Guitar vs Bass (the seemingly lifelong question)

I'm mostly a bass player although I play a guitar at home.

1. I am in a minority on this one, but IMO it is much easier and less frustrating to start with an electric. They are much easier for a beginner to play.

2. Guitar to bass is a much easier transition than vice versa.

3. I don't really follow prices and brands much. I hear good things about Yamaha and Ibanez when it comes to price/performance ratio.

I'm a lot more amateur when it comes to bass than I am with a guitar, but I'd still consider myself to be both bassist and guitarist. I can't see any reason why anyone would need to choose one instrument over any other, but with bass and guitar there's so much overlap that that's especially true.

But, if you really need to choose, the only person who can make the descision is you, and the only way you'll get an answer you'll always be comfortable with is to try both and decide for yourself. Have confidence in your own preference!

I play acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, keyboards and harmonica.....the only problem I have is fitting them all in....

Like misanthrope said, I don't see why anyone should HAVE to choose one over the other....playing guitar will give you a head start on the bass, while playing bass will make you think about the guitar in a different way....

"Or" is such an ugly word, I've always preferred "and"......strawberries AND cream, chicken AND stuffing, guitar AND bass.......

:D :D :D

Vic

if you're not sure which one you want to play, figure out what parts you like to play in your head, or when you're pretending to play an instrument. i'd suggest pursuing that one.

As I'm understanding the question, it's not just which one to play, but which one to play FIRST. :D

Think about your goal: What type of music do you want to play as you learn? If it's rock and electric-type music, get an electric first. I went acoustic first, and like many others, soon purchased an electric. I still enjoy the acoustic, but my electrics get played much, much more.

If I could only have ONE guitar, I'd keep an electric and let the acoustic go. But that's a personal choice. Around the campfire, electric doesn't cut it. So you have to decide what you want to be able to do with your first guitar, in this early stage. Eventually, GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) WILL strike, and you will likely have multiple instruments in your arsenal, possibly both bass and guitar, as is the case for many of us here.

My point is, contrary to a widely-held opinion (which I bought into in the beginning, too), you don't HAVE to learn acoustic before you can go electric.

Margaret

Yes, pick the one you like best, and if you like the lower saxes, that would probably be around the same range as guitars. Except maybe for the bari which might be around the middle range of a bass, lowest range of guitar.

But like Vic said, it doesn't have to be an 'or' situation.

Most bass players I've met started on guitar and went to bass from there. I *think* only one I've known started and stayed on bass. But even full time bassists, like the upright jazz guys, who probably only play guitar as a hobby, still have a 'chordal' instrument for working out chords and harmony - lots of them play piano as well as the upright.

Having a chordal instrument is important for musical growth and getting deeper into the theories of music. I mean you *can* strum a bass or pick out chords, but it's a little easier on guitar or piano - especially when you get into more serious extended harmonies.

That said, since you mentioned guitar more than once, it almost looks like that Squier 51 is a good insertion point into music in general. And I also find myself agreeing with hbriem as far as starting on an electric guitar. There's no reason to put yourself through the torture of an acoustic; and I say 'torture' because lots of times you get an inexpensive acoustic - in the 100 dollar range - and it's not setup properly, with the string easy to hold down, thicker strings, etc. You could get one and have it setup professionally and you'd be fine. But most of the time electrics come with slightly thinner strings and a lower action so you don't struggle with holding chords or doing single line stuff.

--In the same price range as the Squier, I have to stress.

For me, I play bass and guitar equally, and always have, but when I'm working out a tune, unless it's a bass derived riff or pattern, I normally pick up a guitar because I can hear and envision the parts a lot easier. In that case the bass can be a little harder as a writing/arranging instrument, though it can certainly be done.

Have fun with it though! :)

Oh, also check out rondomusic.com for inexpensive instruments - both bass and guitar - electric and acoustic.

Like everyone else has said, it depends on what you want to do, what kind of music you want to play, etc. If you plan on playing mostly by yourself for a while, I would start with a guitar. If you want to learn the basics and jump right into a jamming/band situation, then it's really up to you. Bass and guitar play much different roles in music-guitar can be rhythm or lead oriented whereas bass is generally a rhythm based instrument, but don't get me wrong, there are some guys out there who can definitely lead a band with a bass (see Geddy Lee and to a much greater extent, Les Claypool).

