It was 50 years ago today. . . . . .

[chris_b]

Chaps,

I never thought I'd ever see this day, so I think a little celebration is in order.

50 years ago today (just after lunch) I walked into Maurice Plaquet's music shop in Acton, West London, with £22 10/- in my pocket and bought my first bass, a Framus small body Star Bass. 6 weeks of hard graft on my Grandfather's nursery in Kent paid for it.

It was easy to play and I played it at home for a year before I could afford an amp. Everything I know today I started on that bass. Unfortunately it began falling apart almost from day one. With an ever increasing number of repairs and mods I played that bass for 2 years and only stopped using it when I joined a pro band.




[url="http://s293.photobucket.com/user/chris_b_photo/media/CopyofFSBme2.jpg.html"][/url]



I've been a pro bass player twice, made a few records, been to some interesting places, played some great gigs in great bands with some fantastic players. I've also played in places and in bands that weren't any of those things. Ho hum!

I have no idea where the time has gone. Anyway, my life started with that bass.

Here's to the next 50.

[kodiakblair]

Congratulations on the Golden Anniversary Chris.

[Silvia Bluejay]

Absolutely. Congrats!

[Grangur]

Congratulations!

What happened to the bass? And if you don't have it, do you wish you did?

[obbm]

Nice one Chris. I also started on one of those. Over the years the quality of my basses has progressed, it's a shame my playing hasn't.

[howdenspur]

Nice story - my first bass suffered from the same bits falling off affliction! Happy Anniversary!

[Slipperydick]

Well done, great idea to post that. How many of the people you played with when you started are still playing ? Not many, but I bet most of em wish they'd had your experiences.

I still got my first Bass. An Eros Jazz, bought in 73 still plays well, still love the feel of it, but not the weight.

[Low End Bee]

Happy Anniversary. I bet you can still remeber getting it home and realising you actually owned a bass.
I worked at Maurice Plaquet's in the late 70s. It was a very interesting experience.

[Happy Jack]

Excellent!

Shame you started with a Framus of course ... being of the discerning persuasion meself, I started with a Hofner.



So ... these "Beatles" guys ... any good were they?

[chris_b]

The bass fell apart and finally went to the dump when my parents moved house, about 15 years ago. It wasn't playable by the end.

The guitarist in my first school band is still rocking, in Ipswich and at least one of the guys from my second school band are still playing. I'm playing my first gig next week with a new project run by a singer and guitarist who I've known since I was 11. We were at the same secondary school. Might turn into a good little band.

[KiOgon]

Great memory!

Happy days, congrats

[BigRedX]

Fantastic story. Congratulations!

[gary mac]

A tale that has made me smile. well done Chris.

[Paultrader]

Thanks for a great memory.

My first bass was a Framus Star Bass as well. I bought it in 1970 for £10, so 45 years ago. I had to make a new control plate for it - out of wood! This was me in 1971 at Crawley Bandstand; loon pants, Russell and Bromley zip up boots, Impact 60W amp and home made speaker cab with an 18" Goodmans speaker. What wonderful days they were - we must have sounded awful.

I sold it in about 1972, for £10, and bought a Watkins Sapphire bass which had an extremely heavy headstock but looked great.

[attachment=198532:framus bass.jpg]

[essexbasscat]

Thanks for sharing that Chris, this thread's made me smile

[madshadows]

Congrats on 50 years of bass playing

John

[Annoying Twit]

Congratulations from me too.

[Hobbayne]

I think there was a Maurice Plaquets in Shepherds Bush too. Although I think it was mainly pianos.
I bought my first proper bass, (A Squier 57 P bass) from Dave Simms in Ealing in December 1984.

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1439562080' post='2843949'] Excellent! Shame you started with a Framus of course ... being of the discerning persuasion meself, I started with a Hofner. So ... these "Beatles" guys ... any good were they? [/quote]

Hofner? Wasn't that the cheaper version of the higher quality Gibson, that Macca couldn't afford?

[chris_b]

[quote name='Paultrader' timestamp='1439575368' post='2844149']
This was me in 1971 at Crawley Bandstand; loon pants, Russell and Bromley zip up boots, Impact 60W amp and home made speaker cab with an 18" Goodmans speaker.

What wonderful days they were
[/quote]

Love the double bass drum kit.

It was a great time. I wish I'd spent more of it on becoming a better player, but there were a lot of parties to get to, places to go to, people to see.

I was too easily distracted.

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1439588997' post='2844287']
Love the double bass drum kit.

It was a great time. I wish I'd spent more of it on becoming a better player, but there were a lot of parties to get to, places to go to, people to see.

I was too easily distracted.
[/quote]

You mean having a good time - post penicillin pre aids - lucky b*st*rd [size=4] [/size]

[ballantyne2209]

Hello Chris_B, I'm David, also B, from West London, now living in North Carolina, USA. I stumbled on your post while attempting to track down an old friend who used to work at Maurice Placquet's on the Uxbridge Road - Pete Cornish, who later became the king of pedalboards. I lived in Ealing Common for a long time so I used to frequent all the music shops in the area and Maurice Placqet's was the first port of call when I was playing (guitar) with Geno Washington in the mid-70s. My first guitar was a Framus archtop acoustic which was beautifully made and finished but hard work to play.

Anyway, feel free to drop me an email if you want to follow up on this conversation. Cheers!

David B

[police squad]

great thread, congrats on 50 years