FIRST "AXE"

SoulfulDetroit.com FORUM: Archive - Beginning May 30, 2003: FIRST "AXE"
Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 01:49 am:

ALRIGHT ALREADY!!!...THIS THREAD IS PRIMARILY FOR MUSICIANS...EX-MUSICIANS...OR ANYBODY THAT EVER WANTED TO BE A MUSICIAN (I GUESS THAT MEANS EVERYBODY)!!!...WHAT WAS THE FIRST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE THAT YOU OWNED...THAT VALIDATED YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC???...WHILE STUDYING BASS...I ALWAYS HAD AN UPRIGHT BASS AT HOME...USUALLY PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT (WHEN MY BROTHER DIDN'T SCAM IT FOR ONE OF HIS BUDDIES TO USE FOR A GIG)...BUT MY FIRST ELECTRIC BASS WAS AN OFF-BRAND CALLED "KENT"...AND THAT...ACCOMPANIED BY A 13 OR 14 INCH "MAGNAVOX BASS (EXCUSE THE EXPRESSION) AMPLIFIER...WAS MY FIRST "KIT"!!!..THAT IS WHAT GAVE ME THE ABILITY TO EXPAND MY MUSICAL HORIZONS...AND EVENTUALLY...UPGRADE TO A "FENDER JAZZ BASS" AND AN AMPEG B-15 WHEN MY NEEDS AND SKILLS DICTATED THE NEED FOR THEM!!!...ANY OTHER "FIRST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT" STORIES OUT THERE???...I HAVE MORE...BUT LETS HEAR YOURS!!!...STU(PLAYED A "KENT")BASS

Top of pageBottom of page   By djdetroit (212.21.166.254) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:01 am:

My first electric guitar was a no-name korean Strat I got used from a fleamarket, with a bended neck and a wacky electronic, with sliding switches which always failed!
Horrible sound but still kinda cool!
Used an old 10Watt amp from Italy. To get
a overdrive sound, I plugged into the microphone jack to get it screaming.
Still own both...the axe is waiting for a new neck and wirering and the amp is sometimes used for jamming around with friends. Switched no to a Epiphone SG (love that little horns!!!!)

Darin "slinding-switcher" from Gemany

Top of pageBottom of page   By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 09:26 am:

I HAD A HARMONICA ONCE,NEVER DID LEARN TO PLAY IT THOUGH,MOM USED TO MAKE ME PRACTICE OUTSIDE BECAUSE I MADE TOO MUCH NOISE IN THE HOUSE.

Top of pageBottom of page   By Horse (159.53.238.241) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 09:33 am:

Finger cymbals, wood spoons, vegetable boxs and Maxwell House coffee cans. I would fill up the coffee cans with different levels of water to change the pitch. Mounting them on a 2x4 piece of wood for tom toms. Now I know why I started drinking coffee at the age of six. Graduated to clarinet and then on to sax while continuing drums. Anytime you can beat on shit and get paid for it...Life ain't so bad..!

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 09:40 am:

Yeah Horse, just like Eddie Van Halen talking about his brother ( the drummer ) who was arrested for trying to set fire to a pile of old tires with a cigarette lighter...." What do you expect from someone who hits things for a living? "

Top of pageBottom of page   By Lynn Bruce (69.14.140.151) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 09:47 am:

In 1946 when I was five years old an American Indian on Mackinac Island in northen Michigan gave me a tom-tom to play with.He must have put strong medicine in that drum as I played that thing till I bought my first set.
I still have that drum and it has a place of honor in my house.
Lynn

Top of pageBottom of page   By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.26) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 09:49 am:

Hey Stu,
I had an axe once,
was made to chop some firewood with it.
Woodsman Mel(hee,hee)

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 09:56 am:

OK, I'm sure I'll draw some heat for this but my first was a Roma accordion.That's right....accordion...as in squeeze box etc etc. That instrument they make all those appropriate jokes about. I played that sucker for 6 or 7 years until that fateful day at Edgewater Amusement Park while cruising for chics with my boys I heard Ray Charles" What'd I Say over the loudspeakers and went...." WHAT WAS THAT??? "

Top of pageBottom of page   By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 09:56 am:

SO MEL I GUESS YOU HAD OUITE AN [AX]TO GRIND,HEHEHEHEHEHEHE!

