Old(er) Guys Who Play Electric Bass?

[Aarix]

This may be the wrong forum for this, but for a couple reasons I've been looking long and hard at the rest of my life and that got me thinking. With the P-Bass becoming popular in the 50s-60s, there must be some fairly old guys who still play the four banger now and again. Heck they might even be here on talkbass!

That sort of blew my mind at first thinking of my Grandad with a bass (never). But then I thought, well what the heck am I going to be doing in 40, 50, 60 years (26 now)?

So who do you know that's old enough to qualify for AARP that still lays down some grooves? Hopefully I'll still have my license plate (see avatar) on my great big cadillac and I'll tell my grandkids stories about meeting Vic Wooten.

[tplyons]

My grandfather used to be a bassplayer. Had a Rickenbacker in the 60's.

I'm 61 now, a grandfather and I've been playing for 46 years and Yes, I'm still lovin it, see my profile.

George

[Aarix]

Right on X!

Although 60 is like the new 40, so you're not really that old.

[7flat5]

Originally Posted by Aarix

Right on X!

Although 60 is like the new 40, so you're not really that old.

Well, I went to see this guy this spring who plays bass and leads a band. He's almost 60, has no hair. Played OK. Tony Levin was his name, I think.

[smidgley]

I turned 55 today and have an audition with a band (guys half my age) on Saturday that bills itself as "Hank Snow meets the Ramones", so, yeah, at least a few of us are still thumpin'.

[GM60466]

53 and playing for 40 years. I tried a guitar once-didn't like it much.

GM

[Mojo-Man]

Just turned 50.
Been Playing for 32 yrs.
I'am a much better player now, than I was at 21.

If you keep yourself in good health.
Age has nothing to do with your ability to play.
It's how you feel.

[grayhawk1853]

I'm 53 now. Cut my teeth on Grand Funk, Led Zeppelin, and other stuff from the sixties and seventies. For the last 3 years I have played 2 services most Sundays with guys mostly half my age. We play Hillsong United, Lincoln Brewster,
and Chris Tomlin type music mainly. Take 1 Alleve each morning for arthritis but don't have any plans to slow down let alone quit.

[buzzbass]

I just turned 45 and still gig regulary. I'd be out every friday and saturday night, if it was up to me. I ain't looking to stop, or slow down, anytime soon. If anything, I'd like to kick things up a notch.

[pointbass]

55 years old, look like I'm 70, feel like I'm 90 when I get out of bed each morning .......

I've been playing for pay since I was 12 and I've always been fortunate enough to find decent paying gigs all of these years. I was a full time bassist up until about 12 years ago when a family situation forced me to get a more stable income and health plan.

I'll keep playing till they pry the axe out of my cold hands ...

[RWP]

I am 51, started playing when I was 13. I am more into bass these days than ever. A lot of that is due to TB. Not gigging these days, to many family commitments, but trying hard to lay down some tunes in the studio. Keep your good basses, you'll be glad you did when YOU are 51.

[Taurus]

I'm in my 40's now and I never picked up a bass until I was in my late 30's. SO, it's never too late to get started on an instrument!!.

[Phalex]

I'm 40.

I've been playing for about 26 years now. Still pounding out Rock & Roll in the clubs, and the kids still seem to dig it. I'm getting to be too old to stay out until 3:00am, but I'm not ready to hang it up quite yet.

[Johnny Crab]

Calendar says the chrono on me is 51.
Feel like it sometimes
Mostly feel like a 20-something stuck in a medium-mileage body
Gig about 2 ~ 5 times per month, FINALLY sent off for the AARP card after learning how much $$$ I can save just by flashing it(the card that is), been playing since Dad bought me a bass when I was about 10. Gloria was the first song I performed in public when I was 11(1966).

How do you stay in shape gets asked sometimes......
clear your own land after a tornado knocks down a few trees helps....so does moving bass gear...

Originally Posted by RWP

Keep your good basses, you'll be glad you did when YOU are 51.

[DWBass]

I'm 47 (48 next month). Been playing for 35 years and I'm a grandfather as well. I've never been a fan of the P-bass though!

[PauperBoy]

I'm 50. After having a fulltime gig for several years in the 70's & 80's, had to put it down at age 26 & go back to college in order to raise a family above the poverty level.

The only thing I regret is selling that '76 Fender PBass.

"If you didn't know how old you was, how old would you be?" - Satchel Paige

[ogrossman]

Originally Posted by PauperBoy

The only thing I regret is selling that '76 Fender PBass.

+1 (mine was a '72)

I'm 51 and playing in a hard rock band. Check us out - www.thebootleggersband.com

[kherber]

Turned 58 three days ago. Started playing saxophone at the age of 9, switched to electric bass at 24, added string bass a couple years later. I've spent most of my life full-time gigging with local and regional bands around Detroit, Chicago, San Francsico, now the Tampa Bay region in Florida. Jazz, rock, blues, rockabilly, you name it.

I bought my '72 Precision in January, '73, an Earthwood bass in '74, and a 1920s vintage carved German upright in 1975 (for $750). I still own all three, and they are the only basses I've ever owned.

A near poverty-level existence, but my wife is tolerant (and had a lot of fun over the years), so it's kind of worked out.

Doc

[BillyB_from_LZ]

There's this guy named Paul and he's 64. He still plays bass.

And there's the Bowflex guy...he's 49 and in a Rock Band!

I'm a couple years younger than Mr. Bowflex and I'm just playin' with myself at home at the moment (so to speak). But that's OK, I have fun, it prevents me from having to grow up and every three years my buddies from High School and I get together, rehearse for a couple days and the put on a show for our families (kids, wives, septuagenarian parents, etc.).