At what age have you started playing bass?

[Lee Moses]

14

 

[ac100X]

13. I wanted a VOX because "It's What's Happening".

 

[2F/2F]

Age seven. Took a bit of a break after high school, as I spent six years on USN subs, and only kept guitars (and a trombone) with me while stationed away from my home of record.

Started on electric fretless (an old Music Man, which I still own), and added upright w/ German bow a few years later.

Unfortunately, I haven't had regular access to an upright since graduating high school, since I always used a school-owned upright.

Switched to fretted electric when I was about 27 years old. Only recently have I started messing with fretless again, with the acquisition of an old Guild B-50.

 

[Diminishedfilth]

Started when I was 12. I was already playing woodwinds, then I heard slap bass and convinced my Father to get me a Sears catalog bass, and eventually a used Gibson Ripper. Not the sexiest bass to have in the era of pointy basses, but sure wish I held on to it.

 

[TK1820]

Started upright at 10, electric at 11. Been at it for 48 years!

 

[tangentmusic]

14

 

[Mike Lock]

Started when I was 12. I was already playing woodwinds, then I heard slap bass and convinced my Father to get me a Sears catalog bass, and eventually a used Gibson Ripper. Not the sexiest bass to have in the era of pointy basses, but sure wish I held on to it.

Had a Ripper back in the 80s and for funk and thumpin other than a music man that was the bass to have

 

[matt_s]

I started on trombone in 5th grade, then started playing electric bass at age 15, formed a rock band with some friends and played lots of gigs starting that year, then took lessons on upright, and studied jazz and classical technique at age 18, and still playing lots of gigs now at age 45!

 

[sylvanbass]

Crappy Washburn bass and Crate 110 combo amp for my 12th birthday in 1990.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

Hello mates!!

First vote, and then tell us specifically at what age ( if you remember ) started playing and studying bass as instrument.

Thanks!!

You should break the 10 to 20 range down to 10-15 and 16-20. Most of us started playing in our teens but there's a huge difference between started at 10 and starting at 20.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

Started playing guitarin 1964 and bass in 1965. I think I was 15 when I picked it up. bought an amp for it in 1966 - Fender Bassman (50-watt all valve amp). Dang! That's 57-years ago...

 

[mapleglo]

13. I was maybe 6 when my Dad got me a guitar for my birthday. Switched to bass at 13 for better band opportunities.

 

[drumvsbass]

1987, I was 13

 

[noahw1]

11. I’m now 52.

 

[Aidenn7]

12yrs old.. I am 38- 26yrs playing

 

[allen_m]

I was 14, late summer 1977.

 

[MichelD]

I was 16 and it was the summer only of 1969 but it was on a guitar with the high strings off because we couldn't find a bass.

Got my first real bass seven years later at 22.

 

[Isaac_James]

14 when I picked up the bass. I had been playing other instruments for about 5 years before that, however (cello, viola, clarinet, oboe, English horn).

Of all those, bass is the only one I've stuck with. I do sometimes miss the double reeds though.

 

[Michedelic]

At 13, but before that I thumped around on a nylon string guitar that was missing the E and B strings, so those lower notes were calling to me. I didn’t get far enough on guitar(a summer camp activity)to fail, or to be the lousiest guitarist in the neighborhood gang band that would be forced to switch to bass. I dabled on drums, got bored with that, then put 2 and 2 together and started up bass since I was already doing that sort of thing on the four-string guitar. I eventually did get into guitar seriously, to understand chords, theory, and song structure, and often I have to show the guitarist in my cover band his parts on the songs I pick.

 

[bassbrad]

I started cello and guitar at 8 in the third grade
Upright bass in orchestra at 11 in sixth grade
I played electric guitar in bands from age 12 to 17 rock, blues, C&W and R&B occasionally played bass to let the bass player sing a song or two. Upon seeing Eric Johnson and Stevie Ray Vaughan one weekend I knew I would never be that good and decided to quit guitar the summer before my senior year in 1976. I still played upright bass on In orchestra and Electric Bass at 17 because I was in the school jazz band I took my bass and guitar and mashed it together discovered my special purpose. Music for several reasons became my driving force.