My grandfather had played harmonica for years through a 1958 Fender Champ amp, and had bought a 60s Kay solid body electric guitar in case his son or anyone in the family ever wanted to play guitar. When I was a kid, I thought I'd like to learn to play guitar, so I signed up for lessons and after one session, I realized it was more than I could handle (I think I was only about 8 or 9), so the guitar and amp went back in the closet.
Right around the time I turned 16, one of my best friends (Fuji, who I currently play in the band Lohio with, linked in my signature) started playing guitar, and I wanted to play too. Most of all, there was a girl who really liked music (and musicians) that I was trying to impress.
I had a 1978 Yamaha IT250 dirtbike, which was my prized possession, and the only thing I had of value. I decided to sell it for $400, which is what I bought it for, and took my money to the local guitar shop. I had no clue of what I was doing, but I had some cash and I was going to walk out of there with a guitar of some kind. My favorite band was Metallica and I was hoping to get an Explorer like James Hetfield's. haha
Once I got to the store, I looked around at everything (they have a pretty good selection for being a small area) and saw some guitars I liked, including an Epiphone Explorer, but it was a bit expensive for me. I saw some basses hanging on the wall and I said to myself "everyone plays guitar, so I'm gonna get a bass." The one I really liked (based solely on appearance) was a bright green Tobias. I said "Sweet, I'll get this one!" then I looked at the price tag. Holy cow. Ok, I better go for something cheaper. I checked out several other basses and ended up looking at a few identical Squier P-basses and picked a black one over a red one and a blue one.
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I spent $240 on the bass, a gig bag, a strap, and a cable. I already had an amp (haha a 58 Fender Champ guitar amp!!! I was so stupid!!!). I turned that amp up as loud as it would go and played that bass all the time, learning very slowly using tablature. (Amazingly enough, even at full volume I never did hurt that old amp any).
I really didn't know what I was doing at all until Fuji invited me over to jam with him and another kid we went to high school with named Phil Zoladz (I would end up playing music with him in two bands, one of which is Distraught's Son, one of the bands linked in my signature).
Unfortunately, the girl I was after at the time was never really impressed, and after several years of subconsciously yearning for her approval of my playing and such, I finally realized that I would never impress her, and gave up on that. But I very much appreciate the difference she made in my life, because I might never have started playing bass if not for her, and even if I had still taken up the bass, I certainly would not have had the same motivation to get good at it! So I thank her out of one side of my mouth and curse her out the other.
Anyway, why did you guys start playing and how did you come about getting your first bass? Also, what kind of bass was it, and how much did it cost?
Right around the time I turned 16, one of my best friends (Fuji, who I currently play in the band Lohio with, linked in my signature) started playing guitar, and I wanted to play too. Most of all, there was a girl who really liked music (and musicians) that I was trying to impress.
I had a 1978 Yamaha IT250 dirtbike, which was my prized possession, and the only thing I had of value. I decided to sell it for $400, which is what I bought it for, and took my money to the local guitar shop. I had no clue of what I was doing, but I had some cash and I was going to walk out of there with a guitar of some kind. My favorite band was Metallica and I was hoping to get an Explorer like James Hetfield's. haha
Once I got to the store, I looked around at everything (they have a pretty good selection for being a small area) and saw some guitars I liked, including an Epiphone Explorer, but it was a bit expensive for me. I saw some basses hanging on the wall and I said to myself "everyone plays guitar, so I'm gonna get a bass." The one I really liked (based solely on appearance) was a bright green Tobias. I said "Sweet, I'll get this one!" then I looked at the price tag. Holy cow. Ok, I better go for something cheaper. I checked out several other basses and ended up looking at a few identical Squier P-basses and picked a black one over a red one and a blue one.
<center>Link Removed </center>
I spent $240 on the bass, a gig bag, a strap, and a cable. I already had an amp (haha a 58 Fender Champ guitar amp!!! I was so stupid!!!). I turned that amp up as loud as it would go and played that bass all the time, learning very slowly using tablature. (Amazingly enough, even at full volume I never did hurt that old amp any).
I really didn't know what I was doing at all until Fuji invited me over to jam with him and another kid we went to high school with named Phil Zoladz (I would end up playing music with him in two bands, one of which is Distraught's Son, one of the bands linked in my signature).
Unfortunately, the girl I was after at the time was never really impressed, and after several years of subconsciously yearning for her approval of my playing and such, I finally realized that I would never impress her, and gave up on that. But I very much appreciate the difference she made in my life, because I might never have started playing bass if not for her, and even if I had still taken up the bass, I certainly would not have had the same motivation to get good at it! So I thank her out of one side of my mouth and curse her out the other.
Anyway, why did you guys start playing and how did you come about getting your first bass? Also, what kind of bass was it, and how much did it cost?
