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OnlyMe

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 29, 2006
Messages
143
Location
Kontich - Belgium
First ever bass was Sunn Mustang. Was a real F*nder too!! Sunn was a low budget line that was even lower than their Squier-line. Even though it was made by them, F*nder didn't want to put their name on the headstock, only 'Made By FMC'. That sais enough about the quality :)
 

jlepre

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
3,020
Location
Parsippany, NJ, United States
My mom took me to the local music store when I was 13 circa 1975, and I really wanted drums for xmas. She basically said no way, pick something else. So I picked a no-name (really there was no name on the headstock) bass with an amp that pushed maybe 8 watts with an 8 inch speaker. :confused:

I do not still own this bass and I'm not sure where it is. I wanted a new Fender Precision (pre cbs) and my mom said I couldn't get one until this bass broke? So, I accidentally stepped on my cord and broke out the guitar jack and broke the pickguard. :D

So I did get my NEW Fender Precision, and no I don't have that bass either! :(
 

mynan

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
2,684
Location
Spring Lake, MI
I started out with a red Gibson Grabber G-3 that my dad bought for me didn't like the red...it was faded and almost looked pink.

G-3.jpg


The store that he got it from had a black Grabber and agreed to an even trade.

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After that, I saved up some money and bought a Yamaha Motion B MB-II.

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YMB3.jpg


Traded that for a MIJ P-Lite.

From then on, they just got more expensive...
 
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bassplayer22

Active member
Joined
Feb 21, 2008
Messages
33
I started out in 1996 with a Fender Standard Jazz that at the time, I hated. I had it for about 1 year and then sold it. Wish I could get it back now...

Tim
 

Soul Man

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 15, 2008
Messages
129
I had some el-cheapo no name that looked like a giant Gibson 335. Sunburst, F holes and one big 'bucker.

I bought it out of some guys trunk in my high school parking lot.
 

Smakbass

Well-known member
Joined
May 23, 2007
Messages
443
Location
Vancouver BC
I went from a Mann Pre copy ($80) to a MIJ Squre Pre bass (real nice one wish I had it still), to a Yamaha BX-1, to a Spector NS-4.

The Mann was pretty solid actually....The MIJ squire had been "breathed on" upgraded pups, upgraded bridge etc...
 

oli@bass

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2007
Messages
4,272
Location
Switzerland
1981 - a Cimar Precision Bass copy, black with maple neck, tort pickguard and chrome pickup and bridge covers which my mom bought me to start learning bass. It was almost as bad as it was cool... (or is that the other way 'round).

Just had it for about a year, then I was given an upgrade (to finally stop bugging my parents about it :D): Squire P-Bass, white, roswood fretboard. That was actually not such a bad bass, pretty solid., and very cool with the chrome pickguard I put on it. I still wish I hadn't sold it.
 

phatduckk

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
8,145
Location
San Mateo, California, United States
I started out in 1993 or 1994 with an Epiphone PJ. I was a big Cliff Burton fan and wanted a black bass. I had no idea that there were pickup differences etc... i just had to have a black bass. So, after a full year of straight A's my dad took me to GC and I got the Epiphone.

I still have it and still play it. The only thing stock on the bass is the body. Everything else has been modded a few times over; yup, even the neck. i still play it sometimes and will always have it due to sentimental reasons. due to all the mods it doesn't suck, its actually a good player, but I'm a Sterling guy and, well, its not a sterling :)

bastard.jpg


If you squint you can see a big black sticker of Butthead between the neck pup and the neck pocket.

After this bass I had a mid priced Ibanez that I never really liked but I still didn't know much about basses. Eventually I got involved on some forums etc and shortly after that I became an MM guy.
 

oddjob

Well-known member
Joined
May 12, 2004
Messages
2,839
Location
Monroe, Ohio
This is some great stuff here! Brings back lot-o-memories about basses in the day (I had totally forgotten about "the tank" aka T-40 that I used to have... the true reason why I laugh at people who complain when their bass weighs 10 whole pounds).

Arin, that is just a killer bass, are those Duncans???
 

phatduckk

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
8,145
Location
San Mateo, California, United States
This is some great stuff here! Brings back lot-o-memories about basses in the day (I had totally forgotten about "the tank" aka T-40 that I used to have... the true reason why I laugh at people who complain when their bass weighs 10 whole pounds).

Arin, that is just a killer bass, are those Duncans???

what pickups hasnt that bass had in it?

the pickups in that pick are a P pup from a USA F***der and a duncan stacked jazz. Its now got a U Retro pre with Lindy Fralin pups

further mods include a warmoth neck with tele headstock, schaller tuners & a badass 2.
 

PzoLover

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 16, 2006
Messages
650
Location
Vancouver
ruby baby

as per my earlier tale, my friends helped me get started by suggesting that I rent some gear. I found "Ruby" on the preowned rack at my local L&M after returning a real junker Hamer ... "Ruby" is a genuine 1981 BC Rich hand carved Eagle Supreme from the days of the genuine early days craft shop of Bernie Rico, and I wunder if everybody can guess how much more instrument she was than I was capable of playing properly, but she got me started and I evolved to SR5s via a pair of F****r J5s. "Ruby's still with me, lovely and heavy as ever in solid birdseye maple and along with the SR5s, she's waiting for me to get sum fingers wiggling
0Ruby1a.jpg

ATB,
/PL:)
 
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pepperman

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 28, 2006
Messages
186
Location
Huntsville, AL
This is late a 70's Royce... something. I got it for Christmas in 1979, I think.

PhilEntwistleThameswithRoyce1980.jpg



PhilatSeniorFollies.jpg



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I eventually stripped it in late 1980 or early 81. It was a decent instrument for a high school kid. I've moved up since then! ;)
 
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Kirby

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
1,156
Location
Indiana
This is some great stuff here! Brings back lot-o-memories about basses in the day (I had totally forgotten about "the tank" aka T-40 that I used to have... the true reason why I laugh at people who complain when their bass weighs 10 whole pounds).

Arin, that is just a killer bass, are those Duncans???

I wish I knew how much that T-40 bass weighed. All I can remember is my back hurting after jazz concerts with it!
 

the unrepentant

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
1,191
Location
Bangor, UK
Stagg BC300 about 3 years ago now, was a pile of crap but i got it for free from a friend and it was COVERED in really deep scratches. My friend asked for it back after 4 or 5 months, by which point i didn't want to quit so i bought a stagg musicman copy off another friend. My friend then sold me back the original bass for £10 dis-assembled and partially sanded, so i finished the job, varnished it, put it back together, put a £10 set of strings on it and sold it for £40 ;) i was such a shrewd businessman! Well that now resides with yet another friend so if i decide to get reminiscent i could probably still get it back. He doesn't really play it much. God half the gear in my town has been around at least 3 or four people. I can think of 9 pieces of equipment i've been through that at least 3 people i know have owned (bar one), 2 amps, 3 basses, 2 guitars and two effects pedals. haha

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cars0099

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
12
Location
Minneapolis, MN
About five years ago I decided to start playing, and really wanted a natural bass. The funny thing is that the only natural i could find in my price range was OLPs SR5 copy. Little did I know how great a path I was heading down.
 
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