Some of the posts in this thread remind me of the Rifleman's Creed. I've adapted it for bass...
[indent=1][i]This is my bass. There are many like it, but this one is mine.[/i][/indent]
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[indent=1][i]My bass is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.[/i][/indent]
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[indent=1][i]My bass, without me, is useless. Without my bass, I am useless. I must play my bass true.[/i][/indent]
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[indent=1][i]My bass is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its fretboard and its sounds.[/i][/indent]
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[indent=1][i]I will keep my bass clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...[/i][/indent]