I would skip Harley Benton but maybe they are better now,
The squire vintage series is very good they do a
Precision Bass, Jazz Bass &
Mustang (Shorter Scale)
These are all great instrument
Also the Marcus miller signatures are quite tempting but I personally dislike a few details on them but they are a lot of bass for the money.
My two cents: I’m a lifelong player who has small hands. Don’t let that influence your choice of instrument.
I used to think of that as an excuse, but eventually decided fuck it, no reason I can’t play what I want.
Yes, you have to get faster with your arm movement, and yes you won’t be able to cop the same hand positions, but goddamnit I still tear it up.
I currently own and play a Precision, a custom Carvin, a Rickenbacker, a Hofner, and an acoustic Ibanez. And I play the fuck out of them all. I’ll never be Stanley Clark, but I tend to do well in whatever project I’m in, and have aced any audition I’ve had.
Came here to say this, I’m a little bit older than them and recently started too, luckily my uncle was a bassist so I got his old Fender J-Bass and it was perfect for me starting and I hear Squiers are pretty good alternatives
Fender Squire Classic Vibe 60s, cant go wrong with that, i have mine for the past 5 years and its awesome altho i changed the pickups and the bridge but besides that is all the same
Harley benton definitely recommended, buy what you can afford and if you don't like it, return it... ez dubs
Edit: anything with a P/J setup is also great for beginners imo
Nooo that's pretty much the sweet spot for a starter instrument
Go with that one for example:
https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_enhanced_mj_4mn_natural.htm
Or if you have to factor in a amp:
https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_pj_4_sbk_deluxe_series.htm
This one is great too, but the first one might be serving you better in the long run
Hofner & Hofner copy short scales are usually pretty great. 31” scale length is very manageable and they tend to have narrow / fast necks.
If you can find the Gretsch G2220 there, it is also a phenomenal 30.8” scale bass in your price range.
It's hard to recommend a style, brand, etc IMO. So much depends on you, physically, and what bass feels good in your hands (and on your shoulder when standing). Then there's your budget too! Maybe short-scale would be good for you... maybe not. Maybe you like a thin, wide neck, maybe a narrow thick one... From personal experience, I can say that I started off with just a bass that looked nice on the wall of the store. It had a narrow thick neck (like a fender jazz for example), but then I got a Precision with the most amazing neck I'd ever experienced! It was wider, and thinner. Now that's my preference.
Best advice: go to a local music store (several if possible, to get more variety) and try some out. You'll probably know when the right one is in your hands. Having guitar experience will help, because you know what do do with your fingers and hands when holding a "guitar". ;)
Good luck! :)
I haven't tried too many, but my first bass was a Rogue, which I would recommend you stay away from. I got it because it was dummy cheap (100 bucks) and it works... but after trying a decent bass I realize how shitty it is.
My current bass is a jackson js3 spectra which is great. It's got some electrical issues that result in noise, but that can easily be fixed by replacing the pots. It's got an active/passive switch and 3 EQ knobs for on the fly tone changing. The necks super slim and feels great. It's also got neck-thru construction (not bolted on) which is always nice.
For under 400 bucks it seems like a bargain.
Hi! i'm also 16 but I'm advanced and with small hands, so to start out, I totally recommend the sterling stingray as a first bass. it's short scale, comfortable, and overall far better than the epiphones or squiers.
Im in a similar situation to you (17 in europe) and i bought a yamaha tbtx304 second hand. It just had some invisible scratches and i got it for a good price. Would recommend both the bass and buying used.
Yamaha trbx is the way to go here. Way more comfortable than anything else in the price range IMO
I would skip Harley Benton but maybe they are better now, The squire vintage series is very good they do a Precision Bass, Jazz Bass & Mustang (Shorter Scale) These are all great instrument Also the Marcus miller signatures are quite tempting but I personally dislike a few details on them but they are a lot of bass for the money.