Top of pageBottom of page   By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 10:03 am:

HEY RALPH,I HAD A COUSIN WHO PLAYED THE ACCORDION TOO,WE USED TO LAUGH UNTIL HE PLAYED IT ON THE TED MACK AMATURE HOUR,HE DID'NT WIN BUT DID WELL,WE DIDN'T LAUGH AFTER THAT!

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 10:07 am:

Actually the accordion was THE instrument for any s called keyboard player in those days. One could never depend on a reliable piano ( or any piano ) at gigs so the accordion made sense. It was portable and reliable. After the successful introduction of the Wurlitzer electric piano things changed for keyboard players.

Top of pageBottom of page   By Eli (141.151.95.43) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 10:46 am:

When I was four years old my dad gave me my musical indoctrination by showing me some nice little Italian songs on the mandolin which he was proficient at playing. It was a huge acclompishment being that we were Jews!!
When I was about eight I went into one of those penny arcade places and "cut an acetate" on the song "Come back to Sorrento". Rare as hell I must say!
When I was nine I took some rudimentary guitar lessons but I got bored and switched to rudimentary accordian lessons and I thought
"am I nuts, why am I playing this thing??"
Fast forward four years.
My Bar Mitzvah was drawing near and wanted a new electric guitar so my parents blessed me with a brand new Gibson Les Paul Gold Top!!

Top of pageBottom of page   By mc5rules (148.61.97.30) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 10:49 am:

I've got this cheap plywood knockoff of a Gibson ES-335 called a Sebring. I've had it for about 13 years now, and in that time I've bought dozens of other guitars (all over the map price-wise). But nothing plays like that guitar, and nothing sounds as good. It remains my main axe.

I think they screwed up at the factory and made a good one on accident.

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 10:49 am:

Bobby, it's pretty hard to come up with any snide jokes regarding Les Paul Gold Tops. Do you still have it or is this a stupid question?

Top of pageBottom of page   By Eli (141.151.95.43) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 10:52 am:

Ralph,
Unfortunately it was lost in a theft at a storage facility along with some other belongings.

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 10:55 am:

Sorry to hear that Bobby. Nice Ax. Les Pauls are my favorite guitars.

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:03 am:

OK RALPH!!!...CAN YOU GUESSTIMATE THE NUMBER OF TIMES YOUR FINGERS RAN OVER THAT "SQUEEZEBOX" TO THE TUNE OF "LADY OF SPAIN???...BRUCE MILLER...ALSO...GOT A LES PAUL JUNIOR FOR HIS BAR MITZVAH!!!...STUBASS

Top of pageBottom of page   By BassLand (64.169.106.81) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:07 am:

My first instument was an uprite piano my father bought when I was 8. After 2 years of piano lessons I got disinterested in piano and 3 years later I got my first bass...

BL

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:10 am:

LOL Stu. As an accordion player, you would be judged on how well you played that song. And also how well you did the obligitory " Bellow Shake ".

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:13 am:

STUBASS FIRST ACTUAL INSTRUMENT WAS A TENOR SAXOPHONE PURCHASED FROM A PAWN SHOP BY A FAMILY FRIEND WHEN I WAS 7 OR 8...SINCE I WAS SINGING WITH MY BROTHER AND COUSIN AND THEY THOUGHT I SHOULD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT TOO!!!...SIX LESSONS...TIME FOR SUMMER CAMP...BRUCE WAS ASSIGNED THE JOB OF TAKING MY LESSONS FOR ME AND THEN TEACHING ME WHAT I MISSED WHEN I GOT HOME!!!...RIGHT!!!...NEVER GOT THAT SAX BACK...OR THE LESSONS FROM BRUCE...ONTO THE BASS!!!...BRUCE PULLED A "LISA SIMPSON" ON US ALL...AND STARTED PLAYING ANY INSTRUMENT HE COULD GET HIS HANDS ON!!!...REMEMBER THE JOKE ABOUT THE GORILLA WHO COULD PLAY ANY INSTRUMENT PUT IN FRONT OF HIM???..."SOON AS HE FINDS OUT HE CAN'T F#%K IT...HE'LL PLAY IT"!!!...THATS BRUCE!!!...STU(COULDA BEEN LIKE COLTRANE)BASS

Top of pageBottom of page   By Eli (141.151.95.43) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:15 am:

Ralph,
I do still have my '71 Les Paul sunburst that can be seen on the Twenty Grand webisode which was the main session axe that I played.

