Chasing the Night is my favorite track on that album. Just awesome.


M1KE - another vote here for switching to bass. It just sounds like you found your groove bro.

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There aren't enough bass players in the world today that are classic rock influenced. It was lame 15 years ago to play Born To Be Wild. Now I miss it.

Your situation sounds perfect for the switch to bass. Get yourself a Kustom 200 and a good, vintage 4 string. I suggest getting a short scale, like a Gibson EB3/SG Bass since you are already there. Watch Band of Gypsys every morning. Learn it. Know it. Live it.

I would encourage you not to "switch." Instead I think it might be wise to pursue both so long as both are fun. A lot of it has to do with how much time you have.

The low end Hofners are sort of pricey for beginners. I'm not going to tell you what to buy however a short scale bass would not be my first choice personally. You already got good advice about buying a used bass to start. That's way less $500. The low end Epi axe you have might be holding you back a little and it might be sensible to upgrade that too. However in many cases it is the player and not the instrument. A good player on a $200 guitar sounds way better than a poor player sounds on a $2000 guitar.

And that was good advice too about getting a bass amp if you do get a bass. You'll need one. Again used ones are way less money. For home rehearsal 25 to 30 watts is ok, but for anything outside of solo practice you'll want something with at least 75 watts and probably 100 or more would be better. I used to say a 100 watt combo minimum but I've done some full band rehearsals with a 75 watt micro combo and it worked well enough. The general pattern seems to be buy a 25 watt practice amp first, then find out you can't jam with others with it and then buy a larger combo. Now you have two amps. If you want to take the practice amp out the equation it can actually be cheaper in the long run to buy a larger amp right off and just skip the little amp stage completely.

There is no reason you can't play both if you have the interest, the time, the money to afford both and both remain fun.

Loads of people we think of primarily as electric bassists actually started as Spanish guitarists. Many are frankly are great guitarists but happened to become star bassists. There are tons of them. Carol Kaye for example. She started out as a bebop jazz guitarist and her early studio work was exclusively on guitar. It wasn't until the bassist failed to show for a session that she picked up a bass simply to cover the bass part in that session. From that one fill in spot she went on to become the most recorded electric bassist in history recording logging 10,000+ studio tracks. The fact she accomplished that in a bit over one decade is nothing short of astounding. But, the entire time she was still a great guitarist! If you ever heard "TEQUILIA" by the Champs, she's playing guitar on that track, not bass as it was prior to her bass career taking off.

It is also important to learn the correct way to play both instruments. By understanding guitar it makes you a more knowledgeable bassist. Playing a few of your favorite bass lines by ear in short order is a sign that you might have a proclivity to do both.

And as for bassists being more in demand, that might not be the case everywhere. Being able to play both makes you a double threat. Here keyboard players are the short suit and there are tons of bassists looking.

+1 !

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Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

It don't mean a thang if it ain't got that swang.

It's the bass and drums that make it swang.

A wise bassist told me that once when I asked him if he ever got tired of being "only the bassist."

#winning

The only thing stopping me from buying a bass and bass amp is that it would be even more impossible to practice where I live. If I ever live in a house again, which would suck for other reasons, I will reward myself by buying a bass and a bass amp.

Thanks for all your help, guys! You were all very informative and helpful.

I have decided to buy a Hofner Ignition bass for my birthday (using my saved up money which was supposed to go towards an SG) since it is lightweight, pretty, and it's the bass that Paul McCartney uses. Also because it has that hollow-bodied warm tone.

I am going to keep learning guitar though, because it will be useful in the long run. Also because I don't know if I am going to stick with bass!

Again, I want to thank you guys for all your help!

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1995 Fender Mustang

Speaking of double threats, this could also be a great excuse for purchasing a Bassman amp. I want one purely for how sweet a strat sounds through it, nevermind also being able to spank a bass through it.

Don't you mean your dad has a "real" Hofner?

You pay for a name with everything. Nothing actually has value, we just think it does.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Value is just perceived. What is gold to some is horseshit to others. (earth to Gibson, minus the 1997 LP DCs and some SGs)

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Lot's of good advice on here.

As far as equipment, I recently picked up a new Squire VM V to use as a back up. $300 new (Fender had $25 off at the time). Can't beat it for the money. I've actually used it on a few gigs.
I also picked up a used Peavey Max 115 at a local music shop last year for $179, which included a 1 year warranty. I use it when rehearsing with the band. Not a bad combo amp at all.

One thing about bass playing I haven't seen mentioned yet. The basic role of a bass player in most bands is to lock in with the drummer/bass drum while creating a groove. You have to be very disciplined. Unlike lead guitar where you have more freedom. A good lick on the bass is nice only if you're on top of the beat and it's played at the right time......not interfering with the singer or lead guitarist.

Lot's of bass players in the classifieds in my area, but only a few good ones. JMHO, but I think the good ones are the guys who understand their role in the band.

Good luck and have fun.

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2012 American Standard Precision V - Candy Cola Red
2012 Squier Vintage Modified Jazz V - Surf Green
2011 FCS Custom Classic Special Jazz Bass V - Violin Burst
1996 MIM Stratocaster HSS - Black
1975 Precision Bass - 3 Tone Sunburst

the world needs more real bass players. period.

How is it not worth a penny? I prefer the Hofner over a P-Bass because it is light and easy to play.

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1995 Fender Mustang

My main instrument has always been guitar but I had no problem picking up bass easily and other instruments as well.Just because you feel extra comfortable with one particular instrument,it doesn't mean that you have to forego playing others.Enjoy the fact that you are proficient on more than one instrument.My nephew who has enjoyed a successful gigging and recording career played bass both gigging and on recordings with his buddy and his band while fulfilling the lead duties in his own band.

BTW: On one of his latest CDs he plays all of the instruments save for drums on just one or two tracks.You can check him out on MySpace,sorry I can't give you a link but his name is Victor Lewis and the CD is called "It Still Wonders Me".This CD will give you some idea of the possibillities that are open to you as a multi-instrumentalist.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

yes

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

If my parents (particularly my dad) let me buy a $750 CT bass, I would get it. But unfortunately my dad is the cheapest person alive and won't let me spend anything over $200 on any instruments. He said if I "join a band [he] will let me spend $500", which is complete BS. He also said he will let me get a $500 guitar in TWO YEARS. I try to explain to him that $500 is nothing in the guitar world, but he won't listen.

I hope you understand my issue.

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1995 Fender Mustang