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Order a set of La Bella Olinto flats. Should give the Jamerson vibes in after for the P. My Jazz is really bright, so backing the bridge pick up off will still give an almost P on rounds sound. Not good enough to play metally stuff yet anyway. Struggle to keep up with 8th notes once the tempo rises. Can always change back anyway if I don’t like them.
“Happy bass birthday to me!”
Congratulations! It’s such a great instrument and will be forever underappreciated - but we know the truth.
“ Steve Harris isn’t the best example of flats because apparently he puts a fresh set of strings on every gig ! Also heavy attack and big amp”
Fresh strings for EVERY TAKE in the studio. Super low action and super light technique (the only way you can play that fast for gigs that long for so many decades).
I’m gradually switching to coated strings because the demo basses at work don’t get played enough so end up dying from corrosion rather than normal wear, but coated strings last and last. The Coated Slinky’s are great - not quite as super bright when new which is perfect on my Stingray Special and they’re barely changing at all with use/time.
Still very much liking my Jack Casady bass - it’s reawoken my slap playing (sorry!) and I’m thinking about bringing a prototype active One10T back from work so I have an actual amp at home (been acoustic only here for years!)
“Struggle to keep up with 8th notes once the tempo rises.”
Use a metronome and gradually work up to faster tempos - don’t run before you can walk. Also try alternating between bursts of 8ths and quarters so you can get the speed happening before the stamina is there.
Use a metronome and gradually work up to faster tempos – don’t run before you can walk. Also try alternating between bursts of 8ths and quarters so you can get the speed happening before the stamina is there.
Thanks. I use a metronome at times, but prefer drum loops as they are a bit more fun to practice to. Tend to be fine when practicing but when it comes to the pressure of keeping up with a backing track it goes wonky. One missed or late note snowballs. I know it’s just practice and time. It’s quite motivating going back to early modules and being able to play them so much more effortlessly. Shows what can be achieved in as little as a year even at my late starting age.
“I use a metronome at times, but prefer drum loops as they are a bit more fun to practice to.”
I was inspired to try playing to a drum loop this evening - can’t remember the last time I did that! I normally play unaccompanied unless I’m sorting out a tempo thing or with other musicians. For my own music I’m so prone to syncopations and odd time moments that if I’m nailing down a groove I can’t use anything other than an unaccented click - and where there’s a tempo change I can’t even use that!
Whilst I reinvent my slap playing it does help to have some grooves to lock into and highlight if my timing is off, so thanks for the idea!
“Tend to be fine when practicing but when it comes to the pressure of keeping up with a backing track it goes wonky. One missed or late note snowballs.”
I’ve been trying to learn walking bass recently, so reading chord charts and improvising to jazz standards - bloody hell, it’s difficult! Top tip - the groove matters more than the notes, keep going, even if you hit a wrong note or fluff the timing, just get that next note in the pocket (even if it’s not the right one, you can get away with murder using chromatic movement on the bass!)
I’ve been trying to learn walking bass recently
Mark’s lesson this week is on that very subject, (30% off the course, etc etc etc). Worth a watch though.
Not to blow my own trumpet massively but I can already do amazing funk grooves! The walking challenge for me is to strip back to 1/4 notes and often just four notes per chord and then outlining the progression whilst playing a supportive counter-melody. As soon as I add more notes (and get less authentically jazz) it gets so much easier.
