• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Guitar player forced into a lower level of playing....

Roblikescoffee

Roblikescoffee

Mar 5, 2023
19
42
18036
#1
And loving every minute of it!

I've played guitar on and off since I was a kid and never took it seriously, louder and faster was the motto. Last October, my pastor at church asked if I played bass. I said, "no, but I'd be willing to learn.". I traded a Mexican Jazzmaster for a Mexican Jazz Bass and haven't looked back!

At first I thought bass was boring but the more I practice and learn about how to actually play well, it's much more than just banging out root notes.

Stumbled on this forum while searching on a solid way to quiet the jazz bass hum when I drop the volume on the bridge pickup. Lots of solid advice on here!

I am on the hunt for a nicer amp, something that can deliver the "60s sound". I'm sure a P-Bass would help but, one thing at a time.

Enough words, pictures are better!

--Rob
Lehigh Valley area Pennsylvania
PXL_20230212_033046052.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Atom3000, oldandbold, Pocket4 and 8 others
#5
My story is similar. And I never looked back.

When I played guitar (for 10 yrs), except for in the very beginning, I picked it up only when I had to - either to work parts out or learn a new song. When I switched over to bass and understood what it REALLY meant to be a bass player, I couldn't put the bass down. Pretty sure I was born a bass player :) . Just took some time for me to realize that.

Welcome.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AGCurry, Roblikescoffee, scott sinner and 1 other person
#6
Roblikescoffee said:
...
I've seen the light of bass! Playing it well takes more talent than I initially realized.
...
Click to expand...

It does. There is also a huge amount of anecdotal and objective evidence that bass players are often more cognizant of the realities, constraints and other challenges of 'live ensemble' playing than other band members, with at least one ear firmly looking out for the overall sound. There is also similar evidence that the bass players are more musically 'rounded', with a better grasp of music theory, song structure/composition and arrangement.

Welcome to the low end and to enlightenment!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lee Moses, Roblikescoffee, scott sinner and 1 other person
#7
SteveCS said:
It does. There is also a huge amount of anecdotal and objective evidence that bass players are often more cognizant of the realities, constraints and other challenges of 'live ensemble' playing than other band members, with at least one ear firmly looking out for the overall sound. There is also similar evidence that the bass players are more musically 'rounded', with a better grasp of music theory, song structure/composition and arrangement.

Welcome to the low end and to enlightenment!
Click to expand...
We're also better looking and infinitely more charming than our bandmates but we try not to rub it in!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lee Moses, Roblikescoffee, Oddly and 1 other person
#9
SteveCS said:
It does. There is also a huge amount of anecdotal and objective evidence that bass players are often more cognizant of the realities, constraints and other challenges of 'live ensemble' playing than other band members, with at least one ear firmly looking out for the overall sound. There is also similar evidence that the bass players are more musically 'rounded', with a better grasp of music theory, song structure/composition and arrangement.

Welcome to the low end and to enlightenment!
Click to expand...
Indeed. Some of this even seems to be connect to innate neurology. Link below. In sum, humans, across ages, trained in music or not, demonstrate a better aptitude in recognizing rhythm in lower ranges. In contrast, humans are better at recognizing pitch in upper ranges. If you read it, youll seem how that research well supports the collective anecdotes that a good drum and bass combo is the main ingredient that gets booties to the floor.

Invalid Link Removed


Good drummers are smarter though Studies Show Drummers Are Actually Much Smarter Than You | iHeart
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Roblikescoffee and SteveCS
#11
WOW! You touched my heart Strings, My bass heart strings that is! Back in '65 when the Beatle craze was in full
swing I bugged my parents for an Electric Guitar. Had fun playing from Junior high to High school. When our band played an after-game dance our bass player got in trouble and his dad grounded him. I switch to bass and never looked back! I rarely play guitar and I have some nice ones. I play for LIFE Church in Broomfield CO. Love that Jazz bass and rosewood neck! My stamp here is me at the CMA State Rally playing my MM StingRay5 HH.
 
#12
I played mainly guitar, and some other instruments including bass.
One day after year, one of my old bass players came by for some documents regarding a movie, "Big Blue, a Fishy Tale" that I had worked on post audio and he said he was looking for a bass player.
I was doing studio projects and a cover band and said, I'll play bass, but you have to let me use one of your basses because, another bassist I played with off and on since 1st grade, who after years of hounding me to sell him my bass, (a Peavey Bquad4 I scored at a namm style show and it was the designers demo all set up and sweet), I finally relented and sold it to him.
He never asked a price, but I did him a huge solid for $400.00.
He had turned to guitar and his drummer I also played with before, but as a guitarist.
So, I went out to che k it out,
 
#13
Same here. Long time guitar player, bought a bass last year and now have three. My bass style is completely different than my guitar style and the songs I create on it are more interesting. Recently picked up drumming and recording and that lead me to be a more creative guitarist than I was prior. I don't play guitar rhythms much anymore and concentrate more on fills to complement songs that mostly start/created with a bass line.

