The Bass Guitar Thread

Discussion in 'Musicians and Instruments' started by OJneg, Jan 19, 2017.

  1. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    $_3.jpg

    Who else plays?
     
  2. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

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    I've been a bassist for about 25 years. I play the Elrick Gold eVolution 4 pictured in my profile pic.
     
  3. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    Best tricks/advice/resources for those learning?
     
  4. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

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    I suggest take a few lessons from a live human to get your fundamentals down. For the first few years of playing I was plucking too hard and had overall poor technique and no efficiency. It hindered my progress. I'm sure there are all kinds of awesome resources online but I say take a few lessons with someone who's really good and recommended. All of the really great bassists are really great because they practiced like crazy. If you want to be smooth and fluent with each new thing you learn then woodshedding is basically a requirement.
     
  5. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

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    Above all groove, rhythm and timing are the main things you need to master first over cool licks. If you play a cool lick or transition but then always miss the root it doesn't sound good.
     
  6. GanGreinke

    GanGreinke Friend

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    As someone who tried to learn the bass on my own, I definitely agree that finding a live teacher to help you learn the basics is beneficial. There are a lot of details regarding hand positioning and finger picking that you don't know to look for when you are first starting off. In that same vein, if you can, try to find a teacher who specifically teaches the bass. My guitarist friend tried to help me when I was starting out, but he didn't know anything about finger picking, and fingerings that worked for the guitar didn't necessarily work for the bass.

    Also, if you come from an acoustic instrument background, you have to adjust to the idea that the volume comes from how high you turn up the volume knob on the bass and the amp, not from how hard you pluck the string. That may sound very obvious, but it was the reason why I plucked too hard and couldn't play anything cleanly.
     
  7. Daveheart

    Daveheart Friend

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    I only used to play a bit as a last minute sub, but I suppose that counts. I was a trombone and guitar player first, then piano and bass.
     
  8. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

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    I've been teaching my self the bass for years, I play an Ibanez Accoustic 4 string, though I mostly play Cello Music since I don't have any one to play with. I enjoy it! Trying to learn to read music and understand theory, more so than learn "proper" technique, I enjoy playing along with piano music as well. I've got a old song book that has music for piano, and I'm finding my bass will play a majority of the music written for the bass cleff, I have a nice crappy Blue Tooth speaker with no bass that works really nicely lol
     
  9. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    I just started to teach myself bass a little bit ago. I play cello,
    so I actually got new strings and tuned my bass C-G-D-A like a cello, and got a fretless neck. Makes playing cello music even easier for me,
     
  10. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

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    very jealous my friend! Still, what are some of your favorite pieces to play?
     
  11. JoeDoe

    JoeDoe Acquaintance

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    I'll get in on this. I've been a drummer/percussionist for 15 years, only recently picking up bass. I had an ESP 5-BE that I got off Massdrop, which I sold so I could buy the current axe, Fender Deluxe PJ:

    [​IMG]

    Love this thing.
     
  12. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

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    I love the classic thumpy p tone on certain types of music but playing j-bass inspired basses for so long makes that P neck feel like a 2x4 in my hand. :)

    Very nice-looking bass. I played SWR stuff for a longtime. A working man's 15 in college and then the SM800 through an Eden 4x10 for a long time. After I got older and tired of lugging that all around I got a Markbass Little Mark II with one of the GK 2x10's with the super light neodymium drivers. I could fit the head in my gig bag pocket and carry the 2x10 with one hand. Beautiful.
     
  13. JoeDoe

    JoeDoe Acquaintance

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    This one has the P body with a jazz neck!

    Sounds great in the Working Pro!
     
  14. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

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    Sweet! I knew of a guy who played a setup like that with both parts vintage 60's and 70's. Sounded amazing.
     
  15. allegro

    allegro Friend

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  16. WhiteNoise

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    I play.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  17. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

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    Last bass head I had was a Markbass Little Mark II. I was playing it through a GK Neo setup. It was an enjoyable rig.
     
  18. WhiteNoise

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    I dig it @DigMe Didn't break the bank and it indeed is a enjoyable little amp.

    I can right tick off the neighbors; thats for sure! I try to play during the day so I don't upset too many people. I mean I usually keep the gain down low but once in awhile it is fun to crank it up...that is about the time my wife walks in and says, "Really?" lol
     
  19. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

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    One of my favorite things about the Little Mark/Neo setup was after years of lugging around a 90lb 4x10 and an SWR SM500 head in a portable rack plus my bass I could actually just fit the LM head in the pocket of my gig bag and carry a super light Neo cabinet in one hand.

    That glorious back relief also led me to sell my Fodera NYC Empire bass in favor of a sub 4lb Elrick Gold series bass.
     
  20. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    I apologize if I shouldn’t be resurrecting this thread but I’d like to ask for some advice about getting a bass guitar. I played (poorly) 25 years ago and would like to give it a go again but I’m leery about investing much in case I’m just as gormless as before. I’ve done a good bit of research about entry-level basses but the catch is this: I’m left-handed, which essentially limits my options to the following in the sub-$400 price range in the US (if new, I’m prepared to buy used, but, again, there are fewer options for us southpaws):

    Ibanez GSRM20L Mikro, TMB100L, GSR200BL, or SR300E
    Sterling by Music Man S.U.B. StingRay Left Handed
    Squier Classic Vibe '60s Left-Handed Precision Bass
    Squier Classic Vibe '70s Left-Handed Jazz Bass ​

    I’m suspicious of the Ibanez basses because of their gimmicky “phat” bass boost and their apparent notoriety for fret buzz and poor electronics. I’d like something that won’t require too much effort setting up, that doesn’t sound too zingy (which is to say metallic) or suffer from too much fret buzz (which makes me suspicious of the Sterling), and that wouldn’t be too hard for me to play with my small hands. I realize the best thing would be to test-drive a bass before buying one but, again, being a leftie makes this difficult (the only left-handed bass in stock NYC’s four Guitar Centers is the Ibanez SR300E).

    I saw your comment @DigMe about the P bass’s neck feeling like a 2x4 - I understand that Jazz basses have thinner necks and less distance to travel along fretboard, thereby making them easier to play. Would this be my best option? Thanks for any advice!
     

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