Honestly, picking bass is a pretty personal thing and takes a lot of trying out to find one that not only sounds the way you want it to, but has all the features you're looking for AND feels good in your hands. My recommendation would be to take them to the music store and have them pick it out!
Hey, no worries! If you absolutely must get them something for the surprise element, I understand. My recommendation would be maybe an Ibanez, Jackson, or ESP... those are pretty prominent in metal! Best of luck to ya!
I forgot to mention, and this might be obvious, but if you do decide to get them something, keep the receipt and don't be offended if they decide to swap it for something else.
You can buy them a strap as a surprise. And then say the rest of their present is at guitar center or something. So you still have a surprise gift but they choose the instrument.
If it were pedals or something smaller, I'd absolutely love to make recommendations. But for a bass, I'm very picky. If my partner took me to a shop and told me to pick a bass, I would absolutely break down crying and cherish that bass for the rest of my life.
I got my first bass a month ago, and it's a Jackson JS2. I have fallen in love with it, it has the ability to play a very wide range of genres very well, you can really dial in the tone and pickup settings. Was only $200
I won't be able to respond to every comment, but i just wanted to deeply thank all the suggestions and tips I've got! You're all very nice, so thank you very much :)
In addition to what Pisspantsing said, it must be understood that most of the sound of any given setup is very much not given by the bass itself. Yes, we can get into intricacies of pickup setup, pickup position, playing position, pick vs finger playing, etc, but all of that become absolutely minor the moment a pedal becomes involved or you dramatically change your amplifier's settings, or even the amplifier itself.
If we're talking Metal, your bass may or may not be distorted (overdrive effect, specifically), and it's important to make the distinction of where any given aspects of the sound you're shooting for is coming from.
My ex bought me a bass by taking me to the store. My love for the bass outlasted my love for her, but I wish a different outcome for you two. It's a sweet gesture
Agreed with other commenters that it's really a very personal thing and the person should try it out - a gift card or accompanying them to the music store will still show a ton of thought and effort!
That said, for most metal, my pick is a Spector, hands down - some of the (personal taste, I know) best metal tones on record involved a Spector!
I have been chasing that early Alice in Chains bass sound for so many years. You can get close with other basses but those who used a Spector know. There just isn't anything else quite like it.
This week, I finally treated myself to the real deal.
[https://imgur.com/a/Bn7xMib](https://imgur.com/a/Bn7xMib)
Amazing - looks great! Congrats on your purchase - 4 string P&J Spector...I'm jealous! You're right, there is nothing quite like that tone - they have a growl that isn't easily duplicated.
Man I really need a better paying job so I can save up and get a nice Spector. And a nice Warwick. Maybe a dingwall too lol. There's too many really nice, but expensive basses.
When I want to gift something that I don't know about or cannot buy without the recipient present, I either make or buy a gift voucher. For my brother, it was a big gift voucher to his favourite ticketing platform. For my boyfriend, it was effectively an IOU note for $$$ to buy boots. (Thinking about this now, this may not be much of a gift idea if you have a joint account.)
Perhaps you can get a gift voucher to their favourite music store? Or luthier if you basically have no budget (I assume they're expensive).
Yes, and that help is: DON'T BUY YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER A BASS!!!!
The choice of musical instruments is a highly personal choice, and NOT one to be made by the boyfriend or girlfriend no matter how much you might want to.
Whats the budget? There's something out there for every budget. You can go as high as Mt Everest, but there's a lot of value to be had in low prices these days.
He'd probably love a Spector! I know I would. Heh.
But like everyone else said, it's a personal choice so a gc in some rad presentation seems the way to go.
In my opinion buying a bass is a responsibility for the person who's gonna play it. If you want a nice idea of a gift for a bassist i suggest a nice pedal. I recently bought a zoom b1x pedal and i feel as if it can give me infinite possible sounds for my bass. Plus it's less expensive than a bass so you could save up to buy something else extra.
Your best bet- Take them to a big music store, give them a budget and share the joy as they choose the bass of dreams. The buying experience is with as much as the bass itself. They will also get the bass they want, not what you get on our opinions, which as bass players is often weird..! Hope this helps.
What you need to do, is buy them a nice cable, or a strap, some kind of peripheral item. Then, take your SO to a music store and fund their choice of a bass. Choosing an instrument is really like choosing a wand in harry potter, it's far too personal to just buy one for someone.
Honestly, picking bass is a pretty personal thing and takes a lot of trying out to find one that not only sounds the way you want it to, but has all the features you're looking for AND feels good in your hands. My recommendation would be to take them to the music store and have them pick it out!
That... Makes a lot of sense actually, i don't know why i didn't think of that. Thank you! I will absolutely do so!
Hey, no worries! If you absolutely must get them something for the surprise element, I understand. My recommendation would be maybe an Ibanez, Jackson, or ESP... those are pretty prominent in metal! Best of luck to ya!
Thank you very much for the recommendations, too! You've been a great help.
