How to choose a base

What is a base?

For those who are new to playing a musical instrument, this is probably an unknown instrument that naturally raises such questions. Whether you want to become your favorite artist or your friend asked you to, you need a bass guitar first when you decide to take up bass guitar, no matter what your reason is.
In terms of the band members' attention span, it is probably the popular guitar, saxophone, and drums with a strong presence around the vocalist. Still, the band has a bass guitarist. It may not be noticeable, but it's always there.
If we were to use a soccer analogy, the band members would be the vocalist as a forward, the guitarist as an attacking midfielder, the drummer as a goalkeeper, and the bass player as a top-down player. They are the commanders of the game, watching everyone's movements carefully and giving instructions to make the game happen. A familiar example of this is the role of a mother in a family. The bass guitarist is an important part of the band as a mood maker who creates a flow within the band and gets everyone excited.

So, what does bass sound like?

I would like you to imagine something that produces a low pitch, such as a bell or a drum. In order to produce a solid low frequency, first of all, it is big. And many of them are heavy. Electric basses are the same, and you have probably seen images of them hanging from the shoulder. It weighs about 4 to 5 kg, and it stiffens the shoulders. It is also tiring to move around. But why is it that once you start playing the bass guitar, you continue to play it for the rest of your life? It is because the bass sound is irreplaceable, and the rich, beautiful bass chords make you forget everything.

Nowadays, with the emergence of bass heroes, it has become a part that carries the spotlight, and its humble image has faded. Still, the first entrance to the band is always the popular guitarist. It is not uncommon to hear that when a group of friends get together to start a band and play in a Beatles band, they are all John Lennon. When we ask veteran bassists why they started playing the bass guitar, many of them say, "Because I lost at rock-paper-scissors-paper! Even if you started out as a bassist because you had no choice, it is wonderful that you have entered the world of bass playing, which you are about to begin. We hope that you will be enthusiastic about it and spend the rest of your life in it.

Now, finally, I'm getting interested in bass, and when I listen to CDs of my favorite artists, I can't help but listen to bass and drums.

Your lover may wonder if you are okay with this, as you start to play the rhythm with your neck while eating, or your body moves at railroad crossings and car blinkers. What you learn from listening to many CDs and memorizing the groove with your body is an absolute treasure more than what you learn from the theory of rhythm written in an instructional book.
Necessary words such as "rhythm," "groove," "swing," "drive," etc. will be learned inevitably from reading technical magazines, so it is enough to retrofit them. The way of expression is very different for each person. We hope you will pursue it.

Since you will be on the side of the audience from now on, you will be responsible for the sound you produce, but the bass is an important instrument with a beauty that strikes directly to the heart of the listener. As you can see from the fact that many women have been active in recent years, the bass is one of the easiest instruments to start playing, open to all people without physical handicaps such as physique. However, the instrument itself is heavy and large, so it is important to find the right instrument for you.

Now that you are getting excited about the bass, you need to get an instrument to get started.
We would like to introduce the composition and shape of the instrument, so please bear with us.

More than 300 instruments on display in the store.

Now, let's start playing bass! The first thing you need to think about when you decide to start playing bass is what to choose first. Some of you may be surprised to find that there are so many different types when you go to a music store. First of all, let's try to remember the typical shapes of electric basses and broaden your image of what kind of model you want. It will make your trip to the music store more enjoyable.

 

	Precision, which means "exact," is usually the original electric bass, and is a typical model made by many different manufacturers to this day. It has one pickup in the center of the body (two pickups in one set) and is characterized by its fat sound. The volume and tone control knobs are used to adjust the volume and tone. It is called "plebe" for short.

The Jazz Bass was introduced to expand the sound range of the Precision Bass, and with two separate pickups, it is the world's standard model that is loved by many for its versatility in everything from jazz to rock. The single coil pickups are mounted on the front and rear sides, and the balance between the two pickups can be adjusted to fine-tune the tonal nuances. This one is commonly known as the "Jazbe.

Active basses incorporate a unit that is powered by a battery in the body of the bass, which enhances the sound. The sound picked up by the pickups can be controlled by the active circuit for each range of sound, such as low, mid, and high. The Musicman Stingray is a typical model of the type with an active circuit. In contrast to active basses, basses with a circuit that does not use batteries are called passive basses. Passive basses have the advantage of outputting the true sound of the strings more purely than active basses, but they are a step behind active basses in terms of sound variation, so there are different tastes.

