I’ve Played Bass for 30 Years Now!

[Admiral Akbar]

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(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!

This is really great! My 30th year was in 2019, and I'm playing more now than ever.

I love your story - and it's totally rad that you still have that same bass in both pictures.

Keep twangin' that thang!

 

[petch]

49 years for me. Started with a loaner Kent bass with my college dorm buddies in 1974. I never had a lesson, just figured things out along the way, with bad technique and habits aplenty. I currently play in a rock trio that gigs a handful of times a year at a really nice venue that pays us pretty well, so there's that.

 

[Ostie]

I started in 1978.

I Started bass in 1978. Started guitar in 1968. I was 13.

 

[SpiderBass1965]

View attachment 5081326
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(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!

Congratulations

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

me too. 30 year bassists unite

 

[ghostinthemach]

I got my first bass in 1968. Played ever since. Finally got proficient on fretless and still play fairly regularly between a few different band situations.
Still love playing bass!

 

[groovaholic]

37 years for me…and I've never voluntarily taken a break from playing.

There was a mandatory month off when I was battling tendinitis in my right hand, and a few deployments when I was in the Air Force - but my love of our instrument has never wavered.

 

[VeryTallBassist]

36 years for me and I still love it!

 

[ebo]

I had to dig deep to figure out when I first picked up the bass. I was pressured into it because a band I was in had too many guitarists and no bass players. That would be @ 17 years ago. I've never looked back. For being at this 17 years I should be a lot better than I am! There are 17 year olds better than me. I'm gigging regularly though, so I can't complain.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Wow! I figured a few of you might notice this post and enjoy it, but I'm genuinely moved by the big reaction with so many pats on the back and so many of your own stories. I love seeing so many of us so happily sticking with it. It has taken me nearly all 30 of my years playing to finally do everything I wanted to do when I started out (bass/guitar/shared vocals and songwriting with my drumming and singing friend, all originals, all collaborative), but even in the years where I didn't play a whole lot I was still glad I did anytime I blew the dust off my instruments and knocked the rust off my chops.

Since '77, 40-years plus.

You'd think I'd play better by now . . . . all the woodsheds I've been through, I've used enough wood to build several houses.

I hear that! I may have played for thirty years, but I clearly haven't practiced for all of them (bonus TalkBass faces because I know you love them almost as much as people fretting about batteries in basses )

Congratulations @Riff Ranger!

Impressive beard for a 12-year-old! And for a 42-year-old!

Wishing you many more!

Thank you! The first image shows me in my sophomore year of high school at age 15 or 16; I shaved just every day in my freshman year before admitting I would never win that battle and embracing beardliness. My forever wife and children have never seen me without a full beard; my older kid's mother has seen me without exactly twice, and never for long.

Took me 30 years just to kick the cans and play over a cabinet. Now that I'm retired, it's gone from hobby to obsession.

I reluctantly turned to headphones for solo practice in the past few years, and I catch myself thinking I prefer them, until I plug into a rig again. Happy either way these days

We're old

Really digging on the fact you still have a black ATK

It's the same one we've both changed appearances a little over the years. I got a matching four-string four years ago.

I've been at it 43 years now. There was a period of 10 years where I stopped to get my career going but I came back to it and never stopped since.

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I too experienced the "lull" many of us have reported when establishing my ranger career and family (with a few false starts with both), though I never stopped playing entirely. I got back into it in a big way when I got my musically-inclined middle kid a drum kit for his fifth birthday five years ago. I play more now than I did even as a teenager.

I've Played Bass for 30 Years Now!
Time to take a break and have a beer.

Fun fact: I accidentally quit alcoholic drinks as the pandemic loomed. I never had a habit in the first place, though I certainly enjoyed just about every drink I ever had. After a few months isolated and then trying to navigate pandemic life away from home, I realized I had a streak going and that was that.

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.

Right on, boss it always feels great coming back to the ATKs, even though the BBs get most of the playing time these days. My hands just know that neck in a way I'll probably never know anything else.

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Top: 1986-ish
Bottom: 2023

You look happier now, but so cool in both images

Congrats

In a month it will be 17 years for me.

I envy those of you that play a single bass all those years. I feel that I was inspired the most when I just had one bass - not thinking about the gear, just playing. Now most of the time I spend thinking about which one should be my number one.

THE ATK OF COURSE

Yes, I do try to PlayBass more than I TalkBass or ShopBass, but I don't know if I always succeed. My buddy (also a bassist, with far more gigs and recordings to his credit than I'll ever rack up) has quite a collection but always kind of envied his dad, who has gotten it done on the same jazz bass since 1963.

33 years in July for me. Started playing bass on my 12th birthday in 1990, so it's easy to remember the exact day and year for me lol. First bass was an old Washburn B2 I believe, and a Crate 110 combo amp that my parents got me as a birthday present. They had no idea the monster they would create lol. I know there is a polaroid somewhere I need to find.

We all started on Crate combos back then

This is a cool thread, really enjoying it!

Same here! I had no idea it would generate so much good stuff, but I'm glad

 

[Danny O Danny]

46 years for me.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Now you've done it... You made me do the math.
I got my first bass for Christmas in 72, and started my first band almost immediately. That makes ... let's see..carry the 2..
51 years

 

[J Wilson]

Wow! I figured a few of you might notice this post and enjoy it, but I'm genuinely moved by the big reaction with so many pats on the back and so many of your own stories. I love seeing so many of us so happily sticking with it. It has taken me nearly all 30 of my years playing to finally do everything I wanted to do when I started out (bass/guitar/shared vocals and songwriting with my drumming and singing friend, all originals, all collaborative), but even in the years where I didn't play a whole lot I was still glad I did anytime I blew the dust off my instruments and knocked the rust off my chops.



