I've been playing on and off, mostly on, for 35 years now. I'm not the greatest as there is always someone better, but no slouch either. I started out when we were visiting family to help make spaghetti sauce and my cousin invited me to try his bass out. Instant love! Saved up some cash, bingo winnings while camping, to buy a short scale Cort bass. Fortunately my mom and dad were supportive of this and helped buy a Crate amp from earlier said cousin and lessons. Once a week from 4th grade until my senior year in high school.

As I grew, so did my bass. I traded that Cort towards a Vester... I jammed with a couple guys from school a few times, but that little Crate couldn't keep up. Being young punks we agreed to disagree and never did anything else playing wise.

I had my gear in Millington while going through A school in the Navy and onboard the ship I was assigned to. I didn't get to play often and so it wasn't there long.

Fast forward to after the Navy and things get interesting. I was perusing our local music store and there she was! A 1977 Rickenbacker 4001 in Azureglo. Not a scratch on her. No buckle rash, swirls, nothing. I had my eyes out for a Rick and this was perfect. Not the color of choice, but damn that blue was speaking to me. Played like a dream and sounded amazing. She came home with me right then and there, with the hard shell case. Still have her 20 years later.

Another trip to the same shop looking for a 5 string Warwick, as I loved the growl as heard on any early Incubus album. I stumbled onto a 5 string Cort Viva active. I know, apples to oranges but that low B is amazing in its own right. Yup. You guessed it, that one came home with me too. Hard to beat the sound and the price difference between the Cort and a Warwick, $700 versus $1500.

By now that little Crate was getting beaten by that low B and I needed something else. But what? I was invited over to a guy that played bass who worked with my dad. He jammed in his basement with a group of guys so I went to check them out. He was playing a Fender through a Carvin R600, RL410, and an RL118. Sounded great to me so the search began. I found the same set up speaker wise but an R1000 for an amp head. Decent price and local, so I snagged it. Now mind you I am living at home with my parents, still, in a 9x9 bedroom. The house was a rockin' is an understatement!!!

Now mind you, that Cort was ok but I still lusted for a Warwick. So eBay, before all of the bullshit that eBay has become, was where I began my search. Just browsing occasionally. I was searching for a 5 string, but they were all $1700 or more. Then I saw it. A Warwick Thumb 6NT, 1998 wenge and bubinga and beautiful. Played mostly in a church band, gig bag, extra sets of strings, and wax. Buy it now price $1500, shipped!!! I jumped on it after a couple emails back and forth. Now I just needed a band or someone to jam with...

I was at a benefit and a cousin of mine approached me and asked if I still played. He was a singer in a band and they were looking for a bass player. SIGN ME UP!!! Gigged with them for a few years playing out and recording a few songs along the way. We played a few years and things started falling apart between some of the members. We were still playing, but there was hostility. I was then approached at one of our gigs by some other guys in another band that were looking for a bass player. They were playing the following weekend and asked me to check them out. Figured, what the hell as my brother knew the singers dad and was telling me about them for a while now.

WOW! What a show! The band was tight, played modern rock, and was fun. The energy they put out to the fans was phenomenal. We set up a date and time with some songs for me to audition. I didn't know it while auditioning, but they were loving it. I was hired that night if I wanted it. Those guys are like brothers to me now. We practiced twice a week and most times gigged Friday and Saturday nights for years. Needless to say, we were getting burned out and cut it back to once a weekend gigs. Still having a blast being "rock stars".

I started a family and had to give up the band for a few years but was always welcome back. I did go back for a few more years and injured a finger and hung it up once again. That is until recently. The band is calling it quits and they want to do a couple farewell shows with all the previous members. They asked and I said yes. Finger is healed up and I'm jamming again...for now.

I didn't realize how much of a stress release playing is and I'm loving it. Playing through tunes on my mp3 player one after the other. I can usually play along to a song by the time it's over. My mp3 player has about 4000 songs on it... Between the 2 bands, I've played over 200 songs live. Everything from Led Zeppelin, Rush to Tool, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against the Machine and everything in between.

So what's your story?

I picked it up in college. I had always loved bass but that was my first real opportunity. Played on an off for several years before life got in the way. Was never particularly good but it was always fun and relaxing.

Now that I have a daughter who loves singing and playing with a ukulele (can't play it to save her life) has rekindled it a bit. Uke's are 4 strings in a totally different tuning so I naturally start playing old baselines and they never work out. I've been keeping a loose eye out for a cheap acoustic bass I could pick back up and noodle on.

I don't call myself a Bassist, but I play a few instruments - including some Electric Bass, and I have an older MIJ P-Bass in a natural finish, maple fretboard, black pickguard, love it, a classic, although I'm currently without a Bass Amp but have my eyes set on a vintage B15 combo.

A close friend is a Bassist through and through, Standup and Electric. Loads of skills and gear.

I own a few basses, but my first love is guitar. My first experience playing one was in high school, when I borrowed a friend's gear. The amp/speaker cabinet was the size of a piece of furniture! I didn't pursue it until a few years ago when I thought of joining the church band, since they had a couple of guitar players already. It was then I learned that playing bass is not the same as playing a four-string guitar!