Bass back from my local music shop after a full set up and sporting it's new set of flats. Owner said that there were a few high frets and that the radius was off on a lot of them as well. Probably explains why it never felt quite as nice to play as my jazz bass, despite it being the same model. Even with my relative lack of technique the fret buzz is gone and already feels much nicer in general. Flats sound different to the original strings but maybe not as much as I expected. They are brand new and I've read they may take a while to bed in. Really notice the difference if I back off the tone knob though. Fretting hand feels amazing and slides are SO much easier. Plucking hand feels weird though, as if I've to dig in more as they are less grippy. Sure I'll get used to them quickly. Unfortunately I now want to get my jazz done as well. Not flats, but I've heard a lot of people mention coated string. Ernie Ball Super Slinky always get a mention but not sure how differently they are to the standard Fender strings?
thought about starting a new thread but might as well keep it all in one place......
mid (late) life crisis - 60 years old, music's always been my thing, and somebody asked me the other day why ive never been in a band. in fact why ive never even learned an instrument! er...... i just dont know.
i have the time to learn one now, but tbh i dont want to be in a sh1t covers band, and im probably a bit late to the party (old) to be in a 'proper' band. so is it worth learning an instrument if theres no 'end goal'. is it a worthwhile 'hobby' to just er.... *cough* 'strum away on my own' in the spare room rather than be in a band?
if the answers yes, then id fancy an instrument thats easier to learn. im told bass is easier to learn than drums, is that right? ive always admired a good drummer but i spose practicing at home, i can turn a bass amp down to not annoy the neighbours/wife, but cant really turn drums down.
TLDR: am i too old at 60 to learn an instrument? bass or drums? (yes i realise im on a bassists thread so the answer may be biased 😀 )
cheers
Never too old (unless you are falling apart and can't feel your fingers, but even then there are options).
I started bass 14 months ago, at 49 and play at least 3 times a week. Haven't missed a week since I started. No aspirations to play in a band, I just do it for fun at home. Used to play keyboard in high school, so remembered the basics about timing etc but TBH bass guitar TABs ( simplified sheet music) are really easy to follow. You don't need an amp at first, there are loads of headphone amps which plug straight into the bass. That said, second hand low powered amps are pretty cheap as everyone upgrades. Go visit a music shop and speak to someone. Most shops will have second hand stock or ex demo's which can come in cheap. Just pick up a guitar (any guitar) and have a feel. Try a few. I went in looking a a particular one and came out with something completely different.
Drums seem like a fun idea but are bulky and very noisy. Even an electric set makes noise, especially cheaper ones.
The great thing about learning bass it overlaps with the rhythmic drive of drums and the melodic aspects of guitar, and you can flex that depending on your interest and personal style.
I used to play drums when I was younger, in a band and everything. I really wanted to start playing again, so thats why I'm learning to play the bass.
Bear with me, it makes sense eventually.
I loved playing drums, the physicality, the technique, but they are unbelievably noisy. Seriously. A drumkit can make noise just sitting there with no one playing. Plus, heres a secret bit of wisdom, acoustic kits played in even acoustically treated rooms often sound awful, whether its a £500 kit or a £5000 kit. So sitting bashing away in your spare room might get old very quickly.
Like you, I had a musical itch to scratch and gave up on the idea of drums, even though I still air drum and practice on a pad sometimes. Bass seemed like the answer. My son's old one from college was still in the house, it can be virtually silent with headphones, its got a rhythmic component to it but is also a new skill and its only 4 strings and no chords, how hard can it be, right?
Turns out a lot harder than I thought, but its fun, dead accessible and its absolutely fine being a bedroom player. I have absolutely no evidence to back this up, but I bet the vast majority of people who can play an instrument only play at home.
I've said it on here before but honestly I rate Yousician very highly especially for complete beginners.
There's nothing sadder than the sound of a lone, unamplified bass guitar slowly plonking away in the hands of someone who has no idea what they're doing. When I was younger I never got past that clueless stage. Now I can play dozens of songs all the way through at a speed I never thought possible.
I started from scratch during the first lockdown and still use Yousician 4 or 5 days a week.
I'll answer any questions you've got when I get home from work if you're interested.
thanks all. ive started reading this thread from the start to see if i get a feel for it and saw yousician mentioned so had a quick look at it. for £60 or so a year it would appear to make sense if i do decide to give it a go.
my mate says he'll give me a few lessons too. he says you dont need to be able to read music to play it, which i cant. does the ability to read music help?
thanks
I've never read music once. It might be useful if you want to join an orchestra or something.