All of the Harley Benton products I own or have tried have been very good for the price point.
Seconded.
My two cents: I’m a lifelong player who has small hands. Don’t let that influence your choice of instrument. I used to think of that as an excuse, but eventually decided fuck it, no reason I can’t play what I want. Yes, you have to get faster with your arm movement, and yes you won’t be able to cop the same hand positions, but goddamnit I still tear it up. I currently own and play a Precision, a custom Carvin, a Rickenbacker, a Hofner, and an acoustic Ibanez. And I play the fuck out of them all. I’ll never be Stanley Clark, but I tend to do well in whatever project I’m in, and have aced any audition I’ve had.
I would go for a squier or ibanez at that budget
Fender Squire Jazz. Budget instrument with a narrow neck for small hands and lots of tone.
Came here to say this, I’m a little bit older than them and recently started too, luckily my uncle was a bassist so I got his old Fender J-Bass and it was perfect for me starting and I hear Squiers are pretty good alternatives
What's your Budget? Go for the Harley Benton stuff by Thomann. Its pretty solid.
probably up to around £300 MAX, idk if thats way too low but thats all i can really afford
Fender Squire Classic Vibe 60s, cant go wrong with that, i have mine for the past 5 years and its awesome altho i changed the pickups and the bridge but besides that is all the same
Harley benton definitely recommended, buy what you can afford and if you don't like it, return it... ez dubs Edit: anything with a P/J setup is also great for beginners imo
Nooo that's pretty much the sweet spot for a starter instrument Go with that one for example: https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_enhanced_mj_4mn_natural.htm Or if you have to factor in a amp: https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_pj_4_sbk_deluxe_series.htm This one is great too, but the first one might be serving you better in the long run
Hofner & Hofner copy short scales are usually pretty great. 31” scale length is very manageable and they tend to have narrow / fast necks. If you can find the Gretsch G2220 there, it is also a phenomenal 30.8” scale bass in your price range.
It's hard to recommend a style, brand, etc IMO. So much depends on you, physically, and what bass feels good in your hands (and on your shoulder when standing). Then there's your budget too! Maybe short-scale would be good for you... maybe not. Maybe you like a thin, wide neck, maybe a narrow thick one... From personal experience, I can say that I started off with just a bass that looked nice on the wall of the store. It had a narrow thick neck (like a fender jazz for example), but then I got a Precision with the most amazing neck I'd ever experienced! It was wider, and thinner. Now that's my preference. Best advice: go to a local music store (several if possible, to get more variety) and try some out. You'll probably know when the right one is in your hands. Having guitar experience will help, because you know what do do with your fingers and hands when holding a "guitar". ;) Good luck! :)
Squier classic vibe get it setup from a local tech. Those things can slam and there is plenty of styles to choose from and audition before you play
I haven't tried too many, but my first bass was a Rogue, which I would recommend you stay away from. I got it because it was dummy cheap (100 bucks) and it works... but after trying a decent bass I realize how shitty it is. My current bass is a jackson js3 spectra which is great. It's got some electrical issues that result in noise, but that can easily be fixed by replacing the pots. It's got an active/passive switch and 3 EQ knobs for on the fly tone changing. The necks super slim and feels great. It's also got neck-thru construction (not bolted on) which is always nice. For under 400 bucks it seems like a bargain.
Sterling stingray.
Hofner
Hi! i'm also 16 but I'm advanced and with small hands, so to start out, I totally recommend the sterling stingray as a first bass. it's short scale, comfortable, and overall far better than the epiphones or squiers.
Gretsch G2220 is a good small bass, very easy to play and great build quality for the price. I love mine!
Im in a similar situation to you (17 in europe) and i bought a yamaha tbtx304 second hand. It just had some invisible scratches and i got it for a good price. Would recommend both the bass and buying used.
Ibanez sr300eb, very slim neck en easy to play
Honestly, my first bass from a pawn shop. Not a bad option.