One of my favorite bassists is Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna). As a collector, I bought a 20th Anniversary Jack Casady Signature bass. But honestly, I like my short scale Ibanez MiKro because the size is the same as a guitar.

The great thing with bass is that you don't have to be good at it to play. You can hit root notes and play along with any song. The runs and fills come after noodling around for a while. Most of all, playing along with a song is much more enjoyable and less frustrating and makes you want to play, unlike a six sting guitar. It's more beginner friendly in my opinion.

Finding a used acoustic bass can be like a needle in a haystack. I had to buy mine new when I was looking. I picked up an Ibanez 5 string at Sam Ash when the band decided to do acoustic gigs. I still needed to run through an amp to be heard, but don't need it at home alone
You may be better off finding a used bass and amp cheaper in the long run.

That hollow body is a sweet looking guitar. I've had my eyes on some Gretsch guitars for a while now. Maybe if I was still active in a band I would look harder.

I'll see if I can get some pics of my guitars posted here sometime soon.

To add. I thought I wanted a tube head for the longest time as I am not quite happy with the Carvin. I needed high watts and wasn't about to spend two grand on an amp. Not only that, the tube replacement is quite expensive as well. Gigging with a head that weighs as much as a cabinet is not fun either. So I have been looking for an old Acoustic bass rig. Cheaper, lighter, and bullet proof. Though Traynor is coming out with an all tube 100 watt head that is looking good. Traynor is from Canada and in the old days they would take amps and throw them off of the roof to show how robust they are. Still played after the landing!!!

not a bass player yet, but I want to get one

I have 7 guitars and am taking lessons again after an absence. Two amps in house - a Line6 and an Orange. I just purchased a Blues Junior and hope to have it today.

Almost at the point where I have all of the technology resources to be able to record what I play, and it would be nice to be able to add bass to the recording

YES! Hello brothers of the down low! I've been playing for 38 years. I play jazz, rock, classical (double bass) and musical theater. I play a Sadowsky modern 4 electric, a fretless Carvin LB 75 and a circa 1945 Juzek double bass. Favorite bass players in no specific order, Jaco, Geddy Lee, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, Will Lee, Abraham Laboriel, Stanley Clark and Christian McBride.

Amp rigs vary from small (aka back saving) Mark Bass combo 12 with 300w/500w built in head. This amp is the bread and butter for small jazz gigs and musical theater. For bigger gigs I run a Genz Benz head (1000 watts I think) with dual mixing between a solid state side and a nice warm tube side. For cabinets I run Bergantinos- 1 with a 12 and a horn and another with a 12. These cabs sound amazing.

For effects, I run EBS compression all the time and have a syrupy sweet EBS chorus pedal for ballads, etc. For extra emphasis, sometimes I use an octave pedal.

Bass is lot's of fun creating the perfect groove with a good drummer.

I played one in college when folk music was the rage. Play a bit more after that, but the other things got in the way. I still have my old Fender Bassman and long neck Fender Jazz bass.

quote:

Originally posted by bassman:
Favorite bass players in no specific order, Jaco, Geddy Lee, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, Will Lee, Abraham Laboriel, Stanley Clark and Christian McBride.

Bass is lot's of fun creating the perfect groove with a good drummer.

I'm not a player but with on these greats!

Marcus Miller has some amazing riffs.

A sight drift ~ a great bass part is Cheap Trick live on Gonna Raise Hell the bass starts out and I can't get it out of my head. Love it.

I plinked on one a little in high school. That's been a long time ago.

Each fall, as the days get cooler, I think "hey, I'll actually learn to play over the winter." So far it hasn't happened, but I still want to.

Bass rocks. My favourite instrument. I have some 5 or 6, and played professionally for a while.

Latest passion was the fretless (which I did learn) and the upright (which I didn’t, as divorce/diseases struck me at the time I was starting).

Keep on playing. Anyone can play guitar half decently; to compose a good bass line, however, one must have a little extra curiosity and sense of adventure.

Don't play, but a lifelong, diehard fan of...

John Entwistle


RIP.

46and2 there is one for sale in Texas on a popular bass forum. It's only $2200...

I don't play bass, but I have one; a Fender MIJ Precision short scale. It takes all the time I have to practice guitar, but I really want to break into the bass a little.

I don't play anywhere near as well as them, but I'm a big Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten fan.

quote:

Originally posted by petr:
46and2 there is one for sale in Texas on a popular bass forum. It's only $2200...

Cool, thanks.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KRmv3AumfNqrqP9U7

Hopefully this works for the pictures.

I have a lot of favorite players. As quirky as he is, Les Claypool is right up there. John Paul Jones, Dirk Lance, Flea and a lot of classic rock bassists.

Question for the bassists: If I practice my bass at low volumes using an electric guitar amp, will I cause any damage? Thanks.

No damage should occur. Way back in the day, that is what they used.