The first bass you had!

[CraigG]

Part of a combo from Montgomery-Wards (a now defunct department store chain that was big here in the NE US). The bass didn't even have a brand name on it. The amplifier it was packaged with had the Marlboro brand name on it. Never heard of that one anywhere else either. I think the combo cost about $175 back in '74.

 

[Captain Lou]

My first bass was a Hondo Pro P bass copy. Black with black pickguard and maple neck. Got it for about $200 back in 83 or 84 when I was in high school. It was ok for the time but it was crap. A few years after that I got a Music Man Sabre which was my main bass when I was in a band and would still be my main axe. It's like a yellowish clear coat finish with a maple neck. I like it so much better that a P bass in feel and sound.

 

[BassAgent]

It was a Yamaha RBX270:
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Best beginner's bass money can buy.

 

[prattguy]

Candy Red Peavey Foundation, matching red foam strap, cable and a Peavey Basic 60

combo....It was a very playable bass, excelent for a begginner....THANKS DAD!

(with that stuff i was a very equipped and happy 16 year old aspiring bassist)

 

[SundanceChile]

Aria IGB 40. Gave it to a friend who wanted to start bass playing a few years back. Fun little bass. The input jack needed constant attention to keep from coming loose.

 

[Modo74]

Kay 3/4 length thing that cost me 30 quid in 1988 from a friend of my sisters boyfriend. Looked a bit like a strat. Piece of crap basically, but ok to start on.

 

[Ozonbass]

Peavey Natural T-40 here also...talk about a chunk of wood. Sold it IN the music store as I was buying a CAR V'62 Fullerton...store owner still reminds me of that transaction almost 25 years ago. Still have the P-bass.

 

[locolobo85]

My first bass was a Yamaha BB200 (?) Fretless that I picked up at a pawnn shop. I used it just for recording in the home studio and liked the acoustic properties of the fretless.

 

[Marcury]

My first bass was a japanese piece of crap from Lafayette Radio (like Radio Shack), don't remember the brand, maybe Crown, (there's a picture somewhere of me playing it). My first "real" bass was a Fender fretless Precision neck that a friend of mine made multiple bodies for during my high school and college days.

 

[j.a.e.r.i.p]

Squier P, it was terrible, i have barely upgraded to a MIM Jazz Bass but it suits me fine.

 

[TheWalrus]

Gibson Flying V, no idea of the year. This pic is circa 1987. I'm trying to do my best 'evil bass player' look. I played this one for a few years until I came across a Fender P special edition in a pawn shop. I think it had both a P and J pickup. I loved the V, but it was hard to play sitting down (and I was practicing most of the time) and it was heavy as hell. I was going through a new strap once a week it seemed (prolly an exaggeration). I also ended up picking up a Steinberger (it WAS the 80's) and a Hamer. My collection has fluctuated through the years, and I recently sold off an Ibanez BTB305. Down to my Fender P, Ibanez SR406, and Epi Allen Woody Rumblekat.

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[Tslicebass]

A Gremlin P bass copy... came with the amp.
Followed it with an Ibanez SDGR 4 string.

 

[lowrez]

My first was a Kramer Voyager. Like this one:

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This one is not mine, mine is in horrid shape compared to this one.

 

[kevs]

My first bass was a Gibson Victory series bass circa 1982. I still have her, but I take it easy on her these days. It is a hell of a bass and it's taken some abuse, but I plan to do some restoration work one of these days.

 

[JRod4975]

Started on an unknown double bass when I was 10
My first electric bass was a EBMM StingRay4 HS which I bought in July of this year and in about a week I will get a Vintage Spector NS-2.

 

[MrHarrison]

In '96 I got a '95 Fender MIM Jazz Bass in Olympic White with the cost cutter white all plastic pickguard. The electronics lasted about 2 years then crapped out, so I got some passive Bartolini's put in her. There's also some funkiness with the tuners, they don't sit in their holes quite right, but it hasn't been an issue.
After 4 years I picked up a G&L Climax fretless, I don't know what year. But that never replaced the Jazz and I sold it after 3 years to pick up a P.
Still own her and will never sell her, she will always be my first and I will let no one sully her.

 

[Boltbaby]

A Gibson EB0. That was just after I'd switched to bass from 6 string in the early 70s. After that I bought an EB3. That bass was, as I remember, a bit of a plank to play.

For some ludicrous reason I got rid of the EB3 for a Baldwin Shadows bass. I played that for a bit then gave up music altogether until last Christmas.

I now have a Squier Affinity P Bass. My God how I wish I'd still got that Gibson - not that the P is too bad but it doesn't come close to a Gibbo, does it....?

Rockin John

My second bass was a '70's Gibson EB0 with a Badass bridge. That thing was muddy! My first bass was a little Ibanez Roadster, red stain with cool black wood grain and a maple neck. Still have that little darlin' for sentimental reasons. I've never seen another Roadster. Anyone else have one?

 

[rtslinger]

It was also a Norma P bass all of 54.00
short scale got it for Christmas when I was 9 I'm 49
wanted to hold on to it just to say I did and someone stole it
for whatever reason when I was in my twenties After that went on to the Gibson L9S discontinued the same year early 1973 in 1974 they came out with the Ripper still rocking the bottom with it every gig! I've not found anything that growls like this beast although my bass collection stands at a modest 9 out of the 9 it still stands on its own

 

[Easy8]

Some really nice basses posted.
My first was a '60s Kay hollow body, single pup, single cutaway with no fret dots.
Then got a Silvertone (Tiesco?).
First "real" bass was cherry red Gibson EB2 DC.
Then a beat up '60 Fender P ($75 pawn shop purchase) that I've had for 36 years. That one is still my go to bass.
I've had a 60 something J, 75 P, and a Danelectro 6/4 doubleneck that I let go.
Just got a MIM Jazz that I'm really liking a lot.

 

[origami]

I had an Arbor bass. It was a Gibson Explorer style body with a P-pick up and it was neon orange! Totally metal (it was 1988 or 89), but cool! actually sounded good, slim neck, easy for a beginner.

i pluged it into a fender sidekick 35 (12" 35 solid state watts).

i thought the bass looked like Ric Savage from Def Lep when he played those Hamer explorers.

the arbor cost me $150 at a flea market on 10th street in OKC.

I thought it might be a bit goofy for study band in high school, so I sold it a year or so later for $75 when I got my Ibanez Musician Fretless Active which looked a bit more 'jazzy'.