Planning on getting a Bass - need advice.

[|Nuno|]

Okay, as the title says, I'm planning on buying a bass for my birthday, but I don't have a good idea of what I should get (or avoid). And since the music stores over here aren't exacly the best, I thought having different opinions from different persons would be a good idea. :)

For now, I'll just buy the bass itself and the amplifier. I'm thinking of a distortion pedal too, but since I don't have the money now, I'll probably buy it in Christmas or so.

My budget is around 400 € (481 U.S. Dollars), but keep in mind that things over are more expensive (:(). I'll play mostly Metal (Metallica, Rammstein, Tool, System of a Down, etc...) and have preference for a 5 string.

If it's any help, I'd love something which would allowd me to get a similar tone (relatively speaking) to the 'Black Album', 'Load' or 'Herzeleid'.

On amplifiers, I don't want anything too fancy. But it can't be Lada's radio like quality either. :lol: Just something that won't let the bass down.

So yeah, any suggestions would be welcome. :D

[skituner]

Rogue or Ibanez make a pretty good bass at a cheap price. i have a Ibanez 5 string that was my first bass and it did me well but i have since moved on from it. as far as amps go in your price range i would probley get the Behringer Thunderbird BX108 1x8" Bass Combo, my friend has one and although its not powerful it got a good sound to it.
hope that helped you out a little

[|Nuno|]

Thanks man, checked the Amp and the looking at the reviews it seems to be what I'm looking for. Gonna check out some more, but right now, this one's on the top of my list. :D

Ah, and could you tell me the model of your Ibanez? Thanks. :D

[ZfrkS62]

I play an Ibanez Soundgear 305DX 5string. Great bass. I think your best bet would be to check arund the 2nd hand shops (pawn/consignment shops) as i think the price of a new 5 string is a bit out of your current budget for bass and amp.

However, Ibanez makes great 4 strings as well. The necks are extremely comfortable and the strings are well spaced.

www.ibanez.com :D

as for amps...i have a Fender BXR60 that i've been pretty satisfied with. 60 watt amp through a 12 in. speaker. Though i haven't run it alone since i got my ESR 100watt valve state head :twisted:

But i think a 15 watt practise amp would be enough to start off with. They are usually fairly cheap. Peavy is usually the first company that will be suggested to you by the stores i think. They hold up to a fair amount of abuse.

good luck in your search. Look forward to seeing your new gear up in the basses/guitars thread :D

[|Nuno|]

I play an Ibanez Soundgear 305DX 5string. Great bass. I think your best bet would be to check arund the 2nd hand shops (pawn/consignment shops) as i think the price of a new 5 string is a bit out of your current budget for bass and amp.

However, Ibanez makes great 4 strings as well. The necks are extremely comfortable and the strings are well spaced.

www.ibanez.com :D

Yeah, indeed. I've been doing some research after my first post and 5 strings are a tad too expensive. They had a 5 string at the music store last month for around 250 € though, but it seemen kinda crappy so I'll go with a 4 string.

So, right now I've narrowed it down to three options:

- Ibanez GSR 200;
- Yamaha RBX 270 or 374.

If my pocket is deep enough, I'll get the RBX 374. If not, I'll probably go for the Ibanez. :D


as for amps...i have a Fender BXR60 that i've been pretty satisfied with. 60 watt amp through a 12 in. speaker. Though i haven't run it alone since i got my ESR 100watt valve state head :twisted:

But i think a 15 watt practise amp would be enough to start off with. They are usually fairly cheap. Peavy is usually the first company that will be suggested to you by the stores i think. They hold up to a fair amount of abuse.

Hehe, your setup sounds like fun. I bet the neighbours don't like it though... :mrgreen:

Anyway, as in the bass this will depend on money (or lack of it).

If I get the RBX 374, then I'll probably get either the Behringer Thunderbird BX 108 or the Behringer Ultrabass BX 300.

If I get the Ibanez or the RBX 270, I'll get a better Amp - the Drive CD 300B or the Crate BT 15 seem like good options. :D


good luck in your search. Look forward to seeing your new gear up in the basses/guitars thread :D

Thanks! And thanks for the advice too. :D

As for the thread, I don't have a digital camera so it'll be hard to get any pics, unless I borrow my cousin's digital camera...

[ZfrkS62]

Hehe, your setup sounds like fun. I bet the neighbours don't like it though...


Living in Phoenix, the guy i bought it (the ESR head) off of was running it through a 2x15 cabinet. we got the cops called on us 4 or 5 times, and that was in a house. In the apartment, i have YET to have the police show up :lol:

[|Nuno|]

Hehe, your setup sounds like fun. I bet the neighbours don't like it though...


Living in Phoenix, the guy i bought it (the ESR head) off of was running it through a 2x15 cabinet. we got the cops called on us 4 or 5 times, and that was in a house. In the apartment, i have YET to have the police show up :lol:

Haha, 5 times?! Damn, that must be loud!

And I guess there aren't many 70 years old ladies in your apartment, then? Either that or you're "respected", if you know what I mean... :mrgreen:


Meanwhile, I'll be happy if I can get by bedroom windows to shake. :mrgreen:

[ZfrkS62]

haha, i've only met one of my neighbors and that ws when i first moved in. I usually don't have it set too horribly loud. But i'm really wondering as to jus how thick the walls are in my place because in a year, i haven't heard ANYTHING from any of my neighbors :|

[|Nuno|]

haha, i've only met one of my neighbors and that ws when i first moved in. I usually don't have it set too horribly loud. But i'm really wondering as to jus how thick the walls are in my place because in a year, i haven't heard ANYTHING from any of my neighbors :|

Ehm... Maybe they're dead! :shock:


Nah, seriously, consider yourself lucky... My house is divided in two (we call geminated to this kind of houses over here) like the one in the pic, and you can ear EVERYTHING. Really annoying :bah:

http://images.imoguia.com/I/512x384/3652398.jpg

[ZfrkS62]

i think that's called a duplex over here. not sure though :bah:

[nurbrun]

i would get a ibanz. ive played alot of ibanzes and they have all sounded good. there nice and light to!

[|Nuno|]

i would get a ibanz. ive played alot of ibanzes and they have all sounded good. there nice and light to!

Nah, Yamaha got me. :D I found a nice 5 string (RBX 375) for 299 €. I'll probably get a Behringer Ultrabass BX300 to go with it.

Problem is that the Amp will take 3 weeks to arrive, and since I'm going on vacations next week I guess I'll buy the bass at the same time. So I'll only have it by the middle of July or so...

[nurbrun]

my friend has a yamaha. i had to play it once for a show because 2 minutes before we went on my E-String broke! lol. it sounded good to

[|Nuno|]

Already have the thing!! :D :D

Bought it two days ago, right after the end of my holiday! Didn't get the RBX 375 after all - it was sold out on the 3 stores I went to, and it would take a month before they had it again on stock...

But that was actually a good thing, because I went for a BB 614 instead, which while it is a bit more expensive (350€ vs. 299), it's also better. :D

Here's a bit more info on it:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=bass/s=electric/search/detail/base_pid/519161/


(Mine's dark grey, by the way.)


I'll put a pic up once I get the digital camera.

And so far so good. It plays like a dream, even on my Behringer BX108. The active electronics are a very nice feature and it's a very flexible bass. Only complain I have is the quality of the paint, which could be a bit better.




P.S. Thanks for your suggestions, guys. :D