• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

The "I Started on Guitar" Club

H

HereIGoAgain

Guest
Oct 16, 2011
300
11
#1
I've been noticing a few threads lately about "I began on guitar, then switched" or "I'm switching back to guitar" and my favorite: "I started on guitar, picked up bass, and play both now."

If this is already an active "club," please delete my thread or merge with the existing one. If this thread's a go, let's have fun with this:

Get a sig number by listing:
-Year you started guitar and why if you feel so led
-Year you switched to or picked up bass and why
-Do you still play guitar?

I'll go:
I started on guitar in April 1998 after wanting to play the kind of music I listened to for a long time.

I picked up bass in September 2011. I really wanted to start playing more with other people and there seems to be a glut of guitar players in the area I live, so I figured bass would give me more opportunities to play with other people.

I still play the guitar too, both acoustic and electric.
 
#2
Started guitar in 3rd grade in 1974 after taking piano lessons since age 5. By age 9 I was taking advanced piano theory classes with 12 year olds but I hated it. My mom used to set an egg timer on the piano and make me practice at least 15 min. a day which felt like an eternity to me then. My parents insisted I try another instrument if I quit piano so I played my Dad's old trumpet for a year and then switched to guitar when a family friend gave me an old 3/4 size acoustic. Played till about 5th grade and hung it up till 8th grade when my friend got an electric and a fuzz box. Now here was an instrument I could get into! Got my own that year and took lessons and played in a band through High School. Played in a few bands in college and then just played off and on irregularly till I took up bass in '98.

I only bought a bass because my brother had moved to my town after we had been living in seperate states since high school and he had been become an awesome guitarist, far eclipsing my skills so we decided to start a band and I was to play rythym guitar. We found a great drummer who actually used to play big stadiums in a band that opened up for some big acts in the 80's, but we just couldn't find a bass player. I had always been intrigued with bass but thought only big guys with giant hands could be good bass players so I had never played around much with them. Well, you know the end, I bought a cheap bass and have never looked back. I still play guitar and am still lousy at it even though I now own 10. I think I'm a solidly mediocre bass player, however, even with my smaller hands, LOL.

One thing is for sure. Although I hated them for it at the time, I am forever grateful to my parents for exposing me to the piano at a young age and making me stick it out and for later supporting my choice to play guitar. I don't remember much from those piano theory classes as a child but I do think that early instruction helped give me a good ear and timing.
 
#3
I started playing guitar in 1997 when I was 19 after my uncle gave me his old guitar. I own three now: an Epiphone acoustic, a Dean acoustic and a MIA Fender Stratocaster. I'm not really worthy of the Strat.

I started playing bass about two months ago when I started jamming with some guys I went to grade school with. All four of us play guitar and since I was the new guy I was tagged to play bass. I'd always been interested in bass so I had no problems switching over.

I still play both but I've been spending more time with my bass than with my guitar lately.
 
#4
I started playing guitar in 1977 at age 13. I wanted to be Ace Frehley, and I openly admit it!

I pretty much dropped music around age 25 when I got married and started a family. I owned a guitar much of this time, but it barely got played. I missed music terribly.

Around 3 1/2 years ago I picked up bass because I really wanted to get back out there playing music again, and felt like I stood a much better chance of finding openings for bass than I did for guitar. I'm REALLY glad I did... I love it.

I do still play guitar a bit, but not a whole lot right now. That will increase soon as my band is doing a good number of "acoustic" shows, and I'll be doubling on bass and acoustic guitar for some songs.
 
#5
My musical Renaissance came late in life around age 17, when my high school English teacher introduced me to Primus. I wanted to jump right into bass, but many people I knew suggested I start with the basics (acoustic guitar) saying if I could master that then I'd be able to do electric guitar or bass just fine. Well the acoustic mostly sat in its case under my bed until my 2nd year of college (now 19) when my roommate decided to buy an acoustic... I sold him mine for $150, and used that money to buy an Ibanez bass and practice amp. Been playing bass ever since, just in the last 6 months got a G&L electric guitar and have been seriously trying to learn it. I feel like my guitar playing has more expression due to my bass playing.
 
