Default Bass Players

[guitarafondio]

When I was 9 (1969) my cousin started to teach me guitar. At 10 started to play sax in the school band. My first gig at 15 was playing Mexican "Ranchera's and Cumbia's" as a sax player (funny because I'm Filipino!). When they found out I played guitar too, it was a plus. Next band I switched around between sax and guitar, depending on what song. (This time it's an R and B and Funk band). About 3 years ago my son's friend gave up playing the bass so I bought it and "tinkered" with it. Closed to 2 years ago I got hired on as "Instrument Assembler/ Set-up" here at Ernie Ball/Music Man. You start out with basses. I decided that since I'm dealing with basses at work, I started to put more effort in my bass technique and playing. I've been obsessed ever since. I've worked hard on it these past 2 years that I consider myself a "Bass-Player". I rarely even take my guitar out of the gig bag. My bass is always plugged in next to my recliner. At work I'll choose to set up a bass over one of our beautiful guitars just so I can try a new technique on it, even if it's only for a few seconds.

[PocketGroove82]

wow guys, this has been a very rewarding thread.
I believe it has proved my point that most bassist happen to be defaulted into the role. For all the myriad reasons we started playing, we all found it to be our musical voice and stuck with it, persevered through the hard times and little recognition, and grew (and are still growing) into musicians.
I'm really happy to have read all these posts, and I'm loving the fact that we all are alive to see the evolution of the bass guitar happen in such a short time. We've transpired only a few short years, yet we've seen our instrument flourish into something important and necessary to a modern band, and even escalated to the position of solo instrument.
These are the best times for us, guys. We can hear everything that has come before and utilize it to our advantage. Regardless of how we came to our instrument, I believe we are riding the tip of the spear and lucky to be able to experience all that has come before, in the present.

Ok, I'll shut up and go play my new fretless.
Thanks to everyone who posted!

[shamus63]

Bass was a natural choice for me...I was always drawn to the low-end, especially since Ampeg was the bass rig of choice back when I saw local bands playing...that tone stood out for me!

I haven't regretted my decision once.

[tkarter]

I rarely even take my guitar out of the gig bag. My bass is always plugged in next to my recliner. At work I'll choose to set up a bass over one of our beautiful guitars just so I can try a new technique on it, even if it's only for a few seconds.

You probably go through a few Dura Cells.

tk

[angryclown5]

When I was in 6th grade I would listen to top 40 radio and try to pick out bass parts. Saved my $$ and got my first bass in 9th grade. It has always been about the sound for me, more than rock stardom, popularity, etc.
27 years and over 1k paid gigs later, it's still the sound and instrument I love the most.
Just a testimonial from someone who is definitely not a bassist by default.

[eddybomb]

Bass is the only instrument I ever wanted to play. In 1975 I got one from a cousin who thought he wanted to play, but he got bored with it. His mother asked me if I wanted it...I said "cool"...it was a P that was a couple years old. From the first note to the first song it fit and I have loved the bass from then till now. First amp was a Heathkit 200 watt with 2 15's that I built from a kit. Axes and amps have changed over the years, but my love for the bass has not.