Recommend a bass for a youngster starting out

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BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
I've been asked to recommend a bass for my 10 y o nephew who's just starting out.  I have some thoughts but I've been out of the loop of what's happening in the bass world for a few years and to be honest never knew much about budget priced bass gear.  Budget around £150.

His parents would prefer him to start on a full-sized bass rather than have to make a transition when older. 

Personally I'm thinking used would give them a better bass for  the money and they can get their money back when he upgrades/loses interest.  A used Mexican Fender or similar.

Any thoughts?
“To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • What about a short scale, like an Epiphone EB-0, or Hofner Violin.  Won't be quite as big as a P or J now, but still playable when he gets older.
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23948
    Find another £49 and get one of these


    Absolutely stunning for the money. Very well built, good tone and suitable for pickup upgrades in the future too.

    Well balanced and a reasonable weight as well.

    Can't go wrong.
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  • JalapenoJalapeno Frets: 6378

    Find another £49 and get one of these


    Absolutely stunning for the money. Very well built, good tone and suitable for pickup upgrades in the future too.

    Well balanced and a reasonable weight as well.

    Can't go wrong.
    For a 10 year old ?
    Imagine something sharp and witty here ......

    Feedback
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23948
    It's cheap, light and very well built.

    Had a go on a mate's one a couple of weeks ago - his bass rig makes mine look like a practice amp, but he uses that Yammie as his main bass.

    The OP wants a full size bass, so why not?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    edited November 2013
    Unless his hands are huge for a 10-year-old I'd get a short scale, although nothing shorter than 30". My daughter (nearly 10) finds my full-size basses way too big. There isn't a 'transition' - many adult bass players use both and swap back and forth without an issue - but if the instrument is too big to play properly it will do more harm than good.

    The Squier Bronco is a decent instrument, as is the Epiphone EB-0. The Epi in particular is a full-size bass that just happens to have a shorter scale - if Gibson EBs were good enough for Jack Bruce and Andy Fraser, you don't need to worry about it.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • His hands are not huge (although he's a big lad for his age) but he is also studying double bass and playing in an orchestra.  The double bass is (I think) half size.  I've not tried it but would have thought the physical effort to play the double bass would be more than a standard scale bass guitar?

    (I have a bit of a prejudice against short scale basses.  I know some great players have played them, but to me they are not versatile.  That's not to say it might not be the best idea for my nephew of course - I'm trying to keep an open mind.
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Can you find out what scale the half-size double bass is?

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23948
    A lot of half-size double basses have a scale of about 37 inches, and even the quarter size ones are still 34 to 35 inches in most cases.

    As with most classical instruments, there is no agreement on scale length! Even full scale is somewhere between 41 and 43 inches. That's a lot of difference for a low end stretch!
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  • I'll try to get the info on his double bass.  It might even be a quarter (he's had it for at least a couple of years so may have been 7 or 8 when he got it).
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • With guitar and kids it tends to be weight that's more if a problem than size/ scale. I suspect something like a MIM Precision would be mentally heavy for a ten year old.
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • It's a good point.  Basses tend to be heavy.
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • Spoke to his mum.  Limited info but he's moving to a bigger double bass which I assume has to be at least half size.  Obviously since it hasn't been purchased yet I don't know the specific size.
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • Epi EB-0 would probably be a good choice. Nice lightweight body along with the shorter scale length and slim neck make it a decent choice for a younger player.  As Eric said, electric solid body basses tend to be far heavier than their 6 string equivalents. 
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    edited November 2013

    Nanyo SGC Bass Collection. Excellent quality - I got one after advice from a semi-pro. Japanese-made, were £700 or more back in the 90s, you can buy used from £150-£250

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=Nanyo+SGC+Bass+Collection&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc

     

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  • IanSavageIanSavage Frets: 1319
    Actually, yes - those SGC Nanyo Bass Collections are absurd VFM secondhand, with nice narrow necks and really lightweight bodies. 
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  • Nanyo SGC Bass Collection. Excellent quality - I got one after advice from a semi-pro. Japanese-made, were £700 or more back in the 90s, you can buy used from £150-£250

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=Nanyo+SGC+Bass+Collection&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc

     

    MEGA BARGAINS!
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  • DrBobDrBob Frets: 2998
    IanSavage said:
    Actually, yes - those SGC Nanyo Bass Collections are absurd VFM secondhand, with nice narrow necks and really lightweight bodies. 
    Funnily enough a used Red SB310 was the very bass that I picked up for a friends 9 year old son, he flipping loves it, he's been gigging in his school band with it for a year or so now.

    Only thing is, no fret dots
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    mine has dots down the side of the neck
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  • Thanks for the suggestions guys, will keep my eyes peeled for one of those, not seeing any on sale at the moment.  Has to be before Christmas!
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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