What was your very first bass?

[fyrwyr]

Mine was a used white Ric 4003 I got back in 1985, I was told it was new when I bought it but the poor lighting of the store hid the yellowing which showed it's age, yeah not fair but it was a pretty good bass none the less...

I just had to have a bass like McCartney you know?:)

[Rik]

about the same year for me.. 1985 ish, a Ibanez pearl white 5 string. it came with a low B, or a high B string. choices! lol.. it was a good playing bass. traded it in after a few years for a Kramer Ferrington. ( still in the case to this day).

[lochry]

1968 -- Fender Mustang Bass with a Hilgen Basso Amp. I was 13, and it was badass. Started playing with a bunch of older guys in clubs around the local army post, meeting lots of girls, and earning Ds in school. Good times.

Loved that Mustang. Sure beat the Teisco 6-string I had "converted" to a bass. The Teisco was one of 5 or 6 really bizarre guitars my best friend's dad brought back between tours in Vietnam. Wish I knew then what I know now.

[TFRED]

I play guitar most of the time. My 1st bass was a Teisco that my Dad talked the guy at the pawn shop down to $35. The next bass I had was a
Black Ric 4003 with a white pickguard (nice bass). I just bought a new American Fender P Bass with the S1 switching system. It sounds nice to me. It feels good to have a bass again. I sold the Rick around 1989. :cool:

:RoCkIn

[Jake]

In the winter of 1978-79, a woman visited my parent's house with her husband Bob. This woman turned out to be the girl who served as flower girl at my parent's wedding. Her husband was a former pro guitar player who had since retired. They came back to visit in the spring of '79, and based on conversations that were had the previous visit he showed up with this case and handed it to me saying something like, "Bass players can always land a gig". Inside the case was an old Hofner 182 in sunburst. It has the same short scale and string spacing as the classic Beatle Bass, so it made for an easy transition for this guitar player. Cons were that the pickup mounts sucked (essentially they had little tabs that allowed the pickguard to hold them against the body, but as the pickguard aged and warped the pickups would pop out if you got aggressive on the bass. Anyway, this served me well for almost 2 years until I picked up a used '71 Jazz in Feb. 1980. Unfortunately the Hofner is no longer with me, but I'm thankful the Jazz is.

Here's a pic of a white 1982 - mine was sunburst.


http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/vintage-hofner/bass/bas1a.jpeg

[michael30]

Mine was a Cimar EB-3 copy. My first pro quality bass was a 1973 black Rickenbacker 4001 that I bought in 1978.

[alanbass1]

Mine was a Fender Musicmaster I got back in '75.

[Jon Silberman]

'66 J-bass, custom gold sparke finish. Bought it used in '73 for $130, sold it in '99 for $5.7K, today it would bring >$15K.

[Boomer]

1964 - Hofner 500/1.

[EunosFD]

A Kramer-era Spector NS-2: neck through, active EMG's, and was just an all-around nice bass. Then added a fretless MIJ J-bass not long after that. Now I'm down to 0 basses though so I need to get another one soon.

[fyrwyr]

A Kramer-era Spector NS-2: neck through, active EMG's, and was just an all-around nice bass. Then added a fretless MIJ J-bass not long after that. Now I'm down to 0 basses though so I need to get another one soon.

I feel your pain my friend, I went from 4 basses down to zero myself, I don't know how I survived!!

[Thor]

Early 80's MIJ Fender PJ in black. Bought it used from a friend for $100 in '87 Still have it, and recently fixed it up - dropped in some Biltlof pups and changed the knobs and bridge - now it's back in rotation and getting plenty of love again.

Cheers,

Edward

[MightyGuru]

A Memphis P-bass copy. Black with a maple neck/fretboard.

[ABKB]

first bass was some copy (dont remember who made it) in 1972 of the Gibson SG bass. Sold that for a 73 Fender P. That did me until 2001 when I traded it for a Ric 4003, and that's where I plan on staying until the end. Love that bass! :)

[agreatheight]

I started on a crappy Hondo Precision copy, yikes it was bad, but I have come a long way in 20 years!

Hondo P-Bass (sold)
Arial Pro II Cat Bass (sold)
Kawai (model unknown - sold)
Steinberger XL2 (sold)
Hamer Chaparral 8 String (just sold, a bit sad)
Tobais Growler Fretless
Musicman Stingray 5 String (sold)
Fender MIA Precision (sold)
Zon Sonus

[John Phillips]

1980 Aria SB1000.

[Deaj]

My first bass was a G&L Asat. Nice bass to learn on - comfy neck.

[Thor]

[quote=agreatheight;2580636]I started on a crappy Hondo Precision copy, yikes it was bad, but I have come a long way in 20 years!


Yeah, I know what you mean by yikes! That was the very first bass I played (didn't own) - borrowed from my friend's little brother so we could put together a punk band. It even had this horrible sticker on the back that said "Read my lips" with a fuzzy troll creature giving the middle finger. Yeah, that bass just oozed class.

