The Equipment
Learn what equipment is needed to start playing the bass guitar.
Getting Started
To get started playing bass you will need the following equipment:
• A bass (of course)
• A bass amp
• A lead (commonly called jack to jack)
• A pick if using one, if you use your fingers this is not needed
• A tuner (preferably)
From most music shops you can pick up a bass starter pack that includes the above from around £120-£200, ask your local music store for more details. Although, it's best to buy from shops, basses can also be bought online and sometimes be bought in even cheaper deals online. Take care if buying over the internet.
If you are a beginner don't go for an expensive bass as your first bass purchase, as you may not stick with bass and keep playing, so it will be a waste of money. Also, it is cheaper buying a starter pack rather than buying everything separately. If you are a starter to bass, starter packs are the first logical step as a beginner bassist.
The Bass
OK, when buying a bass there are a few factors worth mentioning. This is why it is advised you go to a shop to buy a bass as you can check the factors below for yourself.
• What is the cost?
• Is the bass too heavy, or do you feel it to be unbalanced standing up and sitting down?
• Do you like the look and feel of the bass?
• How big are the frets and neck, and how many frets does the bass have? (These effects the accessibility around the fret board, smaller frets are easier to use especially for people with small hands or fingers.)
• How many strings does the bass have? (For a beginner I would stick to a 4 stringed bass)
• How many pick ups does the bass have and is it passive or active electronics?(Active electronics have a 9v battery installed in the bass along with an online pre amp, this makes the bass sound better when plugged into an amp. If the bass sounds distorted or lower than normal this could mean the battery needs changing)
• Does the action need sorting out? (You can either let the shop sort this out or use this website)
There are many factors when choosing a bass as you see, that’s why it’s best not to pick the first bass you see and also it is better to go to a shop and buy. When buying a bass it’s more of a personal preference than buying something someone else uses.
The Lead
It really doesn’t matter what make your lead is, etc. The only thing that is of concern is how long the lead is. The longer the lead the greater distance between you and your amp.
A Tuner
A tuner is very handy to have. It will help tune your bass in a string at a time by telling you if each string is sharp or flat. You can use the same lead you use for your bass and your amp too. For a beginner a bass can be tricky to tune using other methods and can take several moths to master, so I would suggest tuning with the aid of a tuner, or my online tuner located on the top nav.
A Pick
If you want to use a pick you need to buy a few different size picks. Picks come in different sizes and thicknesses, ranging in mm in size. If a few picks are bought to begin with then you can tell what size thickness works for you, and at prices starting at around 20p each it makes no sense why not to.
The Amp
This is just like a giant speaker and it is used to pick up the sound of the bass. This is done by the bass pick ups which use magnetic coils to pick up the sound of the string vibrations. Bass amps come in different sizes and watts. A higher watt amp means a more powerful bass and better quality sound. The lead connects the bass to the amp, then the amp to a power supply.
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