My Yamaha RBX-170EW (exotic wood) 4-string electric bass is a joy to look at and to play. $109, used at Guitar Center. Pro setup with GHS Boomer Roundwounds.


It helps to play a beautiful instrument; you’ll play more if it sounds as good as well.

Straight smooth maple neck, mango wood top veneer, dual pickups so It’s very versatile.

I run it through my lightweight battery/AC Roland Microcube Rx bass amp, which can emulate the sound of just about anything I choose. The variety boosts a practice session.

Dial it super clean and hear how really bad my fingering is, or funk it up with high gain, reverb, flanging, delay, t-wah, and any drum background rhythm I choose…and sound like a bass god? In my own room/mind.

Which do you think I choose most practice sessions?

After about a year of book larnin’ with Hal Leonard’s Bass Fast Track TAB textbook, and daily practice/noodling, I stumbled on that divine minor pentatonic scale finger box pattern-and the blues pattern.


Heaven. This IS what I signed up for.

Not much joy on stretching my arthritic old phalanges to fit the procrustean bed of that darn major scale.

Still in all, I’m encouraged. Helps to sport a pretty ax and a high tech, portable amp, my bass brethren and sisteren.

Yea, I am obsessed. Is it further wrecking my marriage? God only knows, sang the Beach Boys.

But I can only play the blues in a minor key. So far.

Maybe I’ll be happier when I learn the major scale. It won’t be long. I’m encouraged.

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