Question As a guitar player of 9 years, what Music Man bass would you recommend for me?

[kmontano96]

Hello everyone!

I am a guitarist who has been playing for nine years, and I would like to ask all of you:

What Music Man basses would you recommend for me as an inexperienced bassist?

I've been looking into Bongos, specifically the 6 string model. Would getting a 6 string be too much for a beginner?

The reason I've been thinking about that one is because I am a huge Dream Theater fan, and John Myung is amazing!

I value everyone's opinions. Thank you, in advance.

 

[nervous]

As a guitar player for 20 years and a bass player even more a Stingray 4 or 5 should be a very comfortable transition. I'd lean 4 simply because of the low E orientation. Adding the low B can add an unnecessary level of confusion early on. Lots of folks doing great work without the B string so you won't be missing much to start off.

 

[Orangejulius3]

I would recommend a Sterling 4 string.
Thinner neck and body

 

[TNT]

Well, since you are new at the bass, I think a Bongo is perfect! You haven't become acclimated to any particular instrument yet.

 

[sanderhermans]

Depends on what you are willing to play.... a bongo 6 is cool for dream theater style music. But will you use the bass for this? If you are a pretty skilled guitar player then mayebe this is the way to go for you! But imo the sr4 is an instant classic and must have for every musicman lover, especially the classic series is a must have for me.... best advice here is to try some out for yourself. Sr4 is pretty straight forward while bongo or sterling is more versatile. Its all up to you

 

[jlepre]

Go to your local store and spend some time with a few different models. Maybe more than one afternoon, and find which model feels right for YOU. What's right for others may not be what's the best for you. I would look at the Sterling 4 as an option because of the thin neck.

 

[koogie2k]

Personally I would say the bongo.

 

[IslandBoy]

This !!
I made a similar transition a while back , and I would say a Sterling 4 String all the way. Smaller body and neck make for an easy transition.

I would recommend a Sterling 4 string.
Thinner neck and body

 

[petch]

Another vote for a Sterling 4. The HS model will give you plenty of quick tone change options, much like most guitars.

 

[BigDBass]

Sterling 4HS in my book is the best value out there for a US made bass. Slightly downsized neck and body might make it a little more comfortable for a guitar player transitioning.

Go to a few local music stores (hopefully you have some!) and try as many different brands and models as you can to get a sense of the different feels. And sounds.

But you can't go wrong with a Sterling as far as flexibility, playability, and overall awesomeness!

 

[five7]

bongo 6, live a little

 

[bvdrummer]

I'm a DT fan as well and bought a Bongo 6 HH because of that (was my first EBMM instrument). I really loved it, but after about a year I realized that I rarely used the high C string. It was cool for chords and solos and noodling around, but the music I play publicly never called for that stuff. I ended up selling it for a Bongo 5 HH, and later got a Sterling 5 HS, both of which are awesome.

My first bass was a 5 string so I've always been used to having the low B there. And no, it's not difficult to go back and forth between bass and guitar, you'll get used to it.

 

[MrMusashi]

if you play 7 string guitar without any problems you could get a 5 string and it would be no adjustment at all
if you struggle with a 7 string you will probably do the same with a 5

go try some basses if you can. what appeals to me might not be your cuppa tea

ps.. if you dont play beavertail bass (aka slapping) a dual pickup bass will give you more sounds to choose from.
i like my bongo 4hh for its versatility. just pan between the pickups untill you find what you like

that said i absolutely love my bongo 4h.. slap on some flatwounds and experience thump from here to heaven
if you play more modern stuff you might wanna go roundwound, perhaps even with the cobalts.
should give you plenty top end to cut through

hth

MrM

 

[nurnay]

Go to your local store and spend some time with a few different models. Maybe more than one afternoon, and find which model feels right for YOU. What's right for others may not be what's the best for you. I would look at the Sterling 4 as an option because of the thin neck.

+1.

 

[JayDawg]

Bongo!

 

[fly]

I would recommend a Sterling 4 string.
Thinner neck and body

this........the necks on the Sterling play like butter

 

[OldManMusic]

Yeah, a Sterling 4 - like the one I have in the For Sale section!

 

[sanderhermans]

this........the necks on the Sterling play like butter

Or sr4 slo if he wants to go for classic stingray tone and sterling playability. But both sterling and sr4 kick ass!

 

[BigDBass]

Or sr4 slo if he wants to go for classic stingray tone and sterling playability. But both sterling and sr4 kick ass!

Good point, I always forget about the SLO!

Really can't go wrong with any MM!

 

[stu42]

Or...why not a Big Al? The 4-string Big Al still has the narrow neck of a Sterling if you want that. But, I'd go with a 5-string.

That said, I tried a bunch and stuck with the Bongo H as I love the tone and the playability is also awesome.

I'm a long-time guitar player (34 years) and took up bass about 9 years ago. Personally, for me it wasn't the width of the neck that threw me off initially. It was the space between the strings that I found difficult. From that perspective, a 5-string is a bit easier to learn because the gap between the strings is narrower. I think a 6-string is probably overkill - at least until you know for sure that you really want that high C string and will use it.

Ultimately, I think you need to spend some time with a bunch of different basses to determine what kind of sound and feel you want. I tried everything I could get my hands on - same with amps. If you're serious about learning the bass you'll probably end up trying, buying and selling a few different things until you find out what works for you. From that perspective I'd recommend starting with a used instrument - at least until you figure out what works for you.

Also, there's only so much you can learn from playing a bass in the store. I think it's important to play it with a band or at least with some recorded music as a backing track to figure out how the sound sits in the mix and whether it sounds and feels like how you want it to.

But...yeah, any of the suggestions would be good to get started. BTW, there's a nice Bongo 4Hp in the for sale thread for a very nice price (it's not mine, nor do I know the seller but it's a pretty smokin' deal IMO).