Bass stories: You're first bass and your favorite bass

[Andii Syckz]

I remember a few years after i was born, when i was able to crawl around the house, i'd always go towards my dad's basses. He had the most beautiful Gibson les paul triumph which was originally white but turned yellow with all the club smoke. When i was 7, my dad bought me a squier precision bass pack. It was cool since i was getting into all the 70's punk so a p-bass fit perfectly. Traded it for an ibanez gaxb which i still own and love. My favourite bass is my eastwood precision copy bass. First bass i ever owned with a maple neck, great killer tone. Just need to change my pickups

[skwee]

My first bass was a short-scale no-name instrument that I got from my cousin for 65 bucks when I was 15. He was the second owner, I think, and it had been done up with yellow electrical tape to look like Stryper. My current bass is now my favorite (Jane the Jaguar Deluxe), because the neck is ridiculous, though I'm really surprised I own a sunburst (really didn't think it was my style). Got it at a Music-go-round (it was hanging behind the counter, not out with the rest of the basses). I do miss my Peavey Dyna, that I sold for cash to buy a new acoustic guitar. Hope some kid is rocking out on it.

[theNecatoR]

My first bass was an Epiphone Accu Bass. I bought it on the mexican E-bay for like 60 dollars when I was 14. I could not play a thing (I still can't) but all of my neighbours had bought a guitar, or had drumms, so I bought a bass. As it arrived, it was all warped and bowed, but i didn't know, I just knew that it was somehow wrong. An uncle saw it, and sent it to repair, he paid the reparations himself.
I played the everloving jesus out of that bass. But one day, someone broke into our rehearsal house and stole it along with my Epi Les Paul. I was really depressed.
I got to buy a Jazz Bass afterwards, and now I own one of my dream Basses, a Fender Jaguar. I remember the day I first saw one. It was at a club in Guadalajara, there was this dude playing some Kings of Leon or Killers song or whatever, but I saw his beautiful chromed hot rod red Bass and I knew it. That Bass must be mine! So, after working my butt out, I could buy it in a stunning Candy Apple Red. Her name is Airënárië, it means the Holy Fire (femenine) in quenya, the language of the Elves.

[wolfmancharlie]

My first bass was a Univox jazz bass copy. I also had a Harmony jazz copy at the same time as I bought out a local bands equipment but I ended up giving it back to their old bass player within a couple of months as he was my cousin , a Vietnam Vet , and didn't have a bass anymore since his band had bought this one and had sold it to me. I played that Univox for years and it was a great sounding bass.
My favorite bass now is probably my Fender JP90 or my Tobias Growler depends on how I wake up on that particular day.I love the sound and playability of the Fender, but the Growler is just as great and more versatile . I also love my Westone Basses and one of them always goes with me to a gig ,generally as my backups but sometimes they get all the play time as they are home for me.

[Lichtaffen]

My first bass was a Fender MIM Jazz Bass. It was ok. 20+ basses later, my only bass is a Lakland Joe Osborn (a jazz bass, see avatar). I guess I have a thing for jazz basses because I pretty much came full circle. The only reason to buy more basses at this point is to have jazz basses in different colors.

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by Lichtaffen

The only reason to buy more basses at this point is to have jazz basses in different colors.

Nothing wrong with that at all.

[GENRLEE]

My first bass was a Fender JP90. Wish I still had it. Thing was awesome! It was White with a black pick guard.

[GENRLEE]

forgot to mention favorite bass. My favorite one was probably the Yamaha RBX465A in dark green with gold hardware. That thing was very cool and great sustain.

[Presto2112]

She finally broke the sautering was awful I found out and it gave out. I have to re do it all.

[Splods]

My first bass was a Samick. I'm yet to find out the story behind it, as it is a P/J bass, but with a Musicman Samick neck.

Here is an old photo of it with an unfortunately snapped string, just below the P bass that I made.



I recently repositioned the bridge (the very intelligent builder of the bass decided to have the bridge 2mm higher than it should be) and put that machine head the right way around.


My favorite bass would probably be the 6 string fretless I am currently making.
I'm have to seal and paint it, but it is a monster to play. The only 34 inch scale bass with an awesome B string I have ever played.

