Since my last band's demise I've made a few attempts to organize various players towards the goal of forming another Surf / Instro band, but the continual hang-up is always the BASS PLAYER! I have a couple of good interested drummers and several guitar players but hardly any hits for the bass position.
Good bass players have always been rather difficult to find in my neck of the woods for any genre.

So... I've been strongly considering transitioning from 6 string guitar to bass for live performance. Oh, I can play one okay in a pinch but have never filled this role in a band setting. I have a fairly good understanding of some of the typical Surf bass techniques and with some practice I think I could do a fair job, but it is kind of an unknown for me.

Has anybody here gone from guitar to bass?

Thanks

METEOR IV on reverbnation

I started playing guitar in 1964 ( ) but even before that I had a burning desire to play bass. I was finally inspired in 1973 to learn the bass part to the Doobie Brothers' "China Grove" and bought an inexpensive Japanese knockoff Precision Bass just for that purpose.

A few years later a job transfer took me to Atlanta. My new boss was a guitarist in a local Top 40 cover band whose bassist was an Eastern Air Lines pilot. One weekend he was unable to play due to having to fly a 747 and Russell, my boss, asked me if I could sub on bass, which I did - and loved it.

A couple months later, the drummer in that band decided to leave and form a new group and asked me if I would play bass - hell YES! This was in 1978. I bought a new Fender Jazz bass. That was the era when a lot of Fender guitars and (especially) basses could be used to anchor a medium size boat.

To make a very long story shorter, that band eventually morphed into a six piece corporate party band that I played in until 1991. Sadly, we were playing so often that it cost me my marriage which, in retrospect, was not a good thing. The money was great but family should have been the priority and I didn't really need the extra income because I still had my day job during this time.

• Apologies for the unrelated-to-your-question rambling *

So, to answer Las Barracudas question: As long as you have the "feel", can put down a nice groove "in the pocket" and have the ability to sync up with your drummer (VERY important), you may find that you might enjoy playing bass more than guitar . I still play both instruments but I really prefer playing bass. There is something really special about holding down that bottom end with a good Precision or Jazz Bass in your hands, through a high-powered bass amp with a pair of 15's fluttering your pant legs like a flag in a windstorm. Yes, you will need a good bass and especially, a really good bass amp to pull this off properly.

However, the downside is that the females in the audience STILL gravitate toward the dang drummer, no matter how good you are on bass.

Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990)

I started on guitar in '63, and have played bass off and on long enough to know not to approach bass like a guitar player. The bass is in the rhythm section so you need think more like a drummer IMHO. I love playing bass, but I've found it hurts my hands over time, Still have my '74 P-Bass strung with the biggest Roto Sounds I could find. Pretty much only play bass for recording demos these days. Try it , it's cool !!

I really enjoy playing bass as well. Over the years I've recorded a "bass part" on some of the demos that I made for the band to use while learning new originals. My bass for years has been a low price point Squire P Bass that I bought for about $100, It looks and sounds fine. Several years back I bought a low end Fender Jazz bass with active pickups just because I could get it cheap and it matched our olympic white guitars.

With guys like Mitch and Woody playing bass in the band over the years, I never got the opportunity to play it at a show. (that's probably a good thing)

ed

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

Good advice above. It does use different muscles and is more physical. It is mostly a mind set. Serve the song always. Think of yourself as the rudder for the band - especially live. You are the ambassador between drums and guitars. You control much of the dynamics and thrust. You can speak in terms the guitarist and the drummer can relate to both with your mouth and your fingers. Guitarists often in think in terms of watch or listen to THIS. Bassists tend to think in terms of LISTEN or FEEL "US". I am a bass player by DNA but also am an ok guitar player and have played both in band settings. Playing one helped me to also be better at playing or thinking about the other. Good luck!

mj
bent playing for benter results
Do not attempt to adjust your TV set.
https://www.facebook.com/Bass-VI-Explorers-Club-179437279151035/
https://www.facebook.com/Lost-Planet-Shamen-366987463657230/

I think some of the best bass players out there were guitar players from the beginning. That being said, a monkey can play root notes on the bass during tunes all day long, but can you make that bass move? Nothin' sweeter than nice bass runs and keeping a solid foundation with the drummer. Now your talkin'.

Be careful following the masses. Sometimes the "M" is silent...........................

Last edited: Mar 24, 2016 23:35:07