Longest you've gone without touching a bass?

CrispyDelicious · #1 12-22-2009, 07:58 AM

I'm on a (much needed) self-imposed break from bass guitar. Almost 2 months now, and I haven't even opened a case. Just wondering if anyone else has done the same thing and what your reasons were.

JulienJeff · #2 12-22-2009, 08:01 AM

I started to play 12 years ago. During 4 or 5 years, I played every day. Then I almost stopped during 6-7 years (university time, no time to play, really). During this period I played something like 5 minutes per months and I'm sure there were months and months I didn't played at all.
I started again 2 years ago and play every day

I'm alive !

Tommygunn · #3 12-22-2009, 08:03 AM

Um... 2 days when I get grounded, I suck at quitting.

varunkapahi · #4 12-22-2009, 08:03 AM

its ok i dont play the bass unless its a gig! :P rest of the times i wreck my drums now

Bardley · #5 12-22-2009, 08:06 AM

I was in Israel for a month working a few years ago. I didn't make it the whole time, however. I found a tiny music store that had a few poorly setup SX basses and played one for about 30 seconds...

Jim Nazium · #6 12-22-2009, 08:13 AM

I think mine was over a year. I was just frustrated with bands, with my playing, etc.

The funny thing is, when I picked it up again, after just a week or two of getting my hands back in shape, it seemed like my playing was better than ever. I kept listening to music of course, and I think my ears got better, and I had new ideas about what to play.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend staying away that long, but breaks can be very healthy. Do other stuff, clear your mind, come back to it refreshed.

Brubass · #7 12-22-2009, 08:15 AM

I sold my bass freshman year of college (no time, needed money) in 1982. I didn't pick up another bass until last summer when I joined a rock cover band of not-so-good forty-somethings. So that's 26 years! It took a LONG time for me to come back up to speed and become somewhat presentable. Playing speed and stamina still haven't come back completely (due to minimal time for practice outside my day job).

namraj · #8 12-22-2009, 08:15 AM

I don't just play bass guitar, but it's my first instrument, but atm I'm playing my guitar and ukulele more because I'm jamming acoustic or playing on my own and writing.

I last played my bass 2 weeks ago, my ukulele and guitar 2 days because I have a lot of revision.

Phalex · #9 12-22-2009, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Nazium

I think mine was over a year. I was just frustrated with bands, with my playing, etc.

The funny thing is, when I picked it up again, after just a week or two of getting my hands back in shape, it seemed like my playing was better than ever. I kept listening to music of course, and I think my ears got better, and I had new ideas about what to play.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend staying away that long, but breaks can be very healthy. Do other stuff, clear your mind, come back to it refreshed.

+1000!!

I had pretty much the exact same experience. I took a couple of years off about 10 years ago, and probably went a good year without ever digging a bass out. (I did play a bit of acoustic guitar though....)

CrispyDelicious · #10 12-22-2009, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Nazium

I think mine was over a year. I was just frustrated with bands, with my playing, etc.

The funny thing is, when I picked it up again, after just a week or two of getting my hands back in shape, it seemed like my playing was better than ever. I kept listening to music of course, and I think my ears got better, and I had new ideas about what to play.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend staying away that long, but breaks can be very healthy. Do other stuff, clear your mind, come back to it refreshed.

Good to see I'm not the only one. Also good to know that you can come back to it with a fresh perspective.

Shmone · #11 12-22-2009, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bardley

I was in Israel for a month working a few years ago. I didn't make it the whole time, however. I found a tiny music store that had a few poorly setup SX basses and played one for about 30 seconds...

Do you remember the name of the store?
i only found one store here that has SX in stock and they had only one...
also wondering what's your definition for tiny, I'm guessing Israel big is considered tiny in other countries :P

wagstaff · #12 12-22-2009, 08:23 AM

A week, because I went on holiday... most boring week EVER!!!!

**pacojas** · #13 12-22-2009, 08:27 AM

i got alot better after a 3 year break! much smarter, more versatile, more creative! the reason: i figured everything out mentally and changed some physical techniques. also realized that i was making things harder than they really were. I RECOMMEND TAKING A BREAK!!!

Bardley · #14 12-22-2009, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shmone

Do you remember the name of the store?
i only found one store here that has SX in stock and they had only one...
also wondering what's your definition for tiny, I'm guessing Israel big is considered tiny in other countries :P

It was in Tiberias. We were staying at the Gai Beach Hotel and it was just up the street. This was in 2006.

It was tiny compared to many stores here in the states. Small storefront. I was only in the store for maybe a minute. I was walking by and saw the bass and walked in.

buzzbass · #15 12-22-2009, 08:34 AM

13 years

JulienJeff · #16 12-22-2009, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pacojas

i got alot better after a 3 year break! much smarter, more versatile, more creative! the reason: i figured everything out mentally and changed some physical techniques. also realized that i was making things harder than they really were. I RECOMMEND TAKING A BREAK!!!

the same happened to me. Really. I sucked (well, I was not a great player). But now, I feel like a bassist ; when I hear a sing, I hear a bassline to fill it ; when we play a new song at rehearsals, I immediately find a bassline I like and don't change.
Making a break definitely helped me to improve. But I don't want break anymore. just want to play now

JackDamage · #17 12-22-2009, 08:38 AM

10 years...from 1996-2006..played a lot in the late 80's thru 95..my band disolved never really clicked with another group..kid came along..got bored playing bass by myself..so put it in the closet..picked it back up in 2006 at the begging of a friend played classic rock covers(sux) for a year and half..got the bug again..now in an all original Christain Hard Rock band with a Demo out and great bunch of guys..muscle mempry was gone but came back more inspired...

tycobb73 · #18 12-22-2009, 08:45 AM

10 years. didn't touch any instrument as life got in the way. actually tried selling my bass a couple times.

kcamsdog1387 · #19 12-22-2009, 08:54 AM

I stopped playing last year after 8 years of playing. It was a combination of being fed up with putting 100% into bands and them breaking up and losing my bandmates as friends. The straw that broke the camels back was when my girlfriends grandmother(whom we lived with) passed away. I went from playing maybe once or twice a week to not even touching my basses for 8 months. When I finally picked it up again, I started playing fingerstyle exclusively, but now I'm very good with a pick again. It was really refreshing and helped me come out of my little bout of depression. I joined my recent band after about a month of playing again and blew them away when about a month after my audition I was pulling out nasty lines (I was embarrassed that I wasn't initially up to par with 8 years of playing). All in all a break is good every once in a while.

guli · #20 12-22-2009, 08:56 AM

3 weeks is the longest, but it was last year when I was in Vietnam under Christmas!