Your first bass vs. what you play now

[Captain Scrummy]

My first bass was an Ibanez SB900LE, and it essentially let me know everything I didn't want in a bass. It had a very thin neck, almost nothing to grasp onto, a thin body, a P/J setup, etc. My next bass was an American P, which I LOVE. Thick neck, nice size body, and not a P/J, but a standard split-coil pickup design. I am glad that I had that bass first though, as it helped me nail exactly what I wanted in my second bass.

 

[Mike N]

My first real Bass was a P, and I currently play a P. I do have a J in my stash, and have gone through alot of other Basses in the meantime, but always find myself coming back to a P Bass.

 

[Cree]

My first bass was a short scale Kay that my parents bought at a pawn shop. It was terrible. I got for Christmas. My mother tried to order a P Bass copy from Sears, but they were sold out. Of course I was happy to have it. I played it through a little 12 watt Sears bass amp until I got a Gibson Thor amp the next Christmas. I bought my first "real" bass with my high school graduation cash. It was a Peavey Patriot bass which I thought was great. I sold it to a friend when I bought my used 1979 Precision for $249 from a local music store in my college town. That P Bass was my main bass for 20 years. I still have it and love it, but the bass I play most now is an SX Jazz.

 

[meatwad]

My very, very, very first bass was a Harmony P/J in metallic red with a matching headstock, b/w/b pickguard, and a rosewood board neck with pearl block inlays. I wouldn't say it directly influenced my future bass decisions, though it remained somewhat inline with all the Fenders I played for many years afterward.

 

[PartyFindsYOU]

Squier P/J bass with a mirror pickguard... wish I still had it. Back then, I was clueless on how to adjust basses; I'm sure if I had it right now then I could make it sound good. When I had it, I hated it. I still shy away from the Fender sound, and I think my Squier had something to do with it. I've got a Traben Kore fiver right now. Heavy as hell, but sounds amazing - BIG departure from the Squier!

 

[R D Maynard]

First bass: '67 Guild Starfire 1, red. Second: '73 Jazz, white - it was a POS: heavy, crappy neck and tone. Put me off J-basses for many years

Current: '68 Guild Starfire II, red; '61 MIA Jazz re-issue, sunburst.

 

[MODNY]

my first bass was a mim fender P

now my main bass is a F Bass Studio 5 string


but i have GAS for a Sadowsky P/J precision in sunburst with maple neck

 

[j_micho]

My first bass was an acoustic short scale Cort which I purchased at a local pawn shop (I didn't want to invest in an amp at the time). I still have it but only bring it with me on camping trip. I now own a G&L L2K.

 

[Flaked Beans]

my first bass was my father's backup fender jazz bass (1969, now it's mine) , then i got my brand new '78 ash/maple jazz.. these days i play a fender 6 string jazz bass, and some boutique basses and some old fenders too!

 

[onewebfoot]

I wish to the Upper One that I hadn't bought that first Fender MIM. I mean, if a middle aged guy, switching instruments in the midst of a mid-age crisis, is to start with bass guitar, skip the MIM and go straight to a used Zon. The former, however, will make a great donation to a local at-risk youth or music organization ... Otherwise, it's all a delight...

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

My first bass was a no-name piece of crap with too-high action, crappy pick-ups and a terrible body shape. It lasted a year before I bought my Shergold D) which, although I whine about it, is a MASSIVE improvement. For starters, it actually works.

 

[Stradavus]

My first bass was a 1982 Westone Concord Bass II. (Matsumoku Factory)

My current bass is a 2008 Fender Classic Series 70's Jazz Bass.

 

[Hot Rats]

1st bass was a 1978 Hondo P-bass. Now after 30 years and Rickenbacher, Alembic, Spector, Fender, G&L, Music Man....I am still just playing Warmoth P-Basses that I build for myself. 30 years, full circle. It's what works for me.

 

[Krügmeister]

First Bass was a 1986 Peavey Foundation.. that bass and I have been all over this wonderful country.
I now have alot of different basses that I love, but there is a special place in my heart for my old friend and she still sounds and plays beautifully.

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[tobin999]

my first bass was a squire p bass i liked it alot and beat the crap out of it and still have it and plan on resurrecting it some time soon

and now im still with the fender brand almost ten years later with my mim jazz and p bass

 

[puremusic]

My first bass was my father's red Kay SG copy, then I got a Samick PJ 5 string as my first bass. Now I rotate between Ibanez BTB455, Yamaha TRB 1005, SX Jazz 5 and a Brawley 5 that I defretted.

 

[ac11367]

I started with a Japanese Fender Precision in 1987, now I play Lakland DJ4 and G&L SB2. Life has come full circle, as I'm now GASsing for a Precision.

 

[Gubna]

my first bass (an applause GTX black and maple Precison copy) is sitting three feet away from me. It's not something I play much. it's had some unfortunate mods done to it. if it were still in the condition I first purchased in, I would've donated it to some kids long ago.

no comparison to the Spector Euro I play nowadays.

Image not suitable for most bass players. Please cover your eyes if you are squeemish.

 

[williamk]

my first bass was 200$ Ibanez, and even though it's nothing like the Rickenbacker I now own, I still think it was an awesome bass. I still have it. Everything I owned between those 2 basses (epiphone, OLP, and other approx. 300-500$ basses) where returned or sold because they were crap. This showed me a lesson. Once you're good enough to upgrade to your second bass (considering you owned a very cheap own as a first instrument), it's useless to get an "intermediate" one because they don't last! If you have the money, you're better off buying a pricier own that will last you forever!!

 

[Akshat]

my 1st bass was local make,jackson/charvel look alike > aria 35 5 string >planning on buying a nice 5 string fretless,probably a carvin but kinda putting it off coz of the bridge-string through body crap.