Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Briefly played tenor horn at age 11 but lost interest. Have got back into brass by learning trombone, which I absolutely love.

Started off (band-wise)as a drummer 12 years ago and took up bass when I discovered funk. Keen to play drums in a band again. I agree about the ex drummer > rhythm thing - but get frustrated when the drummer doesn't play what I think fits!

Took up guitar about the same time as drums but took longer to get anywhere on it. Prefer it as a rhythm instrument.

I started on drums in the 5th grade and played in concert band through 9th grade, when I first got bit by the bass bug. Since that time I have been playing both bass and guitar, although I have not been playing my guitars nearly as often as I should. Mood For A Day and Horizons are a bit rusty.

Must practice!


Resistance is...

I played clarinet and saxaphone until age 12 when I got braces. The orthodontist recommended I stop. Being the tallest in my orchestra class that year, the teacher thought it would be good if I tried upright bass. The rest is history.

Ah yes....Got into the Beatles when I was a 4th grader military kid in Germany...then came to the states and saw A Hard Days Night...that was it...my older brother convinced me that we should pool our money and buy a guitar so for $18 we bought an acoustic guitar at Woolworths...what a piece of ****, an older friend showed me how to play the intro to Daytripper on it...but I didn't have the determination of Harrison and Mel Bay was useless... a few years later I worked de-tasseling corn all summer and was suppose to save every dime to go towards college because the old man couldn't swing both my older brother's and my own tuition...well, I had saved $300 and I bought a Kent Hofner copy bass and an old used Gibson rig (bass head and cab with 2 12" speakers) My dad was relieved because it meant no college tuition for me...played it for about 6 months and then switched/traded to guitar and really started to learn a little on an epiphone casino. Played for a couple of years and then a friend told me that if I switched to bass I'd always be in demand...switched to a brand new sb75 P bass with a maple neck and I've been playing bass ever since...I still prefer a pick but can play with my fingers or thumb and now I've got lots of basses... (to the tune of 12 days of xmas)--- 4 funky fenders, 3 shining ricks, 3 groovy gibsons, 1 Hofner Deluxe and a Reverend in a teardrop case. MERRY HOLIDAYS TO ALL AND TO ALL A BASS NIGHT!!! DM

I started out playing piano in a marching band. Then I bought a bass. Now, I just play with myself.

"But I have met bassists who were brass players first and never played guitar."

I was a pretty good trumpet player for 8 years.

Now if only RIC made trumpets...

One of my fave songs that me and my band have written came about from a break where I picked up a lads guitar - played around with some mad effects and delays - played a lead line - he then picked my bass up - the drummer joined in - and the singer picked up the lead players guitar when he was in the toilet - he came back in and started singing and playing harp over what we were doing... it sounded amazing - we can't nail it every time but when we do it's really good! Hopefully we'll start working it into the set soon!

I played saxophone starting in fourth grade. It was determined that I had plenty of wind for the baritone sax, I ended up with that on the low end playing DOc Kupka lines from Tower of Power. (Still can by the way)....I found an old Kay upright that my mother was storing and had apparently been used by my dad when the two of them played out. (My mother plays accordian, and played a ton of polkas in Cleveland, OH where I was born--sorry Jeff and Brian!!) Anyway, I found that I could not play Black Sabbath lines on an upright so I rented a Series 10 and ended up getting one for Christmas that year. When i was 16, my parents bought me a brand new 86 Jetglo and the rest is Rick history...

Jaymi,

So Frankie Yankovic was an early hero of yours, huh?

Al Yankovic!

Just Eat It...

I guess I started out on a Mickey Mouse guitar I got for Christmas one year. Took up the flute in 3rd grade, but had trouble playing it due to asthma. I started on piano shortly thereafter. Didn't take up the bass until I was 16. I've also been playing banjo for a few years and have tried the clarinet (but it's more of a clari-not when I try to squeak something out of it).

All Clevelanders remember Frankie Yankovic! (even his shoplifting bust when he was about 80)

Started in the brass section in 4th grade on the valve trombone and played that through to the end of High School. Along the way I started on the electric bass with a Decca bass guitar and a Supro amplifier. Picked up a '61 Fender Jazz and a Blonde piggy back Bassman amp in '64 and bought my first Rickenbacker in '68.

Hey Jack, exactly how does one play the piano in a marching band?

Perhaps the bells? That is as close as a marching band comes to the piano.