Cheers,

Edward

[Tonefish]

late '80s Jazz Bass...needs strings

[hawkeyeinexile]

'65 EB-0. still have it.

:cool:

[reasonguitar]

esp ltd B50 fretless. wasnt the best bass, but i wish i still had it.

[westrock]

1974 Fender Jazz that I still have today, along with a few more.

[Loni Specter]

Jap Hofner Beatle copy, bolt on. (1968) still have it

[Chuck King]

My dad went through a period where he thought he was going to play bass so through high school and college I used his when I needed one. First came some no-name short scale thing, then a Cortez J-bass copy, and finally a Peavey T-40. That thing was horribly set up and my ham-fisted adolescent molestation didn't help anything. The funny thing is, now, over 20 years later, I have a T-40 of my own, and (properly set up) it's a great playing bass. I wish I had known then what the T-40 could do. I tried to retrieve it years later but it was stolen in a burglary from my parents' house. My dad had quit playing years before and they didn't notice for months that anything had been taken---not until I came by asking about the bass!

The first bass I owned myself was a Yamaha BB-1600 I bought my last year of college (1989): the bassist from my band had gotten himself a new Jazz Bass and sold me his old Yamaha. I used it for a year or so playing bass in my first post-collegiate band, then traded it in on a metal-neck Kramer 450B.

[firebird]

Although I've been a guitarist for many years now, I actually started out on bass. My first bass, in 1967, was a Univox copy of the Hofner Beatle ( McCartney ) Bass.

[The Golden Boy]

My first bass I actually "owned" is a 1971 Gibson EB-0. When I got it around 85 or so, the headstock had been broken off at least twice- and it's been broken off 3 times since then. When I was 16 or so, I routed out the body with a sharpened screwdriver and put a set of Seymour Duncan Hot P-Bass pickups in there. I didn't do any of that "measuring" crap. That's for pussies.

Over the years I've replaced the bridge, put bunches of different pickups in it (including moving the big mudbucker) and worn out a few Dremel bits... (much easier than hacking away with a sharpened screwdriver). Eventually I measured where the pickup should properly go- expanded the rout- again, installed a SD SCPB pickup and it seems to sound "OK."

After comparing this bass to other short scale and mahogany basses, I realize why there aren't a lot of successful short scale, mahogany constructed basses. All issues with the breaks and the pickup and pickup placement and the two point nylon saddled bridge and all... the bass really sounds like itself- but it doesn't do a "modern" bass sound very well.

It's really comfortable to play, and it's so effortless- but it doesn't do a big, bright, full... "Fender-y" sound.


Spring 1986:

http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10038/normal_davey86-1.jpg

As it is now:

http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10038/normal_EB-0body.jpg

http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10038/EB-0HeadFront.jpg

[Bryan T]

Carvin LB-75 (I think that was the model number). After the steady deluge of Carvin catalogs as a teenager, I finally ordered a koa/maple five string when I was 18. The koa wasn't particulary nice (knots in the wood), the low B was pretty weak sounding, the hardware wasn't very good (the bridge metal was very soft), and the tone was thin. I wasn't sorry to see it go after getting Stingray 5 several years later.

Bryan

[klaetos]

I was sixteen (1986) and walked into a music store to look at the peavey basses. I asked the guy upfront if I could finance a bass. He said do you have a job I said yeah, he looked at my car and saw that it was in good shape and let me sign my own note. It was kind of weird, my parents were kind of mad at me and the guitar shop but I got to keep it and I paid off every cent. It was a Black Peavey Patriot with the Peavey Minx Bass amp. I was in heaven.

Chad

[musicofanatic5]

Upright, later added a '61 precision.

[Flyin' Brian]

1964 Precision...oh to have THAT today!

[mcknigs]

Japanese "Alex" brand EB copy circa 1972. Traded away a couple years later. Went bass-less until about 1982 when I bought a '78 P-bass that I still own and gigged with last night. It needs work but functions and sounds pretty good.

I've never heard from anyone who owned and Alex:

http://www.scottmcknight.com/SMcK73.jpg

[Alvis]

My 1st was one of them Japan plywood Kay SG body basses in 78.Still run across parts of it now & then .My next was an EB-OL ,next an SB 450
Kinda fond of that SG shape

[The Golden Boy]

back in 1985

about the same year for me.. 1985 ish,

in '87

When I got it around 85 or so

I was sixteen (1986)


That's a whole bunch in the mid-80s... :)

[Chris Rice]

Univox "Naked" bass. My dad picked it up '69-70ish, I started playing it about '92.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wildricechris/photos/chris-univox.jpg

[mcknigs]

Univox "Naked" bass. My dad picked it up '69-70ish, I started playing it about '92.


I've got some Univox/Matumoku instruments. Not bad. Can you compare the Univox P-bass copy to the real (Fender) thing?

FWIW, in my earlier post, the bass amp in the background was a Univox.

