Beginnings

[ch willie]

At 14, I painted apartments and breezeways, mowed the grounds, and did any number of jobs at an apartment complex--for $1 an hour. 1976. I worked hard in 95 degree weather, oppressive humidity. All to buy my first bass--and an amp whose speaker blew within a couple of months. The Bass was a short scale Savoy like the one pictured below. I was so proud of it. A year and a half later, my dad saw how much I'd learned and got me a Fender Telecaster and a Bassman 50 stack. That Savoy, though, made my heart beat so fast. I sat down with the Revolver album and learned "Got to Get You into My Life." The second song I learned to play was "Country Roads"--that song taught me so much about music in general. I was walking with it to meet a friend to jam with, and the neighborhood bully, twice my size, grabbed it away from me and wouldn't give it back. My heart sank. I pleaded with him for twenty minutes, and once he'd shown me that he could keep it if he wanted, he handed it back to me. I felt such relief and went on to the jam session.

[Cogs]

That Sunburst looks vibrant!

[ch willie]

That Sunburst looks vibrant!

I can't remember how vibrant the one I had was. I know there's a picture of it somewhere. Wish I'd kept mine just for the nostalgia.

[Laker]

I purchased my first, a used Fender Jazz, in early 1963 when I traded my baritone sax for it. My father thought I was crazy but said it was my horn to do with as I wanted. I had learned the basics of playing guitar/bass in the rock band I was playing in with the first songs I played on stage being “Sentimental Me” and Paul Anka’s “Diana”. The first amp I purchased was a Fender Bassman that was soon traded for single Showman.

[ch willie]

I purchased my first, a used Fender Jazz, in early 1963 when I traded my baritone sax for it. My father thought I was crazy but said it was my horn to do with as I wanted. I had learned the basics of playing guitar/bass in the rock band I was playing in with the first songs I played on stage being “Sentimental Me” and Paul Anka’s “Diana”. The first amp I purchased was a Fender Bassman that was soon traded for single Showman.

A Fender Jazz was a nice start! WSM in Nashville had a midday talk show, and they had a band. I had just started playing and went to the show, met the bassist. I told him I wanted a better bass, and he offered me his Jazz for $350. I wanted that bass so much. I was most impressed with the band because they played Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely." The bass sounded so good. But a couple of months later, my parents surprised me with a Telecaster Bass and a Bassman 50 head and cab. If it had been a lefty, I'd have kept it, but I got my Ric 4001 and was happy enough.