As far as amps I've only used a Fender Rumble 200 (1x15") that I purchased the same time as my first bass (G&L Tribute JB-s). I like this amp a lot and the one regret I have is being I only play and record at home I probably should have went with a Rumble 40 for the smaller size and lower price. At the time I knew I wanted a Rumble and didn't play other amps. Since then I have played a few other brands in the similar price range and I still think the Rumble's is a good fit for my playing style. I'm not sure if it geared towards a "60's" sound, but his has a push button labeled "Vintage" on it that provides a low end boost.
 
Last edited:
#14
Eventually, I traded a custom flying V with dragon inlays for his '80's Ibanez X-Series bass with active pickups, ALTHOUGH i Intended to work some deal for his RD Artist, but when he told me some jealous girlfriend he screwed around on took vengeance by smashing the RD Artist bass around and although it is repaired, the MOOG electronics were destroyed, so, I no longer desired it, got the Ibanez X-Series and joined the band, "Vicious Kitty" as bassist.
We have a .band site and a few releases online while working on an album now.
Anyways, I love that Ibanez, but the case was a cumbersome huge eyesore and hassle to transport in a small car, so I later bought a Bootlegger ACE headless bass for the ease of transport and the cool design, and since, a Fender Jazz Squire, and an Ibanez cheapy that plays and sounds sweet. Anyways, I may not be a Davey504 when it comes to tapping and some techniques, but, IMHO, come up with some cool lines that fit the music and pique the guitarist's bass-player alter ego, as one song scheduled for the next album, a funky, jazz-power trio tune that I developed a bass line for that totally blew his mind and finally, he gave the accolades I deserved.
Yet not intending to extract bass envy from his now green tinted face, I, with subtle demeaner, de-escalated the frenzy because he loved the groove and how it melded, but he could not decipher the lines I played despite trying to watch the fingerings and now, I live in his mind rent free.
lol.
Anyways, I guess I fit the converts group as I was outcast in some way as a bass player by my bass players but eventuly, they admit now, I am a great bassist amoungst my bass player friends and others.
. I stumbled on this site through a thread about inexpensive basses that sound incredible, and I joined to reply to that thread initially, but after signing up and verifying, I lost the thread and still have not found it.
Great site here.
Lots of interesting topics.
Alot of them are about bass I notice.
I love it!
See y'all around...
 
#15
Ray5 and Spirit 76.jpg
Roblikescoffee said:
And loving every minute of it!

I've played guitar on and off since I was a kid and never took it seriously, louder and faster was the motto. Last October, my pastor at church asked if I played bass. I said, "no, but I'd be willing to learn.". I traded a Mexican Jazzmaster for a Mexican Jazz Bass and haven't looked back!

At first I thought bass was boring but the more I practice and learn about how to actually play well, it's much more than just banging out root notes.

WOW! Rob, Welcome to the Bass Snobbery! Other than accepting Jesus Christ as My Lord and Savior, Playing bass for Jesus is a thing I Love!! Bass Snobbery goes like this....a Piano player has 88 keys, your bass has 20 frets x 4 equals 80 plus 4 open notes for 84. My 5 string MusicMan StingRay has 115! A guitar Player will strum 3 chords and play GCD in the first 3-5 frets. I'll play anywhere from 9 to 18 notes (up an octave) for the same song. I can sing and play guitar. It's much harder to play bass and sing. I'm all up and down the neck with dynamics, slides, pops and thumps and other rhythm styles you can't play on another instrument!! My drummer is my best friend in Praise Band and we lock in, and I know his playing so well I can tell where he's going and when he's going.

I played in the late 60's 70's and early 80's. I played a '76 Fender Fretless P-Bass during those times and I've still got it. I'm 71 and pretty set in my ways. My favorite setup today is my MM StingRay5 with 14202 Elixir strings played through a Hartke KB15. My pedal board is a Volume pedal, MXR Phase 90, and a Petersen Strobe stomp tuner. I play through the sound system at church and listen though an AVIOM with Westone ear buds.

You can see me play at www.lifechurchco.com

Your Jazz bass is awesome and I hope you two are friends for Life! Welcome to the Low End!
BTW There are some really cool Bass T-Shirt on the web. I have a long sleeve that says "I Play Bass For JESUS" I want another on that says "Don't let the Gray Hair fool you. I can still play Bass like a Rock Star!"
GBYD
We like pictures! Here is my Ray5 HH and Spirit of 76.
Grandpa Bob
Click to expand...
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back