I see a lot of questions asked by beginners: "What is the best bass guitar?" As with anything, the answer is highly individual. What is "best" for me may not be "best" for you.
There are things to consider when purchasing your first bass guitar, though.
Name Brand
Imagine you're in the market for a car. You find two cars that are in the same price range and have the same features. One is a name-brand that you recognize the other is an imported brand that you haven't heard of. Which one are you more inclined to buy? Why? If the manufacturer has been around for a while, they must be making some fairly durable cars. The no-name car may be a lemon. The choice is easy: go with a name you've heard of before.
Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Washburn, Jackson, Rickenbacker -- all are great names. You really can't go wrong with these brands.
Lefty or Righty?
Are you right-handed or left-handed? To be honest, there are some left-handers who have adapted to, and actually prefer, playing a right-handed bass guitar. There's going to be some adapting to learning to play the bass period -- if you are truly a beginner -- but it's something to keep in mind. If you're left-handed, consider getting a left-handed bass. Having the bass set up specifically for your dominant hand will be an advantage.
Price
This is probably a big one. You want to make sure that you get a name-brand bass, but you don't want to pay out the nose for it. Consider getting a used bass guitar. You're still getting the brand name, you're just not paying a premium for a new bass guitar. If it's seen some wear, you can always take it to a local shop and have them give it some TLC for less than you would have paid for a new bass guitar. If given the choice of buying a brand new no-name guitar or a used brand-name guitar, I'd choose the brand-name every time.
The same holds true for an amplifier. Buy a brand-name amp (Marshall, Fender, Ampeg, Crate, or Peavey) used to save some money.
You'll be able to find the "best" guitar for you if you keep these things in mind. You may even be able to afford some lessons with all of the money that you save!
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