I've always loved that body style and sound of P90's but the Gibson scale length doesn't work for me. I played a custom made copy with a strat scaled wider neck and 2 P90's and fell in love
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Who plays guitar as well?
- Thread starter The Bass Abides
- Start date
I've always loved that body style and sound of P90's but the Gibson scale length doesn't work for me. I played a custom made copy with a strat scaled wider neck and 2 P90's and fell in love
I started out on guitar, and didn't touch a bass for years. It helped me in the sense that my fretting hand dexterity was good from day one when I first grabbed a bass. The distances were wider, but you adapt. I only arrived to bass by 'mistake'. A public jam session where we had no bass players... so I gave someone my guitar and I took the bass, and I LOVED IT. Within a month I bought a bass and a year later I joined a band on bass... Now I only ever play guitar at home, recording etc. I was never a great guitarist but I can manage, I'm a better bassist now (10 years later), but I find it useful to be able to play guitar in order to record little demos to show to the band, or at rehearsals etc.
It's also cool to be able to break the myth of "bass player is a failed guitarist". Yeah, I know it's silly, but a couple of times I've encountered a guitarist with a bad attitude and it was fun to casually grab his guitar and show off a little, then return it "man, that's a nice guitar" knowing that the guy feels a little silly for trying to belittle someone else.
I am adequate on several instruments, and when it comes to some former band members and getting them to play certain parts, I would say "Man, I would never ask you to play something I couldn't play myself". I would jump on drums or guitar to show them.
I hear you. I have great vocal chops and I can sing while playing guitar but I can't for the life of me sing while playing bass.
Always played guitar in bands and switched to bass at age 37! Learned guitar at age 7 and toured a bunch until I realized recently that I prefer bass by far!
i do this most of the time too. Makes it easier for them too since I’m left handed and they’re seeing a mirrored version of what they’re playing.
I’ve never really been bothered by Gibson’s scale length but I can see why some people wouldn’t like it
Started on classical guitar which I can still play decently because of wide fingerboard. Also mess around with fingerpicking ragtime and blues on a steel string but my fingers are clumsy on a narrower neck, lots of buzzed notes when a finger contacts an adjacent string, so that's why I never attempted to be an electric guitarist in a band. Picked up the bass shortly after because it felt more natural.
Either or, but I've only made money from playing bass. The opportunity presented itself so that's where I've been the past 10 years.
I don't shred, so it seems the opportunities to play guitar in a band aren't as plentiful in my area.
I don't shred, so it seems the opportunities to play guitar in a band aren't as plentiful in my area.
I started on piano, moved to trumpet, clarinet, sax, bass, then guitar. I have a 9-string Alvarez acoustic.
I've played guitar since 1964 and in the 70's started playing mandolin. Playing bass is new for me but I love learning about it. I've learned a couple dozen songs on it so far and plan to keep on going, yet still playing the other 2 instruments.
Violin at age 7, acoustic guitar by 10, played electric bass in Highschool Jazz Band, (16-18 yrs old) and electric guitar from age 13 on. Picked up bass again by age 27 & never looked back ! Still play everything else too.
started practicing at age 5 on guitar. it's a hobby, I've played bass since age 8. i'm 62 now. still playing.
I picked up ukulele from my mother - and it was great for small hands. Later, got a plastic red strat toy guitar with nylon strings (argh). High school friends needed a bass player, so they persuaded me to spend my tax refund on a genuine MIJ Teisco / Kimberly Bass. That began my long downfall into daft musicianship.
I've been a fingerstyle guitar player since I was about 15. A couple of years ago I was invited to sit in with some aged rockers from church. Their playlist was all over the place (i.e. eclectic). They already had lead and rhythm guitar players (+piano and a drummer), but no bass player. So, I became a bass player - which I love doing. The bass line in any song stands by itself. Drums might carry the rhythm, but bass OWNS the groove. It's as close to playing lead as I can get. I still play guitar - still chasing my inner Chet Atkins or Merle Travis - but I do love the bass. It brought me a lot closer to the guitar.
I primarily play guitar and have for many years. The bass is more of a hobby for me.
I started on an essex strat copy when I was about 11-12. I was and always have been ok at guitar, but for some reason I was drawn to bass and then started playing bass. But I've never really been able to choose one or the other.
I originally staretd wiht 5 years of classical guitar from when I was 8 years old, then added banging on things (cannot be described any other way, as I only had an old marching snare and cheap pair of bongos) until I turned 13 and got a drum set (from the 1940!, when it was the 80ies!!). I had to work for each replacement drum with contracts with my Dad (ie get an A in your school report and we 'will talk' about that new bass drum you say you need!), and work summer holiday jobs for bits and pieces - I will never sell taht drum kit!
Along the way, I kept playing guyitar and sicne then added a yamaha dreadnought 12 string to my original classical guitar, as well lovely lovely seagull maritime mini jumbo.
Muy love of bass sort of ran along side all of this, with me building a rocking headless bass when I was 17 from a set (fender body, active EMG pickups, headless neck - it is my profile photo), then about 15 years ago I added my favourite bass, a Fender Lyte, that was originally apple red but - thank god - has been stripped by a previous owner back to a lovely wood finish.
So I live with me - almost - full band backline, occassionally playing this, occassionally that instrument whenever it takes my facny. Never have enough time though with all the others stuff one needs to take care in ones live (family, job et al)
Along the way, I kept playing guyitar and sicne then added a yamaha dreadnought 12 string to my original classical guitar, as well lovely lovely seagull maritime mini jumbo.
Muy love of bass sort of ran along side all of this, with me building a rocking headless bass when I was 17 from a set (fender body, active EMG pickups, headless neck - it is my profile photo), then about 15 years ago I added my favourite bass, a Fender Lyte, that was originally apple red but - thank god - has been stripped by a previous owner back to a lovely wood finish.
So I live with me - almost - full band backline, occassionally playing this, occassionally that instrument whenever it takes my facny. Never have enough time though with all the others stuff one needs to take care in ones live (family, job et al)
