Your first crappy bass

[ilan]

In 1975, my first bass was a Hofner 500/1. It was crappy (IMO they all are) and I hated it, but now I wish I'd never sold it.

[exiledarchangel]

My first bass was my Epi Tbird, so no crapiness here. My second bass is another story thru. Its one of the thomann's p-bass kits I bought. The main problem is its mandolin-like frets. I have strung it BEAD right now, upgraded its pup with a Tonerider and its wimpy piece of metal fender calls a bridge with a gotoh copy.

[cheyenne]

My first was a Hondo II P-bass copy, not really that bad.

 I've actually owned crappier basses since then.

[leftybass]

My first bass was a Kay $65.

[Dave W]

My first crappy bass was a Vox Mark IV Teardrop.  Truly an awful bass.  The sad thing is that I spent $100 on that bass (rented it for $5/mo. from the local music store) because I couldn't afford the $135 for the other bass that was in the store.  That bass was a green Epiphone Embassy.  I've never seen another green one since then.

Mine was a Vox violin bass, the Italian one with the broom handle neck. Tone like hitting a wet cardboard box.

[Rob]

Well. . . I still have my first bass 46 years later.
It is a 62P that I bought used in 1965 from a friend's Dad.
Probably explains my minimalist existance when it comes to gas.  Unfortunately it has had more refins than Madonna, Cher and David Bowie combined (beginning in 1966).
But despite it's sore and aching extremities it still sounds great!

[Dave W]

Unfortunately it has had more refins than Madonna, Cher and David Bowie combined (beginning in 1966)

 

As long as it isn't filled with Bondo like Cher.

[chromium]

My very first bass and amp came from Sears when I was about 11.  Found a pic of them here... it was the white bass "E" and the amp "H":




One of the tuners on that bass broke after a week, and so my folks returned it and Sears replaced it with a different model - this time one that was precision-bass-shaped, fiesta red w/white guard, and the headstock was shaped the same as the white one above.  I think they were "Cort", but didn't have any identifying marks.  Crappy basses in retrospect, but I was thrilled at the time and happy my folks got it for me.

I learned to play on that thing (and upright at school), and also started learning about electronics - modified that amp with one of the distortion effects from Craig Anderton's book    I still have that bass, but ditched the amp in the late-90s.

[gearHed289]

Kingston just like this, but solid red. Good enough for a 13 year old! My parents bought it for me used for $35. I eventually spray painted the body and pickguard black. Then, when I was getting into Percy Jones, I pulled the frets. I also took a jigsaw and hole saw to it to try and give it an Alembic vibe. LOL! I regret these last two mods. 

[patman]

Mine was a Vox Panther...was not much to write home about.

[hieronymous]

Wow, this thread got me thinking and then digging - I think my first bass was a Greco EB-3 copy. I only owned it a short time - didn't know enough to know whether it was good or crap. I think I was in 8th grade, and very lucky to be in Tokyo Japan. I used to go to guitar stores almost every weekend in Shibuya and later Ochanomizu. Anyway, I dug up a catalog that has what is probably similar to the bass I had:



I love this website (The World of Musical Instruments Brochures) - I had some of the catalogs they list.

My next bass was a Fernandes Paul McCartney Rickenbacker copy - not sure if that one was any good either, but I didn't really like it and ended up trading it for a pittance:

[Pilgrim]

Was that a 4-string or 5-string Pittance?

[gweimer]

Mine was a Vox violin bass, the Italian one with the broom handle neck. Tone like hitting a wet cardboard box.

The teardrop had Louisville Slugger stamped on the neck, I swear.

Same distinctive non-tone.

[rahock]

My "first" bass was a Kingston Jazz bass wanna be terrible piece of work it's a wonder I stuck with it. My folks insisted I rent that before they bought me a bass, they wanted to see if i would stick with it. I did find one on ebay a few years ago ....................just as bad as I remember.

Wow, that is the same cut and pickup look  as my old Crestwood . But the Crestwood pickguard was all chrome and about a quarter inch thick. It was often mistaken for a 58 Oldsmobile .
Rick

[nofi]

http://www.univox.org/pics/guitars/ub1_white.jpg

my first was this univox ub-1. paid 65 bucks for it in a pawn shop. thinking back that was probably retail for the thing. mine was white as well.