To touch bass or not

Ask questions and get answers about how to make music in any particular way. Hardware or songwriting or whatever.
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signboy
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Re: To touch bass or not

Post by signboy »

IMHO, the best place to get a decent bass for cheap is the pawn shop. A lot of times, they don't know what they have, or you'll find a low end bass where someone in the factory messed up and made a good one. The big trick is: play lots of em. Pick the one you like best, not the one that costs the most.
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fluffy
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Re: To touch bass or not

Post by fluffy »

In my experience, pawn shops not knowing what they have means they're going to charge WAY TOO MUCH for things, and those things are usually in bad shape, in ways that aren't obvious to someone who already knows what to look for. I'm sure you can find some real gems in pawn shops but you really have to know what to look out for.

(Incidentally, pawn shops are usually even worse for technology stuff. Video game consoles and computers seem to always be sold for their original retail price. Or rather, don't sell.)
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ken
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Re: To touch bass or not

Post by ken »

I agree, with the internet, it seems like it is less likely to find someone who doesn't know what they have. I think you have better luck finding someone desperate on Craigslist willing to take a hit on a nice item in order to get it sold fast.
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JonPorobil
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Re: To touch bass or not

Post by JonPorobil »

Paco Del Stinko wrote:I've had a couple of Memphis P-style basses over the years. Inexpensive but with nice woody tone.
Paco sold one of these to me. It's been in all my songs for the last, oh, I think four years or so.

I'd been getting by with the "bass" tone on my keyboard before that, and no one ever specifically pointed out my bass sound as a problem with my music, but for me it's a huge benefit to be able to actually play the thing like a real instrument. You get a performance that sounds genuine, because (duh) it is.
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wadewalbrun
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Re: To touch bass or not

Post by wadewalbrun »

Thanks for the all the input! I got a Squier Vintage Modified 70s Jazz Bass, and have been pretty happy with it so far. Bass guitar is a bit of a new world for me, get the groove down and everything, but not all that different from guitar in theory. It's a heck of a lot easier that playing the computer keyboard!
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Lunkhead
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Re: To touch bass or not

Post by Lunkhead »

I just bought a bass! I got a good deal on a 20 year old Fender American P-Bass. It's in nearly perfect condition and came with a nice old hard shell case. It's got a maple fretboard and I think it's a "Jade Pearl Metallic" finish. It looks like this one:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PBassAMJP/

If anybody would like some live bass on their entry some time after the "Day of the Dead" fight let me know.
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