#6
I started on acoustic guitar when I was 12. My freshman year in H.S. I got my first good electric (my first was a Sears LP copy, complete crap). My senior year in H.S. I made the switch to bass. I too could see all the guitar players and very few bass players in my H.S. I think I was the only bass player in my H.S.! LOL. I was asked to play with the H.S. marching band by our band director. I was also asked to entertain the students in the gym during a few day stretch of no water in the showers, so no P.E.

I still play guitar.
 
#7
Started playing guitar in 1983 at Age 13. I wanted to be like the guys in Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Van Halen, and Dokken......LOL. I went to Berklee in 1987, came back after a semester and quit for 3 years. Picked back up the guitar.

Started playing bass in maybe 2000. Was running an open mic and always had flakey bassists, so I decide to buy a bass, switch over and still play bass actively in multiple settings.

I teach high school and also run the musicians club there. I still have kept several older electrics....I have them and a Taylor acoustic...I occasionally pick up the guitars to play my little tykes a song or two or show the kids at school some theory BUT I am a BASSIST
 
#8
Bedroom guitar hack off and on from 1986-2004. In 2004, I started getting more serious about music. A short time later, I was encouraged to try playing bass by a guitar-playing friend. It was love from moment one. I still play the guitar regularly for some of my recording projects and my own amusement around the house, but my primary love these days is the bass.
 
#9
I started on keyboard at age 8. Soon I got tired of it, and quitted music for quite some time. There was a nylon guitar at home, and I used to tune it really low and play the bass parts on it around age 14, and wanted to have a Bass. My mother wouldn't buy one for me 'cause she got stuck with a keyboard already. Instead she signed me up for classic guitar classes. I leaned more towards tango and other folkloric Argentinian music styles, all of which contain Spanish guitar. I was beginning to play good, but always wanted to play bass. And whenever i got hold of one, it sounded like ****, or to better speak, I sounded like ****. I didn't have enough punch, muting technique, and my solos stinked to flamenco. So at age 19 I decided to go to music school and learn bass. Saved some money, Bought a mint condition used Washburn XB600, and fought my way through learning to slap, mute, build a bass line, etc. Nowadays I'm 29, getting into Jazz, music I've always loved and feared, and play bass in a rock band, and a cover band. Never quitted playing guitar. I tend to learn harmony and melody of a single song in both instruments, to fully get the song in my head.
 
#10
I started on guitar, but only played briefly. In 1980, when I was 13, I saw The Blues Brothers with my dad. After that I asked for a guitar for Christmas. I meant a bass, but didn't specify and on Christmas morning in the corner of the living room was a brand new acoustic guitar. I was heart broken. I wanted to be Duck Dunn! Anyway, my dad said if I do good on guitar he would buy me a bass. I busted my butt and one day, out of the blue for no particular reason he came home with a Peavey T-40 bass. The rest is history.
 
#11
Hi. I'm Mijako and I'm a recovering guitarist.
Started playing guitar in late 1986. EVH was my idol before I even considered buying a guitar. A friend had been playing for a number of years and sort of inspired me to begin. He tried to get me to buy a bass (his band needed a player at the time), but I didn't think playing bass lines by myself in my bedroom was that interesting. Plus, chicks dig guitar! :)
Fast forward to around 1994, when another friend in an established band recruited me for bass in a new lineup he was putting together. Played bass predominantly from then until we disbanded around '01. After that, switched back to guitar and picked up the bass once in a while until 2005 when I joined another band. I think I've picked up my guitars about twice since then. Haven't had the desire to. I've thoroughly been enjoying my playing and my role and what it means to be a bassist.
Wish I had heeded my friend's advice back in '86, but at least the theory I learned as a guitarist wasn't a waste of time
So... number please? ;)
 
#12
I started on guitar in 2002. My parents gave me a small acoustic 6 string which eventually broke and then I got a larger one that I still own. I got an electric guitar about 6 years ago with an Epiphone Valve Jr. combo amp (both I still own, although the guitar is messed up). I couldn't really play that well and didn't understand what I was doing even though I had taken lessons and so I gave up for a while.

Last year, I got into Rush, which (obviously) got me interested in bass. I saved up for a cheap starter kit and had a blast. And to this day, I still have been playing bass. I've upgraded to a Fender Jazz bass. I started playing guitar and I got a 12 string acoustic last month.

Can I get a number please?
 
