you look like a bass player

[DeepGroover]

6'2", 205 pounds, no facial hair, no "metal" or "hard rock" look, short hair, no tattoos. And yet I heard that "So, let me guess, you play the bass, right?" a few times.

By the way, if a girl ever doubts that a bass can "move" her, just have her feel it when you play. The vibrations will remind her of something...

 

[lbanks]

Well I've always been told the stereotypical bass player is a fat, curly-haired, tight t-shirt wearing, and sweaty bloke.
This is far from the truth, I know, but people tend to believe this (where I'm from anyway).

Yea, that pretty much describes me.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[brandtb]

In recent years, I get more surprise than anything else when folks learn that I play in a band. At that point, they are too flabbergasted to even guess what instrument that I play.

I'm 45, stand 5'9", ~260lbs, no facial hair, full head of short hair, relatively small, but not stubby hands, no tats, sometimes wears glasses. Software engineer by day for a major networking company...

Having said that, we tend to wear hi-top Chucks (Converse All-Stars) on stage. The other guys wear black and white Chucks. I wear red.

Friends of mine who see me on stage aren't quite sure what to think. I've been described as being "real serious about it, but you kinda look like you're having fun", or "just intense". My wife just thinks it's cool that I'm in a band...has said that she wishes that she knew me when she was in her 20's to say she had a boyfriend in a band...maybe not *quite* as cool now.

 

[hushnel]

I've had a long time to think about this, it happens to me all the time. I've been a bass player since 1963.

Another thing that I've noticed is no matter where I am or how long I've been there, towns, cities, countries or even shopping centers or grocery stores people always and easily approach me, often mistaking me for a local or somebody who works there, somebody who is approachable and knowledgeable. I am often told I look like a bass player, I don't try to, I look like a biker with knives visibly on my person, I carry a pistol everywhere I go, I ride a Harley, I don't cut my hair and rarely shave, but complete strangers are happy to see me. I don't scare anyone as rough as I look, I think I should but it's not the case, there is something deeper that people see.

I believe the vibe of which we speak is that no mater where we are we belong there, comfortable in who we are and self assured. The foundation of the band is what we are, we are not in it for the glory but use our power to make things right, to control the rhythm, catch the guitar player, remind the drummer where we are. not for glory rather to effectively bring it all together, to make a coherent piece, the blender, the bridge between the various parts of the whole.

This I believe is what people pick up on, we are comfortable in our own skins not wishing to be anything else and to bring form out of chaos.

 

[fokof]

I get that all the time !
I'm a tall and skinny guy with the "Tony Levin" look.

 

[CannyBusDriver]

People may think your a bass player because

1. You're fat
2. You're tall
3. You're black

 

[Harry Grossman]

my friends always tell me i look like a bass player. i have a jewfro, makes me 5'8 with it, 5'5 without it. you can probably imagine!

 

[JD.]

I've never had anyone tell me i look like a bass player, someone did ask me if i played the drums though, they gave me a funny look when i told them that I play the bass.