Absolute beginner

Hello all,

I recently came across the Bass Buzz web site. I am a 70-year-old retired industrial electrician and my main hobby (up until now) has been ham radio, which I have been doing since 1981. I normally use Morse Code and usually have conversations with foreign stations.

Many years ago, I bought a cheap bass guitar from J.C. Penney - back when they sold a lot of stuff. I also bought a used Fender Bassman amp and signed on for lessons with a local instructor. I only took a couple of lessons and quit the lessons after only a couple sessions. I didn’t think that I was getting much out of the lessons and I will have to admit that I didn’t devote much time to practicing. So, I gave the guitar away and sold the amp.

I recently bought a used Squier Affinity Precision Bass and a very small used Fender amp. I have also begun taking lessons with a person at a local store of the major guitar chain.

I am really wondering if this “is for me” and if I can do this at my “late” age. I told myself that if I could learn Morse Code and be proficient at it, then I could learn to play bass guitar.

Any comments, suggestions and encouragement would be welcome. Thanks!

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Welcome, @Bradford. Have no fear, you can absolutely do this. You’re exactly in the right place. Josh is an excellent, talented teacher who imparts knowledge so smoothly and easily that it’s impossible NOT to learn how to play bass. Plus, our B2B group is the best anywhere. Our family is made up of folks of all ages, from many backgrounds and life experiences, each of us bound by the deep desire to learn to play better and to help each other along the way.

Neither age nor inexperience is a barrier here. All that’s required to succeed is to follow Josh’s lead, have the will to learn, and practice. Beyond that lies badassery.

Feel free to ask anything. The only dumb questions are those that are never asked.

One last thing: Pop over to Introduce Yourself and tell us more. Then get ready for a big group hug. That’s what you get here.

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Welcome @Bradford.

I also started at 70 in January of 2021 so it is doable.
You can do this but be aware you do need to practice and by that I mean practice a lot. :slightly_smiling_face:

You never said whether you were taking the Beginner To Badass (B2B) course on the site.
If not, I highly recommend you do so. There is no risk and a money back guarantee so there is nothing to lose. I believe you will never find better bang for your buck anywhere else and the course starts assuming you know absolutely nothing about the Bass or music.

As far as I am concerned ANYONE can learn to play the Bass with the B2B course if they really want to!!!
All it takes is time and practice.

Again, Welcome, Best of Luck and enjoy the journey :+1: :+1: :+1:

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Welcome @Bradford ! Good to have more electricians here with us. Yes, my man- you CAN DO THIS! It’s real, it works, and it’s amazingly fun.
I started at 50 with zero experience, hammered hands, arthritis, laziness, a bad attitude and numerous other reasons to self-sabotage-

And i have never picked something up that i loved so much and that means so much to me- i really hope your journey is as much fun as mine!

This forum is a great asset for all of us, please ask all the questions you can and keep us posted on your progress!

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Welcome @Bradford, it’s never to late to enjoy the instruments. Just as long as you are not a die hard fan or Rush or King crimson, lol.

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Come on, hearing working man once a year or so is cool.

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@Bradford , Yo Brother Bradford, You Got This!!

The bass is a creative expressional instrument. If you are personally looking to make a career out of it, maybe not for you. What I believe you are asking is if picking up the bass, noodling around, and seeking the best possible is what sounds attractive. So YES, you can.

This is a fabulous place for all of us and you will thank yourself this summer that you made the decision to hop aboard. Be well and have some fun.

Come In On The Boom,
Cheers

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You are capable of learning until you’re dead.
If you can learn morse, you can learn to play bass.

Just get the fundamentals of technique down so that you don’t unknowingly learn things that will trip you up later.

Nobody else here will likely understand that your new friends won’t learn your fist. :smiley:

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I picked up the bass in my sixties. Heck yeah you can do this.

#b2b4life

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Sign up to B2B. You won’t regret it. Better way to start than expensive once a week/month lessons

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Great instrument to learn. Does not take a fortune to start unlike some other instruments (i.e. double bass, saxophones, a lot of the wind instruments, drums) You can start on just a cheap used bass that holds it’s tuning well and maybe a very cheap amp to start. Some just use headphones and little plug in amps.

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Thanks to all for the kind words and encouragement. I just ordered the B2B course and I have a couple of weeks’ lessons, which are already paid for, which I will finish and then concentrate on the B2B course. Thanks again!

Brad

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That’s money well spent, sir. My guess is you’ll really enjoy the course. Please keep us posted on your progress. Now go make some noise!

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Hi @Bradford! I too am a beginner, at 64! so, no, you’re not too old! Glad to see you ordered the B2B course, you won’t be disappointed.

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Squier Bass is a really good pick, you will enjoy it, they are great and look hood.
If eventually you plan to change the pickups, i suggest a

Wilkinson M-series WOPB Variable Gauss Alnico 5 Precision Bass Humbucker Pickups Vintage Tone Set for 4-string PB Style Electric Bass, Black, not pricey at all and great result.

Mike

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Hi Bradford and welcome aboard! Thanks for reaching out to the group. you’ll find a lot encouragement and support from this group. Congrat’s on getting back in there, I started playing at 59 so don’t think you’re too old to start a new hobby. You’ve taken the main first step and that is order Josh’s Beginner to Badass course. He’s an awesome instructor and makes learning the bass fun and very easy. Second thing I did was play. Play every day…5 min or 2 hours it doesn’t matter. You’ll be amazed at your progress if you write down how you’re doing at the first of every month then look back at your log. Find songs that are easy to play for your skill level and play them. Classic country was one of the easiest for me to learn and you don’t have to get them right, just try and hit some of the main notes and keep time with the drummer. 3rd thing I did was buy a headphone amp that’ll connect to your phone via blue-tooth and a nice pair of headphones. Two things to be gained here. If you’re like me you’re a little self conscious of playing where someone else can hear you and second, because you can blue-tooth your headphone amp and phone, you have the world largest juke box to play along with via youtube. I’m at the 2 year mark and I’m giddy at how well I’ve progressed by playing an hour a night when everyone is in bed and I’m not disturbing them. Keep in touch with the group and let us know how you’re coming along!

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The best advice I have received so far was actually a quote from Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt “you’ll get better”.

I always remind myself of that when I am struggling and just keep at it. You can learn anything you want to, just keep at it and I promise you’ll get better! I can play stuff now which I thought impossible when I first started.

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