Top of pageBottom of page   By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:16 am:

The first instrument I played and owned was the alto saxophone. Started at age ten. Switched to tenor sax at sixteen - continued playing until college.

Studied classical guitar for two years (post-college).

Kevin Goins - KevGo

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:18 am:

That's a righteous axe Bobby.

Top of pageBottom of page   By Steve Litos (209.100.86.4) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:23 am:

Bobby - You're parents have great taste in guitars!

My dad had a Suzuki acoustic guitar always laying around the house & my sister had a quite inexpensive Cort Les Paul Copy also. So I started to learn on one of those. The first instrument that was actually mine was a Harmony P-Bass copy that I bought myself at age 16 from a JC Penny outlet store. It was a whopping $99.00! My friend Kevin "loaned" me his Gorilla guitar amp w/10" speaker for the price of an extra large pizza with all the toppings!

The bass was heavy as hell, the pickups & electronics were terrible, but actually it didn't play that badly after it was set up correctly.

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:27 am:

HEY STEVE: WHAT WAS BIGGER...THE SPEAKER OR THE PIZZA???...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:30 am:

MEL: OK SMART***!!!...HERE GOES!!!...I SUPPOSE YOU PLAYED A MEAN VERSION OF "WOODCHOPPERS BALL"!!!...THERE...YOU HAVE IT...AND IT HURT ME MORE THAN IT HURT YOU!!!...HEE HEE!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By Larry (69.3.129.141) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:32 am:

Inspired by attending Stanley Clarke LIVE at The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in 1976 I decided Electric Bass is what I want to play.

I was 17 and didn't have the bread yet.
To build up callouses, I would pluck and do runs on Bricks. I did this for a few weeks.

My first bass was a Fender Precision Sunburst, '73. I paid $ 225.00 used w/OHSC.
I met the seller at Venice Beach in the summer of 1977. He opened his trunk, I checked it out and the deal was done.

1,bass

Top of pageBottom of page   By Eli (141.151.95.43) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:33 am:

Ralph...We are "righteous brothers" (no pun intended)

Top of pageBottom of page   By stephanie (64.63.221.99) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:35 am:

The first thing I had was a clarinet but I was never a Benny Goodman wannabee!!!! I then learned the piano on an elementary level and started writing songs but never hit it big so there you have it/ I used to be able to sing but my best thing right now is my voice..
Stephanie

Top of pageBottom of page   By 73 P (69.3.129.141) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:37 am:

bass

Top of pageBottom of page   By SeanS (67.83.160.82) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:39 am:

Speaking of Les Paul who will be 88 this Monday, here is an article on him that was in my local newspaper yesterday, I bet Bobby Eli would be interested in this:
Les Paul Article

Top of pageBottom of page   By Steve Litos (209.100.86.4) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:46 am:

Stubass - It's true! The pizza was larger than the speaker!

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 12:32 pm:

I'M ALWAYS JOKING WITH A FEMALE CO-WORKER WHO PLAYED CLARINET THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL!!!...REMEMBER THOSE HORN LESSONS...OR ANY INSTRUMENT FOR THAT MATTER...AND THOSE FAMOUS WORDS SAID IN FRUSTRATION BY EVERY ASPIRING MUSICIAN AFTER SCREWING UP THE FIRST FEW NOTES OF A COMPOSITION..."WAIT A MINUTE...WAIT A MINUTE"!!!...WHO AMONG US NEVER UTTERED *THOSE* WORDS TO OUR MUSIC TEACHERS???...STU(HITTIN THE RIGHT NOTES)BASS

Top of pageBottom of page   By Jay (167.167.44.218) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 01:25 pm:

Epiphone Casino electric guitar.
(I had mine before John Lennon had his ; - )
Ampeg Gemini II amp.... later with a JBL speaker.

