Great Chitter Chatter - Stories from Loud Voices

Want to play the bass? This is a great idea on your part! While the bass guitar isn’t nearly as popular as the regular electric guitar, it can be just as rewarding to play, if not more. The bass player acts as the glue in a band, tieing the rhythm section to the melodic components of the music. Bands that don’t have bass players often sound thin and tinny, so your task is certainly important.

So, how do you get started playing the bass guitar? First, you’ll need a bass. The most popular style of bass are the Fender basses. Fender makes two main types of basses, the J-Bass and the P-Bass. These each sound quite different, but that is beyond the scope of this article. Give them a listen first. There are also fancier types of basses out there, such as fretless bass guitars, but let’s not worry about those right now.

You will also need a bass guitar amp. These amplifiers make it possible to hear what you are playing. To start, get a small practice amp, which is designed for bedroom use by beginners. They are, however, too quiet to be heard over a drum kit, so you’ll need a larger amp once you start performing.

So, you have the gear. Time to go learn how to play! By taking lessons as a beginner, you develop good habits right from the start. A good teacher will help you with all parts of your playing, from technique to tone. Lessons may seem pricy, but they are worth it.

So, I hope this gives you a quick idea about what it takes to learn to play the bass guitar.  Getting better takes time, but its all worth it in the end. It’s not an easy instrument, but once you become proficient, it is very rewarding to play.

As a guitar player, you crave the vintage tone you hear on old recordings. Of course, much of what you hear is due to the guitar player, but gear does play a part. The tone you hear is produced by high quality, vintage guitars and tube amps. Though there isn’t anything magical about vintage gear, it often had a build quality and special character that gear today often lacks.

To get good vintage tone, you’ll need a good vintage guitar. While a brand new Gibson guitar might still sound great, a vintage one will be even better. Of course, you pay for this tone. Vintage guitars are not cheap! However, with their high quality, aged wood, hand wound pickups, and high quallity construction, vintage guitars are worth it for many.

Merely having a vintage guitar is no enough, though. To get the full sound, you’ll want to get a vintage tube amp. Tube amps, vintage or otherwise, have always had a warmer, smoother, more natural sounding tone than solid state amps. Coupled with a nice vintage guitar, a tube amp will really sing.

Of course, if you’re buying vintage gear, you’re not going to be able head over to your local music store and start picking up amps and guitars. Rather, you’ll have to shop online or at specialty stores. If you’re looking to buy vintage Fender guitars online (or any other brand), there are many places to go that offer a wide selection. Again, you’ll pay for this, but for many it’s worth it.

So, I hope this help you see how you can get amazing tone with vintage gear. While nothing replaces skill when it comes to making great music, having the right vintage gear can help take your sound to the next level. Start looking around today for the vintage guitar of your dreams! The amazing tone will be worth the cost.