I forgot to mention, and this might be obvious, but if you do decide to get them something, keep the receipt and don't be offended if they decide to swap it for something else.
You can buy them a strap as a surprise. And then say the rest of their present is at guitar center or something. So you still have a surprise gift but they choose the instrument.
If it were pedals or something smaller, I'd absolutely love to make recommendations. But for a bass, I'm very picky. If my partner took me to a shop and told me to pick a bass, I would absolutely break down crying and cherish that bass for the rest of my life.
Last time I looked, Jacksons were cheap too.
I got my first bass a month ago, and it's a Jackson JS2. I have fallen in love with it, it has the ability to play a very wide range of genres very well, you can really dial in the tone and pickup settings. Was only $200
Make them a coupon, take them to the music store and make a day off it thay will be so fun
Best answer!
I won't be able to respond to every comment, but i just wanted to deeply thank all the suggestions and tips I've got! You're all very nice, so thank you very much :)
In addition to what Pisspantsing said, it must be understood that most of the sound of any given setup is very much not given by the bass itself. Yes, we can get into intricacies of pickup setup, pickup position, playing position, pick vs finger playing, etc, but all of that become absolutely minor the moment a pedal becomes involved or you dramatically change your amplifier's settings, or even the amplifier itself. If we're talking Metal, your bass may or may not be distorted (overdrive effect, specifically), and it's important to make the distinction of where any given aspects of the sound you're shooting for is coming from.
>crunchy sound, thrash metal Then just get the meanest, most aggressive looking bass in the store. He'll love it
So the Warlock then? ;)
Get them a gift card to Sweetwater! Or if you're near Fort Wayne, Indiana, give them a surprise day trip there.
My ex bought me a bass by taking me to the store. My love for the bass outlasted my love for her, but I wish a different outcome for you two. It's a sweet gesture
Agreed with other commenters that it's really a very personal thing and the person should try it out - a gift card or accompanying them to the music store will still show a ton of thought and effort! That said, for most metal, my pick is a Spector, hands down - some of the (personal taste, I know) best metal tones on record involved a Spector!
I have been chasing that early Alice in Chains bass sound for so many years. You can get close with other basses but those who used a Spector know. There just isn't anything else quite like it. This week, I finally treated myself to the real deal. [https://imgur.com/a/Bn7xMib](https://imgur.com/a/Bn7xMib)
Amazing - looks great! Congrats on your purchase - 4 string P&J Spector...I'm jealous! You're right, there is nothing quite like that tone - they have a growl that isn't easily duplicated.
Man I really need a better paying job so I can save up and get a nice Spector. And a nice Warwick. Maybe a dingwall too lol. There's too many really nice, but expensive basses.
When I want to gift something that I don't know about or cannot buy without the recipient present, I either make or buy a gift voucher. For my brother, it was a big gift voucher to his favourite ticketing platform. For my boyfriend, it was effectively an IOU note for $$$ to buy boots. (Thinking about this now, this may not be much of a gift idea if you have a joint account.) Perhaps you can get a gift voucher to their favourite music store? Or luthier if you basically have no budget (I assume they're expensive).
I am sure Guitar Center/Sweetwater do gift certificates and ships. Sweetwater supposedly play tests everything that goes out.
find out his fav band. Then get a same bass as they use. Or cheaper model of that bass
Yes, and that help is: DON'T BUY YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER A BASS!!!! The choice of musical instruments is a highly personal choice, and NOT one to be made by the boyfriend or girlfriend no matter how much you might want to.
Strandberg Boden Bass
Whats the budget? There's something out there for every budget. You can go as high as Mt Everest, but there's a lot of value to be had in low prices these days.
He'd probably love a Spector! I know I would. Heh. But like everyone else said, it's a personal choice so a gc in some rad presentation seems the way to go.
For thrash metal pick the one you think is ugly and they will (probably) love it
Fender precision does what it says on the tin
Warwick, depending on budget
If you want a surprise element you could get a strap?
Budget? Knowing nothing other than what you wrote I'd go MIM Fender P and an overdrive pedal along with it.
Dingwall
In my opinion buying a bass is a responsibility for the person who's gonna play it. If you want a nice idea of a gift for a bassist i suggest a nice pedal. I recently bought a zoom b1x pedal and i feel as if it can give me infinite possible sounds for my bass. Plus it's less expensive than a bass so you could save up to buy something else extra.
Your best bet- Take them to a big music store, give them a budget and share the joy as they choose the bass of dreams. The buying experience is with as much as the bass itself. They will also get the bass they want, not what you get on our opinions, which as bass players is often weird..! Hope this helps.
Is your significant other a bass player? If he is just break up with that looser. He probably doesn't need a new bass. He needs to practice.
Euro spectre 5?
What you need to do, is buy them a nice cable, or a strap, some kind of peripheral item. Then, take your SO to a music store and fund their choice of a bass. Choosing an instrument is really like choosing a wand in harry potter, it's far too personal to just buy one for someone.