What kind of bass guitar should I go for as a starter?
I want to learn to play the bass guitar. What I would like to know is the kind of bass guitar that will suit me best as somebody who is just going to learn playing it. By 'kind' I meant would it be alright for me if I went for a local-made guitar or should I go for an expensive one right from the start? Also what are the price ranges for various bass amps? Help from you wil be gratefully acknowledged.
A locally made bass guitar will do you fine for now. They often come in starter packs with a small amp (usually 10 or 15 watts), which really, is all you need as a beginner. Look around various music stores and find one that will sell you a starter pack. A starter pack shouldn't cost you more than $200, and will give you everything you need to learn to play, and find out if bass is really for you. The starter bass may also be slightly smaller than a professional grade bass guitar.
When upgrading, for playing at home only, you shouldn't need anything more than a 45 watt amp, which typically will cost between $300-400 depending on where you get it, and brand. I recommend a Behringer amp when you do decide to upgrade, they are well made and produce a nice sound, and are long lasting. An ideal intermediate bass is the Yamaha RBX-170. This should cost you roughly $250. It's an excellent bass guitar for someone who's been playing a while, but isn't gonna be needing something they can use nightly in front of 10,000 people. You can probably get both amp and bass cheaper than I have listed online though, these prices are what you'd pay if you walked into a local store.
Only upgrade to a better amp and guitar when you feel comfortable with the beginner stuff though, don't get ahead of yourself, go at your own pace and most of all, enjoy it.
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