Congratulations to all. 43 years here. Building more than playing these days.
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I’ve Played Bass for 30 Years Now!
- Thread starter Riff Ranger
- Start date
Turnaround
Commercial User
I've Played Bass for 30 Years Now!
Time to take a break and have a beer.
Time to take a break and have a beer.
Congrats! I'm 72 and started learning bass five years back. So I'll reach thirty years of musical joy when I'm only ninty-seven and a half years old. Can't wait. Cause I'm definitely improving.
At my very first lesson, my teacher asked me if I knew who Jaco was. I didn't. He said, "Well, you should know that name if you're going to play bass. He just died." That was the fall of 1987. Going on 36 years over here.
CongratsView attachment 5081326
View attachment 5081325
(and as you see, I've had my trusty ATK for most of those years)
As we flipped our calendars to June, I realized I started playing bass thirty years ago this month! I recently learned that the teacher who took me on as a twelve-year-old halfway across North America can no longer play due to Parkinson's disease; my current bandmate was in preschool entirely across the continent when I got started. Two marriages, two careers, three cats, and three kids later, I love playing at least as much as I did in the beginning. It seemed like an occasion worth noting. I wish all of us many more years of this kind of joy!
I started at 9 I am 65 in Sept so I will just say a long long time
so I will just say a long long time I started in 1981. I have about 12 years of actually playing. I take long breaks.
View attachment 5081326
View attachment 5081325
(and as you see, I've had my trusty ATK for most of those years)
As we flipped our calendars to June, I realized I started playing bass thirty years ago this month! I recently learned that the teacher who took me on as a twelve-year-old halfway across North America can no longer play due to Parkinson's disease; my current bandmate was in preschool entirely across the continent when I got started. Two marriages, two careers, three cats, and three kids later, I love playing at least as much as I did in the beginning. It seemed like an occasion worth noting. I wish all of us many more years of this kind of joy!
Congrats! It's wonderful to have something that brings you that many years of joy. I will mark 25 years come this September (with a lengthy break in the middle, to be fair); two of my three basses are almost that old. There is something special about playing an instrument you've had that long. It's like spending time with an old friend, there's a level of comfort and familiarity that you only earn after years of spending time together.
Here's to another 25, or 30, or however long we have.
I got my first bass in 1988, dabbled around a bit and put it in the closet until 1990 when I got serious and never stopped since!! (33 years and counting!) 
I told my wife that when I go (MANY years from now hopefully!) that I want one of my basses and one of my skateboards in my coffin with me!
I told my wife that when I go (MANY years from now hopefully!) that I want one of my basses and one of my skateboards in my coffin with me!
40. Add three years for guitar first. Subtract around 20 years I've mostly ignored guitar.
What was the question again?
What was the question again?
Gotta' love these bass related posts! Looking forward to pics from your next 30!
First Guitar and lessons in 79, switched to bass in 81, been trying to figure it out ever since. So I guess that puts me at 40+ years at this point. The key is never stop learning.
Congrats! I'm pushing 44 years, and still rubbish at it.
I'm gonna go with ~36 years. Bass became a thing for me in about 1987. First on a borrowed P with a broken and repaired headstock, then on my own '67 EBO from a pawn shop. I was only 8 or 9, so the exact dates are fuzzy, but it was '87 that I first became interested. I don't think I've taken more than a month away from the instrument in all that time. Things ebb and flow, but it's always been a very active part of my life.
45 years since my 1st paying gig - at 62 still feel as though I'm scratching the surface - Busier than ever though!
congrats!I love playing at least as much as I did in the beginning. It seemed like an occasion worth noting. I wish all of us many more years of this kind of joy!
CONGRATULATIONS! Its the coolest of instruments to play and the coolest of people who play them. Ive played bass since 1968 in many bands and venues and styles. Still love it and it never gets old! Keep on keepin on!