And then, Jimi Hendrix changed it all!

But I never owned a Stratocaster.
And ther was that that 57 Les Paul Special I REALLy should have kept!

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 01:59 pm:

ONLY THE BEST FOR DON PALMERS KIDS!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.108) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 02:32 pm:

Stu,Ralph,
joking apart,
one of my scottish uncles had an accordian and would play it when we would visit,
I think there brilliant
and for a get together you couldnt beat it for getting into a lively atmosphere.
He also could play the mouth-organ
or the "moothie"as they say.
Great days.
mel(practicing on his paper&comb)

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 03:26 pm:

MEL: HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY PUT "ALL JOKING ASIDE" WHEN TELLING THAT STORY!!!...OK...LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY OLD "JEWISH" UNCLE WHO USED TO COME OVER AND PLAY HIS "BAGPIPES"...UNTIL HE SUCKED ALL THE AIR OUT OF THE LAST PIPE???...OK MEL...GOOD STORY...BUT COULD YOUR UNCLE PLAY "LADY OF SPAIN"???...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By MEL&THENSOME (217.14.178.5) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 03:57 pm:

Stu,
only on the plain
and in the rain
as a main.
mel.

Top of pageBottom of page   By drums (155.91.6.72) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:00 pm:

Hello all,

first "axe", consisted of a raggedy blue Kent drum kit that I played (made a bunch of noise really!)constantly!!

I didnt read at the time so the training consisted of playing along to My moms Motown, Stax, Chess, and King 45's!!!


Good days those were...


Daren Metz

Top of pageBottom of page   By douglasm (68.113.13.31) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:13 pm:

A clarinet....is there a pattern here? My uncle tried to teach me the sax, but that was a dismal failure.
Bought a classical guitar of a friend in college, got me a Mel Bay book, and a Learn To Play Like Eric Clapton In Three Easy Lessons guide, and made it through lesson 2. That old guitar made it through a couple of riots, only to be dropped moving from a first to second floor apartment. Miss that old guitar. Still play, though.....E,D,A.

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (64.12.97.7) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:17 pm:

HEY DAREN: DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR "KENT" DRUMS AND MY "KENT" BASS CAME FROM THE SAME FACTORY???...I THINK THEY MADE CIGARETTES THERE TOO!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:20 pm:

Ahh...good old Kent cigarettes with the infamous Micronite filter. I smoked those things for years. I wonder how much Micronite I have in my lungs and at what time it will kill me off?

Top of pageBottom of page   By drums (155.91.6.72) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:24 pm:

Hey Stu!!

I think they did come from the same factory!! The Kent empire needed a new angle on the torment of parents across the US!! So they put out crappy instruments and fooled the kids into thinking that they were playing music , much to the chagrin of the parents :)!!

Daren Metz

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:43 pm:

SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT DAREN...JUST ABOUT RIGHT!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:47 pm:

RALPH: IF ALL THAT MICRONITE HASN'T GOTTEN YOU YET...I THINK YOUR SAFE!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:58 pm:

But what if it's the special " timed release Micronite " Stu? 2017..RIP Terrana. And just what the hell IS Micronite?? Probably something made out of asbestos.

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:01 pm:

HEY RALPH: I THINK THAT "MICRONITE" IS A CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE THAT SOMEHOW MAKES THE NIGHTS SHORTER (MICRO-NITE)???...STU(KNOWS HIS CHEMICALS)BASS

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:03 pm:

PS TO RALPH: GOT THE SAMPLER!!!...TEDDIE SOUNDS GREAT...LINDA TOO!!!...WHATS NEXT???...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:09 pm:

Oh Great Stu. But her name is Nancy. How the hell do I know what's next. I'm just trying to stay even.

