The Guitar Thread

[stovebolts]

charlie_edwards ,
It’s just a Fender Jazz Bass. Nothing fancy, but I like it. I really like the neck and how smooth it is.
I’m still learning and having a great time with it. I’ve got the first five frets down cold, but I need to build my confidence beyond that. I’ll get there.
How long have you been playing?

 

[charlie_edwards]

charlie_edwards ,
It’s just a Fender Jazz Bass. Nothing fancy, but I like it. I really like the neck and how smooth it is.
I’m still learning and having a great time with it. I’ve got the first five frets down cold, but I need to build my confidence beyond that. I’ll get there.
How long have you been playing?

So I started playing guitar when I was 7 and played classical until I was about 11 when I realised I didn't enjoy classical guitar so my teacher just started showing me more interesting songs to me and we went from there up until I was 16 (lessons had to stop because of the pandemic)
But with bass, I thought it sounded like a cool instrument so I picked it up when I was 14 and I am self taught on that

 

[Corn Pop]

I been playing on and off for over 30 years. I can still only play about 5 chords. I keep quitting.

 

[stovebolts]

So I started playing guitar when I was 7 and played classical until I was about 11 when I realised I didn't enjoy classical guitar so my teacher just started showing me more interesting songs to me and we went from there up until I was 16 (lessons had to stop because of the pandemic)
But with bass, I thought it sounded like a cool instrument so I picked it up when I was 14 and I am self taught on that

That’s pretty awesome! You’ve been blessed!
My son started playing electric guitar after piano and clarinet. He could pick up a tune and figure out the right notes with ease. Last year we were listening to music and he said, Dad, play that. After fumbling I said, here, you try and play it. Mind you, he had never picked up a bass guitar in his life. In less than a minute he figured out the right notes and a few minutes later he had the entire structure of the song. I am not that gifted lol! I play a lot with tracks and in my head, I’m still counting lol!

 

[Corn Pop]

Does anyone record themself playing then play it back to themselves to see what it sounds like?.

 

[stovebolts]

Does anyone record themself playing then play it back to themselves to see what it sounds like?.

Not usually, although I have the equipment to do it.
We do stream our worship service on Facebook. I don’t play every Sunday, but my wife usually does.

 

[D-D-W]

charlie_edwards ,
It’s just a Fender Jazz Bass. Nothing fancy, but I like it. I really like the neck and how smooth it is.
I’m still learning and having a great time with it. I’ve got the first five frets down cold, but I need to build my confidence beyond that. I’ll get there.

Nice. When I first learned bass I was told by the minister of music I had 6 weeks to learn how to play it as he was debuting a song he wrote and both the regular bass players were out of town that weekend. He handed me sheet music and an old Harmony hollow body beater bass. On the given date, I got to use the congregation's instrument which was a white Fender Jazz bass, circa 1970 vintage. Liked it a lot. Later on I found I preferred a 30" short scale instead of the 34" long scale, but that is another issue altogether.

 

[hawkman]

Does anyone record themself playing then play it back to themselves to see what it sounds like?.

I do have an old yamaha digital recorder and I have recorded a few guitar instrumentals that I came up with . Phil Keaggy is my favorite so my tunes are in the vein . My closet studio needs sound treatment to kill the reflections of sound waves in it .

 

[hawkman]

That’s pretty awesome! You’ve been blessed!
My son started playing electric guitar after piano and clarinet. He could pick up a tune and figure out the right notes with ease. Last year we were listening to music and he said, Dad, play that. After fumbling I said, here, you try and play it. Mind you, he had never picked up a bass guitar in his life. In less than a minute he figured out the right notes and a few minutes later he had the entire structure of the song. I am not that gifted lol! I play a lot with tracks and in my head, I’m still counting lol!

Your son has a musical gift I would say . I do ok but nothing like your son !

It’s just a Fender Jazz Bass.

Always preferred a Jazz over a P-Bass , I like the neck profile better on the Jazz Bass , I would like to own a fretless bass . I do have an Epiphone EBO bass .

 

[hawkman]

Later on I found I preferred a 30" short scale instead of the 34" long scale, but that is another issue altogether.

That is what I have a Epiphone EBO it is 30" scale which I like to play .

 

[D-D-W]

Always preferred a Jazz over a P-Bass , I like the neck profile better on the Jazz Bass ,

The first REAL bass I played on regularly was a Hohner P bass knock off. I HATED it. The neck was fine. I had not played on that Jazz bass long enough to get a good feel for it. But what i disliked was the pickups. I think that Hohner actually had Fender pickups, but they sounded terrible. And since my style of play became rather percussive, I would have complete dropouts when the pickup got buried into the cavity. Ugh!

So I eventually designed and built my own short scale.


Kinda worn since I have been playing several times a week for the last 30 years.

I would like to own a fretless bass . I do have an Epiphone EBO bass .

