Merc50, how long you been working the 4 string ? I just hit a year and a half. I have had a dozen or so lessons in that time and can tell you this.

1) It is very hard to find a bassist who knows surf Bass real well that instructs. My instructor (who I had to quit due to unemployment) is a fantastic bass player and instructor but not a real surf fan, thus there are some short comings. He does have a Bass VI which influenced me to get the Hellcat VI, love playing it but it is a strange beast.

2) Good bass tabs are very rare

3) I love surf but have launched into learning the blues better, here you will find plenty of people that can help and sooooo many surf songs are blues based. Straitjackets are my favorite and you can't miss the blues influence there. Try working these tunes, "Caveman" (drop D if I'm not mistaken - at least it sounds right when I play it) "Straitjacket" is fairly easy, "Kaptain Krunch" is too though it is quick. Their version of "Outer limits" is quite easy as well, it was my first surf tune to learn. The point being blues will help you progress.

4) You are lucky to have a friend to play with. My wife plays guitar but doesn't work at it enough and when she does she tries to figure out really hard songs which end up getting nowhere for me....she has perfect pitch and can figure out most anything .....my one friend who likes surf is a true Gemini artist and his guitar fever only hits occasionally...though he is a fantastic guitarist when it does Thus I have no live humans to play with and learn from - right now.

I am by no means ready to gig and know that I have a long way to go, but I'll listen through your songs to see if I can help, maybe together we can get one.

Cheers - Mike

thanks tuck....gonna be some work !

What's an example you've noticed?

It's probably the bands and/or the mixes. Try the Lively Ones or later Original Surfaris. Or the Surfaris "proper." Some bands, of course, didn't have bass, especially earlier on. There's no bass in, say, O.S. Latin Soul, or, of course, in the Belairs' Mr. Moto.

Someone want to help out with suggestions of modern bands where the bass stands out nicely in the recordings. Sir Finks? Pollo del Mar? Slacktone?

Yeah....bass in surf can be muddy which is a shame because you know the he/she is really groovin....

I like the root-fifth along with the 12 bars to help figure things out. I've just started heading into doing my "own thing" and it works, most don't know the real line anyway.

But still, as a beginner it is nice to find good tabs and a good song so you can learn technique. Which of course allows you to build on those songs that you cannot get the bass line.

Amazing...and a life long challenge

I might also humbly suggest getting "Play Guitar with the Ventures" Bass Edition. I find those really helpful. Even the guitar editions run down the baselines.

If I'm mopping up what you're spilling correctly, the Straitjackets "University Blvd." follows these techniques - yes ?

dp
most vintage surf bass was LaBella or Fender flatwounds...and the RIAA am radio / 45rpm mixes didn't help with low frequency definition either...most of those early bass dudes were playing "high school jazz band / Chuck Berry / root 3rd 5th" sorts of lines...

one thing to remember is "leading tone"...the tone right before the root note...

for example D# is the leading tone for E...and E is the leading tone for F...etc.

adds a nice surf-drive to your bassline by starting your attack on the leading not and then hammer-on to your root note...nice pulse to the rhythm...

like this:
"..dow do do dow do do dow do dow do do do do..."

"...D# E E ...D# E E ...D# E ...D#E E E E ..."

polygong
The bass is indeed hard to hear on many classic recordings, fortunately the Ventures seem to be an exception to this rule. Bob Bogle was a fantastic surf bass player. I suggest you try picking out some of his lines to get a idea of how to approach surf bass, then for the tunes you're working on just learn the chords and build your own.

Roger that ! been working with the "play with the Ventures" a little, unfortunately, I fallen victim to some pain in my arm and hand. thus I have had to stop for healing. I'm not sure exactly what has hurt it, the action seems low enough on my bass' but I do find myself straining on new (and fast) material. Playing height feels right too, ordered "The Bassist's Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health" and may be seeking some accupuncture.....time will tell....really sucks

SpitfireMkI
Roger that ! been working with the "play with the Ventures" a little, unfortunately, I fallen victim to some pain in my arm and hand. thus I have had to stop for healing. I'm not sure exactly what has hurt it, the action seems low enough on my bass' but I do find myself straining on new (and fast) material. Playing height feels right too, ordered "The Bassist's Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health" and may be seeking some accupuncture.....time will tell....really sucks

Are you playing with a pick? When I first started with bass I played with a pick and it made my thumb extremely sore, so I moved to playing with my fingers.

I was reluctant about that at first, but I learned to really love it. I still play guitar with a pick though.