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Does anybody still have their first bass and amp?
- Thread starter madmikebass
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- amp first bass
I had a Squier MB-4 & a Frontman 25, wish I'd just stuck to those & practiced instead of GASsing:
I feel your pain KBD. I have been playing bass by ear for an awfully long time. Just recently decide to take a 10 week fretboard mastery on-line course. I wanted to, finally, actually learn scales and all that. I wish I had done that 40 years ago!
My first bass was an Ibanez Musician, I think. Active electronics, of course a battery.
Someone traded it in for a better new bass. Great shape, not a ton of money.
First amp, was an Oliver B120, 60 watts and a single 15" speaker in a closed cabinet.
Still have both, though the bass needs a neck repair.
Loaned it to a friend doing some studio work, studio had a fire. Bass was fine until the fire department dragged a hose through and knocked the bass off its stand cracking the neck near the headstock. Bagged the bass in plastic and put it in its case, slightly blackened but not charred, just wipes off with a cloth.
Should probably pull it and glue it back to normal, it's a simple break.
The odd thing, I worked at a music store part time in the 80's, I had just started playing bass after playing guitar for years, still do. Walked in to the store and bought a very early G&L 2000 for $100 Tony took as a trade, he threw in a new set of strings to sweeten the deal. Showed up at a rehearsal, had only managed to put in the battery. This thing had about 75% more bottom end than the Ibanez EVER had. Everybody in the band noticed the difference.
The weird thing.........this G&L, checked finish, a little road rash and hard case was held together by a belt and three hinges only.
Picture are from Google, my stuff not used regularly is buried upstairs.
Someone traded it in for a better new bass. Great shape, not a ton of money.
First amp, was an Oliver B120, 60 watts and a single 15" speaker in a closed cabinet.
Still have both, though the bass needs a neck repair.
Loaned it to a friend doing some studio work, studio had a fire. Bass was fine until the fire department dragged a hose through and knocked the bass off its stand cracking the neck near the headstock. Bagged the bass in plastic and put it in its case, slightly blackened but not charred, just wipes off with a cloth.
Should probably pull it and glue it back to normal, it's a simple break.
The odd thing, I worked at a music store part time in the 80's, I had just started playing bass after playing guitar for years, still do. Walked in to the store and bought a very early G&L 2000 for $100 Tony took as a trade, he threw in a new set of strings to sweeten the deal. Showed up at a rehearsal, had only managed to put in the battery. This thing had about 75% more bottom end than the Ibanez EVER had. Everybody in the band noticed the difference.
The weird thing.........this G&L, checked finish, a little road rash and hard case was held together by a belt and three hinges only.
Picture are from Google, my stuff not used regularly is buried upstairs.
Attachments
I sure do.
Yamaha 115b late 70's or early 80's.
1981 Hondo II.
The Black and maple P that started it all.
Yamaha 115b late 70's or early 80's.
1981 Hondo II.
The Black and maple P that started it all.
I didn't keep it the whole time but I got it back after 30 years......
NBD - Welcome home old friend....
NBD - Welcome home old friend....
Same story with my amp. In fact that picture is in the music store that I found it, about an hour away from where I grew up. I was bought of course on the spot...
My Harmony bass was my first and I still have it. My first amp was a Sears model and it went up in smoke after a few months, so most of it went in the trash. But I made a good cabinet for the speaker, which it still lives in and I have. I do have my first real amp, the Ampeg.
91 MIM Jazz. Never let it go, but did stash it at my mon’s for 20 years. Couldn’t afford an amp so I played it through the family stereo RCA aux inputs.
A couple years ago I pulled it out of storage, replaced the rusty screws with stainless, fixed the screwy electronics, did some aesthetic customization, and learned to play for real this time.
Mostly I play a ‘15 fretless MIM Jazz these days.
A couple years ago I pulled it out of storage, replaced the rusty screws with stainless, fixed the screwy electronics, did some aesthetic customization, and learned to play for real this time.
Mostly I play a ‘15 fretless MIM Jazz these days.
GK2001RB. I think I've had it about 10 years now. Never had one issue. It was being sold brand new on EBAY for $200 less than other same new amps. When I got it there was a screw rattling around inside, maybe that's why it was $200 less. I took the cover off and got the screw but never found where it was supposed to go (assuming it fell out, maybe it was just an extra floating around in there).
Still have first bass as well. Just a GSR200. I bought another later the same color.
Still have first bass as well. Just a GSR200. I bought another later the same color.
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I'll never "lose" my 1987 G & L SB-1......the Gorilla amp is long gone......it sounded like monkeys flinging sh*...well...you know
I'm an outlier. I have both the amp and the bass and both are still my primary gigging instruments after 10 years of playing. A 1998 Fender California Series P/J (although I put Bill Lawrence pups in it) and my old Eden WT300. I don't get much new gear.
My first bass I smashed and lit on fire when I was really young and didn't give a poopie. Not sure what it was but I hope nothing good. My first serious bass is a DeArmon pilot pro. I still have it and let my son take. Now I'm using a Carvin and a P. And Little Cort Fretless on the side.
Digging that vox madmike!!! Not my bag but cool
first real 4 string was a 97 squier affinity p picked up in 2000 for 60$. Bass came apart and in 2006 put the neck on a 70s mail order p bass copy from a family friend that passed long ago. Had mine and his and made one so they live on!!! And been living on hand-me-down gear from there pops gave me a peavey 1820 in 2001 and the megabass head for my birthday later that year. Good way to start the low end sickness!!! Now it's an MIM jazz in to the mega and a 1x15 with an odd ball job d140f mutt also from the old man
first real 4 string was a 97 squier affinity p picked up in 2000 for 60$. Bass came apart and in 2006 put the neck on a 70s mail order p bass copy from a family friend that passed long ago. Had mine and his and made one so they live on!!! And been living on hand-me-down gear from there pops gave me a peavey 1820 in 2001 and the megabass head for my birthday later that year. Good way to start the low end sickness!!! Now it's an MIM jazz in to the mega and a 1x15 with an odd ball job d140f mutt also from the old man
I did not know how good a bass my 1984 Washburn Bantam bass was 'til after I parted with it.
I did not know how good a combo my Peavey TKO 65-BW amp was 'til after I parted with it.
These were my firsts. I just did not know how good they really were.
Ever wish you could start all over again with a since-gone girlfriend? It's like that.
I did not know how good a combo my Peavey TKO 65-BW amp was 'til after I parted with it.
These were my firsts. I just did not know how good they really were.
Ever wish you could start all over again with a since-gone girlfriend? It's like that.
