Bass Guitar - Buy and Learn

[sleepyhead]

I want to go back to what I tried learning back at school, a bass guitar.

So I am after a cheap bass guitar to buy and learn in my spare time.

Questions:
1. Where can I get myself a decent bass guitar (electric) with suitable amp/headphones?
2. Best place to learn? Otherwise I'll do what I did with the keyboard and just mess around until something interesting happens.

[JK Ferret]

Well, I get all my stuff from a private local store, so can't really help you with 1)

For 2), it's probably best to try and get the basics (hand positioning, strumming/fingering, fretting) down, if you have a friend who plays guitar/bass, get them to show you. After that it's really easy to pick up by yourself.

Good choice of instrument btw

[staffsMike]

http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/

have a great range of... everything, usually good prices as well.

If you find something you like, ebay is always worth a try

As for learning, well the first lesson in bass is.. root notes . Then when you have done that for a day you will want to branch out into scales and tapping/struming/plucking etc..

Blues and Jazz is always fun for bass.

[0iD]

Yaar, all the bestest peeps play bass

[samcross]

*Waits for Funkstar to post picture of bass (the fish)*

Yaar, all the bestest peeps play bass

No, just those who weren't good enough to play regular guitar

But that is a very nice bass OiD

[0iD]

No, just those who weren't good enough to play regular guitar

Or just plain lazy

[sleepyhead]

Meh, I was (sort of) taught at school by a friend how to play bass on a regular guitar. He was a demon at playing the guitar - really into his heavy metal.

Nice bass 0iD! I was just window shopping for something cheap and...

£170 gets me this...oO

[0iD]

That is just so RAWK!
Where's knoxville? he be a rock bass guru.

At the end of the day, it pays to try them out, differing weights, neck profiles and sounds. Traul the music shops & try some out for size.

[sleepyhead]

LoL..its rather outlandish for a really cheap bass guitar.

hrm, didn't know knoxville was a bass guru Thanks for the info 0iD.

[staffsMike]

I'm not entirely sure a cheap Dean is the way to go, an expensive one however The spec does look pretty good though.

No idea where you are but there are loads a decent music shops around. Sound control is geek central (MK or Brum are the only ones i've been to)

[JK Ferret]

Get a proper one, I have a very nice blue 5-string Jim Deacon that is made of win

Price escapes me, think it was £150-200 though. Sounds good too

[BlackDwarf]

Hells yeah

[sleepyhead]

Woah, Black Dwarf! Nice gear!

The cheap Dean was just something I saw on the site you posted StaffsMike.

I honestly do not know where to start to look for a cheap Bass, so any recommendations would be followed

EDIT: and the current ad at the top of Hexus is "Online Video Guitar Lessons"

[BlackDwarf]

The bass on the far right of the pic I posted was my first bass. A Peavey something. They don't sell them any more, but, I'd say, its worth spending a little more on a better bass, and go in and try some before you buy em, they all feel different, and, generally, really cheap ones play like ****.

[Powderhound]

And as a long suffering trombonist in a jazz band, might I please add... "TURN THE BLOODY BASS DOWN!"

[BlackDwarf]

Pfft. Why do you think our instrument is named after the damn frequency