My first was a used 60's hollow body Kay. My parents paid $25 USD in 1969. It was a short scale, single P/U, with flats a single f-hole. The tuners were crap, as I recall. I used it until the pups died. I replaced it with a shiny new 1971 red Epiphone: short scale, 2 humbuckers: first year made in Japan. I used it until those pups died.
In effort to get rid of 'stuff', I gave the Kay away. I still have the Epi, whcih is stored away. I replaced it with a burgundy-glow Rickenbacker 4001-s, with my savings from my $2 p/hr min. wage window washing job in 1973. Immediately, I put on a set of roto sound swing bass 66 strings. I only used rotos on that bass, It was stolen in the mid 80's. I had recently bought a used Rick 4001-s around the time my first got stolen. I strung it with rotos until late 90's. I put on a set of La Bella flats, as I was into electric blues and had tired of the Brittish sound I had emulated for decades. It still has those same flats today. In 99, I bought my first Fender, a short scale AB-1 and strung it with flats, as the bronze strings made it sound too' gutar-like'. Some months later, I bouht a MIA Fender Precision, strung with stock rounds. In 2001, I bought a Zon Sonus Custom 6 string fretless, strung with rounds. It is nearly too precious to play. My wife bought me as Indonesian Squier Deluxe 5 string active in 2009. I am as pleased with the Squire as with the MM -5 I wanted, only $1400 less. I used my ears instead of my eyes and price tags. The Squire is now my main go-to bass. It needed tweaking and GC wanted $50 just for a basic set-up. It had some fret buzz in the first 5 frets. I like lower action, which wasn't possible. I had always been afraid to tweak my basses other than setting action, but after reading on talkbass.com, I gained confidence; set the action as well as my greatest fear..adjusting the truss rod. Afterward, a re-set of the bridge and it plays like a dream. Thanks for letting me share my memories.
In effort to get rid of 'stuff', I gave the Kay away. I still have the Epi, whcih is stored away. I replaced it with a burgundy-glow Rickenbacker 4001-s, with my savings from my $2 p/hr min. wage window washing job in 1973. Immediately, I put on a set of roto sound swing bass 66 strings. I only used rotos on that bass, It was stolen in the mid 80's. I had recently bought a used Rick 4001-s around the time my first got stolen. I strung it with rotos until late 90's. I put on a set of La Bella flats, as I was into electric blues and had tired of the Brittish sound I had emulated for decades. It still has those same flats today. In 99, I bought my first Fender, a short scale AB-1 and strung it with flats, as the bronze strings made it sound too' gutar-like'. Some months later, I bouht a MIA Fender Precision, strung with stock rounds. In 2001, I bought a Zon Sonus Custom 6 string fretless, strung with rounds. It is nearly too precious to play. My wife bought me as Indonesian Squier Deluxe 5 string active in 2009. I am as pleased with the Squire as with the MM -5 I wanted, only $1400 less. I used my ears instead of my eyes and price tags. The Squire is now my main go-to bass. It needed tweaking and GC wanted $50 just for a basic set-up. It had some fret buzz in the first 5 frets. I like lower action, which wasn't possible. I had always been afraid to tweak my basses other than setting action, but after reading on talkbass.com, I gained confidence; set the action as well as my greatest fear..adjusting the truss rod. Afterward, a re-set of the bridge and it plays like a dream. Thanks for letting me share my memories.
, got for 95$ @ a pawnshop, practiced on that til i saved up for a Peavey Millennium 
. Now that i think about it i kinda wish i still had that p.o.s. just for sentimental reasons o well. still have the Peavey and consider that my first true bass, the wiring is going on it and the neck is goin as well but i'm saving it, still sounds great even with the dead notes 
but plays great!
That was a day I will rue forever. I should have saved just a little longer.
