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When did you get your first Bass

#84
It was around 1973, 20ish years old. I'd been playing guitar since 1966 and was playing in a gigging band. Our bass player joined the AF, leaving us in a bind. We had 2 1/2 guitar players (The singer "played") and I was elected. I still have guitars, but I have never played one in a band since.

At any rate, I found a used bass cheap through a guy I worked with; a 1959(ish) Precision Bass. $75. In 1973, that was just an old bass. (In retrospect, I bet it was stolen, but I truly didn't, and don't, know.)
 
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#91
After Elvis died in August 1977 a few friends decided to form a band. I bought a Kingston short scale bass for $50 in September and we started rehearsals in October. Played gigs from December 1977 until May 1978 when the band broke up and I took the place of the bass player that I bought the Kingston from. I had since traded the Kingston for a Gibson G3 in November 1977. That band played gigs from October 1978 until May 1979 when I graduated highschool and my Dad was reassigned. (USAF) What a great time to be in a band in the Panama Canal Zone.
 
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#92
My first bass was the dullest PJ I've ever tried, a Samick bass which was probably made of reclaimed poopie. I then bought an "Italian artisanal bass" (it was some dodgy poopie from Vietnam or so, but I didn't know better at the time. A 32" double humbucker affair with a floppy E string). The first bass I really liked was a Chinese MM copy. That said, I've never had expensive basses. I'm poor and I don't overspend. Luckily, these days Chinese gear is quite serviceable (and then some). The most expensive bass I own is an Epiphone Jack Casady.
 
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#93
1975 - 17 years old. A Long Island music store going out of business sale for a no-name (maybe D'Angelico? D'Agostino? I tore that sticker off fast!) black and white Ric 4001 copy. Had my brother paint the word Rickenbacker on the plain white truss rod cover on the headstock. Looked real.
Awful action; intonation not even close - strings so high, all it did was build up my hand strength quick because it was so hard to play. Messed around for a few years and in 1983, bought a Fender Jazz Bass Special MIJ. The difference between the two was like night and day. PLAYS LIKE BUTTER!:bassist::D

And still have both!
 
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#94
Chris cook said:
I bought my first bass in 1974 from A & R music
I paid 40.00 for a new Kay SG styled bass .
40 dollars for a new bass
I traded it 2 weeks later for a Sekova bass and a Little plastic amp with an 8 inch speaker.
So began my life as a Bass Player.
50 yrs later a Bass player and will always and forever be
Click to expand...
Ha, same last name as you, I think :thumbsup: I guess in some shape or form or abstraction I’m carrying on your legacy :laugh:
Seriously though, I got my first bass nine years ago when my high school daughter expressed interest in learning guitar and I went down the rabbit hole. I still have it and will never (knocking on wood :banghead:) part with it.
upload_2023-6-16_20-19-32.jpeg
 
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#98
Chris cook said:
I traded it 2 weeks later for a Sekova bass
Click to expand...

I somehow managed to play bass in a band for almost 2 years without ever owning my own bass...borrowed the Fender Mustang that a bandmate owned for the first few months, then borrowed the Vox Apollo IV that another bandmate owned, then borrowed a ~1970 Fender Precision that a friend owned...finally sometime around 1975 or '76 I bought my first bass

...which was a Sekova!
 

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