This is the original and representative model of the transformable bass. It is one of the eternal standard basses with innovative looks that will never break down. Through-neck construction with mahogany wood and walnut produces excellent long sustain. The mahogany body with rich, deep mid-low range and powerful humbucking pickups are synonymous with a rock sound and are used by many musicians. The overall length is long, but it's great if you can master it.

	This semi-acoustic bass has a hollow section for a richer sound. You can enjoy the sound of the wood and use it easily with an amp to enjoy an acoustic-like sound.

	The details of the look and sound are unique, and the policy is strongly felt. The sound of the pickups is fat, with the bright and hard sound of maple wood, and a sound that does not blur the core of the sound. This is a Rickenbacker bass, a coveted bass brand that has attracted many. It is commonly called "Ricken".

	The hollow body, light weight, and short scale make this model very easy to handle when playing. The sound is completely different from other electric basses, and is more acoustic. This violin bass is famous for its use by the Beatles.

Neck/NECK: Bolt-on, set neck, and through neck.

BOLT-ON	The body and neck are fixed with bolts. Easy to replace and repair, and the cost of production is low. While the sound is more crisp, the extension (sustain) of the sound is shorter due to the joint.
Set neck	A method of manufacturing in which the neck is held in place by wood bracing and gluing. Some models are difficult to play because of the high position where the neck joins the neck, but this can be compensated for by the way the neck is played over a long period of time.
Through Neck	The neck extends to the end of the body, and the body is joined to the side of the neck like a wing. Compared to the other two production methods, the neck extends all the way to the end of the body, which allows the vibrations to be transmitted clearly and richly, making it easier to convey fine nuances such as vibrato.

As for how to choose, it is not a matter of which is better than the other, so there should be no problem if you choose the model you like. Some people don't even realize they have through-neck until they buy one and someone points it out to them! What a surprise!

This is the length from the bridge to the nut.
The regular size long scale is the basic length, 34 inches, while the short 30 inches, medium 32 inches, and super long 36 inches are available.

In our store, we compare the length from the nut to the 12th fret. In the long scale, the approximate length is 430 mm. (1 inch = 2.54 cm) The longer scale means longer fret spacing and a larger overall instrument shape, but don't worry, physique differences, hand size, and finger length are not that important.

 

The neck is shorter than the standard long scale, and the body is smaller, making this model easier to handle.

　

This bass is shorter than the medium scale represented by the mustang bass.
Since it is considerably smaller than the standard long scale, it is recommended as an introductory bass, but the sound nuance is small but has a certain amount of power, making it easy to play and popular even among experienced players.

Comparison of Regular Scale and Short Scale

(Left) Short-scale Mustang bass / (Right) Regular-scale Jazz bass

This style of bass has no frets separating the pitches, allowing the bass to be played with nuances similar to a wood bass. This allows the pitch to be varied infinitely, but it also makes the bass difficult to play in pitch, in contrast to the "precision" of the precision bass.

As shown in the photo above, some models have guide lines where the frets are.
The fretless bass is characterized by its soft tone, and although it is difficult to cover all musical styles with this bass, you will often hear its sound in the funk, soul, and fusion genres, as represented by the great bass hero Jaco Pastorius. Please refer to the following list for more information.

A fretted bass is called a fretted bass, while a fretless bass is called a fretted bass.

Normally, a bass has four strings, but in order to obtain a wider range of sound, a model with five strings, six strings, seven strings, and so on is added. The fretted bass is a model with an additional 5th string, 6th string, 7th string... and so on, to obtain a wider range of sound.

As music becomes more diverse, the range of the bass has expanded, and so has the potential of the electric bass. Nowadays, the 5-string bass is the standard, and having more strings makes it a little easier to play, as there are fewer positions to move to. On the other hand, the neck is thicker and unnecessary mutes are required.

When the 5-string first appeared in the 80's, just having one was a big deal, but now everyone uses them as a matter of course. The neck is a little thicker, but if the artist you want to copy uses the 5-string a lot, you may want to start with the 5-string. It may be a little difficult, but there is a certain amount of difficulty when switching from a 4-string to a 5-string, so if it is the same difficulty, it is easier to start with the 5-string.

