^ Kudos to you. =p

Or Flea, Justin Chancellor, Jaco Pastorious, John Myung, or Geddy Lee.

There are many excellent bassists out there that would amaze the hell out of you.

Heh, i'll be seeing John Myung in 9 days :D Though really i'm there for Petrucci...

I think acoustic and electric are just as hard as each other. I started out on acoustic because it saved buying an amplifier. I then bought an amplifier and an electric, but still play both. Acoustic is good for developing finger strength I suppose, but its nothing you wouldn't get from playing electric...

Right.

The simple fact it spares you the amplifier would be good enough for me in terms of learning it.

The strings are heavier and tougher, so yeah, I think it would help you develop it sooner, but you would still achieve it on electric.

In the end, it is all a matter of what works best with you. No advice can beat going to a music shop and trying each of them out to see what you like best.

Edit: I hate you for being able to go see Dream Theater live... =p

ok...

Did you seriously just make a list of bassists and leave out Joey DeMaio and Hunter Burgan?

Anyone who ever makes an asinine statement about bass being "simple" or just a bunch of one-note rhythms needs to listen to Sting of the Bumblebee by Manowar. Period.

That's all. I'd argue that traditional guitar is harder than traditional bass due solely to the fact that you're working with more strings. Otherwise, I fail to see an obvious difference...

If you think bass is all quarter-note single-pitch strings, listen to twenty seconds of "Higher Ground" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I dare you. =p

Seriously...I was never very involved in any sort of string instrument (percussion and winds are my speciality), but even I could tell you that you have to try it all and play what suits you best. Personally, I prefer playing bass because it's more of a rhythmic than a melodic instrument, and my background with drums makes me a rhythmic kinda guy.

Try them all, see what you like.

I hear bass you have to stretch your fingers out a lot and im only 5'3"ish so i don't think my hands are big enough... Also what is cheaper and what is a good cheap brand, because i know my parents are gonna make me pay for it..

Yeah, most bass players are tall fuckers. I'm 6'3 with huge hands, so yeah.

With that said, my girlfriend plays and see is 5'5 with small hands, and she can play just fine.

It all just depends on the person.

As far as cheap brands goes, that depends on the instrument you go with.

Ibanez has some decent entry level basses.

I'll probably go with the base becuz my bro plays it and he might be able to teach me a few things.

That's cool, however I still recommend trying out other instruments before you actually buy the bass, just to be sure.

My first bass was some Ibanez starter kit, it worked well and lasted through two years of shows. I have retired it now and replaced it with an Ibanez Soundgear 505.

Just avoid peavey, at all costs. =p

How much are you looking to spend.