Stag Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 A fair while ago on the BW forums I was sniffing around to see if anyone had a Musicmaster they wanted rid of. I've been doing a little research and it appears that most people fall into two camps regarding their opinion on the lil' bebe basses. CAMP 1 - (ooer!!) They are great, portable punchy basses. They're a bit odd, and that's cool, right? CAMP 2 - (hiya!!) They are utter sh*t and arent worth buying, wooly farty sounds and cheaply made. Booooo!!! Has anyone out there owned one? I seem to be obsessed with the idea of getting one but it might help if I knew a bit more about them before I part with hard earned cash from my bonus. I should point out that my right thumb got fractured some time ago and hasnt been the same since (drunken accident, and playing in goal dont help) so my logic is it might make it a bit easier to play than my Ricky 4001 all the time. Opinions and views would be most welcome guys and gals.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_K Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Oh Matron! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaussie Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 I owned one a few years back. I thought it was rubbish. Crap sound, to say the least. If you want to try a short scale bass, have a look round for a Cort Action Jr. I tried one last weekend, and thought it was quite good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 I owned one a few years back. I thought it was excellent. Great sound, to say the least. A lot of Musicmasters are used as recording tools rather than for live use - don't know if that's because of the image possibly. I wouldn't say it's any easier to play than a regular bass unless you have small hands. The neck width is quite wide for a small bass and mine struggled to stay in tune. I'd not buy one as a main bass, nor even as a back-up, but if I had spare cash and was wanting to add to a collection or was doing a lot of studio recording then I'd certainly consider one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmark Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Hi, I used to own a musicmaster and thought it was awesome. The sound is an aquired taste as sound spectrum is fairly narrow and sound is a little on the muddy side (tone control did nothing). however I loved the sound of mine , sounded nice and warm and had a bit of growl , looks awesome too, is the one bass I wish i had held on to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Inevitably, most of the Musicmasters available date from the seventies, with all the dubious quality control that goes with Fenders of that age. A friend bought one of the guitars in 1980, and it quickly got dubbed 'The Plank', even by people who were playing fairly cheap jap copies. Having said that. I bought one of the Vista series reissues, and it was fairly decent - no doubt helped a little by through body stringing, which the originals didn't have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 (edited) There are three musicmaster basses in my house: a squier vista one, and a couple of '71' fenders - I have a sonic blue one and my daughter a fefinished lilac one. The original pickups on the fenders were a bit weak, so I replaced them with Kent Armstrong "strat" coolrails which makes them much more punchy and noise-free. They're great fun little basses, and my sonic blue one with aged creamy white pearl pickguard seems to be a favourite with the ladies. Edited June 8, 2007 by Jean-Luc Pickguard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaussie Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 [quote name='Muppet' post='14013' date='Jun 8 2007, 09:09 AM']I owned one a few years back. I thought it was excellent. Great sound, to say the least.[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAlonBass Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Lots of people swear by them, but all the ones I have tried made me swear AT them! I can get away with the "quirky" look, but the sounds available, (through lots of different amp and speaker combinations) and playability leave a lot to be desired.IMHO. If you feel you MUST have one, I would "bug" the life out of as many Music Shops as will put up with you, until you find one that "does it" for YOU. At the end of the day, it's you that will be playing it, and you're the one you have to keep happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parker_muse Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 Saw one in prestine condition... £325 Good deal? Thanks, Parker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 [quote name='parker_muse' post='14975' date='Jun 10 2007, 10:56 AM']Saw one in prestine condition... £325 Good deal? Thanks, Parker[/quote] If it feels right when you play it and you like the colour etc, personally I'd be happy to pay that for a mid/late 70s one, even more so for an early one (with the smaller butterfly tuners) in pristine condition. However I only had to pay £110 for the Squier vista musicmaser a few years ago and £100 for a stripped '71 musicmaster about 5 or 6 years ago. That one is now lilac and is my daughter's pride & joy, but I think those kind of bargains may be fairly rare. I think I paid over the odds for my blue one though (from Denmark Street!) as its so much fun to play and it looks stunning with the original aged white pearloid pickguard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 [quote name='parker_muse' post='14975' date='Jun 10 2007, 10:56 AM']Saw one in prestine condition... £325 Good deal? Thanks, Parker[/quote] In pristine condition, yes, a reasonable deal. I shipped one to Greece a couple of years back for £400. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stag Posted June 10, 2007 Author Share Posted June 10, 2007 My budget is about £250 to £350 which should be possible. Conflicting camps here again... wonder if ill pluck up the courage to take the plunge!