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Your first bass vs. what you play now

#361
The basses I play now are much better than the ones I started with (Vantage, Pevey, Hohner). This is because I actually have an income and can afford to buy the ones I really want, as opposed to settling for ones in a specific price range. On a side note, I did own both a 70s Ric and Fender P back in HS that I let slip away. Vintage Fenders are what I now play.
 
#366
My first was a blue plywood Aria Pro II SLB complete with pointy metal headstock. I went through years or Rickenbackers, Fenders, Warwicks, Musicman and other higher end basses only to come back to the P (and maybe with a J or humbucker pickup) style, with each one having a different vibe and all playable.

Currant basses:

83 Aria Pro RSB-P... had a Tobias (body wise) vibe
83 Ibanez Roadstar II...damn heavy
87 MIJ P... very light
87 BC Rich ST Bass... (hair metal? I think not)
83 Peavey T-20... sold
 
#367
I started out back in 79 on a POS P-bass copy- possibly a Memphis but I cant remember for sure. It had a weird looking pickup that looked nothing like a split-coil P. I had that one for about 2 years, and traded it in on a Kramer Duke in about 81-82. Since then I went through a litany of basses and now I own 8 with #9 coming at the beginning of November.

I presently own: (in order by approx date of purchase)
Carvin LB-75
ESP LTD B404
Tom Clement custom
SX SPJ
Peavey T-40
SX SJB
Yamaha BB614
frankenWarmoth 5er

And I'll be adding a T-20 next month. :hyper:

Over the years I've learned that I REALLY love playing bass even though I'm not all that good.:bassist:

Even though I have no desire to ever own my original bass again, there are a few that passed through my hands along the way that I wouldnt mind getting again, though. :)
 
#368
Just a few years ago for me, a Rogue four-string, the cheapest one, and I paid about ten bucks for it, just to have one in the music room (wanted it equipped so anyone can come in empty handed and jam). I didn’t know I was going to be playing bass at the time.

Been through a few since, Fenders: Mustang, Jazz, P, now an MIM Jazz V and a Squier Jazz V.
 
#369
Started playing Bass in the spring of 1987. My first bass was a JB Player, but that was a rental and I only had it for a couple of months. After that, my Mom bought me a Peavey Foundation. I had the peavey for about 6 years. It was an okay bass (at least the action was manageable). The funny thing is that I have no memory of what actually happened to that bass. I know that I did not sell her. Maybe she was stolen (sad!). Anyway, by playing the foundation, I learned that I did not like cheap pickups or maple fretboards. However, on the other hand, the bass had a natural wood finish and relatively low action, which are features that I still look for when looking at new instruments. This was an interesting exercise, as it made me go back and think about the basses that I've owned over the years. Turns out that I've owned around 14 basses. Here's the complete list:

Previously Owned:
JB Player (rental)
Peavey Foundation (mid-80's)
Gibson Les Paul Bass (1993)
Fender Jazz Fretless (MIM)
Fender Jazz w/ Active Pickups (MIA) (1982)
EB MM Stingray (mid-90's)
OLP 5-string
G&L L2000 (mid 00's)
Warwick Thumb BO (2002)
Fender Jazz (MIA) (?)
EB MM Sterling Fretless (1996)
Dean Hammer 10-string
Epiphone Les Paul Bass

Current basses:
Spector Legend Custom 5 (2009)
Schecter Stiletto Studio 5 (2005)
 
#370
My first was a Peavey Patriot, stained satin mahogany (?) with a maple fretboard. Really good instrument. I wish I still had it. Played it through a Gorilla amp, which was crap and noisy.

Now I play instruments that I mod till I like, and pump them through the Kustom 1200. I'm happy with that arrangement.
 
#372
My first, a Univox/Maestro factory second, looked like this:
mfb3.jpg


And, out of the four I own now, this is the one I am using the most, a Squier VM Precision:
IMG_0004.jpg

Nothing wrong with the Univox, for what it was, it was a really nice bass, but I kinda wish I had the Squier when I was starting out.
 
#373
As a 12 year old Thud I bought a Kay EBO copy for 25 pounds stirling. Had the worst action in the world, but I think that strengthened my fingers! When I got a Hondo II Precision (Black with Maple neck/fingerboard) a few years later, I sold the Kay for what I paid for it!

Main bass now is a custom Warmoth Jazz (walnut body with birds eye maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, and SD Hot Stack Jazz p'ups). I just wish it weighed the same as the Kay!
 
#377
My first bass was a loaner Yamaha RBX 270. The first bass I bought myslef was an Ibanez SRX300. I gave that to my daughter. The only influence they had on me was that they taught me what I don't like in a bass. I have learned that I like more traditional basses. I lean towards Fender / Music Man / G & L stuff. I guess I like Leo's basses. I now have a modded Fender MIM Jazz bass and I love that bass. I also now have just purchased an Ibanez ATK 305. I love it. But it still falls into that more traditional bass category.
 
#378
My first bass was a "Pro Session" (of which it was neither ;) ) Black/Rosewood Precision Bass copy, whereas now my main basses are a pair of Mike Lull Modern 4 & 5s, and a bunch of Spector ReBop DLX Figured Maple FM & Zebrawood EXs with completely redone pickups and Aguilar OBP-3SK/PP preamps: 4 & 5-string Zebrawoods & 5-string Black Blueburst Lined fretless with an HG Thor Epoxy Coating, all with custom-wound Nordstrand Big Singles and a 5-string Black Cherryburst with EMG 40P5 & 40DC to emulate the pre-2010 Fender American Deluxe Precision with the P/Dual Coil setup as the only Precision I've liked the tone of. I'm not an "EMG Guy" as my usage of the fantastic Big Singles passive single coils suggest, but as I owned everything but the 40P5 "5-string P in their "40"-sized housing" pickup it was economical to use as a "Testbed"... if I truly dig my "Spector American Deluxe PreBop V" I'll have custom Nordy NP5 & DC5 pickups in EMG soapbar shells, which I've already asked and they can do for me. :D

I've said it time-and-time before, but it still amazes me the huge increase in the Quality of Beginner & the Low-End of Midrange Basses in the past decade. I started playing in 1989, and my Pro Session was you typical "Starter Bass"... made of plywood, no-name pickup and hardware, and virtually impossible to adjust & get any action close to low. These days, not only can you get a bass with Quality Woods, Passive or Active Electronics, Hardware and out-the-door QC as well as recordable, but at a price even cheaper than what my Parents paid for my first gear set (the P-copy, a Peavey MAX-110 1x10" 20 watt Practice Combo, Dunlop Straploks, and a strap).
 

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