I want to try to learn to play the double bass. I went to a folk music festival recently and was inspired to give it a try.

I'm 59. Haven't played an instrument since trombone in High school. The bass has just always looked like fun; I'm always listening to the bass line in music. I think I have a "good ear", and I think I can still read music, but have never played a stringed instrument.

I live in a small town. There is an instructor here whose instrument really is not the bass, who is suggesting that I first learn from him the bass guitar. Otherwise I would travel an hour to a real bass teacher and, I presume, start with a real double bass. Would it make any sense to start by learning bass guitar?

The only bass rental place I can find offers an Eastman Signature 100, new instrument, at $2,495, "rent-to-own" at $110 for the first month and $65 each month thereafter, return it at any time. Seems klike a lot. Seems like I'd be better off to buy a used or low quality bass somewhere to just start with to see if I can develop any skill; re-sell if I can't develop the skill.

I think the real bass teacher would allow me to use his instrument fior lessons,but, of course, not to drive home with.

I suppose most people start in high school, with an instrument provided?

Any thoughts and suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks for your time.

if you want to play double bass, then you need a double bass teacher.
bass guitar is a completely different instrument.

if you say where you are someone here might help you with finding a shop and a teacher.

South Central Michigan, USA.

Hi Ugyved, and welcome to Talkbass!

The upright bass is perhaps one of the harder instruments to start playing.

It costs more, the techniques are harder and it's harder to get good information. Luckily you came to Talkbass!

Please check out the newbie links at the top of the Basses forum.

I agree with Noir about a teacher- even one or two lessons will help you immensely. The DB is a very physical instrument. If you approach it wrongly, you can injure yourself.

Secondly, beware of cheap basses! (under $1000 US). They are usually unplayable (poor set-up) and cheaply made, with low re-sale values.

It is best to buy a bass from a bass-luthier or bass-shop who know what they are doing.

The only thing an upright bass has in common with an electric is the name of the open strings.:D I started playing upright in college after playing electric for 7 years and I had to basically start from scratch.

You'd be better off traveling an hour every two or three weeks to someone who actually plays the upright than taking electric lessons at all. Also, I'd personally recommend starting with a classically trained teacher, just my opinion.

Hope it helps....!

Don't rent to own. The theoretical interest rate you pay from these places is crazy.

Since you played trombone you probably have a good ear for pitch, which bodes well for you. I agree with much of what previous posters have said. My two cents worth is:

Starting on the BG will not help you too much with an eventual migration to DB, it just puts off the inevitable, and will delay in getting you to where you want to be.

You need to find a good teacher. Perhaps you can have somewhat longer lessons and have them every other week, to economize on driving.

Get as good of an instrument as you can afford. Perhaps your teacher can help you find/select one. (Once you have a teacher, of course. i.e. not the guy who offered to teach you bass guitar...) If you get a good used instrument, then it shouldn't go down in value much, if it doesn't work out. Actually, that's probably true of new ones too.