I'm 72, been playing lead and rhythm guitar and singing, sometimes fronting, sometimes a sidesman, in local pop & rock covers and blues bands.
I'm getting on. My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt, and I've developed arthritis in my left thumb. Still you gotta keep going otherwise you're just an old git.
My last band - a trio - disintegrated when the drummer and bass player refused to help with a very lightweight PA, so I had a bit of a think.
It seemed that if I wanted to carry on gigging I needed to trim down on gear and join a band as a sidesman. No organising the songs or getting gigs, no PA.
In my experience the quality of bass players I'd played with had been ... variable, and I'd had huge issues getting deps. I really appreciated having a good bass player in the band. It couldn't be as hard surely.
Bass guitar then, walk in, one trip, plug in, soundcheck, walk to the bar, get a pint and watch everyone else set up. That's what they do innit.
I was inexperienced so a maple fretboard, so I could see what I was doing at the back of a dark stage, seemed to be a good idea.
I bought a cheap P copy from a bass player I knew. It was hard work, then I discovered there were short-scale basses.
My first shortscale was a G&L Fallout Tribute Shortscale, maple board, seafoam green. Beautiful. And with it's massive humbucker sounded great.
But Leo must have been a bit dotty by the time he designed this behemoth: it was heavy, and the neck dive was ferocious. After ten minutes I was hurting. I hadn't known about neck dive, and I found myself picking up the P-copy in preference, but I found it hard work for the Soul numbers.
I sold the Fallout for a pittance and bought a Squier Bronco. Fantastic. Balanced, easy to play. A revelation.
But, it's a Sonic Bronco. Are people going to take me seriously? And the (six-string!) ceramic just don't sound as good as the P-copy with its single AlNiCo pickup.
After an exhaustive search it seems my parameters for a higher-end alternative are extremely niche - Maple board (or bound rosewood), shortscale, no neck dive, lightweight, and a pickup that doesn't hum. My shortlist was the Fender Mustang, the Music Man Stingray shortscale with maple board (now discontinued in the UK) the Sire Marcus Miller SS, and a Vintage. I dropped the Hagstrom idea as it's solid mahogany. That's gonna hurt. None of these are in stock at shops within reasonable distance so I've come back to the Bronco, trouble is I'd presented it to my wife.
My conclusion is that I'm going to buy another Bronco and upgrade the pickup and electrics, and possibly replace he tuners to ease the very slight neck dive - it's a lightweight Poplar body.
A pal suggested I make my own bass from parts or a kit, but I just don't have the time currently.
Anyway I'm enjoying playing this new instrument, the bass guitar. I can play loud all the time, no pedals, plug straight in. I'm doing a dep next weekend, blues, band.
Getting used to this new instrument has been enjoyable and fascinating, not to say a revelation. I'd always taken bass players for granted, hadn't listened much, now I hear bass all the time. I'm a long way from slap and pop, and anyway I'm more interested in the old blues and rock, which don't require much in the way of expertise - just a solid, appropriate groove.
So Hi, fellow bass players. I'm one of you now. I hope.
I'm getting on. My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt, and I've developed arthritis in my left thumb. Still you gotta keep going otherwise you're just an old git.
My last band - a trio - disintegrated when the drummer and bass player refused to help with a very lightweight PA, so I had a bit of a think.
It seemed that if I wanted to carry on gigging I needed to trim down on gear and join a band as a sidesman. No organising the songs or getting gigs, no PA.
In my experience the quality of bass players I'd played with had been ... variable, and I'd had huge issues getting deps. I really appreciated having a good bass player in the band. It couldn't be as hard surely.
Bass guitar then, walk in, one trip, plug in, soundcheck, walk to the bar, get a pint and watch everyone else set up. That's what they do innit.
I was inexperienced so a maple fretboard, so I could see what I was doing at the back of a dark stage, seemed to be a good idea.
I bought a cheap P copy from a bass player I knew. It was hard work, then I discovered there were short-scale basses.
My first shortscale was a G&L Fallout Tribute Shortscale, maple board, seafoam green. Beautiful. And with it's massive humbucker sounded great.
But Leo must have been a bit dotty by the time he designed this behemoth: it was heavy, and the neck dive was ferocious. After ten minutes I was hurting. I hadn't known about neck dive, and I found myself picking up the P-copy in preference, but I found it hard work for the Soul numbers.
I sold the Fallout for a pittance and bought a Squier Bronco. Fantastic. Balanced, easy to play. A revelation.
But, it's a Sonic Bronco. Are people going to take me seriously? And the (six-string!) ceramic just don't sound as good as the P-copy with its single AlNiCo pickup.
After an exhaustive search it seems my parameters for a higher-end alternative are extremely niche - Maple board (or bound rosewood), shortscale, no neck dive, lightweight, and a pickup that doesn't hum. My shortlist was the Fender Mustang, the Music Man Stingray shortscale with maple board (now discontinued in the UK) the Sire Marcus Miller SS, and a Vintage. I dropped the Hagstrom idea as it's solid mahogany. That's gonna hurt. None of these are in stock at shops within reasonable distance so I've come back to the Bronco, trouble is I'd presented it to my wife.
My conclusion is that I'm going to buy another Bronco and upgrade the pickup and electrics, and possibly replace he tuners to ease the very slight neck dive - it's a lightweight Poplar body.
A pal suggested I make my own bass from parts or a kit, but I just don't have the time currently.
Anyway I'm enjoying playing this new instrument, the bass guitar. I can play loud all the time, no pedals, plug straight in. I'm doing a dep next weekend, blues, band.
Getting used to this new instrument has been enjoyable and fascinating, not to say a revelation. I'd always taken bass players for granted, hadn't listened much, now I hear bass all the time. I'm a long way from slap and pop, and anyway I'm more interested in the old blues and rock, which don't require much in the way of expertise - just a solid, appropriate groove.
So Hi, fellow bass players. I'm one of you now. I hope.