Top of pageBottom of page   By the count (65.60.201.174) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:19 pm:

Hey Ralph,when I was 9ine I was smoking Kents,I started taring off the tampax(filter)then went to lucky strikes(lsmft)Today I smoke CAMEL sometimes non filters but mostly filters.Ling Ting Tong smoked BOO-DI-A(i'am ah smoke um boo-di a)
Like the STU said,if it hasent got you yet,it never will.The strange thing is,when I got non hodgkins lymphoma,I went through chemo and bone marror treatments and 2wo years of of other shit,
but my lungs are klean as a whistle,do lead work on kars,still paint without a dumm looking mask and been doing that for over 40 years,and my lungs are klean,still paint lacquers and nitro celleous lacquers.So like they say,SMOKE UM IF YOU'VE GOT UM.
"COUNT"

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:22 pm:

SORRY RALPH: SHE SOUNDED LIKE A LINDA TO ME...BUT THATS GOOD!!!...HEY COUNT!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:32 pm:

Count,
I hear a report the other day that lung cancer occurs more often in former smokers. So why the hell did I quit?? Outta my way!!! I'm off to buy a carton of Camels.

Top of pageBottom of page   By the count (65.60.201.174) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:34 pm:

KOOL RALPH(not kools)Save the coupons and trade them in on an iron lung.
"COUNT"

Top of pageBottom of page   By Vonnie (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:50 pm:

My first "axe" is the harp and cymbals. What else would an Angel play? Ralph don't you dare mention any type of flute!

Archangel Vonnie

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 07:49 pm:

Vonnie! you have me all wrong baby. You've got me mixed up with that Eli guy.

Top of pageBottom of page   By C. Bell/Eric (67.25.212.156) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 10:51 pm:

Unfortunately I got a late start in learning how to play a musical instrument. When I was young the cheap citizens in the community I live in did not pass the millage, so we had no art, gym, or music. I always vowed that I would try to learn an instrument. My "First Axe" was a Yamaha Strat knockoff that I bought at a yard sale. My girlfriend at the time bought me a small practice amp from a pawnshop.

The Yamaha did not inspire me to want to play so I started searching for a cool "surf" guitar. I ended up buying a 1963 Fender Jazzmaster with some loot that I pooled together. The guy that I bought the guitar from ended up being from the band The Romantics ("What I Like About You"/"Talking In Your Sleep"). There must be a little mojo (or micronite) in that old guitar because I have been learning and playing ever since.

It's whats in the fingers that counts because I have heard people make a Kay, Harmony, Airline, and other low budget guitars sound great!

Top of pageBottom of page   By Sue (205.188.209.109) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:33 pm:

An upright piano, painted green, that my parents let me have in my room ...then we moved to Michigan and my parents upgraded to a used baby grand.

In the '70s had a white Fender jazz bass -- but could only play "Inna Gadda Da Vida" convincingly.

Top of pageBottom of page   By Jay (167.167.44.218) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 06:45 pm:

Hey Stu

What about that instrument you always wanted??

There was this suburban Detroit band in the mid/late 60s.
I cannot remember their names.
The guitar player always used an Epiphone Riveria and a Fender Super Reverb (with 4 JBL 10s of course)
I thought that was the killer setup.
And then the whole Marshall thing took over.
I never really got into that.

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 07:11 pm:

OK JAY...YOU "MASTER OF INANIMATE OBJECTS"!!!...ACTUALLY...SINCE I STARTED PLAYING BASS IN GRADE SCHOOL...AND THEN FOCUSED ON JAZZ TO A GREAT EXTENT...I DID WANT ONE OF THOSE AMPEG "BABY" BASS'S!!!...WE'VE DISCUSSED IT HERE BEFORE...BUT IT WAS ABOUT A 3/4 SIZE MODEL OF AN UPRIGHT BASS...ELECTRIC...AND AMPLIFIED THROUGH AN AMPEG BASS AMP!!!...I THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD BE REALLY COOL TO HAVE...BUT AS I GOT MORE INTO ROCK...POP...AND SOUL MUSIC...I REALIZED THAT A STANDARD "FENDER" TYPE OF ELECTRIC BASS WOULD BE MORE SUITABLE AND VERSITLE...SO THATS WHAT I GOT...BUT I SURE DID LIKE THAT AMPEG CONTRAPTION!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By Sue (152.163.252.68) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 07:38 pm:

Jay,
Check out myfirstband.com -- lots of early Detroit area rock bands on there, mostly high school bands who played around town. It's fascinating reading, the more people post details on their bands.

