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should I go to the dark side?

Gord_oh

Gord_oh

Midtown Guitars: Ulyate Pickups & StringJoy
Commercial User
Oct 4, 2008
5,437
969
36
Michigan
www.midtownguitars.com
#1
EDIT: WENT TO THE DARK SIDE. :P
READ UPDATED POSTS.

first off i was tuba player gone bass player. i had musical background knowledge and i taught myself bass. been playing for awhile now and while i was fixing a friends yamaha strat, i starting thinking more about playing guitar. i started on guitar for a bit way back when...and failed, that and my instructor left me. thats when i went to bass and it clicked, i guess going from tuba i was just used to the low end.

right now im gasssing a squier affinity tele special in butterscotch blonde.

but my question:
is too late to go to the dark side and learn guitar?
:help:

anyone ever try to learn guitar after learning bass?
tips?
i know a lot of guitarists go to bass...but the other way around?
 
#9
I went from piano, to bass, and then some guitar.

Bass IS my instrument, but learning guitar has definitely helped my bass playing, and over all musicianship.

The more music knowledge you can accumulate, whether it be from learning different instruments, schooling, etc., will help you be a better, more well-rounded, and more knowledgeable musician.

So yes, venture into the "dark side" of the guitar. It will make you a better bassist in the long run.
 
#10
Do it, absolutely. It can only make you a better musician.

That said, DON'T get the Affinity. My first new electric was a bottom-of-the-barrel Yamaha that I could never get to intonate properly (discovered the bridge was placed wrong). Plus I never liked the feel of the neck, and the electronics sucked. Pony up the extra $50 and get a standard Squier. You'll be happier in the end, I promise.
 
#11
MonetBass said:
Do it, absolutely. It can only make you a better musician.

That said, DON'T get the Affinity. My first new electric was a bottom-of-the-barrel Yamaha that I could never get to intonate properly (discovered the bridge was placed wrong). Plus I never liked the feel of the neck, and the electronics sucked. Pony up the extra $50 and get a standard Squier. You'll be happier in the end, I promise.
Click to expand...

really?
ive seen good reviews on the affinity tele...
hmmm...
id love to try them out side by side but i cant play guitar worth sh*t.
 
#14
idoker said:
I went from piano, to bass, and then some guitar.

Bass IS my instrument, but learning guitar has definitely helped my bass playing, and over all musicianship.

The more music knowledge you can accumulate, whether it be from learning different instruments, schooling, etc., will help you be a better, more well-rounded, and more knowledgeable musician.

So yes, venture into the "dark side" of the guitar. It will make you a better bassist in the long run.
Click to expand...

+1

Playing guitar for a number of years made me a WAY better bassist - taught me to use my pinky! :cool:
 
#17
I learned guitar about 6 years into my bass playing, and I think it has helped me tremendously. I consider myself good enough at guitar to be able to know my way around it on most songs (with the exception of metal maybe), and I know enough now to hold my own as a good rhythm player, and an ok lead.

I also know enough to know when a guitard is playing something wrong. ;)
 
#18
CapnSev said:
I learned guitar about 6 years into my bass playing, and I think it has helped me tremendously. I consider myself good enough at guitar to be able to know my way around it on most songs (with the exception of metal maybe), and I know enough now to hold my own as a good rhythm player, and an ok lead.

I also know enough to know when a guitard is playing something wrong. ;)
Click to expand...

this is the story i was looking for.
a friend of a friend was a bass player and picked up guitar.
after two months he is lead in their band...
thanks for sharing CapnSev...
 
#19
Yes, learn guitar to help with your understanding of chord structures. It will improve your bass playing (plus, despite all of the talk about "guitards" around here, guitar is a blast to play).

Then, learn African or Cuban hand-drumming to help with your understanding of rhythm. It will improve your bass playing enormously.
 
#20
I would look for a used vintage modified tele. They're pretty awesome, imo. I stopped playing guitar because of limited $$ to go towards bass stuff. I would eventually like to get back into it, though. Its a lot cheaper to dabble at guitar and have decent stuff than it is with bass, also, imo.
 

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