Covering all the Basses

Advent Calendar Challenge Day Twenty-Two

[Image: Derek Mann]

For those of you who follow my blog for its music content, you’re in luck because today’s piece is all about gear! If you’re not interested in basses at all, keep reading because you might just be surprised at what you find.

I have been playing bass for only about three and a half years, but I have collected a few instruments in that time. Below is a short snippet about each piece of gear I currently own (yes, there have been more) in no particular order because I love my babies equally.

Psycho Pink Gamma J16 Bass

[Image credit unknown]

My Gamma is my primary instrument most of the time because it is the lightest and sounds the best. Not to mention, it’s eye-catching! I love the array of tones I can get with my Gamma, especially the slides and growls it can produce.

Fender Squier 5-String JBass

My five-string is great for heavier music, but it’s also heavy, so I don’t get to play it a lot for shows. It’s still a great basic 5-string bass and its reliability can’t be beat.

Mexican Fender Jazz Bass

[Image: Alexander Ratner]

My Fender is the other bass that I use the most. I love the feel of the fretboard and the look of the candy apple red finish. The tones is produces are also great for any type of music, making this bass one of my most versatile.

Dean Edge-4 Fretless Bass

[Image: Alexander Ratner]

Believe it or not, my fretless Dean was my first bass! I credit it for helping me learn so quickly on my other basses because starting out with a fretless can make things a bit more challenging. I don’t play my Dean as much as I’d like to, but it’s great for getting my hands back in shape after a long stretch of not playing.

Yamaha  RBX170Y 4-String Bass

[Image: Patrick O’Kane, First picture with new bass]

My Yamaha is so fun! I loved sticker-bombing the back of it and arranging the designs on the front to make it my own (I apologize that none of this is shown). While it’s no longer my primary instrument, it’s great for fooling around and trying out new things.

Yamaha APX500III Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Surprise! While I’m definitely a bassist, I did dabble in guitar for a bit before I discovered my love for bass. I wasn’t the stereotypical “failed guitarist,” but I felt more drawn to bass than guitar. That being said, my guitar is still loved and used on occasion to flesh out basslines and how they fit with the guitar parts when I’m composing. I love my guitar as much as my basses even if it’s the odd one out!

I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about the instruments I play. Let me know which is your favorite!