I had no idea Steve Gaines from Lynyrd Skynyrd was once in a Detroit area band til I read that website ...

Top of pageBottom of page   By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 07:53 pm:

Sue;
Wasn't that band signed to Westbound Records ? I wonder if tapes exist...

My first axe was a two-pickup solid body Conrad guitar. It was pretty lame, but I actually played gigs on it for a couple years until I got a decent guitar ( a ' 71 Tele that stays home now).
My first amp was a Lafayette my dad picked up for five bucks at a yard sale. It had one 12" speaker, but that mug was LOUD. Great tremelo, too.

SteveK

Top of pageBottom of page   By SteveS (68.41.246.202) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 09:48 pm:

Although I'm sorry to say it was not my first axe, the Silvertone guitar-amp combo in which the guitar case also served as the amp, and the guitar was actually a Danelectro lipstick pickup gizmo was definitely the apple of my eye, and the choice of many. You could buy it out of the Sears catalog, although the piggyback amp was also pretty awesome.

Top of pageBottom of page   By Eli (141.151.79.28) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 09:51 pm:

I once had a grey piggyback Danelectro/Silvertone back in the early sixties.
Not much brightness though.

Top of pageBottom of page   By Kim (68.47.158.113) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 10:12 pm:

If I remember correctly, my first guitar was rented; however, my parents bought me a guitar from my then guitar teacher. It was a sunburst Gibson J 45. My teacher was Ray Monette! I still have the guitar!!
Kim

Top of pageBottom of page   By Bassn for God (24.158.71.34) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 10:32 pm:

STU,
I too started on a 3/4 upright provided by the school district. Later my parents bought me my very own 3/4 bass, but I no longer have it due to some affliction I had with a '69 Ford Mustang SportRoof, 428SCJ. Later I realized my error and went after a department store bass, a Strad O Lin. She is like no other bass I have ever seen, even smaller than a Bronco style bass. I still have her, Ruby. My 11 year old daughter is trying to learn the craft. This bass is so small, it will fit in a guiter gig bag, no problem. The electric thump coming from Ruby through the Peavey amp can still be heard after homework is finished in our home. Thanks for the memory STU.
Robert

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 10:52 pm:

ROBERT: THE DAY THE SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHER RECRUTED RAYMON ROBINSON AND MYSELF TO LEARN AN INSTRUMENT...WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY NEEDED ONE OF US TO LEARN CELLO AND THE OTHER TO LEARN BASS...SINCE THEY HAD ONE OF EACH!!!...NO DISRESPECT TO CELLIST'S...BUT YOU CAN IMAGINE MY RELIEF WHEN RAYMON JUMPED UP AND CHOOSE THE CELLO!!!...HAD IT GONE THE OTHER WAY...YOU MAY ALL KNOW ME TODAY AS "STU-YO YO MA"!!!...STU*BASS*

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 10:54 pm:

BY THE WAY!!!...THAT FIRST UPRIGHT THAT THE SCHOOL GAVE ME WAS MADE OF *METAL*...AND PAINTED BROWN!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 10:55 pm:

Or Stu ( Ma I'm a Yo Yo ) Bass.

Top of pageBottom of page   By Sue (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 02:29 pm:

Yeah that band Gaines was in was signed to Westbound ...looked like an homage to the Allman Bros., I don't remember them ...

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 02:37 pm:

*OR*...YO YO MAMA RALPH!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By Bassn for God (24.158.71.34) on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 06:29 pm:

STU, My school district supplied instrument was not very good shape. It has handles mounted to the actual body of the bass. Also on the first day in class I will always remember looking down on the area right beside the neck and body joint and seeing several bugs stuck to it. I guess the bass took a ride on top of someone's car. I would not trade my experiences in school with that old dawg house for anything. I wish I could find it, but I would bet it has been used for fire wood a long time ago.
Robert

Top of pageBottom of page   By Raheem (151.197.61.149) on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 09:24 pm:

Watchu mean yo' mama??
Y'all cant talk about my mama like dat!!
I'll kick yo a**!!

