My 3 Best Beginner basses... or backup basses

I’d just buy a google Fender Jazz and be done with it

Love the channel. I’m still a beginner and I started with the Squire Jazz bass. Love it! I’d highly recommend as a beginner, if you’re planning on sticking with it. Thanks for the tips brotha.

Beginner basses? Sure..great recommendations..backups? I guess it depends…these are pretty low grade backups for most pros/semi pros..I personally eve liked active basses much so I’d never need one with a pre..

Longtime Squier lover. I've always been hesitant on the Harley Benton because of the super low price. Thanks and this was a great video.

IMHO: the first bass should be HH.

Great recommendations and good advice overall. (Subscribed!)

From experience I would like to add some tips of my own (I wonder what you think of them?);
When buying a back-up bass:
- Make sure that the sound and playability are close to your main bass. You don't want to change settings on your amp or effects after switching to your back-up.
- Consider buying second hand. Save money and most of the time there is a case or gig-bag included — Cases aren't cheap!
- Spend time (and/or money) on setting it up right. Is it worse spending 5 minutes to change a string or to mess up a gig with an unplayable instrument?

Starting out:
- Have it set up by a professional. I know of to many people who quit learning an instrument because their instruments were unplayable.

sire need 2 batteries

I use a Squier 70's classic JB, Harley Benton classic 70' s Jazz , and an Ibanez SR 975 5 string. I use whichever bass I need depending on the gig. B it the HB is my favorite! Pro player for 45 years. Doing bars! Never take an expensive axe to a bar gig. I have seen too many get wrecked or stolen! My good basses only come out for recording or orchestra gigs!

Question, how are the electronics on the fender and the mmv3? Any issues with ground hum or low output?

my friend owns a squier affinity pj and it sounds hella nice (I had to fix it because the output jack disconnected from everything but it was from an issue where it fell)

Hey Bully, I collect ole skool low end basses with the wood body look, (like Alembic), Peavy etc etc.
Where would be a good online spot to look to purchase such basses?

Thanks for sharing. I've been digging the Harley Benton's. I want to pull the trigger on the JP-55OP. What are your thoughts?

I got the Harley Benton JB-75 Natural I had a bit more cash and figured that it looked good and just plugged it in, and it played awesome. Thanks for the information about HB. It is much better than the 20; I can't believe for a 139, it plays like a dream.

I have a high level basses collection for gigging and recently I've chosen a TRBX174 I am very happy with. It replaced my old backup bass, a Peavey Foundation USA. The TRBX 174 feels smooth sounds loud and clear, it's light weight, it's passive and sounds modern. I would include it in your backup list, even gigging only with it. I've received pretty good compliments about the Yamaha's sound, of course a little bit makeup'd through a Boss ME 50 B dor compression, enhancing and a subtle overdrive for any kind of music. Plus an Eden WTDI DI Box almost flat EQ just for an additional beefy sound. It keeps sounding natural in the end.

i possessed sires v three (sorry computer roke) passive ad active squier p ad harley B p B ad they are great eve if the harley is ot as good as the others sire is eeptioal for the price (hope i ll e uderstoud i have letters lack o my computer)

So for worship music. Would you go with a jazz or p bass if you have to choose 1 to get first? And would you recommend MM over Fender in the mid price range?

😊

I still love our Luna Tattoo I got very early on in playing. Very playable for me. They have gone up in price from the $200 they were.

As a player of 40+ years, I'm basically here out of curiosity. It's funny how much better the options are now than they were in the 80's. Great information, by the way! And I really like your approach. I'll be subscribing and checking out your other vids.

I just back into playing again and I am a Jackson fanboy so I got a Dave Ellefson signature model. It's sick. I would say that Yamaha, Ibanez, Squier, Ernie Ball all make good basses that fill this type of slot too. I am going to buy a 5 string soon as well. Good video homie.

Squire is a very good bass...get some pedals and your set for a while

I like the Fender Squire, fender is fairly reliable and parts are affordable and available for future upgrades.

Wow the prices are amazing on some of these--really nice you can get a playable instrument in the sub-$100 to $250 range!

I'd like to know more about your guitar hanging system. Cheers

As someone who's going to buy his first "economical" bass in the next week, I appreciate this video. On my list to hold and try are your first two choices. I am also going to try the Yamaha TRBX174 and the Cort Action. I'm sure the Miller is great for intermediate players. But, seven controls; ain't nobody got time for that when you're just learning the basics.

I would never recommend a 100 dollar bass for a beginner. That said, HB's arent' bad if you really don't give a shit about the bass, like if it's too heavy to carry home from a gig.

The thing no one teally gets is that you need the same guitars tuned different. Even bass I have thee at gigs. Half step down Whole step down and standard tuning. Same with six strings but twice as many guitars.

New strings are hard but i found a way to keep from retuning them over and over again. The wound strings which all basses have stretch them an octave higher and then tune them down. On a 6 string stretch them if you are brave enough 3 steps higher it saves you the hassle of retuning all the time. They get stretched and wont wane after a sing or two. But yeah at gigs no one teal cares or likes to hear you tuning an instrument. And hell if you make extra money playing gigs then your ol lady shouldnt bitch about all your guitars, right?