I started on acoustic guitar, then transitioned to electric and I'm glad I did it that way. Acoustic is much harder to learn on because of the physical characteristics that are inevitable, but by learning on an acoustic I picked up better technique because each skill took me longer to learn and I couldn't really slack off. That's just my opinion though.

Choose what will keep you playing, it's as simple as that.

I'll bet you'll eventually end up playing both. I had a bass before I had a guitar and think it was harder learning guitar. Once you learn guitar bass becomes much easier in that the notes are the same.

If you start with guitar I'd suggest electric as they are easier to learn/less painful.

To be honest, guitar players are everywhere, but everyone's always looking for a bass player. My friend who's a pretty good guitarist picked up bass in about 6 months and then joined two local bands :), since the pool of bass players is much smaller than the pool of guitar players.

I say do both, but playing out with a group does a lot of good for your musicianship (since you sound like you've been playing instruments forever, you probably know this already!)

This may seem like a silly question to some.......... Judging from my experience with the sax I would have to say that I liked the bari's low tones the best and so I would most likely enjoy playing bass over guitar. However I have been led to believe that a bass is somewhat limited as compared to a guitar by my acoustic/electric guitar playing friend.

Ultimately I know I would enjoy being able to play either or even both, but I'm not sure which should be my gateway drug. And this as well is ultimately is my decision but I would like some peer pressure to give my credit card a nudge. ;)

More limited? Check out Victor Wooten or Stanley Clarke. Sure it is not the sound normally heard as a solo instrument but you can play lead bass. Listen to ex NBAer Wayman Tisdale. Bass is just as limited as a baritone sax is compared to the more oftenly voiced alto and tenorblittle brothers but that is the sound you wanted.

I say if like like that low boom rather then a high scream go for the bass. You can still play leads, youi can still play chords. You will just have a differenyt sound..

Well, I've decided to with a guitar to start out with. Now a new problem arose... Acoustic/electric or purely electric. Some unknown guitar or the Squier '51. I want to be able to play a little bit of everything eventually I guess. So that makes me lean towards an acoustic/electric but I've heard so many good things of the Squier '51. I guess I am probably overthinking things being the only experience is playing on my friend's ovation acoustic/electric without an amp. Can an acoustic/electric get that loud and in-charge sound with a distortion pedal?

I also have a question about buying an amp. I am for sure either getting an electric or acoustic/electric so if anyone knows of an amp that fills the following criteria give me a holler:

15-35 Watts
Less than $200
2 Inputs (This would be nice because my friend doesn't have an amp. If this is available on smaller amps I don't even know)
Good sound
Fun effects

Also, I'm a bit confused on the effects part of the amp. Is a footpedal simply to switch between the effects w/o having to reach down and flip a switch or what? Are they necessary or just very handy or?

Thanks for any help offered, I fear that my interest in playing guitar has snowballed. Hopefully this will continue once I actually get my hands on a guitar of my own ;)

If you're going acoustic-electric you'll need an acoustic amp. i have an acoustic electric and when i plug in, i plug in through a regular amp. it probably doesn't sound as good, but i don't plug in that often.

i know this decision is important to you but if you're like the rest of us, you'll be having more guitars in your future, so just get what you think is good for now. you can't go too far wrong with your money buying any instrument.

Here's some of the most-repeated (and best) advice given 'round here:

Go to a guitar shop and spend a few hours, more than one time if necessary, and try out several guitars. Ask for or take along a set of headphones if you're not comfortable with everyone listening to you play at this point, but spend a little time listening through the amp, as well. Best to try the instrument through the amp you think you'll buy. Take a friend who plays along to check them out, if you like.

Don't be intimidated or feel rushed. Guitar shops are accustomed to people hanging out before investing their hard-earned bucks.

Better to put in the time upfront than to wish you'd gone another route two or four weeks down the road.

Most of all, have fun checking out all the goodies! 8)

Margaret

Can an acoustic/electric get that loud and in-charge sound with a distortion pedal?

Akmost anything's possible, with practice and imagination. Here's a vid of one of my faves, just a brass slide an a POS archtop and that can-do attitude: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDE1RvjQG28&mode=related&search=
Okay, maybe an extreme example ;) but fancy gear isn't always the answer. I guess it's more about pieces fitting into place. Remember "The Music Man:" "Experimentation! Trial and Error!" So feel free to nose around and play everything in the shop. If they mind, go to another store ;) Enjoy the journey, stay open, and you'll know the right one when you play it.