Guitar advice for beginner

[AThroneOfLies]

DS has expressed an interest in learning to play Bass guitar - he has no musical ability apart from what he does in school (Year 8) but has had a go on the bass today and has asked for one for his birthday a few months away.

Any advice or recommendations of good sites to purchase from please? what accessories might he need? I am completely clueless!

Have a look at a website called Gear4music, they do starter packs etc.
If you can, maybe go to a music shop first and see which style they feel comfortable with ( then compare prices online )

Yep, we were directed to gear4music by DSs guitar teacher.
Get a starter kit, buy some extra plectrums - ideally in a tin - and you should be good to go. Maybe a music stand if the teacher goes for music, but DS seems to do most by ear.

Brilliant, thanks both.
I had a browse last night, there seemed to be so many options

@AThroneOfLies

Brilliant, thanks both. I had a browse last night, there seemed to be so many options

There are, so it really is worth bobbing along to a music shop for an hour or so to try out a few styles of guitar.

For a beginner, one of the main things I would say is what is called the ' action '. This is how far the strings sit above the fret board. The lower the action, the easier it is to press the string onto the fretboard to get a clean note. The opposite is needed for a higher action, obviously 😆

If you can get to a music shop, just let him try out a few different makes...... he'll know when he's found his bass axe of choice 👍

Also, I would say that when you're looking for a bass amp, just pick up a second hand one from Facebook marketplace or something simillar, there will be half decent practice amps around ( hopefully with a headphone socket......useful for the beginner 😆 ) but you might need a headphone adapter ( they're around a fiver on Amazon )

I wouldn't recommend buying online. Do you have a music shop nearby? They are the best places to buy and he can go back to get advice and meet other local musicians.

Thank you, we live near a city so I’m sure I can find a store.
I saw some good starter type packs on gear4music so that was a good tip.

The place where you buy the instrument and accessories is significant. It must be of quality, but also with a reasonable price. I have been playing the guitar for two years. Many times I messed it up with the new purchases. Now I'm mostly buying my picks and other accessories online. At first, I didn't trust online sellers. However, the good reviews convinced me it's trustworthy. Last week I ordered guitar killswitches. I got impressed by the eye-catching modern aesthetics! Besides, the seller offers a 365-day warranty. I can't wait to receive my new purchase!