Need help for beginner bassist

[Shay]

Yikes! I was mostly kidding about the pink, (It is her favorite color, but she understands the color is the last thing to consider) but I can't let her see that page or she will want one so bad...

They're a bit more than I'm looking to spend for a first instrument- I was thinking more around $250 for a bass, small amp, and starter set- ($200 If I can get away with it) which I know is cheap, but since she's learning (and younger) I have no problem buying her a more quality instrument once she learns how to play it and has the edges knocked off a bit, if you know what I mean. (By the way, dumb question perhaps, but will putting stickers or paint on a solid-body guitar mess with the sound?)

She'll have better amps to use at her school, so I can save a smidge on the home one, too, until she would need something that fills more than the living room with sound.

[auld argonian]

I just looked at the Sam Ash website and they have a couple of bass starter kits for around $239. Look there, it's a good place to get some reference. One of the packages is a Squier bass...Squier is Fender's low priced line...my son has a Squier Stratocaster and most of my friends who are really accomplished guitarists have played it and raved about it, comparing it very favorably to a "real" Fender Strat.

Another website/catalog that most of my buddies swear by is Musician's Friend, you may want to check them out; again, if for nothing else, just for reference in terms of what's available and the price ranges.

My daughter has asked me many times what makes a good bass player (I have been a reasonalby mediocre but capable one in the past); I say that it's the guys who play more than just the root notes or components of the chord and who play what I always call "figures". She didn't understand this until she gave me a copy of some new Cream Greatest Hits CD...then she heard what Jack Bruce did when he played with Cream and understood waht I meant.

Best

AA

[Sherry]

Definitely take Daz's advice about not getting a size that is too big for your daughter. My youngest son (9 yo), my DD (now 14) & I all study violin/fiddle. Our teacher has always been very protective of the kids not having violins too large for them. Practicing with the arm stretched out & the wrist curled around the fingerboard on a too-large instrument can cause tendonitis. I've had it from crocheting too much, & believe me, your DD doesn't want it!

As far as getting a decent instrument, I don't know anything about the bass, but I can tell you, trying to learn on a crap instrument is no fun. We try to balance this with the fact that kids are not exactly gentle with their instruments.

Good luck!

[bikercelt1]

I taught guitar long ago and one of the most discouraging things I ever saw was young students playing poorly made guitars that were physically too big for them. Don't focus on the instrument at this point, focus on the teacher. Find a teacher you feel good about and enlist their aid in finding the right instrument to buy or lease. Interview the teacher the same way you would any other employee that you would trust your child to. They don't need to be a phenomenal player, they need to be a phenomenal teacher who will challenge your daughter to become the best musician she can be no matter what instrument she finally plays. Find someone who wants to teach music not just how to play songs on the bass. This can be a life changing choice for your daughter. She can take pride in herself with good guidance or she can feel like she missed something and failed with a poor teacher. Someone who can master music will have the dedication and anylitical skills to excell in other areas too. (By the way, don't underestimate the challenges of learning music. The classes for my music degree were far more difficult than those for my management degree)

Jamie

[auld argonian]

Re the size of the instrument and the occurence of tendonitis: remember that the fingering hand while playing the violin is extended and twisted into something very close to an unnatural position hence the range of sizes in children's violins (I know that they go down to 1/16th size at least): it's one thing to twist the hand over but to do it at or beyond full extension of the arm is asking for trouble.
While playing a guitar or bass the instrument is flat in front of you and the fingering hand isn't turned over like it is on the violin. I now play viola (longer than a violin) and getting the left hand (in my case) into a comfortable position took a lot of adapting...when I put the viola down and pick up the mandolin it's almost a relief to have my hand flat in front of me. The length of the neck of the instrument relative to the child's reach is the only limitation that you might encounter.

Best

AA

[mbhandy]

Shay,

Try this site for her Bass I took up playing Bass last Mar.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...=100001+306322

at the time I got a small Practice amp on sale $125. (not that price now).

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/482538/

I got mine at Guitar Center in Salt Lake. It was a unavertised sale. They are the same Co. and honor all on line sales. Good people to work withGet them to throw in a gig bag. If you hit them just right I Got a hard case for $30. and the padded gig bag.

MrBill

[Shay]

Quick update- we got a short scale Ibenez(sp?) for around $140US, and she's loving it! It's still a little big for her, but the biggest problem she really has is being aware of the ends when she turns around- she's knocked into tables and walls several times. (Open space is at a premium in my house)

She' having a great time, and wants to learn to play Psycho Killer by the Talking Heads first!

[Sherry]

Tell her no way! Everyone starts with Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star! ;-)

The bumping around thing is normal for kids, which is why you're told not to buy really expensive instruments for them unless they turn out to be real prodigies.

Have fun.

[Rigged]

You can't hurt a solid-body electric with stickers, paint, or anything else applied to the body. Just don't mess with the fretboard, the pickups, or allow any liquid to get into the electronics.