Buying My First Bass

[Ox Boris]

I know how it's supposed to happen, you buy your first bass at fifteen, for $50, learn how it feels and what you like, then, a dozen basses later and about to turn 50, you're contemplating "A bass for life." (As if.)

I don't have that luxury. Like a complete arse, I only caught the bass bug 6 months ago, and though I feel like a teenager about it, I'm not. My teen years are a faded canvass of rugby, rumpo and recidivism. One advantage of having a midlife crisis is that one usually has some trinkets under the bed which can be used to buy a ball-stranglingly nice bass.

So here it is: Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay4 HH Neck-Through - Sapphire Black, Rosewood.
Talk me out of it. Or tell me it's been discontinued, which is what usually happens.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be happy with it, apart from the very real risk of this crowd-heckle: "You shoulda saved some money on the Bass and bought some effin' lesson, ya mug!"
I'm kidding, 'sif we get a crowd at our gigs.

 

[Tollywood]

Welcome to the forum. You picked out an amazing bass to learn to play on. It will be like learning to drive a car in a brand new Cadillac. Make sure to get into a practice routine. You should set aside 30 minutes per day; more if you have the time. Lessons are a good idea to get you started on the right track and to learn some different techniques. Good luck!

 

[Ox Boris]

Thanks, Tollie.
I set aside 30mins each day, for food and water. The rest is thumpy-thump. That's the neighbour banging on the wall, begging me to stop. Must be a music lover...

 

[mmbassplayer]

Welcome and you pretty much choose the wrong spot for someone to talk you out of that bass. There are not to many neck-throughs floating around here (Jermey, hello...) so we are all ready for a full report. JOSH

 

[Ox Boris]

Ordered today. I'm told that the wait is 6-8 weeks, which is better than the 4 months I've heard bandied around, which, in turn, is better than "that colour is discontinued" which is the news I've had from another retailer.

Of course, my chap could be just telling me what I want to hear, so I'm not holding my breath.

 

[muggsy]

Sounds like you made a great choice. The wait will suck, but it'll be worth it. And, as you noted, the good thing about starting later in life is that you can actually afford to buy nicer stuff. I started in my 30s, and have been through way more than a dozen basses in the past 15 years.

 

[Ox Boris]

I see in another thread that it's customary to buy another Bass at this time. My replacement acoustic Bass has just arrived in Oz, after it's predecessor was DoA. So I think that may count. I had it for a few hours in July and now the new one gets here on Friday.

 

[Ox Boris]

Well, despite the colour being discontinued, my Sapphire Stingray is on it's way. Ordered on 10th Nov, sent 11th Dec. But I won't get to play it until I pick it up in March.

 

[nurnay]

March? Why the long wait?

 

[Ox Boris]

March? Why the long wait?

Initially, the wait was slated at 3-4months, so I booked holiday/flights, late, to guarantee it'd be there (mate's place in CA), when I arrived. I could have come for Xmas... <deathstare@retailer>

 

[nurnay]

Initially, the wait was slated at 3-4months, so I booked holiday/flights, late, to guarantee it'd be there (mate's place in CA), when I arrived. I could have come for Xmas... <deathstare@retailer>

Bummer!

 

[Ox Boris]

Weird. I ordered on 10/11/15, then it was "being built, about 4 months." Any attempt to narrow this down was met with some fairly impressive non-committal prevarication. Then suddenly, it's ready and was delivered 11/12/15. But the serial number check says DOB was 15/9/15. So why the massive difficulty in giving me a date?

I'm asking the wrong people for a direct answer, I suppose, I should be asking the retailer. But, please, humour me and speculate what would explain this series of events.

 

[Golem]

They're like puppies. Can't be delivered immediately
as of DoB. Gotta be weaned, be a few weeks old, get
their shots, yaydayayadayadda ....

 

[Dead-Eye]

My Bongo was my first bass. Nothing wrong with that

 

[Ox Boris]

Welcome and you pretty much choose the wrong spot for someone to talk you out of that bass. There are not to many neck-throughs floating around here (Jermey, hello...) so we are all ready for a full report. JOSH

I had a bit of a play while I was on holiday, but bringing it back to Australia last weekend means it's now officially my new and first Bass. It's bloody splendid!



Initial thoughts:

People say that StingRays growl, I now know exactly what they mean! It's so visceral and ballsy. I've done my first bit of selector switch twiddling trying to calm it the **** down!
What pity that's going to be censored. It's exactly what I mean and, no, it cannot be expressed any other way! Only Anglo-Saxon can handle this!
So if you're wondering if it sounds like a StingRay, then, yeah, it does.

That's not to say it can't do smooth...probably. I haven't really tried, to be honest. Haven't felt the need, when everything seems to be going so well without it.

 

[Eilif]

How has your first week (or so) with it gone?

I'm like you -- just got into bass recently. Also bought a neck-through Stingray (Pacific Blue Burst...I absolutely love this color) about a month ago and am now on the other side of 50. And I'm having a blast.

 

[Ox Boris]

New blisters are forming! I can't get enough of playing it. It's allowed me to be better simply by being a quality Bass. That's not magic, it's because up til now I've practiced on an old P knock-off, borrowed from a friend, whose kids were using it for The Who practice, or a trampoline, or something, with an action as high as Moon and that didn't actually work (great for building strength and playing late at night); and a nice, but fairly clunky Warwick acoustic, with strings the size of a small house in Barnsley. The StingRay, however, just by virtue of being well made and well setup, means I can get to things faster and easier. I've discovered that hammer-ons actually work and that's seriously increased speed.

It hasn't given me better technique, but it's allowed what technique I've got to be used far more effectively.

I'm glad you're enjoying your Bass and your journey.