Getting my fingers back

[Phippy]

I started playing bass in 1968 using a 1963 P bass I bought at Bean Music in Little Rock for next to nothing, and I managed to get my hands on a Fender Bassman amp with tubes about the same time. 6L6's and 5U4's, I'll never forget those. I also played rhythm guitar on a bunch of college plays in the "orchestra pit", also taught myself some finger picking, but I was never much good at it.

I played in bands for years when finally arthritis and essential tremor got the best of me, and I had to quit.

My Brother bought me a beautiful Peavey 4 string bass for Christmas, and I've decided to try and get my hands and fingers back in some kind of shape. I haven't touched a bass in 30 years.

I'm making myself run scales until my fingers bleed, but it's slow going. I need some kind of practice amp like a Pignose (those were hot back in the day, but probably no so much now, I have no idea).

What sort of of amp can I get for around $100-$125 just to hear what I'm playing?

Thanks for your time, I appreciate any advice you can give me regarding anything.

 

[CallMeAl]

Had an Ampeg BA 108 for many years. Currently have a Rumble 25. Both great practice amps, I heartily endorse either.

welcome back

 

[joelns]

I can't really suggest an amp, though I do like the little Rumbles. But I can sympathize. I also have an essential tremor and am on some meds for it. They help to a point. And arthritis (many broken bones in my hands and wrists from a misspent childhood that I would never trade).

Stay with it. It does get easier and more comfortable. Even though it can be frustrating at times.

 

[WillyW]

I picked up a Crate some years back for $35, sold it earlier this year for $50.

it was 40 or 50w solid state, and tough as nails.

 

[Garret Graves]

I second the advice to get a small Fender Rumble combo amp, you will be happy with the tone and punch of those little amps. If you think you might play with others, wouldn’t hurt to buy a bigger version from the same line, they aren’t all that expensive. Welcome back to the world of bass, and remember you don’t have to squeeze very hard, make sure you play relaxed and loose, esp with arthritis issues! I say this because in teaching, I see a lot of death grips over the years, and that makes joint issues worse

 

[SJan3]

I started playing bass in 1968 using a 1963 P bass I bought at Bean Music in Little Rock for next to nothing, and I managed to get my hands on a Fender Bassman amp with tubes about the same time. 6L6's and 5U4's, I'll never forget those. I also played rhythm guitar on a bunch of college plays in the "orchestra pit", also taught myself some finger picking, but I was never much good at it.

I played in bands for years when finally arthritis and essential tremor got the best of me, and I had to quit.

My Brother bought me a beautiful Peavey 4 string bass for Christmas, and I've decided to try and get my hands and fingers back in some kind of shape. I haven't touched a bass in 30 years.

I'm making myself run scales until my fingers bleed, but it's slow going. I need some kind of practice amp like a Pignose (those were hot back in the day, but probably no so much now, I have no idea).

What sort of of amp can I get for around $100-$125 just to hear what I'm playing?

Thanks for your time, I appreciate any advice you can give me regarding anything.

Ampeg BA108V2 Surprising performance from this point sized unit and right within your budget.

 

[BlueTalon]

If the goal is just to hear what you're playing, on a budget, allow me to suggest a couple of alternatives. One would be to just go to a couple pawn shops and see what they have. You might find something that will serve your purpose for far less than you would pay for the equivalent new amp.

The other would be to get a headphone amp. That gets you practicing, again for probably less than you'd spend on new practice amp. There are different levels of quality and sophistication, as there are with anything else, of course. I have a Phil Jones Big Head, one of which is available now on Reverb for $150-or-make-offer, and I love it.

 

[ezstep]

I cannot help but laugh at this thread. I have played semi-prof for some 50+ years, but the last two nights this week I have been playing an unplugged bass on the couch, trying to get my fingers back in shape for a couple of upcoming December gigs. Covid had shut down music around here, and I have lost the dexterity. Got to get it back. It doesn't matter if it has been years and year or only a couple of months without playing - we are all pretty much in the same boat. Sorry - no suggestions on the amp, but good luck and keep playing.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Fender Rumble. I'd also check local pawn shops and CL.

 

[skidmarkbass]

Last year I bought a Fender Rumble 25 for acoustic open mic nights and it works/sounds great for low volume things.

 

[blowinblue]

Sorry to hear about the OP's health issues. But his post did inspire me to learn about a condition I was totally unfamiliar with (essential tremor). I'm already familiar with arthritis.

M. M.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Welcome back to bass, and all the best in working with your condition.

