Bass for child

flying_pie

My daughter age 10 is asking about learning bass. What would people advise for a little person but about to hit puberty in the next year or two with a growth spurt - something like a short scale or just get a regular 34 in? Are there other options?

davros

I bought my son an ibanez mikro. He doesn't play it but I love it! Great sound, guitar sized.

https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/gsrm20_03.html

stickyfiddle

Bass for child? Seems a fair trade. etc etc. How tall is she? Will she fit in a chimney?  

Perdix

Bought my 12 year old a Harley Benton pb shorty last Christmas. Was absolutely fine for someone new to bass, fit him nicely. If I remember correctly it was a ‘b’ stock as that was all they had in stock at the time. Was as new not a mark on it at a touch under £70. 

JezWynd

flying_pie said:

My daughter age 10 is asking about learning bass. What would people advise for a little person but about to hit puberty in the next year or two with a growth spurt - something like a short scale or just get a regular 34 in? Are there other options?

Think a 34” would be too much of a stretch for a 10/11 yr old. Start with 30”, the Squier Bronco bass gets lots of good reviews.

fretmeister

There are plenty of 10 year olds playing full scale. But it depends on the individual child. IG is full of over talented kids playing basses bigger than they are!

Medium scale is a good middle grounding.

Ibanez Mezzo 32 scale is a great bass. Nice slim neck, easy use 2 band EQ. PJ pickups. Very versatile.

ICBM

Squier Bronco. Genuinely good little bass.

Neck size is as important as scale length for small hands, and many/most full-scale basses have larger ones - even Jazz Bass-type necks tend to be a bit deeper even though they’re narrow.

more

flying_pie said:

My daughter age 10 is asking about learning bass. What would people advise for a little person but about to hit puberty in the next year or two with a growth spurt - something like a short scale or just get a regular 34 in? Are there other options?

I would second the Ibanez short scale bass . There is some veriation in sizes, but they are about  3/4 size . Not a childs instrument  , just a smaller size .   Good  quality and fun to play . If your daughter goes off the idea , you can add it to your own collection.    

prowla

A Fender MIM Mustang.

I had a Squier Bronco for a while, but TBH it wasn't very good.

As ever, if you buy used, you'll be able to sell it again for similar money and so it's no loss if it gets shelved.

fretmeister

Mustangs have a habit of being neck heavy and diving.

That would annoy the hell out of me!

paulnb57

Squier Bronco
Surprisingly good and cheap as chips

This one is slightly modded, with different pickup, replacement Hipshot tuners, refinished headstock…

Cracking little Bass 

I could be persuaded to sell!     

flying_pie

Thanks for the ideas everybody. That's really helpful. I suspect the colour and style of the Ibanez will be more to her tastes but we'll see....

RustyShackleford

Danelectro Longhorn?

ICBM

RustyShackleford said:

Danelectro Longhorn?

That’s a really good suggestion. Light, short and with a slim neck, as well as short scale.

They're no longer that cheap though...

crunchman

Ibanez TMB 30 is good.

Dominic

Bass for a kid ?
I'd call that child cruelty

flying_pie

Dominic said:

Bass for a kid ?
I'd call that child cruelty

You've not met the child. It's already processed to the full Karen stage...

ToneControl

height of child (or adult) player is probably worth stating rather than age

alalalkasar

One of the cheap Hofner ignition basses might work. My daughter loved playing mine, its light weight and easy to play with quite a thin neck.

flying_pie

Thanks all. We went to GG today to try a few...

and she much preferred the feel of a mustang. A bloody MIM Fender player mustang. No chance of that for a starter bass. Most likely the preference is not just the size but because the colour is girlly enough. And Broncos are a no no because they only come in boy colours.

Looks like I might have to see if they can get a Squier CV Mustang in to try. FWIW I thought the Ibanez Mikro was really great to play and sounded good too.

ICBM

flying_pie said:

Thanks all. We went to GG today to try a few...

and she much preferred the feel of a mustang. A bloody MIM Fender player mustang. No chance of that for a starter bass. Most likely the preference is not just the size but because the colour is girlly enough. And Broncos are a no no because they only come in boy colours.

Looks like I might have to see if they can get a Squier CV Mustang in to try.

The Squier CV Mustangs are very nice, come in some girly colours, and I think sound better than the Fender Player - the small original-type pickup is clearer than the PJ ones on the Fender which sound somehow 'too much' and a bit confused.