Do you Play a musical instrument ?

[mik]

As the title says do you play a musical instrument ? how long did it take you to learn ?
if you play more than one what is your favourite ?

[b2tf]

Yes - I play bass. Self taught, picked one up when I was about 12 with inspiration from my older brother who also plays.

I play 4,5 and 6 string bass.

[mik]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Yes - I play bass. Self taught, picked one up when I was about 12 with inspiration from my older brother who also plays.

I play 4,5 and 6 string bass.

Awesome, i would love to have some musical skill like that , do you ever jam together ?

[superyob]

Electric and acoustic guitar. I have been trying to master these instruments since 1979. Is it possible to insert sound into these posts as a sample of each person's instrument?

[mik]

Originally Posted by superyob

Electric and acoustic guitar. I have been trying to master these instruments since 1979. Is it possible to insert sound into these posts as a sample of each person's instrument?

Good stuff , i probably always thought i might like out of all the musical instruments to have a go at electric guitar, mostly because i like some of the sounds possible, but i dont think my fat fingers could do the job, sorry mate , no idea about the sounds question .

[Beastie]

I played the piano as a kid and then moved to the Alto Sax in high school.

Haven't played either in 20 years :-(

[sbutler]

Bass 4 & 5 string over 30 years, drums over 35 years, Sax since I was a little tacker, but never really masted it.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by sbutler

Bass 4 & 5 string over 30 years.

What's your choice of bass? I have 2x Ibanez BTB's, a Musicman Stingray and an Ibanez SR. I'd like to have an American Jazz Bass soon too.

[sbutler]

Originally Posted by b2tf

What's your choice of bass? I have 2x Ibanez BTB's, a Musicman Stingray and an Ibanez SR. I'd like to have an American Jazz Bass soon too.

My bass's are fender jazz 4 & 5 deluxe. All sold
One of the nicest was Mexican Fender standard Jazz. Bloody lovely bass.Sold

Now I have a Jap Fender precision & a
custom shop Ibanez 885 active 5 string.

I did have a Hofner Beatles bass, for a while. But what a bugger to play. Sold it.
I also had a Fender 6 string 3/4 scale.. Sold it too.

The USA Jazz bass's are very nice, but like them all, there's good & bad.
Try a Mexican Jazz first. You'll be very surprised..

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by sbutler

Try a Mexican Jazz first. You'll be very surprised..

I have, several times. Id be happy with one of those too but probably upgrade the pickups in it. I just like the Americans as they have a lot more options - the Mexi ones are only in Black or Sunburst now and I really want a blue one.

If money was no object a Sadowsky 24 fret 5 string Vintage NYC would be the weapon of choice. I have played several and been tempted to do a runner with them.

[brismike]

Originally Posted by b2tf

What's your choice of bass? I have 2x Ibanez BTB's, a Musicman Stingray and an Ibanez SR. I'd like to have an American Jazz Bass soon too.

I've got a Rickenbacker fretless bass and a Yamaha 5 string fretted bass. Used to play in a band in my younger days. Haven't got them out for a while. Must do it this weekend 😊.

Cheers Mike

[DBourne]

I'm that musically retarded, I had to cheat at year 3 recorder..

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by DBourne

I'm that musically retarded, I had to cheat at year 3 recorder..

They should've given you a Nikon instead, then you could have shown them what talent is.

[hawkgirl]

i can play basic keyboard, now attempting to play rhythm guitar, and also ukelele. Hoping to learn lap steel guitar next year.

uke is my fave though.

[CJR09]

Originally Posted by hawkgirl

i can play basic keyboard, now attempting to play rhythm guitar, and also ukelele. Hoping to learn lap steel guitar next year.

uke is my fave though.

Hey good luck with the steel lap gat Hawkgirl - tried it a couple of times but just couldnt get used to it, I have played guitar for 25yrs - 10 of those - late teens to late 20's were semi pro in a couple of successful covers/orig bands, hazy memories but great times!

[hawkgirl]

Originally Posted by CJR09

Hey good luck with the steel lap gat Hawkgirl - tried it a couple of times but just couldnt get used to it, I have played guitar for 25yrs - 10 of those - late teens to late 20's were semi pro in a couple of successful covers/orig bands, hazy memories but great times!

thanks, it was my dads maton (& he really could play). A muso friend wants to try & teach me. I'm not expecting miracles though.