A Peavey bass (which one did you get, @Phippy?) kind of begs for a Peavey amp. They have some new options in your price range, and at least in the US, you can find used TKOs in that range pretty much anywhere at any time. They’re a bit heavy relative to newer options, but they sound good, last forever, and even have enough oomph to cover some gigs.

I hope you have a blast.

 

[Londo Molari]

You probably should start with something like this:

and if you have some fun with bass again move up to something like this:

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I started playing bass in 1968 using a 1963 P bass I bought at Bean Music in Little Rock for next to nothing, and I managed to get my hands on a Fender Bassman amp with tubes about the same time. 6L6's and 5U4's, I'll never forget those. I also played rhythm guitar on a bunch of college plays in the "orchestra pit", also taught myself some finger picking, but I was never much good at it.

I played in bands for years when finally arthritis and essential tremor got the best of me, and I had to quit.

My Brother bought me a beautiful Peavey 4 string bass for Christmas, and I've decided to try and get my hands and fingers back in some kind of shape. I haven't touched a bass in 30 years.

I'm making myself run scales until my fingers bleed, but it's slow going. I need some kind of practice amp like a Pignose (those were hot back in the day, but probably no so much now, I have no idea).

What sort of of amp can I get for around $100-$125 just to hear what I'm playing?

Thanks for your time, I appreciate any advice you can give me regarding anything.

Ba110, rumble15

 

[juancaminos]

I feel for ya our band went into semi hiatus a few years ago. We were of 30-40 gigs a year, not like some of you but a good amount considering we were at the point to where we didn't have to hunt for gigs, they came to us. Then we dropped to two or three a year for very special occasions. It started getting harder and harder to just jump up there and play. Now that I am two months away from 66, officially retired and moved, I am practicing fretless on head phones for three hours Mon, Wed and Fri nights. I now have swollen knuckles due to Arthritis, an middle trigger finger on my fretting hand which won't close to my palm and gets stuck frequently. Also I have played maybe 60% with a pick (used to be 100%) but I am finding almost impossible to grasp a pick well for the length of an entire song.

Anyway...I have tried cheap little practice amps with small speakers and maybe 25 watts and could never get a good sound which takes the pleasure out of playing and makes it hard to work on technique. Perhaps things are better now, in which case a small Rumble may be a great choice.

For me I use headphones because I can. I have several mixing boards so I just plug my bass and Ipod into the board. You have to have decent head phones or they rattle. I put the Ipod on random and play to what ever comes up. I also have a song folder of all the songs I sing and/or want to sing some day and play thru them as well. Three months of this and I am just getting back to where I can hold a pick! My hands are much better as well. More importantly I am developing a nice sounding right hand finger style that I like. I still have issue with real fast songs but I'll get there. The point, I think, is that I have hear more clearly on head phones than a cheap little practice amp. Now all I need is to find a band here in the woods of Northern AZ!

Good luck and don't give up. It does get better.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

Sorry to hear about the OP's health issues. But his post did inspire me to learn about a condition I was totally unfamiliar with (essential tremor). I'm already familiar with arthritis.

M. M.

My wife has a problem with that and she's a folk artist who does a LOT of hand stitching. Had testing done for Parkinson's that came back negative and that was a relief, but the tremors are real problem.

 

[Phippy]

Welcome back to bass, and all the best in working with your condition.

A Peavey bass (which one did you get, @Phippy?) kind of begs for a Peavey amp. They have some new options in your price range, and at least in the US, you can find used TKOs in that range pretty much anywhere at any time. They’re a bit heavy relative to newer options, but they sound good, last forever, and even have enough oomph to cover some gigs.

I hope you have a blast.

Hi, thanks for asking! It's a Grind BXP 4, so far I love it.

 

[singlemalt]

Check out a Zoom multi fx unit like the B3, with headphones.

It’ll hook up to your computer so you can listen to playback audio, or record, plus there’s a editor software to tweak settings and drag and drop effects.

And, tuner, beats, looper, fx, amp models....
Under $200 new. $150 ish should get you a used unit.

All in one practice station, plus it’s a di, so you can go right into a mixer.

Enjoy good sound without driving everyone in the house crazy.

 

[S-Bigbottom]

Whatever you go with do not be afraid to turn it up.
Using the volume high (within reason of course) you can use a lighter touch.

Let the amp do the heavy work not your fingers.
A setup by someone who knows how can also help with needing less finger pressure to produce sound.

Enjoy!

Pictures of whatever you get, also the current Bass.

 

[wheelsup247]

Cafe Walter HA-1A if you can find one. You really do hear all the good, the bad, and the ugly with these. Great for hearing exactly what sound(s) your fingering technique / muting technique is making.