If you want to try Yousician wait until you've got an amp or a usb/iRig type thing or it won't be able to hear you playing. I wasted the free trial making that mistake.
does the ability to read music help?
Yes. It absolutely does. However, it’s not essential. Tabulature is great. It’s four lines each representing one string. The number is the fret that you need to play on that string. Makes it very easy for beginners compared to standard notation. To make good progress you will need to understand the symbols for different note lengths but is all pretty straightforward.
When I first started, I took Sharkattack’s advice and got out a Youscian subscription and also renewed it after the first year. I’m not quite as evangelical about it as he is, but it is fun and importantly, gets you playing actual music rather than just dull exercises. I don’t however think the lesson parts of it are very good. They’re just not in depth enough. For that I use Scott’s Bass Lessons, which I can’t recommend enough. In fact I now have a lifetime membership.
Pretty much every online course has a 14 day free trial. My advice would be to use YouTube vids and free lessons to get a basic idea of how to hold the bass properly and pluck/fret notes then take all the free trials you can find. 14 days go quick. Fender Play, SBL, Bass Buzz, Bass Freedom are just a few, plus Yousician. That will give a good idea of what teaching style suits. Can’t remember which one it was, but I really liked one guy’s videos but his teaching style just wasn’t for me.
thanks for the replies.
the more i read this thread and disappear down the google bass rabbithole, the more i think i want to give it a go. with that in mind, how much do you think id need to spend to get started? £500? or is that too hopeful? what would i need for a bit of bedroom twiddling?
guitar (recommendations?)
amp (decent amp or just something like an old record player just to hear the sound?)
a lead from guitar to amp
theyre the obvious, im bound to be missing something obvious.
cheers
I started a thread last year ( I can't remember how I titled it, and as the history function no longer works can't find it), I actually took up 4 instruments at 55.
I have struggled a bit, the drum kit is gone, forced by an old back injury and surgery giving me sciatica from using the bass drum pedal, which was infuriating. But I am still plodding along slowly on the guitar, bass guitar and piano.
The bass guitar was probably the easiest to feel like I was actually playing music with at an early stage, I think that doing them all has slowed down my progress on each individual instrument, but at the same time it is complimentary as well. It could be that I reduce it down to two by the end of the year, as I will probably want longer sessions on each instrument, but I couldn't choose which at the moment, and it will probably be more a case of focusing on two and just leaving the third as a background thing to pick up every now and then.
I think I was borderline depressed when I started, which meant I splashed more cash than I could afford on the whole project as a bit of retail therapy. It is a struggle, but it is also very rewarding, the feelings of achievement when I crack a tune or a "lick" is something that had faded from my life a long time ago and it feels great, has enhanced my life and I think generally made me a happier person.
So yeah do it, pick up an instrument and learn its ****ing great!
how much do you think id need to spend to get started? £500? or is that too hopeful? what would i need for a bit of bedroom twiddling?
Less.
I've got a Squier Mustang bass that i took in after a few months of ownership for a set up, and the technician said it was a cracker to play. That was a 'Classic Vibe' for about £330, they do have cheaper models sub £200.
Look also at Harley Benton - copies of the classics, not paying for names, again sub £200 will get a decent first instrument, or a starter kit for sub £300 with amp, etc
THOMANN.CO.UK Of course the real answer is to go to a shop and pick a few up and see what feels right - that's how I ended on a short scale (actually, I had a full size before that i bought online but a shoulder injury was nagging with the long scale, hence went in to look specifically at short scale basses)
For amplification - I occasionally put mine through a small (guitar) modelling amp (Roland Cube) - I know it's not a bass amp but good enough for bedroom noodling for me, but mainly I use a headphone amp because the house doesn't need to hear Love Will Tear us Apart into the early hours.
I think my whole first set up was £400, that was all brand new. In hindsight I’d probably still get the guitar new from a physical shop, just so I knew it was right and get a second hand amp online.