[Sabantien]

Guitar, uke, and now mandolin.

I'm self taught, and not brilliant, but it's fun. Guitar probably has the nicer sound, uke and mando are so much easier just to pick up and play though, and far easier to take with you places.

[CoupeKing]

Played piano years ago. Travelled oversees, and when I got back I never took it back up. Still punch myself in the face daily.

If anyone is considering taking up an instrument just buy an el cheapo and get free lessons on YouTube- this way if it's a phase, mid-life, or you just suck, it won't cost you 3k.

[mik]

You just dont realize people in your circles may have hidden skills, bloody marvellous ! (wish i had some),
a few years ago i went to see my younger cousin up north who i hadnt seen for about 20 years, i stayed there a couple of nights and the next day noticed he had a guitar leaning up against the wall, to which i asked him if he could play it,
he grabbed it and did a bit of a smoke on the water rendition, he sang and everthing , blew me away, he was pretty good.

[superyob]

Originally Posted by mik

You just dont realize people in your circles may have hidden skills, bloody marvellous ! (wish i had some),
a few years ago i went to see my younger cousin up north who i hadnt seen for about 20 years, i stayed there a couple of nights and the next day noticed he had a guitar leaning up against the wall, to which i asked him if he could play it,
he grabbed it and did a bit of a smoke on the water rendition, he sang and everthing , blew me away, he was pretty good.

My skills are so cleverly hidden that I am still looking for them...

[ashfast1]

I play Drums all my life I an 52 and in a Rockabilly Rock n Roll Band

Johnny and the Walkers

We on Facebook

[Captain Stubing]

I had guitar lessons when I was 10, for three years. Getting close to 40 years later, and I still pick and play, though I've forgotten a lot!

I've just finished regluing the braces on my Maton flat top that I bought 24 years ago. I'll restring it later today if I get a chance to see how it goes.

Then I've got to adjust the truss rod on my 335 copy to allow for lighter gauge strings.

There's always something to fiddle with!

I've still got my first guitar that I was given in 1976!

[ford71V8]

Guitar. I play nearly every day. Helps to keep an acoustic or two out of their case and on a stand in the lounge, garage, wherever. I've got a nylon acoustic at arms reach here right now and I'm at work in the office
Tried the mandolin and still have it but never went too far with it.
Have always enjoyed playing drums too, looking to get my kit back very soon so will be bashing them again before long.

[mik]

Great stuff ladys and gents, gonna keep my eye out for something to have a go at, im thinking an old guitar to have a pluck at, ............ just as an aside , i saw that you can actually get synthesizers and piano key boards either that play on your computer via keyboard or even sort of proper ones that plug into the pc and you can make a bit of electric guitar, piano and other stuff..... or it does it for you , but i think i would suck at it and the .........geetar is looking like something possibly i might be able to make a tune with good or bad ........... eventuallly , goin to try anyway.

[CoupeKing]

Guitar's are great. More versatile than most other instruments, and you can pretty much take and play them anywhere. Try playing a grand piano around a campfire.

[b0son]

I muck around on the guitar from time to time. I should be far better than I am considering the size of my collection (acoustic, 4x 6-string electric, 7-string, and 8-string)....

I guess I'm more of a gear-head than a musician. Love my rack effects and stereo speaker cab

[Ratmick]

Couldn't afford a little red sports car and an artificial hairpiece so started electric guitar at the beginning of 2013 at the relatively advanced age of 48 .

Just turned 51 in May, still going although the number of guitars and amps is slowly increasing. Started off three notes on each string, progressed to Book 3 the Rock School series, now looking at just playing stuff I want to play (rather than the Rock School tracks, some of which blow).

I've collected an Epiphone Les Paul 1960s Tribute Plus (Vintage Sunburst, Gibson pickups), a 2005 Korean Epiphone Vintage SG (solid mahogany body, one-piece neck, Seymour Duncan Phat Cat humbucker-sized P-90 pickups), a Mexican HSS Fender Strat (tobacco sunburst, all Seymour Duncan pickups) and a Mexican Fender Telecaster (cherry red, also Seymour Duncan pickups). All set up by Ian Noyce, but modified by myself. If I had to pick one and one only it'd be the Strat, as it's by far the most comfortable of the four of them for me to play.

