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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 8:54 am
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I play both bass and guitar, but I am a bassist. Always. Playing the guitar is just a tool to accomplish things. Filling in for people, recording, songwriting getting my music out there only own terms. However, My voice is the bass. That's how I communicate musically.

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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 2:10 pm
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Seems I share the view of a lot of people on here. I consider myself a bassist first and foremost. I tinker around on piano and an old Harmony acoustic I have lying around, but playing bass is what gives me the most joy.


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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 11:56 am
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Bassist first, I only play guitar out of necessity when the situation arises. Technically, I've been playing guitar as long as I've been playing bass for over 26 years, since I had a nylon string that my older sister gave me when I first got a bass, but it was something I sort of puttered around with until about 15 years ago. I started taking it more seriously when I started recording song ideas or songs on a 4-track and figured it would enhance what I was trying to do besides using just bass and a drum machine. I've never really felt comfortable with the instrument like I do bass, even though I like the instrument itself. It's probably some sort of insecurity about it and the fact I'd rather have someone else do it and I can play off of that with the bass.

I do have a 1982 Fender Super Champ with the EV Force 10 speaker (which is a really nice amp, by the way) and a Squier Custom Telecaster that has the neck humbucker. I posted a pic of it around here somewhere. It's actually a really nice guitar. I also have one of those First Act sort of Tele copies that I impulse bought a long time ago at a TJ Maxx for $38. Believe it or not, it has really sweet neck on it and action. No joke, I didn't have to do a single thing to it at all other than nicer strings. The pick ups are a little noisy, but not horrible sounding. I'm thinking about looking into upgrading them to something nice down the road. The funny thing is it will probably cost me more than I spent on the guitar, but it will be worth it to me.

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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 12:15 pm
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PaulLF wrote:
Bassist first, I only play guitar out of necessity when the situation arises. Technically, I've been playing guitar as long as I've been playing bass for over 26 years, since I had a nylon string that my older sister gave me when I first got a bass, but it was something I sort of puttered around with until about 15 years ago. I started taking it more seriously when I started recording song ideas or songs on a 4-track and figured it would enhance what I was trying to do besides using just bass and a drum machine. I've never really felt comfortable with the instrument like I do bass, even though I like the instrument itself. It's probably some sort of insecurity about it and the fact I'd rather have someone else do it and I can play off of that with the bass.

I do have a 1982 Fender Super Champ with the EV Force 10 speaker (which is a really nice amp, by the way) and a Squier Custom Telecaster that has the neck humbucker. I posted a pic of it around here somewhere. It's actually a really nice guitar. I also have one of those First Act sort of Tele copies that I impulse bought a long time ago at a TJ Maxx for $38. Believe it or not, it has really sweet neck on it and action. No joke, I didn't have to do a single thing to it at all other than nicer strings. The pick ups are a little noisy, but not horrible sounding. I'm thinking about looking into upgrading them to something nice down the road. The funny thing is it will probably cost me more than I spent on the guitar, but it will be worth it to me.


Sometimes you get lucky and a cheap guitar plays great. Someone gave me an old Korean Squire Strat from the early 90s and I simply love the neck and action.....awesome practice around the house beater. However I can not use it for recordings, jams or gigs because it does not sound that great and not sure if it is worth doing all the upgrades to get it up to par.

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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 12:38 pm
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Location: On the loo, regretting that gas station burrito.
That's true. It just happened to be on a shelf in a box when I went in there with my girlfriend as some closeout item like everything else they get in there pretty much, so I said why not? The price wasn't an issue (spent more going out somewhere,) looked like it was in excellent shape, and there was the factor I didn't even own a 6-string at the time, so that was a bonus. It helped me to get familiar with playing a guitar again and it worked out to be a really nice playing instrument. I guess whoever was working in the oversea factory somewhere was in a good mood when they put that together that day. :P

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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 2:36 pm
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There really is no knowing or explaining why some of those cheapy imports have such spectacular necks and action. All I can say is as your experience, I had the same. As a matter of fact I love that neck so much rather then try to make that body work might just bolt that neck on a loaded full thickness used USA/Mexi body or Warmoth/Musicraft reject on ebay and have one killer ax that is a pleasure to play and use for any purpose for minimal outlay. The only thing it would really need of course is better tuners and also should consider an upgraded nut as they are inexpensive anyhow and a great bang for the buck.

