Guitar Lessons: Purchasing a Bass Guitar
Bass is not the most popular choice for guitarists, especially when they are just learning. But despite this fact, it is actually an excellent choice to take bass guitar lessons at some point because of its varied advantages as can be seen in this article: http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/take-bass-guitar-lessons/. This very fact can make bass guitarists interesting to other players. And it’s cool! Really. But purchasing a bass guitar comes with its own set of specifications that might or might not apply to the purchase of a normal acoustic guitar. Here are a few tips to get you started!
Starter bass guitar
It is not completely necessary that you should buy a starter bass guitar when you are just starting out, but for those who are not yet sure of your dedication level, this might prove to be the smart choice. Starter bass guitars are typically cheaper than the better models and hence, there would be less investment required on your part. However, keep in mind that these instruments probably have hardware and electronics of lower quality than you might expect. If you are sure about your interest in learning the bass guitar, it is better to get a good quality one, otherwise stick with a starter bass.
Comfort level
Bass guitars tend to be larger and heavier than their acoustic counterparts. This is not necessarily a disadvantage but the wrong guitar size and shape can make things difficult for you physically. Pick up the guitar you are interested in and start playing. Try playing it both standing up and sitting down. If the guitar is not comfortable or sound good to you at this testing level, it probably never will be good enough for you. Some guitar shapes will not feel right in your hands or in your lap. Don’t choose these, and opt for one with which you feel the maximum comfort. Choosing a bass guitar comes with a checklist but the primary one to tick off is the comfort level.
Body and finishing
The body of a bass guitar is as important as anything else. The neck must be attached to the body with a bolt-on-neck. Any other method of joining the neck to the body means that the guitar is poorly constructed. Make sure that the neck and the body don’t have much of a gap. Check the finishing of the guitar closely as well. Some guitars are made of pieces of different wood, all glued together. This does not make for a good guitar because the different types of wood all affect the tone; and the presence of glue does not give good resonance. This can be detected if checked properly. Other things to check are bridge, controls, pickups, strings, tuners, etc.
Bass and amp
The most important thing about the bass guitar is well … the bass! If you already own an amplifier that you like, plug the guitar to it and see how it sounds. If you don’t yet own an amp, then this is a good time to buy one that works well with your guitar. Try the bass with different amplifiers and pick one that sounds the best to you.
If you desire more comprehensive information about bass guitars before starting basic bass guitar lessons, please check out: www.guitarlessonssingapore.com.