[drummer5359]

My first bass was a Telestar (Teisco) that my parents bought for my 13th birthday in 1972. They bought it at Murphy's Mart, a chain that was similar to KMart or Walmart.
I traded it for a beat to death drum kit about 35 years ago. Since I (finally) got serious about being a bassist about two years ago I would look for one on ebay from time to time. I recently picked this up. It is identical to the one I owned forty years ago. It showed up right before I left town for the holidays. It seems to have the original forty year old flats on it right now.


I have several really cool basses theses days, but if I were forced to admit to a favorite, it would have to be my 2011 60th Anniversary P-bass.

[zachoff]

My first bass was/is a '91 Squier P Deluxe that I bought new. Still kinda works, but plays awfully. Pretty sure the neck is bowed but I can't bring myself to sell it.

My favorite bass these days is my G&L SB-2. Love the neck, love the body, love the tone... It's also my newest bass but I've been gigging/loving an L-2000 for a couple years and wanted to stay with G&L but get something more P-bass-ish & got the SB-2.

[Gaolee]

My first bass was a Vantage of some kind back in the mid-70s. It was awful. I don't miss it. Between its weight and brutal neck dive, it was a pain to play. I don't really have a favorite, but I have three that I play. The EB-2 doesn't get that much love these days, but there are things it can to that nothing else can do. There are also things that anything else can do that it cannot, but that's a whole 'nother issue and why I also have a P-Bass. The one I play most for now is an Epi Thunderbird with the frets pulled. I'm not sure I'm completely happy with the active pickups, so that may change. Nothing can be a favorite if everything changes a little all the time anyway, right?

[Kmonk]

My first bass was a Washburn B 20. My favorites are my 1972 Precision (3 Tone Sunburst), 1978 Jazz (Sienna Sunburst), 2011 MIA Jazz Deluxe (Wine) and my 1997 Alembic Epic 5 string (Walnut top with Mahogany back).

[jj4001]

My first bass was a Squire Jazz that was given to me along with a Peavey TNT 130 sometime around '97 or so.

I lied my way into my first band. I had never actually played bass when I was asked to try out on the spot. (I happened to be helping some friends move into a practice space when I met these guys. Their bass player apparently made a habit of blowing off rehearsals and they were ready to replace him.)

That night, I stuck around and learned 6 or 7 songs and had a great time playing music with them. By the end of the night, they told me I was in if I wanted it and gave me the Squire and Peavey amp.

I sold that Squire Jazz to make the final payment on the '80 Burgandyglo Rickenbacker 4001 that ended up being my only bass for well over 10 years. The drummer from that band and I ended up touring the US and UK together for most of the next 10 years or so.

Though the 4001 is the bass that's getting buried with me, my favorite bass that I own now is an '86 Jetglo 4003. Though black is probably my least favorite color for Ricky basses, this plays so well that I can't put it down. It's lighter than the 4001 I've been beating on for years and the neck playes much faster. This has become my go to bass for gigs these days.

[Kenzy]

Originally Posted by Lichtaffen

The only reason to buy more basses at this point is to have jazz basses in different colors.

That's a sig.

[Aznslappadabass]

First ever bass was an Ibanez starter pack with some 4 string I don't even know the model number for. After a couple years of playing I got a Made in Korea Traben Array 4 for about $150. I played that for about 4 years until I got my favorite bass thus far, a Sterling by Musicman Ray34. All I'm GASsing for now is a Precision sound.

[Session1969]

First was an Aria Pro II pbass that was black and tan. My favorite is a tie between a USA JO and my Warwick SS1

[Lawkeeper]

I bought a candy red Squier Affinity Jazz after my stepmom let me play her Westone Spectrum.. And that Squier is still my main bass. All stock, save for the pin-up and the fret markers.
I also own a Squier VM Jazz signed by the members of SMV. Heaviest instrument I've ever layed my hands on, but she's a beauty.

[bongostealth]

My very first bass was a 1979 Peavey T-40. Mine was the black body, black pickguard version. I was 12 years old and it felt heavy as %&$# for a 12 yr-old. But I learned a lot of things from that bass.

My favorite bass has to be the Warwick Thumb series.