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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 7:40 am
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That would be a pretty good idea.

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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 2:08 am
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bassplayin_chick wrote:
I'd consider myself a bass player- I took up guitar at age 11 and studied classical & fingerpicking. I could play rhythm rock guitar well but wound up on bass at 19 as there were no bass players around. Fell in love with it! I still knock around on guitar here & there and have 6 & 7 string guitars-I knock around with classic rock on the 7 string guitars once in awhile.


My brother says he can always find a job playing bass but not nearly as many bands looking for a guitar player. Works through a studio when bands want to make a demo and don't have a bass player too. Guess the world needs more bass players!


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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 10:18 am
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That was more or less true when I lived in Florida. Drummers seemed to be rare as rocking horse poop during that time, at least where I lived.

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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:43 pm
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PaulLF wrote:
That was more or less true when I lived in Florida. Drummers seemed to be rare as rocking horse poop during that time, at least where I lived.


Would agree, I lived in Florida a very long time. But it seems to be the same everywhere, from LA to NYC where I also lived. Bass players are more in demand then guitar players. And drummers are always a pain in the $@! to find. Of course the most in demand is a really killer front person singer, but this is all about forming a band.

As far as getting gigs in established bands or session playing....it was and is far easier for me to find ones needing bass then guitar and.... I can play both pretty competently.

My biggest issue with drummers seems to be when forming a band and you find a perfect one, they tend to blow off rehearsals. I also think there may be a shortage of drummers being that was probably the last instrument any of their parents wanted them to play and practicing might have been a big issue.

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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:50 am
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Yeah, unless you're using electronic kits where you can control volume, practice pads, or a place you can practice without issue, I imagine that can be tough to have practice. Not exactly the quietest instrument there is.

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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 2:08 pm
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ebaysux wrote:
There really is no knowing or explaining why some of those cheapy imports have such spectacular necks and action. All I can say is as your experience, I had the same. As a matter of fact I love that neck so much rather then try to make that body work might just bolt that neck on a loaded full thickness used USA/Mexi body or Warmoth/Musicraft reject on ebay and have one killer ax that is a pleasure to play and use for any purpose for minimal outlay. The only thing it would really need of course is better tuners and also should consider an upgraded nut as they are inexpensive anyhow and a great bang for the buck.


I know what you mean. Have had some cheap guitars with plywood bodies, cheap bridge and pickups yet an awesome neck that I didn't want to put down even though it sounded terrible. Guess sometimes you just get lucky. Definitely agree about changing the nut too. a Tusq or bone nut makes a huge difference over cheap plastic. Some say that nut material doesn't matter unless you are playing open chords but not sure I agree.


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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:28 am
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fenderfan wrote:
ebaysux wrote:
There really is no knowing or explaining why some of those cheapy imports have such spectacular necks and action. All I can say is as your experience, I had the same. As a matter of fact I love that neck so much rather then try to make that body work might just bolt that neck on a loaded full thickness used USA/Mexi body or Warmoth/Musicraft reject on ebay and have one killer ax that is a pleasure to play and use for any purpose for minimal outlay. The only thing it would really need of course is better tuners and also should consider an upgraded nut as they are inexpensive anyhow and a great bang for the buck.


I know what you mean. Have had some cheap guitars with plywood bodies, cheap bridge and pickups yet an awesome neck that I didn't want to put down even though it sounded terrible. Guess sometimes you just get lucky. Definitely agree about changing the nut too. a Tusq or bone nut makes a huge difference over cheap plastic. Some say that nut material doesn't matter unless you are playing open chords but not sure I agree.


If you are doing full bar chords or muting strings below the nut, the nut is out of the equation. But upgrading a nut also has other benefits such as helping the guitar keep tune since cheapo nuts don't resist binding as well.

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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 10:18 am
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Bassist! Nothing more


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Post subject: Re: Question for Bass Players
Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 10:04 pm
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tafilmer wrote:
Bassist! Nothing more



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