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Hi TB,
My twin, user Xwolf Okami and I have been lurking TalkBass for about a year now, and I've gotta say, this is a really cool place. I remember the Porter thread like it was yesterday, following it from the very first post.
I first picked up a bass about a year ago. Pretty cool story, actually.
I've always wanted to take music lessons of some kind, but was never able to.
My father had bought an acoustic guitar when he was in his 20's or so, and was going to learn how to play it from a friend, but that friend had moved away before he got the chance to teach him. So for many years, the acoustic guitar sat in the closet, untouched. I don't remember exactly when I discovered that guitar in the closet...
...but when I discovered that I could take guitar lessons in school, I thought it'd be a great opportunity to learn how to play the acoustic. Might as well, seeing as it'd be a shame for it to just sit in the closet for eternity.
Xwolf also took another instrument from the closet to learn in school: our grandfather's flute. He had played piccolo, but Dad had bought him a flute by mistake when he was in Halifax with the military. When our grandfather passed away my dad took the flute, and my aunt took the piccolo.
At school there were two music teachers: one for concert band instruments, and one for guitar, who also happened to be teaching the vocal class.
I had the guitar teacher, of course, and Xwolf had the band teacher. The band teacher had invited my twin to join the Junior Concert band, and because I couldn't go home by myself (my Dad teaches at my school, and he drives us home) the teacher also had me play small percussion parts so I wouldn't be bored. At the second band practice, I was given a bass guitar to play because of the lack of tuba players in the Junior Band. Still virtually having no experience in guitar and none in bass, I learned to play it on the bandstand.
In five minutes.
I had a ton of fun playing bass in band. So much in fact, I'd join it again playing bass the next year. I got to try both of the school basses (a Yamaha RBX270J, I believe, and an Aria Pro II which needs repairs) and two other players' basses when the Yamaha was out for repairs (the input jack wasn't working, and the cable kept falling out of it. The Aria's input jack is also broken, which is why it doesn't work). I played both of the Senior Concert band's bassist's basses: an OLP five string (I don't know the model) and an active Fender Jazz Bass. I've really gotta thank the girl who let me play her Jazz Bass. It'd influence my choice later...
The next year, I joined Junior Band again. The teacher who had been there last year had gone to a new school, and the guitar teacher had taken over the concert bands, as well as the band classes. He was pretty nice guy, but you could tell he was used to teaching private lessons. It was his first year teaching music in a school setting, so I've gotta hand it to him for being able to take on a such a huge responsibility. I again borrowed the OLP and the Yamaha, as the girl with the Jazz Bass had graduated. Even though I had only played the bass for one semester (last year) and a bit of the new semester this year, I decided it was time for me to look into getting my own bass.
It was November, and my mother, Xwolf and I went to various music shops in the area. I walked into the bass section of a store called Sherwood Music, and found a familiar sight.
A Fender Jazz Bass.
I asked the guy there if I could play with it, and he took it down and walked me over the this huge MESA amp that was about as tall as I was. He plugged it in, and let me play. I played a few scales and some bass lines from Junior Band, and I was pleased. I loved the feel and sound of the bass.
Visited a few more shops, and got to try a double bass. I played it with my fingers rather than the bow, as I have no idea about proper bowing techniques. I guessed my way around on it. It was pretty cool.
Last shop I visited I played another Fender Jazz Bass. 'Cept this time, she was a 1975 Fender Jazz Bass that they got from someone bringing in. It was really nice of the salesguy there to let me play it, especially since they were charging a handsome price of $5700 for it.
At this point, I was thinking of getting Jazz Bass, one in Sunburst with a tortoiseshell pickguard. I thought they looked cool. But then I thought I'd wait a little more and try several other different basses.
Fast forward to Christmas morning, and when I came downstairs I think my jaw hit the floor. I saw this huge box. A certain huge box. I didn't think I'd be getting a bass for Christmas at all. I rushed over excitedly and opened that box. I pulled out this hard shell case with Fender emblazoned on it. I opened the case.
Inside it was a brand new 2008 American Standard Fender Jazz Bass. In Sunburst, with a tortoiseshell pickguard.
Best Christmas ever.
I'm really glad that band teacher gave me the opportunity to play the bass. It's now my favourite instrument. I also learned to play tenor saxophone this semester, and I think it's really helped my bass playing. I also continued with taking guitar at school, which has also really helped my bass playing.
Next year, I also plan to learn bassoon on the bandstand in Junior Band, join Jazz Band with the sax, and of course, play bass in the Senior Band. This summer, we'd also like to learn double bass. We've always thought that this was a neat instrument, and we really wish our school had a strings program. My twin is also going to be learning bass trombone in Junior Band, playing piccolo in Senior Band, and learning bass in Jazz Band. For the curious, Xwolf's bass is a 1977 Rickenbacker 4001 in AzureGlo.
So anyways, that's my story. I hope to have fun posting here, and maybe attending GTG's if they're ever in our neck of the woods.
Thanks for reading,
-Zerofox Kitsune
Last edited by Zerofox Kitsune : 06-23-2010 at 09:20 AM.
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