Bass discussion/help thread.

I've been noticing that there is a surprisingly large amount of bass players on this site. I myself have been playing Upright and Electric bass for some time now, and would be happy to help anyone with questions who is just starting out, and I'm sure there are many other bassists here that would be more than happy to help out as well.

If you have any questions or comments about the bass, here's the place to put them.

Just to prolong the discussion, this is my bass (the 4 string one)



I've never really liked the look of 5 and 6 string basses. I've been a bass player since 1978, I currently play this Warwick, I also have an Ibanez Musician and a Hohner headless. I also have a Trace Elliott combo. Haven't been in a band for a while, mainly due to kids!

Bassists rule!


Edited by chopper - September 05 2006 at 14:32

^ I once got a chance to try a very little bit of playing such instrument. 1st, the loss of frets is a big challenge, and those beauties cost a lot. But it's very interesting instrument, I'm just so fond of RALPH TOWNER's "Batik" album mainly cause of EDDIE GOMEZ's wonderful bass work. He uses bow there in few occasions, and the sound and feeling of it is truly celestial!

Hey there to the Prog bassists community!

"It would be interesting to hear about upright bass playing. Do you have an acoustic instrument, or a digital upright bass? I suppose it's fretless? Playing a fretless bass sounds like a real challenge!"

Actually, it's not too bad I have one at home - a Stagg Fretless bass. The trick is to trust yourself to judge the distance between frets without looking!

Some of the electric uprights aren't that bad either - I've played a Ned Steinberger Bass before. It's just a matter of getting used to the spacing. But mind you, I wasn't bothering with a bow (I was doing jazz and mood stuff) - the bow is a lot trickier.

I think the hardest member of the bass family I've tried is a 12-string bass called the Dean Rhapsody.  You need to develop some hefty fret hand strength (especially when playing chords on it) and if you go back to playing ordinary basses and guitars for a week or so, you start to lose the strength you gained. You have to be on the thing at least once a week to maintain. I played it for a few years then gave it to a new owner up North who is now treasuring it.

Zoso wrote: I've been noticing that there is a surprisingly large amount of bass players on this site. I myself have been playing Upright and Electric bass for some time now, and would be happy to help anyone with questions who is just starting out, and I'm sure there are many other bassists here that would be more than happy to help out as well. If you have any questions or comments about the bass, here's the place to put them.