kissing
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- Mar 30, 2009
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Ukes were my introduction to stringed instruments... and lately I've been having a strong, growing interest in basses.
I got the Ashbory bass a few months ago, and I quite like it.
It's compact, sounds bouncy and jazzy, and I love being able to have some bass in my arsenal. But the more I practice, the more I feel the need for frets for certain styles of playing. It's a bit hard going straight to a short-scaled fretless as a complete beginner of bass.
Now, coming from a background of ukes and dipping my feet for the first time in Bass waters.... I'm torn between getting a conventional, full size bass.... or going for the unique, smaller sized, novel choices that I'm attracted to.
I have my eyes set on 2 basses, and can't decide.
First is an Italia Rimini semi-hollow Bass:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370523093858&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
The advantages of this choice to me seems:
-Full sized bass with humbucker pickups (better sustain, more bass response)
The disadvantages are (in my view):
-It's big and heavy compared to the instruments I am used to playing
-It's a bit expensive, but I won't settle for less either if I go for a standard bass
Second is a more whacky, unconventional choice. A Fernandes ZO-3 ("Nomad") bass:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Fern...p-/110704737953?pt=Guitar&hash=item19c6843ea1
Advantages (in my view)
-Has that novel, 'cute and small' factor that attracts me to ukes
-More familiar sized fingerboard
-More affordable
Disadvantages:
-Shorter scale means less sustain and bassy sound quality than a full sized bass?
-Piezo pickup also means less sustain than magnetic pickup basses?
So I figured I'd ask for the opinions of the bass players of the uke community.
At the moment, my heart is leaning a bit more towards the Fernandes.
I'm thinking that the bigger bass would be a more substantial instrument as far as basses go... but something about a unique, tiny bass with some interesting features (like a built-in amp) appeals to me.... am I making a huge mistake? Please help!
I got the Ashbory bass a few months ago, and I quite like it.
It's compact, sounds bouncy and jazzy, and I love being able to have some bass in my arsenal. But the more I practice, the more I feel the need for frets for certain styles of playing. It's a bit hard going straight to a short-scaled fretless as a complete beginner of bass.
Now, coming from a background of ukes and dipping my feet for the first time in Bass waters.... I'm torn between getting a conventional, full size bass.... or going for the unique, smaller sized, novel choices that I'm attracted to.
I have my eyes set on 2 basses, and can't decide.
First is an Italia Rimini semi-hollow Bass:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370523093858&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
The advantages of this choice to me seems:
-Full sized bass with humbucker pickups (better sustain, more bass response)
The disadvantages are (in my view):
-It's big and heavy compared to the instruments I am used to playing
-It's a bit expensive, but I won't settle for less either if I go for a standard bass
Second is a more whacky, unconventional choice. A Fernandes ZO-3 ("Nomad") bass:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Fern...p-/110704737953?pt=Guitar&hash=item19c6843ea1
Advantages (in my view)
-Has that novel, 'cute and small' factor that attracts me to ukes
-More familiar sized fingerboard
-More affordable
Disadvantages:
-Shorter scale means less sustain and bassy sound quality than a full sized bass?
-Piezo pickup also means less sustain than magnetic pickup basses?
So I figured I'd ask for the opinions of the bass players of the uke community.
At the moment, my heart is leaning a bit more towards the Fernandes.
I'm thinking that the bigger bass would be a more substantial instrument as far as basses go... but something about a unique, tiny bass with some interesting features (like a built-in amp) appeals to me.... am I making a huge mistake? Please help!
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