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ArtLiestman
07-18-2011, 06:28 PM
Greetings, all.

I've come to TMBG and bass playing as my career is moving towards retirement (in a couple of years, I hope).

I've been interested in music all of my life. Both my mother and grandmother were both piano teachers, so I heard a lot of music growing up. I studied guitar as a teenager and enjoyed playing mostly on my own.

As a graduate student (in computer science, not music), I spent my evenings in local jazz clubs and eventually decided to take up the acoustic bass. I took lessons for a couple of years through the University, learning mostly classical technique for bowed bass. I also had an electric bass to play with, but never had the time to be serious about it. I enjoyed both basses, but didn't really progress very far.

Near the end of my graduate career, I got interested in African drumming and spent the next 30+ years regarding myself as a hand drummer (in addition to my day job as a University professor). I was good enough to play with other players who were full-time professionals, did a lot of playing locally and even a bit of touring further afield. Of course, this has nothing much to do with bass playing other than explaining why I didn't continue with the bass.

I was drawn back into the bass world when I first saw a video of the Kala U-bass. That appealed to me as a small instrument that might easily fit into my house (compared to that acoustic bass that I used to own) and that would be easier on my older hands. When I learned that a solid body was coming out, I got very excited and ordered one.

While waiting for my bass to arrive, I learned about TMBG and decided to take the plunge. My black solid body four string U-bass arrived about 10 days ago and I launched into the course. I've also picked up some other books and am considering looking for a local teacher who could handle a mature student with a smattering of relevant background and a decidedly non-conventional instrument.

For what it's worth, the solid body U-bass is a very nice instrument. From what I can tell, it has a broader spectrum of tones than it's hollow bodied sibling. I may want to add a more conventional bass one of these days, but this will keep me quite busy in the short term.

Is there anyone else out there with a U-bass? Anyone else with ONLY a U-bass? I hope this doesn't make me an immediate outcast in the Thunder Row family. So it goes.

Thanks for reading this. I look forward to learning more from the forum.

barricwiley
07-18-2011, 06:59 PM
What a great intro ArtLiestman, and, welcome - your U bass is welcome too.
You sound like an interesting person and look forward to your future post.
Richard

DONNIE B
07-18-2011, 07:03 PM
Welcome to the row .you have come to the right place .there a lot of really great people here .some have been playing for a long time others like me not very long at all.but every one here is willing to help any way they can just ask . the forum is also great. lot to be learned there. i see you are in to wood turning . i do quite a bit of scroll saw work. and wood work in general .well welcome aboard and have fun

SilverFlame46
07-18-2011, 07:11 PM
Welcome to Thunder Row and TMBG, ArtLiestman. Happy to have you aboard as part of our family. Good luck with your lessons!!!

stantonl
07-18-2011, 07:23 PM
Welcome to Thunderrow! Those U Bass's look too cool, I'd love to check one out. Enjoy the course.

Bassix
07-18-2011, 08:16 PM
Welcome to Thunder Row, ArtLiestman!

As the others have said, that U bass looks cool and you (and the bass) are definitely welcome here. Hope you enjoy the course!

Elmeaux
07-18-2011, 09:53 PM
I hope this doesn't make me an immediate outcast in the Thunder Row family


If you're the only one with a u bass, it makes you unique. We love unique people.

Good luck with the course.

Are you the same Art Liestman from BC who does those very cool teapot sculptures?

ArtLiestman
07-18-2011, 11:39 PM
Thanks everyone for your nice welcoming messages. Yes, Elmeaux, I do make teapots (among other things) out of wood.

Art

TLDTR
07-19-2011, 12:18 AM
Hi, Art - (or is that High Art?) How about posting some pix of both the U bass and the teapots! Love to see them.
Welcome to the Row and TMBG! Great to have you join the conversation, and we all look forward to following your progress!
Ed.

ArtLiestman
07-19-2011, 08:08 AM
Here are two pictures. The first shows my U-bass being admired by Veda, the smaller of my two Siamese cats. The second shows one of my teapots. If you are interested in seeing other teapots, check out the teapot page at www.artliestman.com.

Art
1006 1005

Elmeaux
07-19-2011, 08:29 PM
Here are two pictures. The first shows my U-bass being admired by Veda, the smaller of my two Siamese cats. The second shows one of my teapots. If you are interested in seeing other teapots, check out the teapot page at www.artliestman.com.

Art
1006 1005


What a pretty kitty! I love Siamese cats!!!

And the teapot is great!!! Can you actually use it or is it just ornamental?

ArtLiestman
07-20-2011, 07:58 AM
What a pretty kitty! I love Siamese cats!!!

And the teapot is great!!! Can you actually use it or is it just ornamental?

That's Veda. Her brother Frank was too shy to get into the picture, but he's a lovely Siamese, too.

The teapots are non-functional. I like whimsy.

line6bassman
07-20-2011, 08:13 PM
Welcome from Line6bassman. Hey!! I like that bass!! COOL!!!

You know Line6bassman just had to do this!! Check it out!!

Line6bassman


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNPx6RS8PiM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UotbyS_sU3E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=behtdlPnL6A&feature=related

Greg Jewell
07-20-2011, 11:03 PM
Art:

Welcome to the mix. Playing bass, now that's a positive career move. Congratulations.

Greg