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The grass is always greener...


Wil
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I went down to PMT in Bristol today. Had a good play on a 5 string Stingray, which is something I've aspired to own for a long time. It was a very nice bass, lovely neck, plenty of punch, and very comfy. It didn't quite feel as well finished or as lively as the Status S2 I used to own, which considering the similar price tag suprised me, but it was still a very fine instrument.

When I got home though I picked up my Korean built Spector and to me it feels just as good to play, slightly more comfortable, and although the tone is of course different, I wouldnt say it was worse. In fact I think I prefer the midrange and sustain of the Spector.

So, I've now come to the conclusion that I'm best off sticking with what I have - there would be no real benefit in upgrading when my Korean "cheapie" is so damn good! I found the experience of visiting a bass shop and coming away with all GAS removed strange enough to post about - it doesnt happen often!

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I had a similar thing at Bass Day, lots of very very nice gear - but nothing really turned my head and made me drool over it. I get home and am happy with my Bacchus which costs a fraction of what some of these basses did. Glad to be in the position to a degree (saves a lot of money) but also some of the excitement of trying new gear and wanting it is gone.

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I think it helps being familiar with your instrument too. I've had a Jazz bass I've used regularly use since I was 15, it currently plays like a dog, action like an upright and needs quite a bit of working doing to it, but I can still get a good sound out of it. Only on a few occasions have I found another bass that I could honestly say sounds 'better' than it, and this includes a lot of high end basses.

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Its a great feeling, isn`t it, when you realise that you`ve found "your" instrument?

I`ve found, after years of buying/selling different makes/models of basses that the US Standard Fender Precision is the bass for me, does exactly what I want.

Only downside is, I now can`t seem to stop buying them :)

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[quote name='risingson' post='991491' date='Oct 17 2010, 07:27 PM']it currently plays like a dog, action like an upright and needs quite a bit of working doing to it, but I can still get a good sound out of it.[/quote]

Its funny you should say that.All my Basses since the mid 70's have been like that.
Something i have got used to.The first thing i did when i got my NY Sadowsky around ten years ago was to get out the allen keys and screw driver,
Up with the action and pups, and bow the neck a bit more. :)
Any tech who gets his hands on it nearly passes out with horror, but it sounds great.
I guess thats why i do not get much Gas, because i will end up doing the same thing to any Bass and they all end up sounding the same. :lol:




Garry

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I'm the same, fairly high action and plenty of neck relief. I don't do the whole slapping thing, and find I get a far fuller fingerstyle and pick tone this way. It was hard on the hands for a few days, but now I find it really comfortable.

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[quote name='lowdown' post='991511' date='Oct 17 2010, 07:42 PM']Its funny you should say that.All my Basses since the mid 70's have been like that.
Something i have got used to.The first thing i did when i got my NY Sadowsky around ten years ago was to get out the allen keys and screw driver,
Up with the action and pups, and bow the neck a bit more. :)
Any tech who gets his hands on it nearly passes out with horror, but it sounds great.
I guess thats why i do not get much Gas, because i will end up doing the same thing to any Bass and they all end up sounding the same. :lol:[/quote]

Funny isn't it? I don't like low action, partially because a. I don't slap (much) and b. I just don't, but I think the reason for this was that as a younger bass player I could never be bothered to and amend the high action on my bass (also I was gigging too much at the time) and consequently I got very used to it. But it's your instrument. Our old guitarist had a really old battered tele and no one else could play it because it was in such a terrible condition but he could play it like a complete mater.

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My old Westone Spectrum DX, which was my first real bass and which I've had since 1988, is still one I'd never give up. It's cheap as chips, has a little bit of neck dive and worn frets but it just has a monster sound that I never get tired of. The only other bass which has been spot on for me in terms of sound is my T-40, which in itself isn't some hugely expensive bit of kit. I've tried various other more expensive basses over the years but none of them have been able to cut it as far as I'm concerned.

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I've known people into photography who amass huge amounts of expensive camera gear, yet have no photos on their walls.

I've known people into music who have spent 5-figure sums on their hi-fi systems, yet only have a couple of dozen albums.

I've even known people spend £60k on the best 4x4xfar and never so much as drive it up a kerb.

I guess some people are just into the gear side of things, but great musicians can astound on any instrument.

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:)

Me and a good friend went to PMT, Leeds over the weekend to try out their selection of basses

We spent a good few hours trying everything in every price range and the results were very surprising!!

We tried US fenders, Musicman, Sandberg etc etc and they were OK but it turns out that a £400 Ibanez was (in our opinion) the best bass there! lovely light weight, beautiful slim neck with great feel and very playable action! :lol:

Its a shame neither of us had the cash on us! no doubt we'd be fighting over it!! haha :)

we were both annoyed at the lack of attention to setup on all the top end basses!! some of them were pushing £2000 but had shocking action etc! that shop needs to get it together and get these instruments set up properly!

anyone else been to PMT Leeds??


:)
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the good friend was me and totally agree! you could have walked in with £2k wanting to purchase and Sandberg of Fender and you would have come out with an Ibanez and £1600 change!

the only thing I have played recently which has got my attention was the Fodera at Bass Day! that's with trying Alleva's, Musicman's, Dingwalls and Overwaters!

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[quote name='funkyspuke' post='991686' date='Oct 17 2010, 09:47 PM']the good friend was me and totally agree! you could have walked in with £2k wanting to purchase and Sandberg of Fender and you would have come out with an Ibanez and £1600 change!

the only thing I have played recently which has got my attention was the Fodera at Bass Day! that's with trying Alleva's, Musicman's, Dingwalls and Overwaters![/quote]

planned for glasgow, then newcastle and eventually bradford to leeds??? :)

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I am always gobsmacked when you go into shops, there is never a friendly sales assistant with a hex key on hand to get the best out of the bass you are trying out... but then again, most sales assistants wouldn't actually know how to adjust action, or intonation... or the dreaded truss rod...

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To be fair to PMT, the Stingray I tried was well set up for a very low action (although the pickup seemed a touch high). Not to my taste but I guess the majority of players prefer a lower action.

Great idea for someone to offer to adjust the action to my liking though. It'd only take a minute and could make the difference between a bass feeling awful or fantastic.

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