-Scott

[tone4days]

end of summer ... right before i started 9th grade ... met her a few hours earlier as her family was rollin into the campground and my family was gettin ready to roll out ... it was dark ... we just kinda pulled close and started a soft sweet kiss ... then i felt her tongue, so i kinda figured out what to do ...

oh wait .. i thought this was about my very first 'first base' ...

sorry

i got a red peavey dyna bass with active electronics in fall of 89

:D

[Chris Rice]

Sure. The second bass was a '78 Precision from a church rummage sale. The Univox has a slimmer neck than most Precisions, a little punchier tone. It isn't quite as solid of an instrument (sandwich body, nut, and neck joint are a little cheezy). But it plays great (better than most Fenders) and I love the tone. The weight is good, lighter than the Fenders I've owned. I've owned a few other Fender basses since ('84 USA Standard, '87 MIK Squire Bullet, '82 MIA Fender Bullet Deluxe, '92 J/, etc. etc.) which have all gone while the Univox hangs on. It is curently loaned out to forum member elguicho, he's very fond of it as well.

You can't see it in the picture, but my first amp to go with it was a '66 B-15N.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/wildricechris/photos/earlyWR1.jpg

[orangekick]

My first bass was a Cort P bass copy that had a double J pickup by the bridge. The whole bass was black. It was rather appropriate since I started out playing nothing but metal. :D

[PinoyBoy]

My first bass was a Hofner p-bass style. Loved that bass. Should have never left it in the backseat of the car in the peak of summer though... :jo

[A440]

JB Player P-Bass copy with soft case !

bought it for 100 bucks off a friend in college. white pearl with black guard. not a bad bass for the $

[billbern]

1964 Precision...oh to have THAT today!
I'm not sure exactly what year this one was, but I got this Fender Pbass well used in '66
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e254/billbern/KustomUniPrecision.jpg
Bill

[Greenbacker]

Some goofy black samick. I put cat stickers on it.

[Glenn D.]

I was 40, my first kid had just been born and I had just gotten laid off. I had been playing drums for a while and knew that it would be a while longer before I could again with a sleeping newborn. I did some research and some shopping and found a used Ibanez SR 400 on consignment in natural with a Drop-D tuner. Talked the owner down to $250 with a hardcase. Picked up a SWR Workingman 15 in great shape for $325 to go with it.

Glenn D

[billbass1]

A brand new Sekovia in the Winter of 1964.
Just weeks after seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan.

I would post a photo of myself and that bass from that time,
but I don't think I'am enabled yet, cause I am a new guy.
Do I have to wait 30 days or something like that ?..:confused:

[The Golden Boy]

I would post a photo of myself and that bass from that time,
but I don't think I'am enabled yet, cause I am a new guy.
Do I have to wait 30 days or something like that ?..:confused:

No time restriction...

Just copy the URL of the photo where it's hosted and paste it into the little "picture" icon above the text box in the reply window...

[billbass1]

No time restriction...

Just copy the URL of the photo where it's hosted and paste it into the little "picture" icon above the text box in the reply window...

Ahhh, for some reason I can't get the hang of that photobucket thing.
I tried that site and another one, which I can not recall, and , well I guess it is just me , but no luck..............

[hpsauce]

A Univox 'Lectra. Violin shaped.

[A-Bone]

A solid black Ovation Celebrity (kind of P-Bass-like silhouette without the pickguard) with EMG like pick-ups. I traded it in after a few months to get my first electric guitar (a Gibson Les Paul Studio).

[Great King Rat]

'79 Pbass, Red with white pickguard with maple neck.

[lowendgenerator]

Back in the early '90s I bought my first bass. A Gibson Explorer from around 81 or 82. It played like ass, but it sounded great with those humbuckers. I paid $100 for it, and I've still got it, sitting in its case.

[Ukko]

A Vox violin bass, bought new about 1968. I thought it sounded great at the time. Not so today, but I wish I still had it.

[TwoTubMan]

'68 Gibson EB-0.

It still goes "thud" no matter what note you fret.

:mad:

[Caddie]

'91 Hamer Cruise setneck . Very nice (maybe too nice) for a guitar player.

[straycat23]

Conrad. In 1974. Was a Gibson EB-O rip-off. Piece of crap, but was in hog heaven at the time.

[fyrwyr]

'91 Hamer Cruise setneck . Very nice (maybe too nice) for a guitar player.

Still one of my fav basses!!!

[Chris Rice]

'91 Hamer Cruise setneck . Very nice (maybe too nice) for a guitar player.

I almost bought one of those in the late 90's. It was hanging on the wall at my local Music-Go-Round for a few months. Really beat, felt and sounded good though. My dad has a fretless Cruise bolt-on with the 2-TEK bridge that is very nice. I occasionally borrow it. I grew up about 2 blocks from the old Hamer Arlington Heights shop. Found out right after they moved. :jo

[zombywoof]

Back in the 60s I played a bit of bass and picked up a used Hagstrom II,

[bass man]

Old Peavey T-20. Weighed a ton. My shoulder would have a dent in it at the end of the night. Wish I had it back though. Just to look at it every now and then.