#13
when i started playing bass 6 mouths ago i was not interested. i play guitar , but my church needed a bass player and asked me to get one. so i did.....
best thing i ever did. i dont even want to play guitar again. i love bass so much. its really helped me to see music beter. if that makes sence.
 
#14
I started playing drums at 28? After 4 years my friend's band needed a piano player, so I started taking piano lessons from a mean little old Russian lady. Three years in, I sold the keys, moved to Deep Ellum, and right around 911 I joined the Navy. While in school in San Diego, I decided I needed a musical outlet, so went to Mark's Guitar Exchange and bought the absolute best Martin Rosewood I could afford. Six years later moved back to San Diego started playing drums in a church worship band. At some point in those six years, I decided to give Electric guitar a whorl, eventually adding a Micheal Kelly Hybrid Special, quickly realizing how very far from shredding greatness I was. Since I always kind of played a very percussive acoustic guitar style I'd always figured I'd be really good at bass, so seven months ago I order a Carvin SB5000 Flame Koa. I love this bass and am currently two classes into a Bass Specialist program with Berklee Online.
 
#15
Thanks guys! This just might take off on talkbass.

First round of sig numbers:
Bert Slide = 1
Illini10 = 2
goeff_in_nc = 3
Toastfuzz = 4
Greg Jones = 5
brotherbassj = 6
EricF = 7
nanymoa = 8
ransombass = 9
MiJaKo = 10
BassPlayer900 = 11
thumpslap = 12
mcglyph = 13
HereIGoAgain = 14
 
#16
I started taking guitar lessons at 14. I played in a few local neighborhood bands here and there, mostly battle of the band things. In jazz band in high school, I played bass on a few songs because the other guitarist was better than me.
I still played guitar for years after that; just playing in my house and occasional jams with friends where I would bop back and forth between guitar and bass.
About 12 or 14 years ago, stopped playing for a while, then my friend's band was looking for a bassist so I decided to try out, got the gig and then played out for a few years. Took a while to "think" and play like a bassist instead of a guitarist playing bass. Have been in numerous bands since then, playing out at bars, sometimes 2 or 3 times a week.
Stopped playing out for about 2 or 3 years, then just recently got back into it with one of my old bands to play out about once a month or so after we did a benefit for one of our old sound guys and got the itch again.
 
#17
I started on guitar approximately around 1991 because I wanted to make music like my favorite band at the time Manowar, ended up playing punk and later on a mix of hardcore and metal. I picked up bass approximately in 1994.
I was playing guitar in a band, but had already fallen in love with the sound of the bass, when I saw an add for a noise rock band looking for a bass player (the same people that later on formed Menfolk). I replied and got the job.
To start with I boroughed a bass, but soon I bought one myself (an Aria Pro II I played for years).
I still play guitar, mainly for my own enjoyment and for my one man project, but bass is my main instrument.
 
#18
Sign me up. I started in 81' at age 9. When I was about 16 and playing basketball about 3-4 hours and guitar another 2 hours every day, I was getting guitar-bored. When I got to the point that I could play every Led Zep song and Eruption by EVH note for note, I got cocky and said that I needed a new challenge. Even my guitar teacher for 2 years at that time (a bassist) said, why don't you try playing bass?

Many years later I barely need a 4 string bass, having not really mastered the other 3 yet (I play rock, no finger tapping bass for me).

Now I love playing both bass and guitar and I realize (for me) that being able to play someone's song even perfectly is hardly as impressive as actually writing that song.
 
#19
mpapi = 15
NoiseNinja = 16
6jase5 = 17

Well, I look at some things bass-related like this: yes, in many respects, bass is a different instrument. However, Cream sometimes had the guitar and bass playing the same line. Zakk Wylde in the late '90s audtioned bass players for his new band (which became Black Label Society, if I remember correctly). He asked for "a guitarist willing to play bass." The add ran in Guitar Player magazine.

I found that knowing something about guitar helped me come up to speed on bass, which in turn will make me a better guitar player, which will help on bass...

Please keep the stories and new members coming.
 
#20
I started playing guitar in 1983 while I was still in High School.
I got my first bass in 2007.
I never was comfortable playing lead, always wanted to play the rhythm parts....... After picking up the bass I rarely play guitar. :cool:
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back