[XMattxMetalX]

I am thinking about playing bass in my band instead of guitar cuz we got rid of our old bassist and we cant find a bassist that is good enough, and we were thinking about getting a third guitarist and we had a couple of people try out and they are good enough to play guitar in my place. so if i played bass it would solve the problem.
i was wondering what the main differences are adn how much more challenging it would be. and i am playing metal/death metal. and i am pretty sure i would have as much fun playing bass as guitar.
waht sould be some good gear for a reasonable price that is ready to play shows

4-string or 5-string, or more
How much watts does the guitarist have.

[TomAwesome]

If you'd enjoy it, then do it! I've considered switching to bass before for similar reasons, but I have no bass gear, and I've put so much time and money into my guitar rig that I just can't see myself switching unless I suddenly come across enough money for a bass and an SVT-4 (and maybe a cab would help, too).

Anyway, it's all about how you decide to play it. If you want to play with a pick, most guitarists seem to be able to adapt without too much difficulty. It's way more fun to play with your fingers, though, so once you get into it, I suggest trying both and seeing which you like better. As far as budget gear, I've heard good things about the Washburn Taurus line. I wouldn't mind having a T25.

[XMattxMetalX]

idk if i would go 4 or 5 i was leaning toward 5 and it just needs to be loud enough to play in a regular sised venue but my guitarists has 350 watt crate shockwave

how much do you think a good bass amp, perferably a half stack, cost that is loud enough for shows. my friend suggested an ampeg. i know a good bass is going to cost atleast 300$ probably.

[Naren]

Originally Posted by XMattxMetalX

idk if i would go 4 or 5 i was leaning toward 5 and it just needs to be loud enough to play in a regular sised venue but my guitarists has 350 watt crate shockwave

how much do you think a good bass amp, perferably a half stack, cost that is loud enough for shows. my friend suggested an ampeg. i know a good bass is going to cost atleast 300$ probably.

As you probably know, the general rule is that a bass amp has to have about twice the wattage of the guitar amp. So, if the guitarist uses a 300 watt amp, the bass player should use a 600 watt amp. If you the guitarist uses a 100 watt amp, the bass player should use a 200 watt amp.

I don't know about prices since I've only owned guitar amps until now (I've owned a few basses, but I never played them in bands, so I never bought a bass amp).

[XMattxMetalX]

it is a 350 watt but the thing is its a ss and its not as loud as you would think for a 350 watt amp

[stubhead]

If you can find a way to accumulate some bass gear, it's more likely to pay off somewhere down the road than having "too many" guitars. I mean, I absolutely know that there's no such thing as having "too many" guitars, but if you can get a gig playing a fucking kazoo, own kazoos, you know? I really regret selling off some bass gear years back because I missed some interesting opportunities (I'm stocked back up now though )

[XMattxMetalX]

ha ya true i have about five guitars now and im borrowing a bass but i am going to buy my own bass here pretty soon. adn then hopefully a bass amp.

[InTheRavensName]

Warwick Pro-Fet/Ashdown 4x10 or 1x15 would make a solid rig I think, and quite cheap

[Suho]

Guitar-wise:
You will have to find a bass that feels good to you too. I play an Ibanex ATK 300, which you can absolutely get for $300 or less. I converted after I opened for a band whose bassist was playing one, and I have not regretted it.

But, the ATK neck is considered 'thicker' than others. Many guitarists find an easier transition to Ibanez SoundGear basses because of their thinner, more guitar like, necks. I also have one of these for my fretless work (it was converted from a fretted).

It has been a few years since I was last in a metal band, but I can tell you that if you have a big neck and you are doing a lot of fast riffing on the low strings, you can really fatigue your fretting arm/hand. I have been there, done that. Experiment with different positioning for your fretting hand. SOmetimes subtle adjustments make a world of difference.

Techique-wise:
Picking will be the easiest for you in the beginning, and depending on how fast you play (did you say death metal?), more practical. However, you can never achieve the range of tone, volume, and overall control that comes from playing fingerstyle. If you were playing more "classic rock" or funk, you would really benefit from some fingerstyle technique. Slapping is another realm entirely, and one you probably won't enter just yet, if ever. One way to practice with the band is to play fingerstyle for the first few songs or so, until your fingertips start to hurt or visibly blister, and then stop and switch to playing with a pick. You will need time to develop the callouses needed for prolonged fingerstyle play.

Amp wise:
There are sometimes great deals on rigs on Craigslist. Do some research and see what the different brands go for. IMO, forget about 12" speakers. You will want at least one 15" or 18" speaker to get a good rumble, and at least 2x10" for some good cutting punch.

I have played for about 18 years, and my opinion of Peavey has grown exponentially in that time. Used Peavey gear is probably your best bet for an affordable, reliable (Made in USA tanks, every bit of them), and decent rig.

You can usually always find someone with a Peavey Mark III, IV, VI, VIII etc series head for $200 or less. These are the ugly duckling that nobody likes to talk about, or admit to using, but everybody has at some point. They vary in power and features slightly, but they are strong and reliable and affordable.

And Peaveys, I should add, seem peculiar to me in that they all seem to be deigned for lower Ohm ratings than other brands. Whereas many others would be maxed out at 4Ohms (going into 2 X 8 Ohms cabs), Peaveys are maxing their power at 2 Ohms (2 X 4 Ohms cabs). That is just something you should watch, or you may wonder why the power doesn't seem to be quite what it should be.

If you can find used Cabs with Black Widow speakers (Peavey), these were a particularly powerful and dependable model that Peavey no longer makes. Usually they are in 1x15" or 18" speaker cones. They are super sounding.

I use a Peavey BAM (Bass Amp Modelling) head (got a killer deal on closeout) with a Crate 2X15" The modeling features somewhat eliminate the need to get the separate 10" cab.

I hope this helps you, man.