Start em young I say!

[armybass]

This is my 17 year old son, he is a very good bass player in addition to upright, guitar and drums. I am afraid he is going to follow in his old man's foot steps and go for a music degree But alas, he has been playing bass since he was 11. His first bass was a Geddy Lee Jazz and he is a huge Rush fanatic. Well he has loved and dreamed of Rics since he started and he knew that I had a few in the past but has been dying for me to get another one. Lets just say he is a happy camper with his dad having two Rics in the house.... might let him borrow one for a gig some day.......MIGHT! LOL!

[ricmic]

Looks to me like you've got him headed in the right direction Dad. Mark

[jimk]

What a lucky man to have a son like that. And a lucky young man to have a dad like you. Rock on!
JimK

[armybass]

What a lucky man to have a son like that. And a lucky young man to have a dad like you. Rock on!
JimK

Thanks, you are so right James....not a day goes by that I do not count my blessings.

[s4001]

Kids love Rics

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[Kronborg]

It's nice for young people (like your son, or myself for all that matters) to have a healthy hobby doing music. I am only 20 years, and have been playing bass since I was about 10 or 11 years old, and I hope some day when I become a parent, that my children will be just as interested in music as I am. Maybe someday I can hand over my Rick (and perhaps Ricks in the future) to my own children. I hope so, since I think it would be cool to have children use and worship something their parents have owned for many years. Unfortunately my own parents never really played music (apart from my dad owning a guitar some 40 years ago, but never learning to play) though I share other interests with them, like my interest in vintage hifi equipment is clearly something I got from my old man, who over the years handed me several vintage hifi pieces.
Perhaps you could be so fortunate to play a gig with your son some day?

[coolingitdown]

I am afraid he is going to follow in his old man's foot steps and go for a music degree

That's nothing to fear! I wish I had been encouraged to pursue music (my passion) rather than to get a degree in a field I don't enjoy, not pursue that field, and then toil away at a job I don't enjoy for 5 years before figuring out that a working musician is what I'm supposed to be at 29 years old and with a kid on the way. I wish I had figured that out at 17 and pursued it starting then!

As I stands, I'm starting to give private lessons and have gotten into a band that has a history of getting well-paying gigs, so I'm on my way to achieving that. Encourage your son to chase the dream!

[ilan]

Very cool. It's great to share something like this with your son.

My eldest (14) started bass at 9 years old, and upright at 11... had classical lessons for 3 years and switched to jazz. We gave him his first Ric ('86 4003S MG/BT) for his Bar Mitzvah.