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 09:26 pm:

You tell 'em Raheem.

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 12:12 am:

DAMN RAHEEM!!!...CHILL DUDE!!!...JUST TALKIN SOME "SMACK"!!!...IF YOU WERE PLAYIN "THE DOZENS"...I'LL BET YOU COULDN'T COME UP WITH MORE THAN ELEVEN!!!...GOOD THING I DIDN'T PLAY THE PIANO TOO WELL!!!...I COULD HAVE BEEN STU (HOR-O-WITZ)BASS...AND I DIDN'T CALL NOBODYS MAMA A "HOR" EITHER!!!...AS FAR AS MY A**...DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!...NOT SERIOUSLY YOURS...STUBASS

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 12:15 am:

HEY RAHEEM: DON'T FORGET!!!...I'VE GOT "ANGELS" LOOKING AFTER ME!!!...STU("ANGEL DADDY")BASS

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 12:21 am:

HEY ROBERT!!!...AFTER THAT FIRST BROWN METAL BASS...I ALWAYS HAD NICE WOOD BASES AT HOME WITH CANVAS COVERS AND EVERYTHING!!!...WHILE IT MAY SEEM PALTRY NOW...I WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED TO GIVE BACK WHATEVER MONEY I MADE PLAYING THAT THING IN PUBLIC!!!...WONDER IF THERE WAS A RULE ABOUT THAT???...NO ONE EVER TOLD ME THAT I COULDN'T PLAY IT OUTSIDE...AND LIKE I SAID...MY BROTHER NEVER HESITATED TO ASK ME TO USE IT FOR A GIG!!!...WAS THIS LIKE AN NCAA VIOLATION!!!...COULD I BE STRIPPED OF ALL DIPLOMAS AND CERTIFICATES AQUIRED BY MYSELF FROM THE DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM???...WILL I END UP A FAILURE...ON SKID ROW...WITH NO CREDIBLE EDUCATION???...WHAT WILL BECOME OF ME???...STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF..."AS THE BASS TURNS"!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By Raheem (151.197.61.149) on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 12:23 am:

Yeah Stu..You be da man!! You gots all dem babes.
I wanna be jus' like you playa!!!

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (64.12.97.7) on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 01:26 am:

GLAD WE GOT THAT WORKED OUT RAHEEM!!!...NOW RALPH...LET THAT BE A LESSON TO YOU...NO CHARGE!!!...STU(THE"A"MAN)BASS

Top of pageBottom of page   By Ralph Terrana (ralph) (209.240.198.62) on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 10:23 am:

Stu,
Like I always say..I'm just trying to stay even.

Top of pageBottom of page   By Allen (24.24.194.28) on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 06:55 pm:

My first axe was a Teisco guitar and amp my dad got at a pawn shop. When I told him that I wanted to play bass, he asked "What's the difference?". I explained that a bass only had 4 strings. He said "Well, you're two ahead of the game".

He eventually understood and took me to buy a Gibson Epiphone accoustic/electric bass. Which was cool because I couldn't afford a decent amp at the time. I eventually worked my way up to a Fender Jazz. Then a Music Man Stingray. I've recently retuned to Fender.

Allen

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 07:03 pm:

HOW DID THAT ACOUSTIC/ELECTRIC BASS WORK ALLEN???...WAS IT AN UPRIGHT OR GUITAR STYLE MODEL???...I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT PARTICULAR MODEL!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By brown8644 (166.107.76.18) on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 07:05 pm:

My first was a guitar when I was about Six, problem was it was a right hand guitar and I was
left handed. Never learned to play but now in
my 40's I have my eye on purchasing a bass guitar
and this time it's for a left hander. I've learned a few things since then. I need all your
prays this is going to be interesting and fun Thanks.

