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Help me... I've become a bass player :0 !!!

vindibona1

vindibona1

Apr 18, 2015
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#1
When I was a kid (many) decades ago, I was in a rock group and became the designated bass player. I remember raiding my childhood savings account for $15 to buy a used Teisco bass (which sadly I gave away years ago). I still played mainly guitar, which later took a back seat to trumpet.

Fast forward to 5 years ago... I just wanted a bass, any bass to lay down tracks on a recording. I found a used Squier VM70's bass and negotiated the price down to $150. It wasn't until 2 years ago that suddenly (because I owned a bass) I was recruited to play in a worship group and then as a ringer for a Jr. High musical (largely because I can read music). Since then I've been MUCH more active playing bass, practicing daily, acquiring several more basses including three ers and even a 6 string!

So with my worship group I was playing mainly (acoustic) guitar and occasionally bass, now mostly alternating between guitar and bass... but longing to play bass instead of guitar. I'd like to pick up more bass gigs and don't even have the fire to play guitar much any more. Mercifully trumpet is still an important part of my weekly stuff (I'm in two legit concert groups and would like to trade one of those for a big band). But I love playing bass...

What happened to me?
 
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#2
vindibona1 said:
When I was a kid (many) decades ago, I was in a rock group and became the designated bass player. I remember raiding my childhood savings account for $15 to buy a used Teisco bass (which sadly I gave away years ago). I still played mainly guitar, which later took a back seat to trumpet.

Fast forward to 5 years ago... I just wanted a bass, any bass to lay down tracks on a recording. I found a used Squier VM70's bass and negotiated the price down to $150. It wasn't until 2 years ago that suddenly (because I owned a bass) I was recruited to play in a worship group and then as a ringer for a Jr. High musical (largely because I can read music). Since then I've been MUCH more active playing bass, practicing daily, acquiring several more basses including three ers and even a 6 string!

So with my worship group I was playing mainly (acoustic) guitar and occasionally bass, now mostly alternating between guitar and bass... but longing to play bass instead of guitar. I'd like to pick up more bass gigs and don't even have the fire to play guitar much any more. Mercifully trumpet is still an important part of my weekly stuff (I'm in two legit concert groups and would like to trade one of those for a big band). But I love playing bass...

What happened to me?
Click to expand...
The lure of the low end! Holding down the bottom end of the whole band.:thumbsup:
 
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#4
vindibona1 said:
What happened to me?
Click to expand...
:laugh:

bass? what's not to like!?
- $67 on ebay.
- you can get 'em in black.
- only four strings --- big ones, so you can find 'em easily.
- you can learn the instrument in one afternoon while you water the lawn!
- and with the right gear = you can be the loudest cat in the band!

glad you're digging the boom, OP: i always feel 'refreshed' when a guitar player 'admits' that the bass is where it's at! good luck with your music! :thumbsup:
 
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#9
vindibona1 said:
What happened to me?
Click to expand...

Same thing happened to me just over a year ago. Been playing guitar for 35 years. Met up with a new group of fellas, only we couldn't find a bass player (common in my area). So the singer has a cheap Baltimore P bass. I plug it in because rock music with no bass = no bueno (there are exceptions, of course)! Anyhoo, long story longer, I became addicted to playing electric bass. It's constantly on my mind and I now play for two bands. Sold most of my guitar stuff or gave some to my son. I'm all about the bass!
 
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#10
Hi @vindibona1,

You are beyond help. But that's OK. We love and accept you just the way you are.

keep-calm-and-play-bass-371.png


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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#11
I was a bass owner for a long time. Back in college I bought a red Hagstrem "Cromwell" bass so there would be one around. I messed with it and pulled it out when someone needed a bass. It wasn't until about ten years ago that I joined a friend's band as they needed a bassist. I worked hard and created actual bass lines rather then guitar parts played lower. We got fairly successful recording two CD's and touring around the state playing some medium sized festivals. I got a better bass and put together a nice bass rig.

While I play more guitar then bass these days, I wouldn't trade my experience for the world. I learned so much about music, how to be part of the rhythm section and to hold down the low end in a band. It's made me a better guitarist as well. I'd still like to be the bass player in a good band again.
 
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#12
I've played guitar since I was 12 (now pushing 60). Some twelve years ago I was playing guitar with some other dad so the Boy Scouts (2 were mine) could sing some old Americana songs for a Camp-O-Ree. The other dad had a gig coming up and asked if I could play bass as well as guitar. I said, 'Sure' (hmmm).

Five weeks later I was playing bass with a band for a community 'music-in-the-park' festival in front of about 2000. It took a couple of years until I was playing bass like a bass player as opposed to playing like a guitar player playing bass. Now I play both, but primarily bass in a couple of bands.

The low end will get you if you aren't careful.
 

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