My first bass was a Yamaha TRBX174. I’d also tried a Squier and a Cort, but the Yamaha felt nicer in my hands.
Only other thing you’ve not mentioned is a tuner. You can get phone apps but a clip on tuner is so easy to use and not expensive.
@sadexpunk Ampwise I'd suggest looking on ebay/reverb/FB marketplace for one. I had a 25w Fender Rumble which was excellent, think I sold it for about £100. Something like that which has headphone socket and aux in will allow you to play along with Spotify or whatever in silence, but also sound decent if you have the opportunity to turn it up a bit.
I'd also be looking second hand for the guitar. Perhaps budget for a set up if you don't buy it from a shop (most music stores should set it up for you).
Enjoy it, it's the best instrument!
If you buy on EBay it’s a cheap way to see if you like bass or not - you can always spend more on new later if you really take to it, and you can probably sell the second hand stuff for roughly what you paid for it.
I started on borrowed gear - my son's old bass and practice amp.
Once convinced I was going to keep it up, I got a cracking deal on a Squier Classic Vibe 60's precision in the Prime Day sale last spring. However, it needed a bit of setting up, which I'm sure a decent shop would do for you. I tried the basics myself, and while its probably ok, theres always that nag that it could be better.
I got myself a headphone amp and later spent a bit of money on a Fender Rumble 40, which is way more amp than I need. Sometimes when theres no one in its nice to turn it up a wee bit though.
So for good starter guitars - Squier, Cort, Harley Benton, Yamaha and Sire are all good. Sire, particularly, seem to be doing quite a lot for the money nowadays, actually.
Problem is, it seems to be a bit n+1 with bass guitars. Pragmatically, my Squier CV Precision is fine. More than fine in fact, but I really want an American Precision because, well...reasons really.
Less.
i approve of that answer.
Only other thing you’ve not mentioned is a tuner. You can get phone apps but a clip on tuner is so easy to use and not expensive.
ah right good point. any recommendations?
@sadexpunk Ampwise I’d suggest looking on ebay/reverb/FB marketplace for one. I had a 25w Fender Rumble which was excellent,
thanks, thats a good suggestion for starters. im holding off until my mate gives me a bit of info on what i might be able to beg/borrow/steal locally, but ive already looked on ebay for one of those and seem to be available for not much more than £100.
I’d also be looking second hand for the guitar.
see above 🙂
I got myself a headphone amp
is that just any amp with a headphone socket so you can practice in silence?
So for good starter guitars – Squier, Cort, Harley Benton, Yamaha and Sire are all good.
thanks for the suggestions, ill look out for those.
still havent told mrs-exp about my plans yet, i just want her to come home from work one day and find me practising. she'll love it 😀
thanks for all the tips, much appreciated.
I got myself a headphone amp
is that just any amp with a headphone socket so you can practice in silence?
It could be, but I meant eg:
ANDERTONS.CO.UK 
VOXAMPS.CO.UK wow, thats tiny. i assume it doesnt actually provide any noise at all, and its just a conduit for the sound to go straight to headphones, as you cant just plug headphones into the guitar? so in effect silent playing but you can hear it in the 'phones?
Yep, that. The wonders of microelectronics, to have 2 amps, a drum machine and some effects pedals in a matchbox
thanks, interesting.
So for good starter guitars – Squier, Cort, Harley Benton, Yamaha and Sire are all good.
something like this?
I just bought a cheap (£12-£15) tuner on Amazon that had loads of good reviews. Does the trick and is accurate according to the built in tuner of my HX Stomp effects pedal. Clip ons are good if you go down the headphone amp route as they don’t need any signal or noise. Also work with acoustic instruments.
I can also recommend the Fender Rumble 25 amp to start with. Headphone amps are good and have the benefit of being able to play anywhere without moving or setting up an amp but an actual bass amp is just so satisfying and you can use headphones with them if you really have to. If you have dedicated space where you can set one up and leave it, then that for me is the best option.