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 07:08 pm:

GOOD LUCK BROWN!!!...ANOTHER LEFTY HUH!!!...PAUL MCCARTNEY WOULD BE MOST PROUD I'M SURE!!!...STUBASS

Top of pageBottom of page   By Lizzie (151.197.34.9) on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 11:37 pm:

My first axe was used on my mother. I gave her 40 wacks.

Lizzie

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUABSS (152.163.252.68) on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 11:56 pm:

FUNNY LIZZIE!!!...HEY...DIDN;T THEY NAME THAT MILK COMPANY AFTER YOU...YOU KNOW...THE ONE WITH THE COW???...STU(PASTEURIZED)BASS

Top of pageBottom of page   By JoB (204.42.12.2) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 03:49 am:

...Fender Squire(bass) w/B-15 ampeg...first and only...so far...

Top of pageBottom of page   By Wonder B (80.14.145.162) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 04:55 am:

It seems like it was mostly a guitar affair...
I was in awe when I was watching my grand-pa play flute when I was a very young kid... I was fascinated by all those keys moving at the end of the flute... and here's an instrument you can't play a single note with until you master the art of blowing at the right angle on the mouthpiece...
It just fascinated me... but my parents first sent me to learn how to read music for three years before I even started to play...! Hopefully I had a wonderful teacher who made it fun, so I thought I was already 'playing' music before I had even picked up an instrument... Finally I sarted to play the flute on a cheap rented flute and the sound wasn't that good ... first because I wasn't good, but the flute sucked too...
Then my grandpa changed my life!!! He gave me that flute I had senn in his hands for all these years and it was a solid silver one too... I just slept with in my bed for four months... I still have it and love it to this day some 38 years later...

Wonder B

Top of pageBottom of page   By Allen (24.24.196.115) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 12:38 pm:

STU,

It was a guitar. It was red, had a hollow body with some very iffy electronics. It wound up beeing great for me. I could play it all day without getting on my families nerves. Unpluged, it was very quiet.

Allen

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 12:41 pm:

LOTS OF GUITARS OUT THERE!!!...ALLEN...DO YOU REMEMBER THE BRAND???...I HAD A RED "KENT" BASS...AND MY BROTHER HAD A GIBSON "LES PAUL JR" IN SUNBURST!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By Allen (24.24.196.115) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 01:03 pm:

STU,

Gibson Epiphone.

Allen

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 01:07 pm:

NICE ALLEN!!!...AS I RECALL...WHEN MY BROTHER WAS WITH PAUL ANKA...HE HAD SOME SORT OF ENDORSEMENT DEAL WITH GIBSON...WHICH PRETTY MUCH GAVE HIM THE RUN OF THE FACTORY!!!...SWITCHING FROM A SOLID BODY FENDER...HE WOULD JUST CALL GIBSON...TELL THEM WHAT COMPONANTS HE WANTED PUT TOGETHER AND HOW...AND THEY WOULD BUILD IT...AND SHIP IT RIGHT OUT!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By radiogoon (66.2.148.25) on Friday, June 27, 2003 - 10:02 am:

First bass was a no name from the Service Merchandise catalog, 3/4 scale looked like a Les Paul Jr. Then I got a full size Magnum P-Bass knock off. Today it's Fenders, 2 Jazz's and a Precision.

Dr.Z

Appearing July 4th at The Attic Bar, Hamtramck.

Top of pageBottom of page   By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Friday, June 27, 2003 - 11:48 am:

AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE...MY OLD FRIEND TONY NEWTON...FORMER MIRACLES BASSIST...HAD HIS OWN BASS ("NEWTON") THAT HE HAD MADE AND WAS SELLING THEM OUT OF A RECORD SHOP ON LIVERNOIS!!!...HE TRIED TO GET ME TO PLAY ONE...AND IT WASN'T BAD...BUT AFTER MY KENT...I WAS READY FOR A FENDER!!!...STU

Top of pageBottom of page   By BassLand (64.169.104.175) on Friday, June 27, 2003 - 12:04 pm:

My first bass was a Rhythmline (japanese) bass


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