Two amps now, an Egnater Tweaker 15w all-valve amp and 2 x 12 cabinet plus a little Yamaha THR10C practise amp...and a few pedals, shipload of cables and assorted stuff. I used to do electronics as a job when I was straight out of school and in the Army so I've kicked off making my own pedals. I have three out in the shed to finish, just need the damn time.

I had surgery on my left hand at the end of 2013, A1 trigger release on all four fingers. It's improved my left hand but I left up taking up guitar too late as I don't have a great of flexibility in either hand (and wide hands with short stumpy fingers). However it's a type of therapy where I don't think about work/kids/granddaughters or anything else, so I'll stick with it.

It's been hard the last few weeks. I've been not 100% with a bad cold and I have a project wrapping up at work that is draining my will to live. Haven't had much left in the tank at the end of the day to practise.

If I persevere and stick with it I'll get an American Strat one day...they're pretty

[CJR09]

Originally Posted by Ratmick

a 2005 Korean Epiphone Vintage SG (solid mahogany body, one-piece neck, Seymour Duncan Phat Cat humbucker-sized P-90 pickups), a Mexican HSS Fender Strat (tobacco sunburst, all Seymour Duncan pickups) and a Mexican Fender Telecaster (cherry red, also Seymour Duncan pickups). All set up by Ian Noyce, but modified by myself. If I had to pick one and one only it'd be the Strat, as it's by far the most comfortable of the four of them for me to play.

Two amps now, an Egnater Tweaker 15w all-valve amp and 2 x 12 cabinet plus a little Yamaha THR10C practise amp...and a few pedals, shipload of cables and assorted stuff. I used to do electronics as a job when I was straight out of school and in the Army so I've kicked off making my own pedals. I have three out in the shed to finish, just need the damn time.

If I persevere and stick with it I'll get an American Strat one day...they're pretty

Some nice gear there!

I love obscure Epi's - I managed to pick up a US Gibson Custom shop made Epi LP DC Special with neck through body and SD P90's - beautiful gat - your Epi SG sounds cool, I mostly run through a 100w Carvin MTS these days, sold my Trace Elliot Speed Twin which to this day rips me - also used to run a Mk1 5150 which was pretty cool - first of the big amps to run three channels, crazy to think that was like 20yrs ago now!!




Also interested to know what type of pedals you are creating?

[XC GXL]

I have been playing bass since I was 14.
I only have the two now a Yamaha RBX5 5 String and an Aria 4 string with a Kahler Tremolo and Seymor Duncan Pickups.
I have had the Aria for over 30 years and the sustain and depth is amazing.
The Yamaha is a very fast nech with it being one of the earlier 5 strings it uses a standard 4 string neck with 5 strings on a narrower spacing.
Pretty much self taught and don't use a plectrum.

The Guitar is an Ibanez RB Series.

Wayne

[Ratmick]

Originally Posted by CJR09

Some nice gear there!

I love obscure Epi's - I managed to pick up a US Gibson Custom shop made Epi LP DC Special with neck through body and SD P90's - beautiful gat - your Epi SG sounds cool, I mostly run through a 100w Carvin MTS these days, sold my Trace Elliot Speed Twin which to this day rips me - also used to run a Mk1 5150 which was pretty cool - first of the big amps to run three channels, crazy to think that was like 20yrs ago now!!

Also interested to know what type of pedals you are creating?

Yeah the Epiphone SG that I've got was only made for three years (2002-2005) and only in Korea. They still make them of course but not to the same level, and now only in China. I had a shipload of trouble finding one, this one came from a little shop in Japan ($400-odd imported, not too bad). I'd like a Gibson Standard SG one day, or a Epiphone Elitist (MIJ) but they don't come cheap and never (almost never) in Australia.

The one piece neck is a rarity for Epiphones, they normally have the scarf joint joining the headstock to the neck but this one is quarter-sawn. Epiphones, being made to a budget, are also (normally) nice veneer over something cheaper. The SG is solid all the way through. Noice.

Guitars:

Fenders


...the Tele is a lot redder than it appears in that pic .

Epi SG:


...still has the stock 'meh' Epiphone pickups (now gone to a good home in the US).

Epi Les Paul Tribute Plus:


As for pedals:

* Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face Replica (kit).
* BYOC Large Beaver (Big Muff Pi clone kit).
* Codtone Expandra, a clone of a Bixonic Expandora (building from scratch, I bought the PCB though).

I have a TC Electronic Hall Of Fame reverb and the Ditto Looper...

It's a sickness, sure of it