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BBC's Story Of The Guitar


Bass_In_Yer_Face
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I have been watching the BBC’s history of the guitar and wondered when the bass was going to get a mention.

Last time I looked, my bass still qualified as a guitar so I assume that at some stage the bass is going to get a mention in one of these programmes or am I going to have to keep watching hours of fretboard w@nkery?

Having watched the Jools Holland guitar heroes, I spent the entire time trying to catch a glimpse of the bass players!...not sure who it was but the guy playing with Page & Plant seem to have a see-through Perspex job which I’d never seen before.

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[quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' post='305316' date='Oct 13 2008, 11:19 AM']Having watched the Jools Holland guitar heroes, I spent the entire time trying to catch a glimpse of the bass players!...not sure who it was but the guy playing with Page & Plant seem to have a see-through Perspex job which I’d never seen before.[/quote]

Was it this guy?

[url="http://www.crimsonguitars.com/CharlieJonesBass.html"]http://www.crimsonguitars.com/CharlieJonesBass.html[/url]

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[quote name='beerdragon' post='305345' date='Oct 13 2008, 11:44 AM']Was it this guy?

[url="http://www.crimsonguitars.com/CharlieJonesBass.html"]http://www.crimsonguitars.com/CharlieJonesBass.html[/url][/quote]


Yes it was. If memory serves I think Charlie Jones was dating Robert Plant's daughter at the time of the Page/Plant thing. He also plays(ed) with Goldfrapp.

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[quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' post='305316' date='Oct 13 2008, 11:19 AM']I have been watching the BBC’s history of the guitar and wondered when the bass was going to get a mention.

Last time I looked, my bass still qualified as a guitar so I assume that at some stage the bass is going to get a mention in one of these programmes or am I going to have to keep watching hours of fretboard w@nkery?[/quote]

Ah I doubt the bass will get a mention. But just like when we play and have to take a back seat, we know full well that without us it sounds like cr@p. The guitar may have changed music, but the bass changed the world (apparently) [url="http://www.alibris.co.uk/booksearch.detail?S=R&bid=9473440904&cm_mmc=shopcompare%2d%5f%2dbase%2d%5f%2disbnUK%2d%5f%2dna"]http://www.alibris.co.uk/booksearch.detail...e-_-isbnUK-_-na[/url]

Edited by ezbass
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I think I've said this before, but the bass is not a guitar. It's closest relative is the double bass. Leo Fender designed the electric bass to be a more portable alternative for double bass players. The 'guitar' like shape is just there for convenience :)

Perhaps the bass should have it's own programme? But then again the numpties that know nothing would probably say, "It's another bloody guitar programme!" I give in!

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[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='305709' date='Oct 13 2008, 07:04 PM']I think I've said this before, but the bass is not a guitar. It's closest relative is the double bass. Leo Fender designed the electric bass to be a more portable alternative for double bass players. The 'guitar' like shape is just there for convenience :huh:

Perhaps the bass should have it's own programme? But then again the numpties that know nothing would probably say, "It's another bloody guitar programme!" I give in![/quote]
Portable; and precise :)

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[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='305709' date='Oct 13 2008, 07:04 PM']I think I've said this before, but the bass is not a guitar. It's closest relative is the double bass. Leo Fender designed the electric bass to be a more portable alternative for double bass players. The 'guitar' like shape is just there for convenience :)[/quote]

The instrument that most of us play around these parts is a bass guitar. You're correct about Leo considering the transportation problems of double bassists , he also designed the instrument so guitar players would be able to play it and get more work.

The guitar like shape is there so it can be played more or less horizontally on a sitting players lap , or in the same position hung on a strap if the player stands (like a guitar). Lest's be right about it - what we had here at the start was to all intents and purposes a bass version of a telecaster .

As I understand it most double bass players hated it and got really snobby about it , and the MU was forced to list both 'bass player' and 'fender bass player' , even when bass guitarists used non Fender bass guitars.

Obviously over time , and considering it's popularity , bass guitars became known as 'basses'. It's slang. If you say to me 'I play bass' I can reply 'Bass what? Bass trombone , bass clarinet? What?

I don't think we need to disassociate ourselves from guitar players out of pride in our own instruments in ways like this. You just have to get to know the average guitarists personality to appreciate the real difference!

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[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='305746' date='Oct 13 2008, 07:58 PM']I don't think we need to disassociate ourselves from guitar players out of pride in our own instruments in ways like this. You just have to get to know the average guitarists personality to appreciate the real difference![/quote]

The problem with that is...
The guitarist is also associated with the Banjo..... :)

Garry

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[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='305709' date='Oct 13 2008, 07:04 PM']I think I've said this before, but [b]the bass is not a guitar. It's closest relative is the double bass[/b]. Leo Fender designed the electric bass to be a more portable alternative for double bass players. The 'guitar' like shape is just there for convenience :)

Perhaps the bass should have it's own programme? But then again the numpties that know nothing would probably say, "It's another bloody guitar programme!" I give in![/quote]

But isn't a double bass really a bass viol (just as our basses are bass guitars)?

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Also...[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='305746' date='Oct 13 2008, 07:58 PM']Obviously over time , and considering it's popularity , bass guitars became known as 'basses'. It's slang. If you say to me 'I play bass' I can reply 'Bass what? Bass trombone , bass clarinet? What?[/quote]Absolutely +1. It's a [b]bass guitar[/b], folks. Hyphenate it if you want, do anything with it, but it's not just called a 'bass'. That's just our friendly colloquial name for it :)
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[quote name='Rich' post='305960' date='Oct 14 2008, 07:40 AM']

Also...Absolutely +1. It's a [b]bass guitar[/b], folks. Hyphenate it if you want, do anything with it, but it's not just called a 'bass'. That's just our friendly colloquial name for it :huh:[/quote]

You hyphenate your bass guitars if you want , mate . I've just polished mine but what you do in your own time's your business !!!

:)

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