Hi, I'm new around here

[RobJF]

The name's Robin or Rob, not Robert. I'm one of these middle-aged men trying to recapture their youth by returning to some of their youthful interests, with more money but less time, stamina, etc, etc.

I played bass, mandolin and hand drums in my late teens and early twenties, but then hardly picked up any instrument for about 25 years.

A bit over four years ago I bought a cheap six string electric (what do we call standard guitars now that some basses have six strings?). At the time it was purely for my own enjoyment, with no ideas of playing with others or in public. I've gotten into it in a way I never did with any instrument previously, but not chords! Call me lazy or whatever, but I just couldn't be bothered with all that finger-mangling stuff, when playing melody and bass were so easy, relatively, and so much fun. (Never played chords on the mandolin either.)

Now I'm feeling more confident and looking to play with others, and I reckon bass is my best bet. Who wants a guitarist who can't play chords? But I do honestly like bass for its own sake too. I got one, a used Warwick Streamer LX, not long after the six string (or whatever it's called), and more recently, a new Fender American Standard Fretless Jazz Bass, though I've yet to get into playing either much.

I'm currently thinking very seriously about buying a six string bass, to get the best of both worlds, bass and lead, in one instrument.

At the moment, as well as the Warwick (which unfortunately has a badly bowed neck right now) and Fender basses, I have a Fret King Esprit 3 and a Line 6 Variax 600. The only amp I use regularly is a Warwick Blue Cab 15, which I like with the lead (?) guitars, being into clean, jazzy tones. My practice consists entirely of playing along with music I like, which at the moment works out at about 80% Steely Dan and 20% other. I love the playing of Jaco Pastorius (don't we all?), but I think maybe following him down the fretless route was a step too far for me, and the six string will be fretted.

I'm looking forward to learning a lot here, it seems like a super place for UK bass players.

[Blademan_98]

Welcome to the forum.

I too only picked up the Bass and Guitar after a long break.

This is a great forum!

Cheers
Brian

[RobJF]

[quote name='Blademan_98' post='1075101' date='Jan 2 2011, 11:02 AM']Welcome to the forum.

I too only picked up the Bass and Guitar after a long break.

This is a great forum!

Cheers
Brian[/quote]
Thanks Brian!

Your sig asks "who needs frets?" I think maybe I do. But here's a question: Jaco switched back and forth between fretted and fretless -- he said he only played fretless on stage because the strings tear up the fingerboard -- so is that just for geniuses like him, or could anybody regularly play both without much difficulty?

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='RobJF' post='1075113' date='Jan 2 2011, 11:11 AM']Thanks Brian!

Your sig asks "who needs frets?" I think maybe I do. But here's a question: Jaco switched back and forth between fretted and fretless -- he said he only played fretless on stage because the strings tear up the fingerboard -- so is that just for geniuses like him, or could anybody regularly play both without much difficulty?[/quote]

I don't know about "without much difficulty" but I play both.

I borrowed a fretted one to see if I got on with bass.

When I went to buy one, I tried a fretless and bought that instead!

Last week I did buy a fretted Epiphone Violo and love it to bits

It's just down to practice really. I'm not a brilliant bassist (or guitarist either!) but I do enjoy it and started to gig last year. I plan on doing a lot more gigs this year. I will use both if I can.
Brian

[RobJF]

Thanks again Brian, very encouraging!

Rob

[Cat Burrito]

Welcome Rob from another occasional mandolin playing bassist

[alanbass1]

Welcome aboard

[mep]

Good to hear your back with it after all those years. You'll also be glad that forums exist nowadays, welcome aboard.