I hear that! I may have played for thirty years, but I clearly haven't practiced for all of them (bonus TalkBass faces because I know you love them almost as much as people fretting about batteries in basses )



Thank you! The first image shows me in my sophomore year of high school at age 15 or 16; I shaved just every day in my freshman year before admitting I would never win that battle and embracing beardliness. My forever wife and children have never seen me without a full beard; my older kid's mother has seen me without exactly twice, and never for long.



I reluctantly turned to headphones for solo practice in the past few years, and I catch myself thinking I prefer them, until I plug into a rig again. Happy either way these days



It's the same one we've both changed appearances a little over the years. I got a matching four-string four years ago.



I too experienced the "lull" many of us have reported when establishing my ranger career and family (with a few false starts with both), though I never stopped playing entirely. I got back into it in a big way when I got my musically-inclined middle kid a drum kit for his fifth birthday five years ago. I play more now than I did even as a teenager.



Fun fact: I accidentally quit alcoholic drinks as the pandemic loomed. I never had a habit in the first place, though I certainly enjoyed just about every drink I ever had. After a few months isolated and then trying to navigate pandemic life away from home, I realized I had a streak going and that was that.



Right on, boss it always feels great coming back to the ATKs, even though the BBs get most of the playing time these days. My hands just know that neck in a way I'll probably never know anything else.



You look happier now, but so cool in both images



THE ATK OF COURSE

Yes, I do try to PlayBass more than I TalkBass or ShopBass, but I don't know if I always succeed. My buddy (also a bassist, with far more gigs and recordings to his credit than I'll ever rack up) has quite a collection but always kind of envied his dad, who has gotten it done on the same jazz bass since 1963.



We all started on Crate combos back then



Same here! I had no idea it would generate so much good stuff, but I'm glad

Ranger, had I diligently practiced daily all these years, who knows how I'd be playing by now. But life can get in the way. But then again, I'd have a junkyard of burnt out metronomes by now, so there's that.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Now you've done it... You made me do the math.
I got my first bass for Christmas in 72, and started my first band almost immediately. That makes ... let's see..carry the 2..
51 years
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THEM FLARES

 

[stringthrough]

Been playing bass since 1969. Pic #1 is from 1970, pic #2 is very recent.

 

[Liam Wald]

I just hit 60 years playing bass. I started in 1963 at age 11.
Pretty much retired these days. Still attend a band practice with a great group of very seasoned and accomplished musicians once a week and get out to gig about 10-12 times a year.
Never thought that I would live this long!

 

[FearNoEvil65]

43 years for me, (am I really 60?? sheees) bought my first bass in 1979 a Fender Precision, and although I own other basses and brands I've always owned a Fender Precision in some form the whole time. Always own a Pbass !! LOL

 

[Pings Bass]

You look happier now, but so cool in both images

I was trying to look mean

 

[WG Plum]

This was a couple of weeks ago, had just gotten the Mellotron and the Player Jazz.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Wow! I figured a few of you might notice this post and enjoy it, but I'm genuinely moved by the big reaction with so many pats on the back and so many of your own stories. I love seeing so many of us so happily sticking with it. It has taken me nearly all 30 of my years playing to finally do everything I wanted to do when I started out (bass/guitar/shared vocals and songwriting with my drumming and singing friend, all originals, all collaborative), but even in the years where I didn't play a whole lot I was still glad I did anytime I blew the dust off my instruments and knocked the rust off my chops.



I hear that! I may have played for thirty years, but I clearly haven't practiced for all of them (bonus TalkBass faces because I know you love them almost as much as people fretting about batteries in basses )



Thank you! The first image shows me in my sophomore year of high school at age 15 or 16; I shaved just every day in my freshman year before admitting I would never win that battle and embracing beardliness. My forever wife and children have never seen me without a full beard; my older kid's mother has seen me without exactly twice, and never for long.



I reluctantly turned to headphones for solo practice in the past few years, and I catch myself thinking I prefer them, until I plug into a rig again. Happy either way these days



It's the same one we've both changed appearances a little over the years. I got a matching four-string four years ago.



I too experienced the "lull" many of us have reported when establishing my ranger career and family (with a few false starts with both), though I never stopped playing entirely. I got back into it in a big way when I got my musically-inclined middle kid a drum kit for his fifth birthday five years ago. I play more now than I did even as a teenager.



Fun fact: I accidentally quit alcoholic drinks as the pandemic loomed. I never had a habit in the first place, though I certainly enjoyed just about every drink I ever had. After a few months isolated and then trying to navigate pandemic life away from home, I realized I had a streak going and that was that.



Right on, boss it always feels great coming back to the ATKs, even though the BBs get most of the playing time these days. My hands just know that neck in a way I'll probably never know anything else.



You look happier now, but so cool in both images



THE ATK OF COURSE

Yes, I do try to PlayBass more than I TalkBass or ShopBass, but I don't know if I always succeed. My buddy (also a bassist, with far more gigs and recordings to his credit than I'll ever rack up) has quite a collection but always kind of envied his dad, who has gotten it done on the same jazz bass since 1963.



We all started on Crate combos back then



Same here! I had no idea it would generate so much good stuff, but I'm glad

Word