Basses are available in regular scale with smaller body shapes, medium scale, and short scale sizes. The size that fits your body is easier to move when playing on stage. The length of your hands rather than the length of your fingers is also a factor in your choice. Please choose with an eye to playing for long periods of time.
It is cute to see girls playing basses larger than their bodies, and there are bass brands for girls.
Fashion is also very important, so one way to make a choice is to prioritize the most important aspects.

	Daisy Rock was founded as "a guitar maker for girls. Of course, there are basses, too.
	Cute! Basses for girls! Our staff will guide you kindly and politely!

Necks with a thinner thickness and width are easier to grip and allow more force to be applied to the thumb. Compared to basses with thick necks, the amount of force is also reduced. In the case of short/medium scale necks, the distance between strings and the width of the frets are even narrower. The basic finger placement for each semitone-carved fret is one finger per fret, though, which is preferable. For models larger than the standard regular scale, it is not uncommon to use the index and pinky fingers to play a semitone plus a semitone for a distance of one note when playing in the lower registers. It takes some getting used to the force on the little finger, but the short and medium scales make fingering and positional shifts much easier. Hand size is not much of an issue, so don't worry. Many people seem to have trouble with small hands, but on the other hand, if you are a huge foreigner, your fingers are too thick to fit between the strings! I hear that there are also some difficulties. Many Japanese people have small hands, so they are often envied. The key is not the length of the fingers, but how much space there is between the fingers. If you find that your fingers don't open very wide, it is effective to practice spreading the space between your fingers in a place where the joints are soft, such as in the bathtub. If you keep this in mind every time you take a bath, you will be surprised how much you can open your fingers after a month or two. If you are looking for a regular scale bass for women, the thickness of the neck is different for each manufacturer, even for regular scale models, We have a lot of basses at THE used music store, so we want you to actually play, hold, and touch them to see for yourself. Please feel free to visit us. Please feel free to visit our store and ask us for help.

Fernandez FRB with small body and good balance It looks great even if a petite person holds it.

On average, the weight of the base is around 4 kg. In general, the market for lightness seems to be within 4 kg.
The weight is listed in the details of the products on the website. However, if the body is too light, the overall balance of the instrument will be poor, and some models will have a heavy head when strapped on, so please choose with this in mind.

The oldest and most popular color is called sunburst, which gradually changes the grain color in two or three stages. It is widely favored by bass players because of its austere appearance. There are also many primary colors and vivid colors, and even within the same white color, there are different atmospheres, from pure white to pearl white. It is possible that you have decided on the type of instrument, but the color is not so good. It is best if you can actually see the instrument with your own eyes, as some colors are difficult to be accurately represented in photographs.

Traditional 3-tone sunburst Frog-colored (excuse me?) is cute!

There are numerous choices of body shapes today, including pointed, star-shaped, and jagged. A flashy shaped bass will stand out on stage and be the center of attention! Also, there are models that are no longer manufactured but are available at music stores that deal in used instruments, so be sure to check them out. There are some unique and cool musicians who use Les Paul type or Thunderbird, so please refer to them. The weight and size are different, but above all, the shape and unique sound have a certain charm that cannot be changed.

G&L's L-2000 bass is a typical model equipped with two humbucking pickups and a variety of controls. 3 switches and 3 controls in rich combinations include a pickup selector to switch pickups at 3 points (front, front and rear), a pickup The 3-switch, 3-control combination includes a pickup selector that switches between front, front, and rear pickups, a series/parallel switch that switches between series and parallel pickup connections, an active/passive switch, volume, high-frequency treble, and low-frequency bass controls, allowing you to control combinations like train tracks in a major city. There are also other basses with various sound variations, such as the active type basses with various sound control by the active circuit introduced earlier, and active/passive switchable models such as Warwick and ATELIER Z. Basses with a Wide Variety of Sound Variations A bass with a wide variety of sound variations has the great advantage of allowing you to play various styles of music with just one bass. However, it also takes some time to get used to it.

For sound variation, this is the G&L L-2000! USA-made instruments are expensive, but there are also Japanese-made instruments with excellent cost performance.