I am totally lost without frets. Never would have made it on a violin or cello.

A student of mine a few years ago got a EB0. I played on it a bit and liked it. I just suggested that instrument to a potential student.

 

[Edward]

So I started playing guitar when I was 7 and played classical until I was about 11 when I realised I didn't enjoy classical guitar so my teacher just started showing me more interesting songs to me and we went from there up until I was 16 (lessons had to stop because of the pandemic)
But with bass, I thought it sounded like a cool instrument so I picked it up when I was 14 and I am self taught on that

You picked up a guitar when you were 7? 4 years later you digested classical, went exploring on the guitar for 5 years more when you got locked down in your bedroom with your guitar for two more years...

I think we found Eddie VanHalen's replacement!

 

[stovebolts]

Nice. When I first learned bass I was told by the minister of music I had 6 weeks to learn how to play it as he was debuting a song he wrote and both the regular bass players were out of town that weekend. He handed me sheet music and an old Harmony hollow body beater bass. On the given date, I got to use the congregation's instrument which was a white Fender Jazz bass, circa 1970 vintage. Liked it a lot. Later on I found I preferred a 30" short scale instead of the 34" long scale, but that is another issue altogether.

Ha! I was only playing about 4 months and my wife put me on stage to help her lead worship!
I didn’t like it lol!

 

[stovebolts]

Your son has a musical gift I would say . I do ok but nothing like your son !

Yes he does! I remember him playing Iron Man on his clarinet a week after watching Marvel lol! Sadly, he has little to no interest in it now but I’m sure he will pick it back up.

always preferred a Jazz over a P-Bass , I like the neck profile better on the Jazz Bass , I would like to own a fretless bass . I do have an Epiphone EBO bass .

I don’t have much to compare with. It was a Christmas gift from my wife because she needed a bass player lol! She picked it up used from Facebook swap for a few hundred bucks. I’ve only played other basses at Guitar Center which really made me appreciate what I have.

I had new pots put in and I forgot the name of the strings, but it sounds very, very good.

 

[stovebolts]

would have complete dropouts when the pickup got buried into the cavity. Ugh!

I don’t even know what that means…. Ha! Can you explain?

BTW, that’s a nice guitar you built! Do you have any recordings you can upload for us to hear?

 

[D-D-W]

Ha! I was only playing about 4 months and my wife put me on stage to help her lead worship!
I didn’t like it lol!

Ouch! I had been playing guitar about 10 years at that point, with sax and organ before that.

But a few weeks later I was scheduled for my 2nd time out and we had a evangelist who was also a jazz pianist, and he wanted me to back him up. Bad move for both of us.

 

[D-D-W]

I don’t even know what that means…. Ha! Can you explain?

Sure. I would thump the strings and the pickup would get stuck down inside the body, too far away to send any signal from the strings.

BTW, that’s a nice guitar you built! Do you have any recordings you can upload for us to hear?

You can listen in to me live on Saturday morning 10.30 eastern time on youtube Son of David Congregation live service.

 

[hawkman]

The first REAL bass I played on regularly was a Hohner P bass knock off. I HATED it. The neck was fine. I had not played on that Jazz bass long enough to get a good feel for it. But what i disliked was the pickups. I think that Hohner actually had Fender pickups, but they sounded terrible. And since my style of play became rather percussive, I would have complete dropouts when the pickup got buried into the cavity. Ugh!

So I eventually designed and built my own short scale.
View attachment 14076

Kinda worn since I have been playing several times a week for the last 30 years.

I am totally lost without frets. Never would have made it on a violin or cello.

A student of mine a few years ago got a EB0. I played on it a bit and liked it. I just suggested that instrument to a potential student.

Oh yeah I hate when you are fighting with your instrument just to get some music out of it . First bass I played on stage was an Aria hollow body bass , but it did work ok .

So I eventually designed and built my own short scale.

Wow ! I like your homemade bass , very nice .

I am totally lost without frets. Never would have made it on a violin or cello.

I am not sure how comfortable I would be playing a fretless bass , but I really like the way one sounds .

I saw Nathaniel Smith play cello at a Sarah Jarosz concert and it made me want to learn to play cello !

 

[hawkman]

I’ve only played other basses at Guitar Center which really made me appreciate what I have.

One thing about it the bass guitars at GC maybe not be set-up and adjusted to play like they should . Case in point , I went in GC looking at arch-top electric guitars and picked up one of the $400 Ibanez arch-tops on display to try out , but it was unplayable the strings were laying on the neck ! I sat down and adjusted the bridge up on the guitar till I could play it , come on GC worker a little effort would be nice .

 

[Corn Pop]

Because I just muck around with notes and chords and don't sing I just made a song, well not a song because I got no lyrics or sing but I just created something and it sounds good. I feel like a rockstar now.