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmark Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 You could always try a mustang if you dont get on with the musicmasters sound (similar look, different sound) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3V17C Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 found a strange little shop in Beccles of all places today - arts, crafts & guitars! sells homemade jewellry, pots etc but also has some 'vintage' guitars out the back...very strange. anyway.... there was a nice Musicmaster in there, looked to have a fair bit of mojo, nicely aged, was a dark wood natural body (walnut?). no price on it but the rest of the stuff he had was reasonably priced. maybe worth a look as its reasonably local to Naaarwich peace c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 [quote name='3V17C' post='20043' date='Jun 19 2007, 09:50 AM']found a strange little shop in Beccles of all places today - arts, crafts & guitars! sells homemade jewellry, pots etc but also has some 'vintage' guitars out the back...very strange. anyway.... there was a nice Musicmaster in there, looked to have a fair bit of mojo, nicely aged, was a dark wood natural body (walnut?). no price on it but the rest of the stuff he had was reasonably priced. maybe worth a look as its reasonably local to Naaarwich peace c[/quote] Not sure I've ever seen a walnut Musicmaster, notto say that they didn't do them. Did he have any other secret beauties hidden away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3V17C Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 yeah perhaps not walnut....matey here at work whose more of a guitar geek than me reckons it was probably stripped and had just become quite dark and grubby over the years....like i say...mojo! that was the only bass in the shop, he had some nice old hofner jazz guitars and a very nice 'fake' gibson les paul plus various epiphone semis and the like peace c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 [quote name='bassaussie' post='13995' date='Jun 8 2007, 07:57 AM']I owned one a few years back. I thought it was rubbish. Crap sound, to say the least. If you want to try a short scale bass, have a look round for a Cort Action Jr. I tried one last weekend, and thought it was quite good.[/quote] My first bass was a nice black 70's Musicmaster, at the time I thought it was crap; playability & soundwise. I traded it for a Westone Thunder 1A. Like a lot of people, was heavily into slapping (with a dodgy mullet) in the early eighties. Everyone back then seemed to want to be Mark King. Westone got nicked shortly afterwards... Now as my tastes & style have changed, wish I still had the Musicmaster (along with the Westone!). In hindsight, a cracking little bass, really punchy & now quite cool looking. Worth buying, if you can find one at reasonable price, & get on with shortscale basses. Didn't Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads) use one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 I have a red Bronco, which are basically Squier MusicMasters i think. Nice little basses, picked it up for £50 as a project to make into a Piccolo bass, worked fine, still needs a little fine-tuning. Theres a recording of it on my myspace. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaussie Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 [quote name='nick' post='20171' date='Jun 19 2007, 01:32 PM']My first bass was a nice black 70's Musicmaster, at the time I thought it was crap; playability & soundwise. I traded it for a Westone Thunder 1A. Like a lot of people, was heavily into slapping (with a dodgy mullet) in the early eighties. Everyone back then seemed to want to be Mark King. Westone got nicked shortly afterwards... Now as my tastes & style have changed, wish I still had the Musicmaster (along with the Westone!). In hindsight, a cracking little bass, really punchy & now quite cool looking. Worth buying, if you can find one at reasonable price, & get on with shortscale basses. Didn't Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads) use one?[/quote] I think Tina used a Mustang, although I might be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowisfriedegg Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 (edited) I have a black / black plate / rosewood board 1977 musicmaster for sale , it is in good condition apart from some strange marks where it was left in a case with an old curly lead and the celulose has reacted to the plastic coating on the lead , it's quite unusual and interesting wear actually. It comes complete with a composite board case with black leatherette covering (I think these were an extra when you bought them in the US) also in good condition. The bass plays well and sounds good. All yours for £350 plus postage (probably about £20 depending on where you are) , if you are interested I will post some photo's Edited June 20, 2007 by yellowisfriedegg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 It's a gu*tar I know, but it looks like a work of abstract art. Love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stag Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 (edited) They are abstract, and I think that's why I like them - the most errr.... "normal" bass I have is my Rick and that has some odd features (see BassPorn :-) ). Also, for simple portability's sake im interested... yellowisfriedegg - will be a month and a bit yet before the hallowed financial bonuses are handed out at the toilet where I work (Dood knows!!! haha) so I need to able to afford it first. But id love to see it! Maybe put some pics in BassPorn? Cheers - Stag Edited June 20, 2007 by Stag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MythSte Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I remember this being the first shortscale id played, It was a friends id burrowed as a backup (which i didnt actually end up needing) but it played nicely, and didnt muddy up much at all in soundcheck. Couldnt help but think it was a four string guitar though! aha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowisfriedegg Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Photo's coming up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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