My next, "first" bass guitar: Fretles, 5 or 4 string?

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SaltSlasher

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I won 2 bass guitars in 05' for selling a shit load of epiphone and fender guitars when I worked at musicians friend, but I sold them both over time.

With the Fender Bass, I used to jam with my bros drumming and guitar'n which we sometimes recorded on a 808, and I would practice with their "real" band, cause there bassist was a douche and never practiced.

But I never learned fundamentals of bass or anything, just memorized my lines and timings and played. Since I am a well rounded guitarist bass came natural and easy, and wasn't that hard to do since I knew the guitar lines also.

So I haven't played for like 4-5 years, and want to get my "first" bass, to learn about bass and its heritage.

Pretty much what I wanted to ask was, MusiciansFriend's Rogue bass just came out with a Series 3 and I wanted to know if I should go fretless, fretted 4 string or 5 string or even 6 string???

My skills as a bassiest are very slim and I don't even know what to tune the stings. So I am basically looking for a bass to teach me the ways of the Force.
My guitar training is going swell, and since I am buying a computer interface(UX2), I wanted to be able to record bass lines, which I will jam out a pair of Behringer Truth B1030A, which I also will be buying this week along with the bass.
 
I certainly wouldn't go fretless. If you're doing the whole 'first bass' thing and wanting to learn the heritage, I'd stick to something with frets for the time being. 4 or 5 string? Up to you. My first and only bass is a 5-string.

Disclaimer- I am not primarily a bassist.
 
Well the guy at GC told me that 5 strings is the way to go because in no time I would master 4 strings and then I would want that 5th string for that extra punch.

Heritage is like, who, what, when, why and how bass lines have been used and stuff. Then learning all the scales, each frets letter, and mainly how to slap as good as Primus or Geedy Lee.

6 string is kinda crazy, it would be like a huge guitar, which I don't think will be necessary.
 
I'm not sure about being able to master a 4-string bass so quickly (and I don't think learning a 5-string should be any more difficult), but IMO a 5-string gives you a lot of added versatility so why not start there?
 
Even though I am a die-hard 4-stringer, it's mostly because of my inability to adapt. Also, pretty much all of the songs I ever want to learn were done on a 4 string anyway. But if you're young and just starting out fresh, I'd go with a 5, so that you don't have to unlearn you're other habits later. That being said, you're already going to have some adapting to do to a five string because you're used to the tuning of a guitar and that being the same as a 4 string. I don't know that I'd go with a Rogue though. As much as I am a fan of cheap guitars and basses, the few Rogue pieces that I've actually had a hands-on with were of dubious quality, even for the price. A possible alternative would be an SX from Rondo, with the understanding that you'll want to upgrade the electronics and hardware when you can. I also really like the Squire 'Classic Vibe' series. Even the regular Squires would, to me, be preferable to the Rogues I've played, but, as they say, YMMV.
 
TBH, I only really use the 5th string on my bass when I'm recording something played on my 7-string. And that's pretty much never. But I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Again, I'm not a bassist.
 
The two basses I had were a Squire Affinity and a basic Ibanez.

The Rogue are the most affordable, and the series 3 just came out today, so I would assume they did some kind of improvments.
and if I am going 5 string, then I can only afford the Rogue, cuz the next cheapest one is like 160$.

I did like my Squire Bass, and I know that all the best Bassist's use a Fender Jazz Bass in there line up, so I would need $200 for the Affinity J Bass, the one I use to have!
 
I just order the UX2 and Behringer TRUTH B1030a's, and now I have about 100$ leftover.

So I might take you advice and save up a little more, than 30$, and consider the Squire Jazz bass.

I honestly have played a Rogue bass since I worked at MF, so I probably played with the series 1, or something eariler.
 
I was wondering, my UX2 has two analog monitor outs 1/4th's and the Truth's have one XLR (balanced) and 1/4th (unbalanced) or RCA(unbalanced) on each speaker.

Would I get XLR "Male" to 1/4th cable? Or would a plain old 1/4th<-->1/4th work?
 
SaltSlasher said:
Well the guy at GC told me that 5 strings is the way to go because in no time I would master 4 strings and then I would want that 5th string for that extra punch.
Click to expand...

This, my son, is classic GC bullcrap. WTF is "punch?" The last thing a low B sounds like is "Punch." Sheesh.

5 strings are important when you're in a working cover band that covers some '80's and later stuff that have basslines that need that low D below your E. Or maybe when you're all fancy and working up the neck a lot and want to grab notes on it up on the 5th-9th frets or whatever. But you need an expensive fiver for that to sound good IMO. And you have all those notes on a 4 anyhow.