A cheap guitar stand is also useful if you have space. Think mine was £15. You’re mate probably has one you can borrow.
I managed to get a Orange crush bass 50 second hand, which is bright orange so clearly better 🙂 But it is bigger than I had anticipated, I think this is probably just a reality for bass amps, the speaker size kind of requires it.
There is a bit of a strange tactile feel to the low bass rumble with a good/adequate bass amp, you can feel the matching vibrations from your fingers as the amp is producing and it feels like the vibrations are being transmitted from your hands though your body rather than from the amp. I used a headphone amp for a few weeks, but once I hooked up to a real amp I was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
something like this?
>
Yeah that looks solid, every bassist needs at least one P in their quiver so you may as well start out with one.My only concern would be that the upgraded SD pick-up has been installed and wired in properly so just be sure to hear it plugged in and twiddle the knobs whilst you're at it to make sure there's no crackling and that they work.
Assuming that's all good then that'll be a fine place to start.
@sadexpunk that should be a good bass!
thanks for the confirmation. ive just messaged him/her. theyre in nottingham about 30 miles away and im at work for 5 days from tomorrow so it may not happen, but ill at least have a go at sorting something out.
I can also recommend the Fender Rumble 25 amp to start with.
yep, thats the one ive been googling and looking for on ebay. my mate says he has a fender practice amp i can borrow until i find one, alongside a tuner, stand and lead so once i find the right guitar then i should be able to sign up for 'yousician' and get started, and then just buy the other stuff as and when i find it.
thanks
I kind of like the 70s look of that with the square block inlays on the fretboard and the guard on the bridge, but the pickguard would have to go.
I'd be wary of that Ebay Squier. From the sounds of it, its trigger's broom, with new neck, electronics and bridge. Could be great, could be rubbish, you've no way of knowing till its in your hands.
Its relatively expensive for a first bass, an unknown quantity and you may struggle to sell it on, if you decide it isn't for you, what with all the customisation. Plus, that scratchplate is hideous!
Squiers are fine, the lowest end Sonic models are around £180, their midrange Affinity line is more like £270ish and the Classic Vibes are getting towards £380.
If it was me, I'd go into a local shop, have a look at what attracts you in terms of shape, colour and cost, talk to staff and see what they steer you too.
right, point taken chaps, and yes if theres any possibility of buying a dud then id be better taking someone with me, altho that may prove difficult.
Squiers are fine, the lowest end Sonic models are around £180, their midrange Affinity line is more like £270ish and the Classic Vibes are getting towards £380.
so this affinity is overpriced too yes?
Maybe, maybe not. It's not a Squier Affinity any more, so the £270-ish no longer applies
modified with Vintage fender pickups and electrics, ......has many mods new machine heads finger board, vintage pickups, pots electrics
If done well and with upgraded higher quality componentry then maybe. A bit like someone who's bought an entry level equipped bike and then is selling it on with the same frame but 'improved' the forks, drivetrain, etc. It might be a lot better but if the kit's been installed with a rock then it may not be.
TBH as a first bass i wouldn't be looking for modified stuff unless you know who's done it / have someone who knows what they're doing to check it over with you. You can get a really capable bass for sub £200 in 'vanilla' spec, well set up from a shop (or pay someone to do it, or learn yourself - lots of videos and basics like action, etc. are not that hard, no worse than trimming gears - go slowly, see what effect it's had go a bit further if needed, etc.)
And i wouldn't buy that black and blue one, no matter how good the upgrade and componentry, because it's gopping (subjective opinion)
The best bass is the one that you will pick up every time you walk past it, even if it's only for a couple of minutes. That one would have to be wrapped in a sheet. And then put in a box. Encased in concrete. Under the sea..
What @theotherjonv said. That Squier Affinity is another unknown quantity and there's no way I'd be paying that for it. You could get a used Fender Player level guitar for that sort of money, or a new Yamaha BB series, where you know its rock solid quality.
