Greetings from South Carolina, USA

[jefframm]

I got exposed to Basschat as I was researching Mark Jones basses - built in England. 

I starting playing in 1972 when I was just short of 13 years old - and mowed lawns all summer that year to buy a 1972 Fender Precision (Blonde with red tortoise pick guard) and a Bassman 50. I've been through lots of gear since - but still have the 72 P bass. It's an "A" neck (like a jazz bass) and just wonderful. Growing up I played a mix of jazz, rock, blues, pop, and CCM (Contemporary Christian). During high school I toured with a local church in the summers as a "hired gun" (great as a teenager) and met my lovely wife there (she was in the choir - lots of lovely girls). We had a jazz quintet that played about 5 weekend nights a month and it kept me out of the "fast food" jobs my buddies all had. 

 

Currently play weekly at our church, in a "Back In Time" band that does 60's rock / pop and a rock/blues/funk band that does a bit of everything. Also play "at" guitar, baritone guitar, and lap steel. Generally I love anything to do with music. 

 

My current gear includes my 98 US Lakland 55-94 classic (alder / rosewood), a NYC Sadowsky 5-21 (ash / maple), a German Sadowsky metro 4-string P/J, and both fretted and fretless Furch acoustic bass guitars. My newest love though is my LEH 4-string, built by Ellis Hahn, who ran the Sadowsky NYC shop for years for Roger and built close to 1000 Sadowsky's in their time there. My church gig is IEM's and I use an Eich BassBoard (fabulous if you use IEM's) for silent stage. For the other gigs I use Bergantino stuff - a BAmp + either a 210 or 1-12 or both depending on the gig. I also use a Novation Bass Station II for bass synth stuff when needed. 

 

Mark Jones is building me one of his MK2's - as I've never owned a neck-through bass and have been blown away with his artistry and ease of collaboration. I'll share pics in the Jones Bass thread as things progress. 

 

Thanks for having such a cool site as Basschat!

 

Jeff

[SpondonBassed]

Welcome Jeff.

[ezbass]

 

7 minutes ago, jefframm said:

I got exposed to Basschat as I was researching

We can only apologise for any trauma that may have occurred 

[Geek99]

Well, at least it isn’t as bad as talk bass. 
welcome Jeff, it’s not on the tourist trail but I have actually been to South Carolina. 
my colleague and I were working in Macon GA and we drove to SC on Labour Day. We sat on the beach drink cocktails 

 

we have lots of Americans here @dclaassen @jd56hawk @Bluewine are just a few

@Bluewine even gets our humour 👍

 

Edited Sunday at 23:39 by Geek99

[jefframm]

To your point Geek99, Talkbass can be pretty fascinating. I've been lucky to develop some great friendships with some guys my age (I'm 65) and have had some success there moving gear and buying the occasional thing. I've been going down a pedal rat hole of sorts - but happily think I've hit bottom. 🙂

 

South Carolina is a fascinating state. Way too conservative politically for my liking - but we live on a lake in the northwest corner of the state looking up at some of the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. It's so lovely here and our kids and 5 grandkids are all in Atlanta - which is 2 1/2 hours by car. It could be a lot worse! The coast is beautiful as well - glad you got to enjoy it!

[Geek99]

It can be amusing but it’s more the relentless abuse of alternative view points and naked politicism that turned me off. 
it has no place in a guitarist-free zone where 99% agree to differ 

I also went to fort Sumter? The place with the breached wall. It brought home to me the scale of your not so civil war 

Edited Monday at 00:09 by Geek99

[80Hz]

Welcome to the forum! I visited SC a few years ago, the opposite end from you, Hilton Head and also a quick jaunt to Savannah, GA.

 

I'm sure it's great to be in vicinity of the rich musical heritage of the Appalachia region. 

[Cat Burrito]

Welcome Jeff. My Dad's best friend lives in South Carolina (Columbia) as he married an American lady back in the early 70s. I had the fortune to stay there for a week in 2011 and loved it. I was able to borrow an old 1960s mandolin and sit in on a session at Bill's Music Shop & Pickin' Parlor. A great experience. I got down to the coast and saw quite a bit of the area. Following in my father's experiences, coincidentally my best friend from my schools days is also married to an American lady and lives in Georgia. I've yet to make the trip out to see him though. Enjoy Basschat. 

[jefframm]

1 minute ago, Cat Burrito said:

Welcome Jeff. My Dad's best friend lives in South Carolina (Columbia) as he married an American lady back in the early 70s. I had the fortune to stay there for a week in 2011 and loved it. I was able to borrow an old 1960s mandolin and sit in on a session at Bill's Music Shop & Pickin' Parlor. A great experience. I got down to the coast and saw quite a bit of the area. Following in my father's experiences, coincidentally my best friend from my schools days is also married to an American lady and lives in Georgia. I've yet to make the trip out to see him though. Enjoy Basschat. 

Thanks! We raised our kids in the Atlanta, GA area - and both of them & their spouses and kids live there still so we're down in GA a good bit. It's only a couple of hours away which makes it easy. Atlanta has a really great music scene as well and I did a lot of my playing there from 1993 to 2018 when we moved to SC permanently. I haven't spent much time in Columbia SC but it's a great college town from what I hear having the University of SC there. Have spent a lot of time at Hilton Head though - our kids loved to go to the beach there. 

 

I've actually spent a good bit of time in London - lots of business there from 2014 to 2020 when the pandemic hit - and also got to travel a bit around England. Loved it and the people. We've yet to get to Scotland and Ireland - but both are on our "trip list".  

 

Take care and thanks for the warm welcome!