Hi,
I’m a long term (rubbish) guitarist who has been flirting with the idea of playing bass for quite a while. I accidentally came across a Bassbuzz video on YouTube which was so wildly entertaining that I have been watching quite a few. They’ve been very educational as well, to the point where I am seriously considering buying one.
Due to budget (non-existant) and lack of availability of Yamaha basses, I’ve settled on a choice of two starter kits. I’ve tried to build the packages separately and they work out more expensive.
It’s a choice between the SR300 and the Sire M2.
Does any forum members have experience with either of these?
Also, I’d just like to say that Bassbuzz is a great resource and I wish there was a guitar equivalent.
I don’t own either but the Sire gives you more tonal opportunities due to it pick up blender and middle frequency. Also the active/passive switch is great in case your battery goes out during a gig or even song for that matter.
Side note. I honestly would suggest dropping the fender amp and picking up a Vox Bass amPlug2. At only 15w, your not really going to be able to play along with anyone anyway. So unless you plan to show off your skills to a family member on a regular basis, the Vox will work just as good. Plus it adds a drum machine to play along to and best of all it allows you to practice anywhere.
They both have pickup balance and three-band EQs. The Ibanez doesn’t have an active/passive switch though, which is a super nice feature. It does have a pickup coil selector though, which actually probably modifies the tone as much or more than an active/passive switch would.
They both look like fine starter basses to me. I really like Ibanez necks.
Oh my bad I missed the pickup balance on the Ibanez. Yeah fair the switch adds tonal difference actually. For me though, I just largely look at the switch as a fail safe more than anything.
I use my active/passive switch all the time, I get a slightly different tone in passive mode than active, and the tone knob (a low pass filter) modifies the tone differently than an EQ. But YMMV for sure.
If you can go to a local music shop and put them in your hands first, do that before picking one. Even with only starting out and not knowing much about bass, picking the one that feels right in your hands, has a tone that sounds right to your ear, and is visually appealing will make sure you get lots of millage out of your first bass.
It is much more tempting to pick up and play a bass that looks feels and sounds nice vs the one that was cheap and someone on the internet told you is good. This forum is a great resource for information, but most of what makes a bass good or bad is subjective and completly personal to each person playing it.
Also take a look at the used market in your area as a possible way to get what you want for cheaper, for both the bass and the amp.
I have a fretless Ibanez SR375 and like it a lot. The neck is wonderful and the powerspan pickups sound awesome. I would like an active/passive switch though. I’ve been thinking about adding one by replacing the volume pot with a push/pull.
I was only thinking of a practice amp for my own bedroom usage to start off with, with a thought to upgrading later but the Vox Bass amplug is a great, low-cost solution.
Are they made well? They do look a bit cheap and plasticky from the few photos I’ve tried. Do they translate the bass sounds well?
Yeah I’ve had mine for a few months now and love the fact that I can truly work on the course anywhere I can find cell signal. While its all plastic except for the input, it feels sturdy for what it is. Plus not having to worry about unwanted distortion opposed to a small practice amp I also enjoy.
The Vox Amplugs are a little cheap feeling but they are super fun and totally worth the money. Meanwhile it has everything you need to get started, an aux in, drum machine, simple tone control, etc. I also sold mine for a pretty decent resale value.
That said, for what it is, the Rumble 15 is a cute little amp. I think the Rumble series sound great, and my Rumble 25 was capable of being too loud for my apartment. It won’t cut through a mix at all but the 15 is likely just fine for living room practice.
