for many people, they soon realise that 4 strings is a slight hinderence especially if you want to play more specific genres (this is debateable, but it's what I think).

Wrong. This is opinion only.

No advantages or disadvantages to either--except what you make to be a disadvantage.

[Phalanx]

Wrong. This is opinion only.

Contradictions collapsed

[Riouken]

Contradictions collapsed

:lol:

[OutontheTiles]

Hey,
I like your idea personally. The way i see it, this is assumeing that you will continue playing bass, that instead of buying a beginner's bass, for like 200, then selling it to buy a great bass, like a 700 dollar one. Ive learned to buy the best first so you dont always have to keep buying stuff. As stupid as it sounds, you save money by spending more.
I dont know what you kind of music you like to play but i would get a Fender Deluxe Active Jazz, its a great versiatle bass that im dreaming of right now. OR maybe a fender pbass for hard rock or even a good Ibanez SG series, i love soundgear stuff.
But! lol i would also presume your going to play with a band and you would definately need a good bass amp also.

[Aaron]

Thanks for all the feedback so far.

In drums I play alot of different styles; I've played in both a metal/hard-rock band as well as in a latin-based fusion group. I also play worship style stuff at church. I really have no idea about different body types etc for bass's. I just know that some have 4, some have 5 and some have 6 strings [presumably in my mind for nutty fusion stuff]. Any online references I can look into to get a run down? Thanks again.

[Ting]

Ha, i also played violin for 11 years before starting bass. And believe me, your skills will definitely transfer.

[BobJoHankins]

get a good amp and a shitty bass rather than the other way around.

[Az_Holl]

I live 20 minutes from Wollongong... small world.

[Aaron]

^ Ha, really? I'm from thirroul but just moved to north-beach, across the road from the novatell. Hence my want to brand ouch; apartment living isn't very supportive of drummers.

[Az_Holl]

I wish i lived in Wollongong, although im there pretty much everyday for tafe anyway :p

Good luck.

[OutontheTiles]

I would say, in addition to my first comment that, buy a bass that speaks to you rather than what people say is a good bass or whatever. I played a few 800 buck basses and a olp played a lot better to me.
Also for the amp, weight your decisions because you need a reasonably loud amp to play with a band and they could cost you 300+
I have a cheap peavey bass and a much better amp ashdown mag300, i would check it out for a loud, cheap but good amp, and im happy with my setup but thats just me.

Edit:

Yeah i see your talking about the different stringed basses, yeah some have 4, 5 or 6.
See a 4 string, traditional, bass is tuned Eadg, while a 5 string is tuned BEADG and then a 6 is tuned BEADGC
What you need to know is 5 has a lower string and 6 has a lower and a higher, in compared to a 4 string. I perfer a 4 string because i dont need the lower string, and i definately do not need the higher string because, well i play bass. Also 4 strings, to me, is jsut the right amount, if i had in a 5th or a 6th, i get confused and loss my footing on notes.
My honest advice, go to a music store and just play basses until you find one that speaks to you and if you dont find it, go to another one lol.

[Futuro]

If you stop drumming aaron, i will kick u in the balls.

[da_s_man13]

You're not gonna get a decent bass for $500 aus, I can tell you that much. Depends on what your wanting to use it for really. If you're just learning go buy a cheap one. Although i'd say chip in abit more and get something nicer. Go second hand aswell. Try come into the city to buy one aswell, not sure how the music shops are down in the gong.

[staticaxe]

slap on the bass drum pop on the snare!!

[Az_Holl]

You're not gonna get a decent bass for $500 aus, I can tell you that much. Depends on what your wanting to use it for really. If you're just learning go buy a cheap one. Although i'd say chip in abit more and get something nicer. Go second hand aswell. Try come into the city to buy one aswell, not sure how the music shops are down in the gong.
Shithouse, thats how they are.

[da_s_man13]

In that case come into the city...aint gonna find much 2nd hand ive found but theyres a few good music shops in Annandale on Parramatta Rd.

[Naminator]

Get a good amp and a half-assed bass.

not the other way around....

[Happy_Squirrel]

Contradictions collapsed

Wow, maaaaaaan......

What a paradox. This is totally like that episode of Star Trek where Geordi and Data tried to kill the Borg by inserting a 2D dimensional rendering of a shape that couldn't exist in 3D space into their consciousness, thus creating a paradoxical loop that they could never resolve and ensuring their demise through a causality loop overload.

Far out, maaaaan...:smoke:

[Aaron]

Okay, um, you guy's have confused me, haha. Thanks for all the advice so far eitherway.

[Naminator]

And you can't learn bass.

you can learn how to play bass.