What do you call yourself?

[keefbaker]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1456133683' post='2985581']
Yes, why would anyone care?

If I said to someone in possession of, for example, a Fender Precision bass 'so, you're the bass guitarist' and they replied 'no, I am a bassist, it's not a guitar', I would think 'what a pompous twat!'
[/quote]

Well, I own an actual bass guitar, the Fender Bass VI. That is actually a bass guitar with it's etymology in the guitar. The traditional Bass Guitar is a cross between a traditional Contrabass and a guitar with it's etymology more in contrabass than guitar.

So if I get called Bass Guitarist the pedant in me silently winces and I don't show it. I say, "yes" because otherwise, you will indeed, look like a knob.

[lowdown]

Musician.
That's whats on my tax returns.

[RhysP]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1456133683' post='2985581']

Yes, why would anyone care?

If I said to someone in possession of, for example, a Fender Precision bass 'so, you're the bass guitarist' and they replied 'no, I am a bassist, it's not a guitar', I would think 'what a pompous twat!'
[/quote]

This.
Unfortunately playing an instrument of some sort & being a pompous twat all too often go hand in hand.

[paul h]

Bass player.

But I don't really care. I'm more worried that someone will find out I'm a fraud and that I really have no idea what I'm doing.

[Cameronj279]

I usually just say I play bass. Either of the above work though.

[bassace]

A double bass player. Sometimes a jazz double bass player, but that's a bit ponderous.

[EssentialTension]

I actually don't care what we call it or ourselves but here's the US Patent for a BASS GUITAR ...



... and another one doesn't even use the word BASS ...

[cheddatom]

Musician! I played guitar for years, then I started on bass. After a few years playing bass in bands I became a musician.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='keefbaker' timestamp='1456134253' post='2985589']
Well, I own an actual bass guitar, the Fender Bass VI ...
[/quote]

The Bass VI is unusual and does historically use the word 'guitar' [in fact 'Electric Bass Guitar'] on the headstock. The Squier version, which I have, does not say that.

Fender guitars, e.g. Stratocasters, Telecasters, Mustangs, Coronados, etc., do not use the word 'guitar' on the headstocks.

[Oopsdabassist]

I'm just happy if someone talks to me! Subsequently I'll answer to anything, even Oi...you!




edit just re-read the thread title...oops....I think of myself as 'damn lucky I'm getting away with this' mainly.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Oopsdabassist

[Earbrass]

Musician. One of the instruments I play is the bass guitar. I will often refer to it as a "bass", but that's just shorthand for bass guitar.

[Rich]

Another groundhog argument

My 2p is: Leo called it a bass 'guitar' on his patent application. I see no reason to argue with the man who developed our modern instrument.
Added to which, 'bass' is its voice. If you told an orchestral musician that you played 'bass', he'd say "Bass [i]what[/i]? Clarinet? Saxophone?"
The term 'electric bass' doesn't work because I also have an acoustic bass (a guitar as opposed to a bass viol)
So personally, I am a bass guitarist.

As stated, this is just my 2p and YMMV.

[paul h]

I've changed my mind.

I think I will go for "failed musician".

[fretmeister]

If I pitch up to the local orchestra and say "bassist" then I'd be handed a Double Bass, not a bass guitar.

If I just said "bass player" - I'd be asked what instrument? There's a good chance I'd be lumped with the bass clarinets.

So it depends on the situation and who I'm talking to.

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1456138348' post='2985678']
I've changed my mind.

I think I will go for "failed musician".
[/quote]

I'll go for "failed guitarist"...

[JTUK]

Yep, I'm bored too. But I think I'll go for a run.

[EmmettC]

I usually say bass player, but when speaking to other musicians I quite often say bass guitar player, I wouldn't want anyone offering me a gig under the assumption I can play double bass to a professional standard.

[MoonBassAlpha]

Clarence L. Fender! I learned something today

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1456146712' post='2985826']
Clarence L. Fender! I learned something today
[/quote]

That's why some G&L serial numbers start with CLF ....

Edited February 22, 2016 by EssentialTension

[rushbo]

I'm a "Bassist" who plays "Bass Guitar".

[EliasMooseblaster]

I've never let it bother me...so I was a bit surprised when I first saw a thread about this over at TB, and the strong opinions being hurled back and forth! Bassist, bass player, bass guitarist, "the weird one," I'm quite happy with all of them. Yes, the instrument's role is entirely different from that of a conventional guitar, but then you wouldn't ask a double bass player if he or she played the same thing as the violinist or the cellist.

(I have even been known to refer to "the guitars" when loading up the van, referring to our guitarist's and to my bass guitars...heresy, I know.)

[Chaos Daveo]

Depends if it's the weekend

[Twigman]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1456101555' post='2985478']
When asked what I do, I usually reply "I play bass",
[/quote]

This

although to be more accurate it ought to be " I try to play bass"

[MacDaddy]

[size=5][quote name='paul h' timestamp='1456138348' post='2985678'][/size]
[size=5]I've changed my mind.[/size]

[size=5]I think I will go for "failed musician".[/size]
[size=5][/quote][/size]

[size=5]Lol! Me too, I'll go for...[/size]

[size=5]Wannabe musician. [/size]

[Happy Jack]

Anyway, surely it's more interesting to hear what other people call you, than what you call yourself?

Well, in some cases anyway.