Go to a shop, which is rich coming from someone who bought a bass off Amazon, but any other basses I buy will be ones that I've picked up and played.
@sadexpunk I'd avoid that eBay bass personally. It's been "upgraded" and the seller is a bit misty-eyed abut how much improvement he's made to it. You can get a brand new Squier Affinity P or PJ bass new for £240 or so, and you'll have the benefit of shop and manuf warranties, and you won't have to change the pick guard either!
thanks, appreciate the advice.
affinity guy said he'd drop to £400 but ive explained that after talking to a few expert mates, i think ill go '£200ish thank you very much'.
on the subject of going into music shops, im pretty sure theres none left in lincoln now. google shows broken links and shops that i know are closed. ive asked my mate who he uses (he hasnt seen my question yet) but as an experienced bassist i guess he just buys online now.
so i think what i buy will be a gamble of sorts, but if it goes wrong, £200 is easier to swallow than £400.
thanks
Thats the whole point of beginner guitars. Don't like it? No great loss.
Some Squier options from PMT, who, coincidentally, have a branch in Nottingham.
I'm in Sheffield and there's dozens of bass guitars available on marketplace. A Squier P is nice to have but they've shot up in price because the new ones keep getting more expensive. No way I'd pay over 400 for a used one though.
Look for Ibanez, Yamaha, Harley Benton. You'll get something very useable for 2-300.
If you know any students they might be able to get student discount on the Fender website. It used to be 20% off everything. That's where I got my Mexican Jazz and Squier P from. Not sure if it's still a thing.
Some Squier options from PMT, who, coincidentally, have a branch in Nottingham.
>
thanks a lot, some decent options there. my mate also said his favourite basses are squier precision, so just out of interest, whats the difference between a P and the different models?Look for Ibanez, Yamaha, Harley Benton. You’ll get something very useable for 2-300.
thank you, will do
If you know any students they might be able to get student discount on the Fender website. It used to be 20% off everything. That’s where I got my Mexican Jazz and Squier P from. Not sure if it’s still a thing.
not off hand i dont, but id mebbes be able to find a mates son or daughter if need be.
thanks
EDIT: out of interest, what makes a desirable looking bass? what would you be looking for say in that pmtonline link vs the 'gapping blue' one? why does that look crap to you all? i wouldnt have a clue at this point.....
Guitar shopping should be a pleasure, an experience well worth an hour or so's drive for. I'm lucky I have Andertons close by, but I'd travel and have a mess about.
Even if you can't play, you can still see how heavy they are, does your hand fit round the neck, can you slide up to the low frets comfortably and so on. Everyone was a beginner once and you shouldn't be intimidated even if a 10 year old is perched on a massive amp in the shop hammering out some unplayable solo. The shop should be approaching in the spirit that if they treat you well now, they'll have a customer for life!
thanks a lot, some decent options there. my mate also said his favourite basses are squier precision, so just out of interest, whats the difference between a P and the different models?
P for Precision, thats just the model of bass Leo Fender invented way back when and sort of became the defacto bass guitar. 1 split pickup half way between neck and bridge. Very simple electronics, just volume and tone controls. Typically have somewhat thicker necks, but not always. My favourite.
Jazz, another Fender invention, a slightly different shape, a bit lighter, a bit thinner in the neck. Slightly more complicated, but still simple controls due to 2 pickups, bridge and neck, with volume controls for each and a tone control.
PJ is half way between the 2 - P style neck pickup and a J style bridge pickup.
P and the different models?
Short version, historically it's been 1/ pick up configuration although now you get P's and J's with 'non classic' pickups; 2/ body shape (J bass has the waist offset, supposedly to play sat down (? may be a tale) and 3/ Neck profile and width.
In real terms it means they tend to have distinctive sounds but as per the list of players, a J(azz) bass isn't just for Jazz players, plenty of heavy rock J players too.