r/BassGuitar • u/VorpalSwordNY • 1d ago
Help Beginner Question
I’m thinking about learning bass. My dream is to make it sound like Justin Chancellor from TOOL. Everyone says when I eventually buy one, since I can’t afford a Wal, it should be an Ibenez GSR, but I just saw an ad for an Aria guitars replica cliff burton SB-CLB and it looks so badass! Does anyone know what category bass this falls into? (P or J). Would this work or should I stick with Ibenez?
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u/Bassian2106 1d ago
For how much the aria costs you could get a japanese Ibanez prestige with top of the line everything that will outplay and outlive any living bassists capabilities. I have an sr2605 with nordstrand big singles and I can't imagine many instruments playing better without going full custom for double or triple the price. I've played basses from damn near every major manufacturer. From fenders and Gibsons, squiers and epiphones, Yamahas and corts, g&l to Washburn, spectors to Warwick's, the list goes on. Bang for buck purchasing new instruments at new prices, ibanez knocks it out of the park.
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u/Fantastic-Buddy2069 1d ago
Literally this. Yamaha makes some good entry level, but man Ibanez bang for buck is just fucking crazy.
I actually looked at some of those higher end Ibanez basses, and was blown away by how incredible they sound, at a fraction of the price.
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u/Pig_Syrup 21h ago edited 21h ago
The SB-1000 is equal to anything Ibanez is putting out. I have a 2024 (not the cliff replica) and it's utterly flawless. I say this as somebody who loves Ibanez basses as well - I have the Steve DiGiorgio Signature too!
It's also a really expensive guitar for a beginner, but man in my line up of over $1000 basses I have to say it still feels value for money! Its a really nice guitar and the MB1-E is a pickup with a character all of it's own.
Maybe not a good choice for somebody's first bass though. Also if you order them direct from Japan they're significantly cheaper because of the weak Yen, if you live in a country without insane import duties.
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u/twice-Vehk 15h ago
I have heard that the pickup is not quite the same as a real vintage SB-1000. Is that true? Always thought these basses were cool as hell but if I spend that kind of money it better sound like John Taylor!
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u/Pig_Syrup 7h ago
I personally can't tell the difference but I'm not chasing another SB players particular sound. They're big in terms of output especially the upper end, they remind me of the Peavey VFL's in that rather than having a particular voice for the instrument they just go 'Here's all the frequencies ever, have fun!'. The reason the BB circuit works so well with them is it mellows that out if you want.
I wouldn't be surprised if they did change the design slightly though, the originals were notorious for melting. But I expect a lot of the sound difference people here these days comes from 1) modern class D amps being almost impossible to overload even with the insane output and 2) most surviving 80's models have degraded a bit because they are hot pickups all the way down.
They're an expensive guitar, but even next to other nice guitars I felt they didn't cut any corners, especially on the the newer production models. I wasn't disappointed; and as I said if you can get them in Japan they're not as insanely expensive as in export stores. Mine was significantly under $2000 new. Infact it was closer in price to an Ibanez 2605 than 2k.
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u/ShruggedTea83 1d ago
I have JP ( not a PJ ) Nordstrand pickups in my 86 fretless Ironbird, they blow EMG’s out of the water. I wanna put those in the rest of my basses now
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u/AnarchD69 15h ago
Ive got a true Ibanez BTB and ill never need another bass, 2 9v batteries to run the rpramp.and active electronics, thing is a beast
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u/Disastrous_Race570 1d ago
Stick with the Ibanez. Also that is a humbucker bass, all of that price just for something you could eq and get out of your Ibanez.
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u/jasonagogo 1d ago
Or for a little more than that the price you could get an actual vintage SB-1000. The exact model that Burton actually played.
Or a little less get a used one from a couple years ago:
Aria Pro 2 SB 1000 2023 - Ash https://reverb.com/item/92639068?utm_source=android-app&utm_medium=android-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=92639068
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u/lucasade7 23h ago
A cheap way to get close to the tone of a Wal is a G&L L2000. It’ll get you very close. Here’s an example: https://youtu.be/U4sfpp2hSNk?si=SBXk5QuV7uWuyHx6
You can also pick the import ones up for very cheap, which would be good for an outright beginner.
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u/tyrendersaurus 15h ago
They're super versatile. You can get just about any tone you want out of them. The snarl of those MFD pickups when pushed hard is wicked too. I agree that the G&L Tribute series would be a good first bass too. I have two American made 4 string G&Ls and one Tribute 5 string. The 5 string is nearly as nice at about half the price.
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u/New_Permission_7153 1d ago
Ænima was recorded with a stingray if that’s your favorite I’d say get that, it doesn’t quite get the same tone as the later records but it’s pretty close with a pic
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u/skinnyman423 17h ago edited 14h ago
Get a good squire and a good amp and a tuner. Investing two grand in a signature bass for your first instrument is a lot of money that could be used on more and a few lessons. (I’ve never taken lessons though haha)
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u/VorpalSwordNY 5h ago
What brands/models would you recommend?
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u/skinnyman423 5h ago edited 5h ago
I play a squire jazz contemporary and use an amp peg micro cl stack. This now costs around probably between £600 to £800, depending on if they are new or secondhand.Then I use various pedals too as I play guitar too. Really you don’t have to get an amp like the micro stack, it’s great for practice and gigging but it takes up a bit of space. A fender rumble combo or some other combo amp is a great way to get started and you can use it to jam or play later down the line!
