bassbiscuits

In massively tenuous link, the Joe Loss Orchestra played at a posh wedding I went to about 10 years ago. So I can now say I once saw a band who once had a singer who was Elvis Costello’s dad.

01 Many times when I’ve gigged on cajon and / or acoustic guitar. 02 Yes - see 01 03 Not quite but I’ve depped on bass for some really good players who are way better than me! 04 Nah 05 Not in a dressing room, but after a gig I had to sign some tour posters and CDs for fans. Embarrassingly I was depping so I wasn’t even anyone notable. 06 Nope. 07 Worn many hats on many stages. 08 Once gigged with a band I only met in the car park at the gig and worked out a covers set list there and then. The result wasn’t that good it has to be said. 09 No. 10 Yes ive played with one band in the afternoon and another in the evening a few times. 11 Once had a chair thrown at us onstage by a slightly unhinged party guest. He was aiming for the banjo player. I can’t blame him. 12 No 13 Have certainly left bands cos of their choice of material. 14 Nope 15 Thankfully no. 16 Yes, with various stomach bugs and colds when it was too late to cancel. 17 Yes definitely been in bands where the guitarist was the best company. 18 Yes played in a few stately homes. 19 Been smacked in the mouth by my mic many times when drunken punters have fallen into my mic stand. Which they seem to think is hilarious. 20 I’m not known for being quiet.

Not to undermine the very good advice on here at all, but don't fall into the trap of overthinking these things too much. There isn't one true bass or amp that's right for everyone, but most beginner stuff nowadays is pretty good (certainly compared to the junk i learned on). Any of these bass and amp combinations would work fine, especially if you don't yet play. Just start at the beginning and see how you get on - what you like and don't like about how something plays. Research is good, but actually playing and getting to know yur instrument is where it's really at. That said, a CV P bass is a good, standard bass that will see you through a lot of different styles. Good luck tho - and well done for taking up bass!

Not forgetting this of course...This was on A LOT in our house as kids.

Apologies for the poor pic quality (the original isn’t very good) but this image from the inside sleeve of New Model Army’s Thunder and Consolation made me want to swap the pointy 80s Charvel I played at the time (around 1990) for a Precision.

That’s a fantastic pic

Exactly the same here! I was 12 in 1986 and had the video and double LP of Live After Death, as well as the Scorpions Worldwide Live video and Alive II vinyl. I had a morning paper round and used the money to pay back my dad who’d agreed to stump up for my first bass - a Satellite - and a five watt practice amp.

Ah you’ve gotta elaborate now....

Definitely. Alive II and Maiden’s Live After Death were what got me started. The gatefold sleeves on both those albums keep me entranced for years as a teenager.

Absolutely this! Live After Death was one of the main reasons I started playing. I was enthralled by Steve Harris. (I met him in 1997 but was too awestruck to say anything.)

I’ve got my lad something called a Tanglewood Elfin Bass which is about 25” all in. Like a tiny P bass.

I played a custom shop 55 P I think it was a while ago. I really really wanted to like it but it felt really like quite an antiquated design. I play a P and a Mustang so I’m into a fairly retro approach, but the old style P was just a bit too far into the past for my tastes. Which is a shame because I think they are among the coolest looking basses on the planet (alongside the late 50s maple/sunburst/gold pick guard Precisions and 1960s Thunderbird IV)

I could live with that inlay no problem, if it was a good bass. I think they look fantastic basses.

It looks like it has severe stretch marks.

Was a very bad hair day man...

I quite like the look of my own one.

I remember watching it with my brother and my dad from the early 80s onwards. My dad had been in the French alpine corps and loved all that sort of thing. It was people like Franz Klammer, Steve Podborski and Ingermar Stenmark racing in those days. But yeah I’ve never been skiing in my life either! Excellent bit of music.

The Communards “Don’t Leave Me This Way” The opening theme music from Ski Sunday Theme from Magnum PI The Rocky soundtrack album

Ha ha I know what you mean. I was handed a white/tort 1960s P to try reverentially a few years ago and it was pretty grim and manky really. I didn’t like to say anything as I was supposed to be dead impressed.

Sure thing. I think there’s just something about that rich old sunburst and knowing it’s a 60-odd year old bass that makes me swoon a bit!

I can happily look at that bass for a long time...

This one sadly isn’t mine - it’s from Andy Baxter’s website. But I think this late 1950s three tone sunburst, good scratchplate and maple next combination is just utterly gorgeous.

My 2013 MIJ Mustang is the one I pick up to noodle. It’s featherweight, sounds really loud unplugged and means I can wonder around the house without smacking into doorways. Its my only short scale bass but I find it very playable and comfortable. I never liked the dark tort guard so swapped it for a white one and I’m happy now (important consideration when playing at home as i constantly keep glimpsing myself in mirrors and windows!)

Whoa that’s cool! Why didn’t I think of doing that? Much appreciated