So, I’m a new Bass player, and I’ve been learning to play Bass with hopes of playing in my Son’s Country band.
However, his Grandfather currently holds that position, and while he has often spoke of hanging his Bass up, when I talked about taking up the Bass he got mad and accused me of trying to “put him out to pasture”. Even though I reassured him that wasn’t the case, that the chair was his as long as he wanted, he’s refused to talk about it since.
But my Son had an interesting suggestion: Why not two Bass players at the same time? He pointed out that some bands did indeed use more than one Bass player.
So how would that work? He’s a pretty die-hard Root/3rd/5th/Walkup kind of Bass player. No formal training, plays everything by ear. I’d be interested in suggestions on how we could mesh to create something cool if we played together.
My bass hero, Peter Hook, is getting older and his son is an accomplished pro bassist of his own right (and in fact is the bassist in a band more big-stadium filling than his father’s current band).
But he’s also in his dad’s band, where Hooky brought him in to hold down the fort playing his own basslines, while Hooky now plays the highlights, solos and fills. It’s adorable and charming.
Maybe something like that?
Heck yeah. Go for it. With 2 bassists, it would let your Dad play those root/3rd/5th parts and leave you free to get creative and play a more melodic part.
Which is where I got the idea… 
Let the old boy be king as long as possible and just work on your chops.
If you ever think of your numbered days on this planet and how many you have left he thinks about it 10 X at least…
Get better at bass and one day soon enough he will call you in… 
That’s definitely Plan A. I have a LONG way to go.
But the thought of playing a song or two with both my son and his Grandfather was just suddenly kind of cool sounding and maybe a way I could get him to loosen up and be able to talk Bass from time to time. He’s likely a font of great information and fun stories.
Definitely will be cool…
But let him call you in, and he will…
Practice your chops…
Someone needs a Bass VI (yes, this is my answer to every question)
Just turn grandpa’s amp off and play his parts. He won’t notice, bless his heart.
If the ol’boy doesn’t drop right there you’ll take years off of him.
Patience and practice…
This is the way.
This is the way.
Both bands I’m in has two bassists, I’m the other bassist in both bands, 
I cant imagine a scenario where having two bassists is not going to be an insult to the person that currently has the job. Cheer from the wings, tell them how awesome they were. Buy them a beer. Find your own band. Hope that your Dad has that gig forever.
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He already turns his Bass down so far we can barely hear him.
@jpwkeeper, just ask your old man to give you some pointers on how to play better.
You can also ask your son to jam with you as you progress.
If none of this works, just bide your time, practice, and learn tunes. All will serve you in the long run.
That’s a good way to do it…
This. I could see how it could offend the Bass player.
If not a BassVI or baritone, how about playing rythym on guitar?
I have an Alvarerz baritone acoustic. I kind of switch between playing bass and playing chords when using it.
This situation could be resolved with a bit of gentle humor, a little funny phrase to break any tension. Perhaps something along the lines of, “Oh come on now. If I really wanted to ‘put you out to pasture’ I wouldn’t use a bass to do it. I’d use the wood chipper.”
In the interests of full disclosure, I must state that this is very much a “know your audience” kind of thing, and like any such device it generally goes one of two ways:
1 — Everyone has a little chuckle, the tension is broken, there is some good-natured back-slapping, and life sails on as before. Or…
2 — There is much screaming and gnashing of teeth, restraining orders are filed, law enforcement eventually gets involved and, after everyone is released from jail, you will have one or more holiday dinners where everyone sits silently giving each other some serious side-eye while one poor soul affects a peppy manner of speech and strives vigorously to start a conversation that doesn’t eventually drift to that time uncle J.P.W. threatened to toss Pappy into a piece of heavy equipment.
Choose wisely.
maybe try (one of those sub-octave basses or octave pedals) to play below his bass parts…
I’d like to make a band of ONLY bassists.
Check out Freebass - it’s Hooky, Mani, and Andy Rourke. Manchester all-stars 