Musician Gear & Tech Discussion

I'm no musician. However, my son has been learning to play on a cheap $100 bass. He's never shown an interest in any sports or hobbies (other than video games) until he was given his bass. Now, my electric bill is way up because he practices all the time.

To make a long story short(er), he has a birthday coming up and I'd like to get him a better one. He plays mostly metal. Metallica, Megadeth, some Tool, A7F etc. So, I'm looking for a decent bass for his genre of music for under $700. He has also expressed interest in learning a 5 string. Although, I'm not sure that is a necessity.

That said, what would be a good bass for him and why would you choose that model?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Cheers!
Dave

Bass wise a good Fender Precision cant hardly be beat in my mind, it might not have the apperance he wants for his style of music, but look up Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, hes been using P-Basses from almost day one.

Im sure you can find one in your price range.

John is right - every bass player shoudl have a Fender Precision in his aresenal, although it may not be the best for heavy metal.
You don't mention how long he has actually been playing or his age - guitars (especially basses) tend to get dusty during college years.

Rather than just 'buying him a bass', give him a gift certificate for Guitar Center (or your local music shop), bring him there and let him play different instruments to find one he likes. Chances are something in the $300-$400 range will be great for him at this stage. You may find a good deal on a used bass, too.
Does he have a decent amp to go with it? Has he been playing with others yet (starting a band)? Having a decent but portable amp capable of volume (Ampeg, Hartke, G-K) is a must.

If you want inexpensive, I just played a Yamaha RBX170EW and I thought that was pretty much the best sounding, cheaper bass I ever played.

(200$)

If Metal is his game, Ibanez is certainly worth a look. A lot of players use them and it's a quality instrument at a fair price. Not knowing his age or ability I would look for a good student-quality instrument that has visual appeal. Here is a 5 string that should please your son and annoy the neighbors:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/iba ... ass-guitar

Thanks for the replies thus far! Much appreciated. I guess I should have given a little more info about my son. He is 16 and has had his bass for roughly a year now. He spent the first 4 months or so trying to figure it out on his own until I convinced him to take lessons. The lessons have really helped with his confidence and he's not scared to try any song out there. For example, although not perfect, he is playing Schism by Tool. Which his instructor says is one of the more difficult songs out there to play on bass. I don't have a clue if that's true or not. But sounds difficult to me

I played Fender basses for a decade. (not really all that long)
They are the standard..

Now I won't touch anything but a Yamaha bass.

The RBX170EW seems to have built in gate which acts as a limiter and the sound is exactly what I was looking for and has no issues recording or playing live.

You can manipulate it with ease..but don't take my word for it, try one yourself.

(Try before you buy)

just wanted to say that he likely wants a 5 string because a lot of the bands he's emulating play them. You can't get those low notes w/o one.

another thing to keep in mind: once I got used to a 4 string I have never been able to make a transition to 5 string. I'm just not comfy on them.

I play a prec myself... but another thing to consider is it has a very large scale and altho I have big hands I've always prefered the 24fret ibanez stuff.

My advice would be: whatever you go with - plan to spend $40 to get it setup so that it has good action. a setup can make even a $100 bass feel great.

good luck!

I think that the Fenders are pretty reliable & universal. I would argue to get a fender with both Jazz & Precision pick ups. you should be able to do this for around $700 and get a 5 string. While a 5 string isn't needed, it is becoming part of a bass player's tool chest. Look for a used instrument if you can, as you'll probably get more bang for your buck. IF he gets serious, he can up grade the pickups or hardware later on. I play washburn myself, but Fender is a can't miss brand. If you catch a Musicman, I'd grab that instead, but not the bongo Series.
Basses are like sneakers, so I won't get down on Yamaha, Ibanez, or any other brand... what ever makes you happy. Get a well built instrument(good wood). Hardware & electronics can be replaced. A balanced instrument that hangs and doesn't slide is what you want. After that, it's all about how the instrument feels in the player's hands. You don't choose the bass, the bass chooses you! Ok, maybe not, but it sounds cool in a mystical sort of way. Don't be afraid to try anything. You never know what may be a good bass until you try it. Good luck.

Ditto what everybody is saying about Fender...

I think it is way cool that your son has that drive, and that you are supporting it...

As for the electric bill...SInce you are indulging him, you have demands (with bargaining power). Some common sense economy:

1) Tell him If He puts the bass down for any other reason than a pee- break... then turn off the amp...
2) Drop the thermostat a notch on the heater. His amp should warm the room quite nicely.

3) If he Picks up the bass, and the amp is on, tell him the TV in his room, or other room must be 'off' (and if practical, his PC should be sleep mode or off).

4) Turn off all lights when they aren't being used (That's a toughie, there)

Just a a few ideas...

For $700 you should be able to find a used American Fender Precision. I would definitely say this is the route to go. It has a fatter neck that will help him develop the muscles and dexterity so that when he gets a bass with a slimmer neck he will be able to fly up and down the neck. Also, he may be playing metal now, but, as everything else with a 16 yr old, his tastes could change after seeing one music video. An American Standard Precision will meet any genre with simplicity and versatility. All and all, a Precision will make him a better player in the long run. I recommend holding out for an American as the quality between American and Mexican is night and day. If for whatever reason you decide against a Precision, go for the G&L Tribute L2000. This is by far THE MOST versatile bass on the market and is right at your price point brand new. I played a 5 string version on tour for a solid year and, though not nearly as well built as its American counterpart, this bass performed reliably and gave me any tone I wanted. You pick either of these basses and your son will have an instrument that will never require replacing for any reason other than GAS.

Boy I sure hope it's not too late, if your son is interested in Tool, and you haven't bought him anything, I highly recommend a Stingray from Ernie Ball, it's the next best thing to what the bassist of Tool uses (he has one in his arsenal) and it isn't a very expensive guitar, though if he is more interested in the A7X sound fender is the answer.

I honestly dont see a big peak in an electric bill due to a bass player in the house, at least I havent ever seen it short of maybe a full band with full equipment.