Guitars are like guns. One or two never work out. You need at least 10 or 20. Hunting and music is about as addictive as heroine. Right?

Another thing. I wish someone could explain to me why batteries in a guitar is a good thing. I never got it. But have heard you have to unplug them or it drains the batteries/ battery down.

But I will say one thing about your breakdown. Its good to see someone giving cheap guitars thier due. I mean a Gubson Les Paul is top of the line for six strings but... Les Paul the man actually designed and built his namesake guitar in an Epiphone factory in I belueve Chicago. Paul McCartney played an Epi Bass and my absolute favorite and perfect Les Paul six string is an Epi and picked by me over 5 Gibsons 10 years ago at Guitar Center. Anyone van say what they want about cheap guitars but that one 700 dollar guitar outplays a 5000 dollar Gibson Les Paul. Its a tobacco burst which i really like the cherry burst but... But to me guitars are like women. I have never bought a used guitar or bought one on line and actually drove 7 hours to try a specific guitar out. And drove back without it. Travelled with my tube hed and cabinets and strings. That partcular Les Paul was fucked. The neck had been replaced and not well. The sustain was not there on a tube head with feed back. Bending the neck actully felt it cracking. So trash. Pretty guitar too and the only used guitar i actually ever thought of buying. But i could have bought it through pay pal and shipped to me.

But never ever buy a guitar or car on line. You need to test "drive" both. Any music store that requires payment for an order then fuck 'em. You never marry your first love mostly and if you do. Wow. Guitars are like women. They will sing with you but she has to be perfect for you and learning how to play one is like dating.

Jesus Im a little drunk now but sounds like a good song. Let me think about it and may sell another. But.. been done by Waylon and Willie. But honestly the only two things in life that make it worth living is guitars in tune and firm feeling women, right?

Get the Harley Benton and with the money you save buy lessons which will definitely advance your playing.

Someone gave me an epiphone accu bass Jr early 2000s. I just haven’t been able to vibe with it. I have been looking at the Squier affinity.

Thanks for this guide.

Aside: Harley Benton opened an "official USA" site through Reverb... BUT they've a limited selection and the prices are almost exactly the same as shipping one from Europe. What?!? SMH.

Also, the Marcus Miller price has shot up since this was published. It's not a $300 bass anymore... it's got a $469 MRSP now and while you can get them for less, it's not that much more less. Wonder if this would impact your thoughts on this as a beginner bass today.

I started with a Marcus Miller V3 and that bass is just amazing for the price, and looking damned good too !

Any opinion on an EASY playing starter bass? I played guitar in the 80s and esrly 90s then quit all together. Now im retired, mid 50s and looking for something with a thin neck thats easy to play to ping around with. I have some arthritis and will probably play with a pick. Is that HB he mentioned any good? I would like to stay under $350 since im not sure if it is going to work out or not. But looking for full scale, no or little neck dive, weight is not an issue. I played a Gibson LP standard back in the day and it was fairly heavy. Any ody else co-sign on any of these he mentioned or too cheaply made?

Bruh! All I had to do was scroll a little further and I would have got my answer! 😂🤦🏾‍♂️ I appreciate you anyway 💪🏾👑

I ended up picking up a used bass from the 80's and I love it. It's an '83 Ibanez Roadstar II. The only problem is... you can't count on "the" specific bass you want to be there.
Great list! Keep it thumpin'!

I’m not really a beginner bassist, I’d say since I’ve played guitar for almost 4 years I’m in the Intermediate level, but I want to play bass more. I do have a bass (that was a gift from a church friend) but I want something better

Appreciate the advice MAB 🐺

great advice, thanks MAB

I will be purchasing my first bass within the 2 next weeks and I'm so glad I came across your video, this was so helpful. Question, disregarding the price point which bass would you go for between the Harley Benton JB 20 or Glarry? And if the Glarry which one would you recommend?

Thanks for the video. My young g starting to catch up to me on drums so I got to go ahead and get sturdy on bass.

Don't be afraid of knobs, they equal versatility which is always a good thing. Think of crayons as a kid did you want the 12-pack or the 72?

Totally agree with the squire affinity p/j my main bass is an aerodyne jazz bass but my backup is a squire affinity p bass with p/j pickups... Great back up

For a person on a budget looking to buy a bass, any bass that a professional musician considers gig worthy would be an excellent choice thanks!

How you doing Mr bully got a question I got a friend that's letting me use a four-string Davidson guitar for practice I am a beginner what do you think about that guitar I want to start playing so I can play for the church

Nice recommendations. Thank you.

Within 2 minutes I laughed out loud 3 times, new sub!

I like your style. Great info and presentation.

What about 5-6 strings for beginners?

Man, I don't even play bass, but you got me thinking about it now. Subscribed.

Nowadays, the bottom of the line Marcus Miller is now the V3P, which is a V3 without the preamp.