Body

Alder   It has been widely used for guitars and basses because it is a relatively soft wood, easy to work, and lightweight. It is specialized for mid-range sound and easily conveys the original sound of pickups, and is characterized by its withered sound.

Ash   Ash is a popular body material for fingerpicking, pickup playing, and percussive string slapping, and is also popular for its brightness, as represented by the Fender JazzBass from the 1970s. The wood surface is light brown and has a beautiful surface suitable for painting.

Mahogany   Mahogany is a high-grade wood with a shiny reddish-brown color. The Gibson EB bass is a typical model.

Maple wood

Maple   Maple is used for neck and body materials due to its strength. It is characterized by its clear and grainy sound. There are different kinds of wood grain, such as quilted maple and tiger maple, and its beautiful grain makes it a high-end material used for the body tops of expensive models.

Others (koa, bubinga, walnut, and other woods unique to basses)

	Walnut	Bubinga
	The grain of the skin is a little coarse, but it has a beautiful luster and grain, and the more it is used, the deeper the texture of the material deepens.

Fingerboard (FINGER BOARD)

Maple wood   The sound is as bright and clear as the body material.

Rosewood   As one would expect from a neck material, it is hard, but compared to other woods, rosewood has a slightly softer and mellower sound.

Ebony wood   Ebony wood is shiny and strong, and has a tight sound with excellent sustain due to its quick sound response.

 

Straps sometimes come off while playing. In such cases, we recommend something called a strap pin. It is very convenient to have this metal fixture to fix the bass and the strap. Also, a set of hexagonal wrenches that will help you when you encounter unexpected adjustments. A few bandanas to wrap around the neck after playing to prevent the strings from deteriorating will help the strings last longer.

Bassists are always particular about their strings. Many people like to keep their strings fresh, and it pays to have strings that last as long as possible. There are many different types of strings from many different manufacturers. Choose strings that are handmade or coated to prevent deterioration, depending on your needs. Selecting Strings >>>

Strap prices vary depending on the material, such as nylon or leather. You want to decide on a stylish one. Strap>>

Tuning is like a musical greeting. Use this to make sure you are in tune. Here are some models from compact to rack type. Tuners>>

This is an important item that connects the bass to the amp. The instrument is important, but it is not complete without a shield. We have a wide variety of shields in different lengths and materials, as well as shields that can transmit the bass's unique low frequency range well. Shield>>

Shields are stretched according to the length of the neck. （There are different types of metal materials such as nickel, stainless steel, etc., and different types of winding such as roundwound and flatwound, and they have different tones.

Amplifier Selection 

The electric bass does not produce sound externally by itself, so the volume of sound externally is controlled through an amp. When purchasing an amp for home practice, the appropriate power range is 10 to 30 watts, depending on the size of the environment. Be aware that the low sound level will cause vibrations that may disturb neighbors. You may want to consider a model with a headphone jack for practicing at home.

You can practice without an amplifier. However, when practicing in a studio or in front of a live audience, it is better to be familiar with the sound setting with an amp on a regular basis so that you can apply it when using a larger amp. The amp is a part of the bass guitar. Please consider the choice of amp with a view to the future.

The feeling of use and condition of the amps vary widely, so the thrill of searching for a bass as if you were discovering a treasure is one of the best parts of being at a used music store. You can find high-end basses that are too expensive to buy new, used but like-new items at half the list price, an abundance of vintage basses in good condition at reasonable prices, pure Japanese basses with a legendary reputation for quality and a mythic reputation for quality that is second only to basses made overseas, and more. We also have a wide selection of 70's and 80's pure Japanese basses, which are in excellent condition and can be purchased at a very reasonable price. We sell our products with complete adjustments including repairs. If your first bass is a used one, it is important to know the details of its condition and post-purchase care; at THE Used Music Store, we will explain to you how to store your bass after playing it and how to properly care for it after purchase. Don't worry, even if you are a first time customer! Please visit our store.

If you want to know more about the charm of pure domestic basses, which are honored as such legendary high-quality myths!
GO to Samurai Base!

Finally."This masterpiece has this bassist", I have asked our seniors about a piece of music that will blow your mind, so please take a look at it.
Thank you very much for your time.
I hope you will find it useful.