Yep. And just to be clear, I wasn't bashing the poster, but the bass guitarist who jumped right in and gave him advice...
Gets very, very old.
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Double Bass First double bass?
- Thread starter rstellar13
- Start date
Yep. And just to be clear, I wasn't bashing the poster, but the bass guitarist who jumped right in and gave him advice...
Gets very, very old.
Whoever you were referring to it's a post full of assumptions. Just because the guy doesn't list a DB on his profile doesn't mean he doesn't own one or hasn't had any experience with them. I own two and you won't find them on my profile, and the sheer virtue of ownership certainly doesn't make me an authority. Far from it, I haven't been playing long enough to consider myself an expert on anything.
Then you go on to assume that the poster will immediately take the BG guys advice and look no further for other opinions. Why? Because he's a BG player too? All BG players think alike? I don't get it and it looks like you were wrong because it appears the OP is exploring all the options given to him by the later posters.
Your post is rude and does nothing to point the OP in the right direction. Take a lesson from Drurb and at least deliver your sermon with a bit of style and class.
Here is another potential for you, a little bit of a drive but might be worth it for the right bass at the right price. A little over your budget but perhaps worth a discussion and negotiation. Best in your search
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- Dec 13, 1999
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- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
- Oct 12, 2004
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Newbies need encouragement and guidance in an interactive way with folks that have been around the block a few times. Whenever they post here for the first time, this is the first thread of this kind for them. If forum members get tired of reading these sorts of threads, making them aggravated and cranky, maybe they should just take a pass on reading any threads about getting a first bass. Seems simple enough.
In a great many cases, a young musician just getting involved with a large intimidating instrument for the first time is very ambivalent about it. They learn to fall in love with playing these musical hippos over time. Each of us has the power to help these folks out at the start, even just a little bit, with a little patience and some words of reassurance, not lectures and attitude. Let's make the doublebass world an even nicer place than it already is.
In a great many cases, a young musician just getting involved with a large intimidating instrument for the first time is very ambivalent about it. They learn to fall in love with playing these musical hippos over time. Each of us has the power to help these folks out at the start, even just a little bit, with a little patience and some words of reassurance, not lectures and attitude. Let's make the doublebass world an even nicer place than it already is.
I agree that newbies should be encouraged in a friendly manner. I've spent a fair amount of time trying to help newbies find new instruments. If the comments I've received are any indication, I've been successful at patiently helping. I tried in this thread as well. (Steve, I'm not suggesting at all that you were including me among the impatient. In fact, I assume that you weren't.)
With regard to ambivalence, the advice I gave the OP, and by which I stand, is that success with the DB is not something that's likely to occur if it's something that one is, in a sense, forced to do. The OP did clarify and it seems that he's committed. I think he's been given some very good advice regarding where and how to look for a bass and he seems to have appreciated that advice and taken it seriously. That's all good.
So, where's the rub? I think what several members find annoying is the failure on the part of many newbie posters to lift even one finger (e.g., to click a mouse
) to take advantage of the wealth of information offered to them before they post. Given all the stickies and instructions at the top of the forum, one wonders how and why some folks ignore them all and post what amounts to "I want to buy a bass. Will $1000 do it?" I agree that when that happens, it's best to take a breath and point them to the wiki. Still, the "me generation" need to be spoon-fed an answer right NOW can be trying. I think newbie posters do have some responsibility to read a bit and learn about the forum before banging out a first post. That can be politely pointed out to them while providing useful links. For the most part, that's what happened in this thread. As I see it, compared to some other similar threads, there was very little contention and a wealth of on-point information offered.Contrary to what a minority assert, I don't believe that there is, in general, condescension toward those searching for instruments on modest budgets. In fact, the vast majority of graciously-offered advice and direction in these threads seems to be about the purchase of basses priced at the lower end of the spectrum. We sure talk about $1,500 purchases more often than $20,000 purchases!
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,736
- 8,941
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
This is solid advice, Steve. I agree with you and I've pledged this to myself many times and apparently have some type of sickness.
So, let me copp to something and then clear something up.
1) I was being a Richard.
2) I wasn't a Richard to the OP. I was actually being a Richard to this guy:
Who, according to his own profile and signature tag owns a whole bunch of equipment, none of which appears to be in any way double bass related. Yet, 8 minutes after the post, he jumped in and give very direct and concise advice on buying a double bass.
So, they are two major issues with this (these) threads. The second is that try as we might to help and we, including me personally, have devoted many many hours to trying to help. All it takes is one BGist to pop in and pop off and wipe it all out. That's actually what I was reacting to.
So, if we follow your advice and my own and don't reply when new guys post without taking the time to search or read our wiki, then the only advice they get is from someone who is going to steer him the opposite way or to read the wiki, which is actually very good advice, but not as gratifying as someone telling you what you wanted to hear.
I do need to look away. I'm sorry for Richarding up the forum.
OP, I do hope you get into a good instrument and learn to love it as we do.
Yes getting the bass soon, also two bows one Fiber glass and one wood so everything is lining up well for me right now, I do appreciate the advice though
