Bass opinions

[DHW]

Hi all,

My daughter is starting band next year. Our local band program includes electric bass which she sees as the next best thing to playing the guitar(I agree with her). I will very likely buy her either an SE or a Mexican p or j for home/concerts(at a minimum) but she will need something to carry back and forth to school... This one will be on the bus, in the practice rooms, ect. I want to get her something that plays nice and looks good but don't want to hand her a $1000 bass even with a repair warranty for the beating it will take. She will never be able to handle her bag and a hard case by herself for a while so it will be a gig bag on top of it all for the time being. It looks like the options available locally from places that offer a repair warranty would be a squire vintage modified series, squire signature models, yamaha rbx, a slew of ibanez, sterling MM series, ephiphones, and that about wraps it up. I was kinda thinking a bolt on neck model would be good for speed of repair in case of serious damage but wouldn't be required. Maybe I can find a used SE but the market on those is pretty small with how new they are.

I've never played bass and only know that fender has been the standard forever but don't want to blindly buy.

Sorry for not being strictly PRS related but this is the only online group I trust.

 

[CoreyT]

I only have high praises for my SE Kingfisher bass.
Easy to play, and comes with a high quality gig bag.
I think the Kingfisher would be an excellent guitar for her, and a great introduction to PRS.

 

[DHW]

I only have high praises for my SE Kingfisher bass.
Easy to play, and comes with a high quality gig bag.
I think the Kingfisher would be an excellent guitar for her, and a great introduction to PRS.

Oh she already has 2 se 6 strings and a CE24

My worry is the beating it will take during the normal course of a day. On the bus, off the bus, through a busy school, maneuvering around those black metal music stands, back on the bus, back off the bus at a minimum 3 days a week, every week. Not sure how hard that would be on one. I was kinda thinking one that could be destroyed and not feel bad might be a better way to go but maybe not...

 

[DHW]

I only have high praises for my SE Kingfisher bass.
Easy to play, and comes with a high quality gig bag.
I think the Kingfisher would be an excellent guitar for her, and a great introduction to PRS.

On another note... What would you compare the SE bass's to? What are they most similar to? We are going to go out tonight and I want to put some in her hands as she needs to commit to an instrument within a week and there are no SE bass's in the area for her to try.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

black metal music

She needs one of these then.

 

[DHW]

She needs one of these then.

The band teacher may have a heart attack!

 

[Huggy Love]

For the cheap, the Ibanez bass. I've seen them used for under a C-note at the GC, perfect for a beater and they sound better than the other low $ basses to my ears.

 

[drdoom8793]

The band teacher may have a heart attack!

Funny enough, when I was in high school marching band, our bassist used a 5 string Warlock for performances.

 

[CoreyT]

On another note... What would you compare the SE bass's to? What are they most similar to? We are going to go out tonight and I want to put some in her hands as she needs to commit to an instrument within a week and there are no SE bass's in the area for her to try.

Not sure since this is my first bass, but I have heard the quality is way up there.
The only other recent bass I can compare it to would be the Grainger prototype I played September o 2013 at the Meet And Greet at my dealer.
The Kingfisher was just as easy to play as its more expensive cousin.

I can see your concern with it getting beat up though going back and forth.
I saw some Ibanez basses too at my PRS dealer that looked nice and brand new were pretty cheap.

Now if she really wants to give her teacher a heart attack, look no further than the Cort Gene Simmons Axe
http://thehub.musiciansfriend.com/bass-guitar-reviews/hands-on-review-cort-gene-simmons-axe-bass

 

[Therinx]

For the cheap, the Ibanez bass. I've seen them used for under a C-note at the GC, perfect for a beater and they sound better than the other low $ basses to my ears.

Yeah i picked up a nice one for $200. It was on sale, but they have a GSR model that is always in that price range.

 

[DHW]

Yeah i picked up a nice one for $200. It was on sale, but they have a GSR model that is always in that price range.

Oh I don't need it to be THAT cheap! lol I am thinking under $500 for a beater and under $1200 for one to leave at home/play in concerts for now. Gives me something to plink around on too.

 

[alantig]

That's not a beating, that's added mojo!

And yeah, the Simmons bass is cool - this is mine, but being played by a real bass player...

 

[MistaSnowman]

I, personally, would go for either of the PRS SE models but this one wouldn't be too far behind...

http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-IBA-SR500-LIST

My wife has that model in a brown burst

 

[goat-n-gitter]

I would look for a '80s Japanese Squier Jazz or Precision. They can be had for 3-400 and are great quality and won't lose any value. I have a Squier Jazz, and it's right up there with my U.S. Jazz. Only gripe I have is the bridge plate has sharp edges.

Tom

 

[mezzio]

My daughter plays bass in Jazz band, I bought her an Ibanez GSR. It's alright, but she's more comfortable with the Fender Jazz Bass (the schools instrument she was using before I got her the Ibanez). I'd honestly take her out and let her try some and see what she gravitates toward... If it's a surprise for her, just go to the shop as if you're buying for yourself, wander over to the basses, and have her play with a few to get some ideas on what she's comfortable with

 

[László]

If you get her any decent bass, it will survive a heck of a lot, I don't know that you have to bother with a beater.

I got my son a US G&L when he was in middle school. That bass has gone a heck of a lot of places, and has seen/is still seeing a lot of gigs and use, including recent major label sessions.

He's mostly used it with a gig bag, and it is still in superb shape. He's never been a fussbudget who babies his instruments, either (unlike his dad ). I will note that the gig bag it's been used with all these years is a Levy's leather one, and that's held up well, too.

I'd avoid a bass with a fragile tilt-back headstock, and go with something with a Fender-style headstock, in case of a drop.

 

[vchizzle]

If you run across a Fender Deluxe P Bass Special(Mexico), they're a great value. Play great, sound great. Especially used. I got mine for $300, which is perfect for someone who doesn't play bass! The PRS SE basses are really nice. I think the necks are a hair bigger, so depending on her hand size, that might make a difference.

 

[DHW]

She tried out the fender range, an Ibanez 250, a sterling, and a Yamaha tonight and liked the Ibanez the best of those. I think there's one of each of the se's in a small shop up here, at least that's what I was told. Will have to check those out.

I think the success tonight is that she's totally forgotten about the flute and sax she was also considering once and for all.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I have a blue Yamaha BB bass with active electronics that I bought used off a stoner kid for $100, and it's Bangin!
Bass gear depreciates faster than used underwear does, so my advice is to buy used*.





* A used bass, obviously. Not used underwear.

 

[DHW]

I have a blue Yamaha BB bass with active electronics that I bought used off a stoner kid for $100, and it's Bangin!
Bass gear depreciates faster than used underwear does, so my advice is to buy used*.





* A used bass, obviously. Not used underwear.

It depends on who's underwear we are talking about though.... Oh the bass... That's a good point, I will look at that angle too.