Thinking of picking up a bass

I've been considering learning to play an instrument for a while now, and considering our kind of sort of band lacks a steady bass man so far, the bass guitar seems like a good option. Now, I've never bought an instrument, so I'm kind of at a loss when it comes to the "well where do I start?" part.

I am left-handed. I understand that this might be sort of a complication. I am not very rich, so a very expensive bass is simply not going to work for me. I'll work over the summer and save up enough cash to buy a decent cheap-ish bass.

Where would you recommend I look for a bass? Music stores seem professional, but very expensive compared to online shopping. Online, on the other hand, I can't "feel" what works for me.

Any other suggestions or advice are of course appreciated too.

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Permalink Reply by Somber on June 3, 2012 at 6:08pm

I would try a pawn shop first, I don't. Know if this is the case where you live but most pawn shops I've been to have some top of the line basses for a remotely cheap price. Also keep your eye on garage sales, you never know what you'll find(that's how I got mine) as for finding what feels right you could go to a music shop and try some basses out and see if you can find your favorite cheaper online.

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Permalink Reply by joshua kornel on June 18, 2012 at 3:43am

i dont know if there is a lefty version of the one i have but an ibenez sr305 its a 5 string its sexy as hell and sounds great. btw 5 string is a 4 string with an extra b string up top

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Permalink Reply by Pamparius the Sailor Man on June 18, 2012 at 5:36am

Thank you both. Will go to a music shop first then, trying different types of basses. The whole being left handed thing kind of had me a little worried.

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Permalink Reply by Nathaniel on June 19, 2012 at 12:49am

First off, great choice. The world always needs more bass players. Second, my advice is as follows:

1) The lefty thing can be a pain in the ass, since manufacturers make far fewer lefty basses and retailers carry even fewer. But don't worry, it's not that hard to find a decent selection as a beginner. Those problems become more apparent when you've been playing for a while and have a more discerning taste in your instruments.

2) NEVER BUY ONLINE. Aside from running the risk of getting a damaged/shitty instrument, buying online cuts out the most important part of choosing an instrument: feel. I can not stress enough how important it is to find a bass that feels good in your hands. The sound is important too, but that can be adjusted through a million different methods. Changing the feel of the instrument is much harder.

So, my advice is to shop around to every music store and pawn shop in town, trying out as many basses as you can. You'll find one that will speak to you, and then you won't be able to put it down.

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Permalink Reply by scumtriumphant on July 12, 2012 at 9:13am

If you are looking for something really cheap to learn on, online might still be a good shout. I got my first bass off ebay for a really good price, and though it was a bit battered and needed restringing it was still perfectly good for what I needed - banging away at it in a shitty hardcore punk band