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NFT: Any bassists here?

Greg from LI : 9/21/2020 9:53 pm
My son signed up for beginning band this year in school and has decided he wants to play bass. So I gotta buy him one. I saw an ad on craigslist for a Dean Edge 09 bass starter kit, comes with a case, stand, and amp. Guy is asking $125. My question is - is this worth it? Or would I be better off buying stuff individually?
Go for it  
jnoble : 9/21/2020 10:04 pm : link
Because if he sticks with it you or he always upgrade the bass & amp later on
bass player here -  
Del Shofner : 9/21/2020 10:05 pm : link
what's the amp? The bass could be OK but for $125 I'd like to see what amp is being thrown in. $125 would not typically get you decent quality for both.
I've played bass since 84'  
x meadowlander : 9/21/2020 10:07 pm : link
...when my son wanted to learn, got him a Fender Squire J-Bass starter kit and was surprised by how decent the bass and amp played and sounded for under $300 total.

My experience with Dean is that they are a decent budget brand, but nothing spectacular.
The amp is a Dean as well  
Greg from LI : 9/21/2020 10:10 pm : link
It's used but it is sold as a package in stores for $300.
This is the one  
Greg from LI : 9/21/2020 10:12 pm : link
The seller is including everything but the tuner
Link - ( New Window )
No real reason not to  
santacruzom : 9/21/2020 11:01 pm : link
You can always sell the set for maybe 30 bucks less than what you paid for it if he just doesn't get into it.
Not that it is much $ to worry about either way probably  
Mike in Marin : 9/22/2020 12:03 am : link
but a decent used fender starter and amp will likely have better resale value and be better quality if he sticks with it for a while. But as suggested above, you will probably not lose more than $30 or so on a resale, unless the amp shits the bed.
That Dean bass  
Mike in Marin : 9/22/2020 12:05 am : link
does look pretty rad though !
Those starter kids are usually junk...  
sb from NYT Forum : 9/22/2020 12:31 am : link
...and my guess is the bass will be hard to play because it needs a set up. And if it's hard to play he won't stick with it.

I would recommend a Squier or Ibanez bass, you can get decent ones for less that $200 and they'd have higher resale value than a Dean. You can also get good practice bass amps for $100.

Of course cheaper used.
Bass player here  
Gregorio : 9/22/2020 8:01 am : link
Go for this starter kit. Its reasonable. If your son develops a real interest after 6 months, then get him a better bass and amp going forward.
RE: Those starter kids are usually junk...  
Gregorio : 9/22/2020 8:45 am : link
In comment 14981138 sb from NYT Forum said:
Quote:
...and my guess is the bass will be hard to play because it needs a set up. And if it's hard to play he won't stick with it.
.. ..


This is solid advice. Pay for a setup (string height, intonation, truss rod adjust, tuning) especially with a cheap bass. You don’t want you son to be discouraged because the bass is unplayable.
Buy them individually  
mpinmaine : 9/22/2020 11:51 am : link
you are better off
LOL - when I read band and bass I thought of this  
PatersonPlank : 9/22/2020 1:24 pm : link
Bass Clarinet!

I'm not going to comment on the dean  
crackerjack465 : 9/22/2020 3:53 pm : link
but I'm trying to sell a Fender Bassman 100 amp (https://www.zzounds.com/item--FEN2345100010) and an Ibanez SR300FM (I think it retailed for about 300 when I bought it) w/ a bag for around $235. I'm moving (in Woodmere) and trying to get rid of it. It's in great shape minus a missing screw to hold the the strap on. You'd have to get a chord, tuner and... a screw.

I was going to put this on CL tonight but if you have any interest LMK.
I'm not going to disagree  
santacruzom : 9/22/2020 7:15 pm : link
that the bass -- and more likely, the amp -- is probably a piece of shit. But 125 dollars? If your son gives it up in a month, you can sell it for 100 and be out a few cups of coffee.
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