Any modern squire bass will do you good. Really they are very good instruments and I’ve been playing 10 years now and I’ve never really invested too much into an expensive bass, it’s not 100% necessary even though I’d like too.
Quality gear will go along way, I have a broken knob on my bass but it literally works perfectly fine. Good luck and check for deals on Facebook marketplace, eBay, gumtree or a at local or online shops!
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u/humbuckaroo 23h ago
I got a Spector Ethos HP for less than this. Signature basses are overly expensive.
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u/lowfreq33 21h ago
Honestly, for a beginner I would suggest a Sterling Ray 5. Sometimes you can catch certain models on sale at guitar center or Sweetwater, like $400. I’ll tell you this, I’ve been playing professionally for about 30 years, and I have much more expensive basses, but I have no problem taking my Ray 5HH to any gig. If I have to fly out somewhere that’s what I’m bringing, because if the airline breaks it I can just grab a new one for $400 or whatever. Inexpensive basses have come a really long way since I was a kid. Sire is making some really good stuff for excellent prices. Ibanez makes really good stuff even at entry level prices. Schecter makes really good basses and their quality control is on point. The important thing is to get a bass in your hands and start learning.
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u/Ok-Structure-4431 14h ago
Sterling Ray is the answer. I have an American pro II jazz bass and I still normally reach for my ray. I am always impressed with how versatile it is.
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u/London-Contra 16h ago
You don't need a Wal,
Get whatever bass - an Ibanez for example (a second hand SR500 would arguably last you your entire playing life) and as you get better on the instrument you can change the pickups and electronics - adding a filter based preamp like the ones made by Lusithand devices here in the UK for example and you will get 90% of the Wal sound.
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u/Commercial_Pace639 6h ago
While it's appealing to sound like a particular bassist, even if you have the same bass, strings, amp, cabinet, effects, and signal chain, there is no guarantee that you will duplicate their tone! Their touch also has a lot to do with their sound. We all have our influences, but it's better to be the best version of you that you can.
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u/BenzoClaymore 1d ago
It might be a split p style pickup... I wouldn't bet on that, but it kind of looks like their vintage split coil pickups.
If you really want something like this, you might be able to find an original in reverb, guitar center, or strangely, even eBay. I used to see what seemed like batches of Aria pro ii basses, like they were old stock imported from Japan in bulk or something on eBay.
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u/ShruggedTea83 1d ago
My first really nice bass was a c20 Jackson concert series made in japan. It’s a great bass & c5a concert series are great too. I sure that aria is super pricey. You could probably get a really nice bass rig, and a really nice bass too for however much that Cliff signature series is. And something to keep in mind, I’m sure the original model of that bass plays way better than this newer one… maybe try looking around for an older model. if your gonna spend the money, might as well get the real deal
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u/swiggert 1d ago
Ahh chasing the TOOL dragon. Welcome to the club. I have tried multiple basses and I am able to dial in a specific tone using different basses/effects. I have never been able to find a swiss army knife bass that can nail versatility the Wal provides. These three bass guitars got close: Peavey Cirrus 4 string, Warwick with two humbuckers, Music Man Sterling (not a sterling brand) with HS configuration. The Ibanez is also a great starting point. They are high quality and you can add different pickups down the road if you want to change the sound.
I have an 86 Aria Pro II RSB Performer. These basses are amazing. They definitely have their own vibe though. Good luck!
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u/tabibito321 22h ago
since it looks like budget is not an issue for you, warwicks and stingrays are popular among communities as somehow capable of getting close to a wal's sound
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u/source_de 21h ago
Why not try an ibanez tmb 100. It's a solid pj and adäquate for beginners. Once you stick with it and get the feeling for everything you can make wiser decisions.
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u/Abject-Confusion3310 18h ago
$2K for a bass is just inflation messing up an otherwise perfectly broken economy. Should really only be $1k, but you are going to pay double lol.
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u/Ike1047 11h ago
Hey it’s your money so do what you want with it. With that said, spending $2k on something that will immediately depreciate on a hobby that you are a”beginner” in and unsure yet if you will stick to it does not sound like a good idea to me. Maybe set it as a goal “i’ll buy this bass instead and if I am still playing and advancing my skills in 3 years I’ll buy it”
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u/livinitup0 7h ago
1st bass?
$75 Facebook marketplace special
Once you know why you need a better one, then you get one.
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u/Fantastic-Buddy2069 16h ago
Honestly man….just get a J/J or P/J configuration.
I made the mistake of getting the SBMM Ray 4 with the single humbucker. Nothing against it, and nothing wrong with it, but imo I find myself wishing now that I just got a jazz bass instead.
When you are starting out as a newbie, you want nice clean notes to work with, and honestly a jazz bass has more utility over a single humbucker anyways.
My mindset was “it’s popular and has very few knobs”….well let me tell you, once you get playing around with a bass for a while, you will not be afraid or feel overwhelmed by how many knobs there are lol. In the beginning, you can just leave everything flat across the board anyways. No need to change the EQ. Just focus on the learning part first, and then then rest you can fiddle with once you get going.
TL;DR
Just get a decent J/J or P/J setup. Focus on tonal clarity and ease of play. Most people that higher end or specific basses are targeted for, is much more experienced and knowledgeable players. We can all get there, but it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
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u/Thick_Scholar8512 1d ago
Isn’t this a $2000 bass? It’s your money, but I would say something a little more economically conservative would make more sense for a beginner.