Silvertone LB11 Bass Guitar and Amp Package, Liquid Black

I was looking for a decent-quality beginner bass that was also affordable. The Silvertone LB11 looked like a comprehensive and well priced starter pack. I read the previous reviews and bought this with the intention of replacing some of the items in the package anyway--specifically, the strap, instrument cable, and the gig bag. As many reviewers have said, the gig bag really is too thin for actual protection from everything except dust. After all the replacements, I bought this package for the bass itself and the amp, with the tuner being a useful bonus. I got this a month ago and I've only had to tune it briefly a couple of times. The bass retains its tuning well enough, even after playing it outside in the heat. It has a nice solid weight to it, but it's not massively heavy. The amp, for my indoor practicing purposes, works well and has a convenient headphone jack which I also use for recording through my laptop via another cable (jack would need a 1/4 inch adapter to plug in standard 3.5 mm headphones).This bass has a nice enough sound for me, but I will replace the factory strings soon to see the difference. I can't really comment on the quality because I honestly do not have previous experience with bass strings.The clear plastic covering on the new bass was a little trickier to get off. It is awkwardly placed underneath the bolts so you'll have to unscrew a few things and remove the volume/tone knobs to get it off completely. It's not difficult or damaging if you have the proper tools. I also removed the thumb rest on mine out of preference. It only leaves two small, barely-noticeable screw holes where the plastic jutting piece should be.I watched all of the relevant bass video clips in the DVD (there was a small crack in the disk but it still worked) and I tried the technique they said to do... It did help a little, I suppose, but I learned better by observing other bass and guitar players and determining what was comfortable for me.Overall, I would recommend this for beginners who want value and quality in a neat package. Plan on buying a nicely padded gig bag if you want to carry it anywhere safely. The other components do not necessarily need to be replaced, but doing so has given me a better experience with this instrument. This is definitely worth the price I got it for, which was roughly $130 before upgrade costs.

If you're looking at this starter set, you're probably in a similar position as I was. And you're looking to start playing bass guitar, but aren't so self-assured or financially inclined that you're looking to spend a lot of money on a beginning instrument. Which brings you to starter sets in the first place. You want everything you need at a good price while not sacrificing playability. And to me: that's exactly what this set is.The bass itself is quite nice, exceeding my expectations. Any pictures you find online usually wash out the shine and make the color look flat and boring. But it's a pretty striking, deep, shiny black. It's not a $1000 bass, but it looks way nicer than the price would make you think it does. As for sound, I've never played a bass before, so I have nothing to compare it to. However, the amp brings the sound through pretty cleanly and warmly. And I really have no complaints.The thumb rest on the bass just seemed to detract from the aesthetic appeal, and got in my way when moving down a string. I find it's just as easy to rest your thumb on the pickup when playing the E string. Although it can be removed easily and in short order with an average-sized Phillips screwdriver, it leaves kind of unsightly screw holes behind, that had low-laying, somewhat jagged edges. I filed that down carefully with some sandpaper, and it's now fine. If there's anything I have against the bass, it's the thumb rest. Since it's removable, it's really no big deal. Just making note of it.Regarding accessories:The case is, as others have said, not capable of protecting against anything except scratches or dust. It's better than nothing, but the bottom-mounted zipper makes casing and uncasing awkward and slow, and I always worry about the fabric pulling on one of the tuning keys and untuning it.The picks are picks. Rounded, triangular pieces of plastic. I haven't used them, because I've preferred finger-plucking so far. Feels way more assured and direct, plus I find it easier to mute strings with the pick not in the way. But they're a nice addition, for those that want them.The strap is extremely simple. It feels somewhat cheaply made and thin, but it will suffice, temporarily. Just like the case, eventually you'll probably want another, better one.The tuner feels kind of lightweight and flimsy, but it seems to work okay. I have no thoughts that it will break soon unless I'm rough with it.The DVD was a nice addition, and did teach me a little. But most of the material can be absorbed in a single viewing, and probably figured out completely in three or four. It's also quite short. Also a nice addition (and includes electric and acoustic guitar sections) but you will want more books, DVDs, a teacher, or all of the above to really get onto learning the bass.The bass guitar had been on my sizable list of "Instruments to try out, eventually..." for some time, but upon starting the anime series Beck (which any rock fan would love, regardless of age or thoughts toward Japanese animation) I realized it was simply time to start. And I don't think I could have picked a better starter set for the price. I've only had this thing for a day, but currently I'm 100% satisfied. Shipping was super-quick, too. I'll add to this review if anything breaks.Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to continue practicing...