Confession time: I like bass and I cannot lie

Teyeplayer

Can’t keep it in any longer: I spend more time looking at basses than guitars these days! I browse guitar sales and ads thinking ‘had that one, didn’t get on with that one’, but give me a bass sale. Man, it’s the colours, it’s the shapes, there is no rationale, just purchase desire and an itchy wallet. I am currently sat with a coffee thinking ‘if I let my es345 go I could afford X’. Flipping nuts. There you go, the truth is out.

I’ve put this under bass where it will hopefully fade into obscurity, but appreciate if a bunch of you pile in with the same complaint we might have to move it to friends in need.

stickyfiddle

Basses are awesome. I don't even play bass in my band and more and I still have one P on the wall and another partly in bits needing a new pickup

RocknRollDave

This is an April Fools…surely?!

Teyeplayer

RocknRollDave said:

This is an April Fools…surely?!

I’ve a p bass beside me, a hofner violin bass looking down and I’m currently browsing Vox teardrops. The only fool here is me. 

munckee

Well thanks for all your contribution in the past, we’re sorry to lose you, good luck on the bass forums.  

Funkfingers

Teyeplayer said:

RocknRollDave said:

This is an April Fools…surely?!

I’ve a p bass beside me

That should cover most eventualities.

Satisfy your urge to look at bass pron by investing in a copy of Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book Of Bass.

blobb

Bass is still a guitar, it's ok to like bass.

Bork

Welcome, we've been expecting you. 

Bass is my primary instrument and I dabble on guitar.  There's certainly a vast variety of construction methods and materials available that don't necessarily appeal to the guitar market. 

Also, bass is about accurate, consistent note placement in the pocket, good use of harmony and using space effectively.  Although if you just want to plug away at 8th notes all evening there are genres for that as well.

Teyeplayer

What? I’m supposed to play the thing @Bork? You do know this is the fretboard where our motto is: ‘look at pictures, drool, purchase, sell, rinse, repeat, argue’?

Bork

Teyeplayer said:

What? I’m supposed to play the thing @Bork? You do know this is the fretboard where our motto is: ‘look at pictures, drool, purchase, sell, rinse, repeat, argue’?

I thought it was something along the lines of 
1) Post a look at my toy topic
2) Wait for approval
3) Recieve mixed reactions, over react with disappointment and then flounce
4) Return after 12 or so weeks after replacement of first toy with another
Repeat 1

dazzajl

Bass is a wonderful place where vintage and old school are still revered and appreciated but minds are open and walking the walk is more important than talking the talk.

slacker

I've got 5 traditional guitars and 2 mutant basses. You get all kinds of string numbers, optional frets, active electronics and weird shapes. Go for it. You can only have so many guitars.

rze99

Love playing bass but not as much as guitar. I played bass in a covers band in my youth just because they needed one and it was quite fun I have a few some of which I built. 

Quite fancy one of those Fender 6 hybrids

JezWynd

Teyeplayer said:

RocknRollDave said:

This is an April Fools…surely?!

I’ve a p bass beside me, a hofner violin bass looking down and I’m currently browsing Vox teardrops. The only fool here is me. 

If you're hoping for a cure I have two words for you - neck dive. (I've never played one but the layout is reminiscent of the solid body Epi Violin and that had the worst neck dive).

fretmeister

Every guitar player only sounds as good as their bassist lets them.

Teyeplayer

JezWynd said:

Teyeplayer said:

RocknRollDave said:

This is an April Fools…surely?!

I’ve a p bass beside me, a hofner violin bass looking down and I’m currently browsing Vox teardrops. The only fool here is me. 

If you're hoping for a cure I have two words for you - neck dive. (I've never played one but the layout is reminiscent of the solid body Epi Violin and that had the worst neck dive).

When has the knowledge ever stopped me making a rushed purchase?  

Teyeplayer

fretmeister said:

Every guitar player only sounds as good as their bassist lets them.

This is the truth, and yet good bassists are so hard to come by whilst everyone is a guitarist. 

rze99 said:

Love playing bass but not as much as guitar. I played bass in a covers band in my youth just because they needed one and it was quite fun I have a few some of which I built. 

Quite fancy one of those Fender 6 hybrids

My first regularly gigging band I was on bass (mid teens). Then managed to work my way up to singer/guitar and then back to sideman. I’ve reached the point however, where my micky taking aside in this thread, I do genuinely get more satisfaction locking in with the drummer and sitting in the pocket.

CarpeDiem

I saw two bands last week with impressive bass players, which made me think that I should get a bass. However, I need to focus on improving my guitar playing and not get distracted by a different playing discipline!

Funkfingers

CarpeDiem said:

I need to focus on improving my guitar playing and not get distracted by a different playing discipline!

I disagree. Alternate between both instruments. Aspects of one will inform your playing of the other.

Also, big strings keep the calluses in shape.

Bork

Funkfingers said:

CarpeDiem said:

I need to focus on improving my guitar playing and not get distracted by a different playing discipline!

I disagree. Alternate between both instruments. Aspects of one will inform your playing of the other.

Also, big strings keep the calluses in shape.

And finger muscles.  Although I've found it easier to have my necks the same width on guitar and bass - I play five string bass almost exclusively which means the necks on both can be about 44-45mm.  String spacing is a little harder to deal with although I prefer it fairly narrow on the bass these days but I can get about on 18-19mm OK. 

CarpeDiem

Bork said:

Funkfingers said:

CarpeDiem said:

I need to focus on improving my guitar playing and not get distracted by a different playing discipline!

I disagree. Alternate between both instruments. Aspects of one will inform your playing of the other.

Also, big strings keep the calluses in shape.

And finger muscles.  Although I've found it easier to have my necks the same width on guitar and bass - I play five string bass almost exclusively which means the necks on both can be about 44-45mm.  String spacing is a little harder to deal with although I prefer it fairly narrow on the bass these days but I can get about on 18-19mm OK. 

You’re both making some convincing reasons to get a bass!