Get a 4. You'll sound better. I've been playing bass for 20 years. (oh crap, did I just say that? I'm old as dirt!) Here's why: one challenging thing about a 5 is to be sure that you have your B string muted and not flopping around adding low and/or subsonic mud to the sounds coming out of your amp. I have huge hands and still have to work hard at this.

You'll get around the 4 better and sound tighter sooner on a 4.
 
I worked at the call center, and they jammed that fing gold coverage so far up are ass, it was impossible to have a decent conversation with someone with out trying to bullshit them about the insurance.

But I thought I was the only one who thought that everyone in GC smells there own farts? I can't go there without like 20 people turning up the volume way to loud, and playing a BLink 182 and smaking the drums.
The workers are worse, they think there opinion is so right, and they "are" smarter cause they work there. I thought that to, but at leas at the call center t I got to talk with guys from Fender, KRK, shure and shit and they would teach us about new products before GC even knew about them. besides for a few cool dudes, I dislike the others cause they think there so cool.

I don't know if this is everywhere else, but in SLC, everyone who plays music acts like there Madonna, or the king of France. I think that is why I have never been in band, cause I would choke a b&^tch.
 
I played three string bass for 2 years and four string for 24 years before moving to a 5 string, which I've had for the last 6 years. I think the 5 is the better option all round. Although you only get 5 extra notes, those low notes can be beautiful and add so much to one's bass lines. I find that sometimes, the lower notes do carry punch, not necesarilly 'extra' punch, but punch certainly. By the same token, it can be floopy and floomy. It all depends on how you play it.
As you're starting out proper, it'll make you think differently about how you play, how you interract as the low man on the beanbag with the drums (especially floor tom and kick) and where to place those low notes ~ they're not always appropriate.
I once had a Fender Musicmaster that I had converted to a fretless. I was into jazz fusion at the time and I noticed a number of players played fretles and got lovely sounds. But to be honest, it didn't work out for me. I had to relearn all my finger placements as the notes changed slightly and in the end, after three years, I swapped it for a fretted one. 15 years later, once I had had the 5 string for a few years, I got a fretless acoustic bass guitar and it's so much easier than it seemed in 1990 and because the fret lines are there it gives me a good guide as to where to put my fingers. The sound ain't great but the slides are.
Everything in it's time, dearest chuck.
 
why don't they just draw a line instead of putting metal across to show the fret?

Well if someone buys my snowboard of craigs, then I will be able to buy a bass. I am primarily looking at getting one of the series 3 Rogue, or the Squire J or P bass for $200.
 
SaltSlasher said:
why don't they just draw a line instead of putting metal across to show the fret?
Click to expand...
On alot of fretlesses they do. On a fretted bass wherever you put your finger in the fret space, you get the same note. On a fretless with the lines painted in, moving your finger even 2mm within the fret space can make all the difference between being sharp, flat or out of tune.
 
Not that there is never any GC bullcrap, but I did just have a good experience at my local GC. Walked in, killed a half hour or more playing around on some cool stuff, and then happened to see a vintage Ibanez guitar that fit nicely with my vintage Ibanez basses. I left, came back with a squier acoustic electric bass, traded it in, got a decent trade price on it, and got out the door for not much over $100. Good times.
 
I do love the fact that they have a bunch of equpment to try before you buy. Even though they haven't anything I want lately.

I found the DM6 minus one cymbal and one tom, for $269. So it and a Bass and the CTK-6000 are on my next to buy list, I just have to choose which bass!

But I am thinking the Squire J bass, will probably be my new baby, unless I am strapped for paper, then I will settle for a Series 3 Rogue bass.
 
I was wondering, I will have my UX2 and TRUTH B1030A's on Monday. I read that Guitar Center will give you 50-60% on trade in value of current price.
So for my MPK25 that would be either $125-$150, with at least $125 I would have about $250 combined with my current money.

I am debating on whether to get the DM6 drumset with that money, and wait on the bass and ctk-6000 until either my snowboard sells or until the end of March.

I didn't plan on buying the DM6 until today, and I am still skeptical on how good the quality is and if its worth it?

With what money I will have, I could only choose 2 out of three. Since I planned on a Bass and Keyboard, I didn't thrive for that extra $270 for the Dm6.

Which two of these three would get: Squire J/P Bass or CTK-6000 or DM6. After I choose two, I probably wont be making any big purchase like this for a while.
 
I'd go with a 4 string fretted, 4 bangers typically have 20 mm spacing at the bridge, 5 strings have 16. Doesn't sound like much but it makes the 5 banger a whole lot tighter to play. Of all my basses only 2 are 5 string, and I wish they were 4 string.
 
Do you think selling my MPK25 for $125 is a good deal!

I haven't asked GC what the they would give me, I assumed 50-60% so 125-150$. I was offered $125 off KSL and I am thinking I am going to do it.
 
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