megallica Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I've always had a thing for Yamaha basses and when I joined my second band I was playing a BBN4. Thing is, the band leader (singer/songwriter) wanted us to look more "professional" and I "had" to buy a Fender so people would take us more serious. To cut a long story short and for an easy life I traded my Yammy in for a MIM Jazz. I actually did grow to like the bass but I sold it after leaving the band and bought a BBG5S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I've never found myself in that situation but have bought basses that I thought would suit the sound and the image of the band eg. buying a Precision for a rock band when my Yammie BB414 is perfect for the job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 (edited) Mainly because of the kinds of bands I join I've never been in that situation. Even the most musically conservative band I was in, used to love it when I turned up with some new weird bass every month. The rest of the Terrortones would like me to use my Born To Rock bass at gigs but while the set requires me to use 5-string basses that's not going to be an option. Edited July 3, 2011 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='megallica' post='1290761' date='Jul 3 2011, 08:43 AM']The band leader (singer/songwriter) wanted us to look more "professional" and I "had" to buy a Fender so people would take us more serious.[/quote] I'd have told him where to get off unless he was offering a new bass as a gift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I'd rather leave a band than be dictated to as to how I should spend my money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wez Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 My brother whose a guitarist has tried that a couple of times 'should have bought a MIA jazz bass instead of my MIJ jazz special' But i never really listened to him. However at one of our earliest recording sessions he did turn up with a mates 4001 (I was using a hohner jazz copy at the time) and told to use it as it would sound better. It sounded no better than the jazz copy as i wasn't used to it and found it hard to get a sound i liked out of it. Plus it had the PU covers on right where i played. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 There is a difference in being "persuaded" as I have had lots of band member mates that know their gear and I would value there opinions but as soon as you say "had" to buy one thats just wrong IMO. If it were someone elses project and they were happy to supply me with a bass they wanted me to play I would play it no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Apart from some mild noise about how the Fender Precision bass is the only bass worth having (which I just ignored and took even weirder basses to practice next time), I have not been coerced into buying anything. I would leave any band where that happened. Completely out of order, except in serious tribute bands which aim to replicate the original band's sound, looks and instruments. Then that's kind of understandable, but you still shouldn't be coerced/pressured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Nope, although I don't like the look of a lot of basses. Which wouldn't matter if they were cheap basses, but if I'm paying a lot of money it'll be a combination or looks, sound and playability I'm after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megallica Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='neepheid' post='1290825' date='Jul 3 2011, 10:37 AM']Apart from some mild noise about how the Fender Precision bass is the only bass worth having (which I just ignored and took even weirder basses to practice next time), I have not been coerced into buying anything. I would leave any band where that happened. Completely out of order, except in serious tribute bands which aim to replicate the original band's sound, looks and instruments. Then that's kind of understandable, but you still shouldn't be coerced/pressured.[/quote] Good point, if you were trying to look more like a specific band. The band in question was an original band which had a Radiohead/Stereophonics sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='megallica' post='1290856' date='Jul 3 2011, 11:11 AM']Good point, if you were trying to look more like a specific band. The band in question was an original band which had a Radiohead/Stereophonics sound.[/quote] Which [u]must[/u] be done on a Fender then? I would of had a few words mostly ending in off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wez Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='neepheid' post='1290825' date='Jul 3 2011, 10:37 AM']Completely out of order, except in serious tribute bands which aim to replicate the original band's sound, looks and instruments. Then that's kind of understandable, but you still shouldn't be coerced/pressured.[/quote] I Wouldn't want to be in a U2 serious tribute band after watching the amount of times Clayton changed his bass at Glastonbury, just couldn't afford it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 After I suggested the idea of a TB for the image of my current band, the guitarist, who hadn't ever seen one of these before (or at least remembered them), decided it would be good for the band, and encouraged me if I wanted to, but by no means pressured me into getting one. I think he gave me the 'yeahhhh, go on, get it' thought I needed to get it, and if anything I'm glad for it, cos I now have 2 and have my eyes on a third! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='1290781' date='Jul 3 2011, 09:35 AM']I'd have told him where to get off unless he was offering a new bass as a gift.[/quote] Indeed. Never been in the situation & don't expect to be either. Picked up the fretless for the proggy gig, but otherwise I have three good basses that cover pretty much all situations for what I do so you get what you get (famous last words!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='megallica' post='1290761' date='Jul 3 2011, 08:43 AM']....Ever been persuaded to buy a bass by a band member?....[/quote] No, but if I have 2 and I like both I'll ask which bass or amp the band prefers. I won’t always take their advice but I like to know what the band thinks of my sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='neepheid' post='1290825' date='Jul 3 2011, 10:37 AM']... which I just ignored and took even weirder basses to practice next time...[/quote] I like your style! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mog Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 If I'm considering two or more basses I'll often run it by the other two guys. They have to live with the tone too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieCooper91 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 We all play Fender instruments in my band. I play a MIM Fender Precision, our singer plays a MIM Fender Tele and our lead plays a 50's reissue MIM Strat. When I first started playing bass our now lead guitar player influenced me buying a precision but I'm happy he did - I've not had to upgrade it since then, just upgraded the bridge and pickups. At a gig recently the sound engineer complimented us on how all our guitars/basses were really nice. The look is very important as well as tone, guess we're just lucky that we get both in our instruments. Most guitars in the Glasgow music scene I've seen are either Fenders or fender copies, dotted with a few Gibsons/Epiphones. But there is a lot more variety in basses, I'd say Fenders are mabye even the minority. Which is cool because it adds a bit of variety! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I can imagine a limited number of circumstances in which visual congruity necessitates a change of bass. Trib bands or fundamentalist genre bands for example, wherein there might also be a necessity to deliver a particularly characteristic sonic signature. Other than that, any serviceable bass should suffice and suggestions to the contrary should be treated to a long, awkward silence and a hard stare of the Paddington Bear variety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='megallica' post='1290761' date='Jul 3 2011, 08:43 AM']I've always had a thing for Yamaha basses and when I joined my second band I was playing a BBN4. Thing is, the band leader (singer/songwriter) wanted us to look more "professional" and I "had" to buy a Fender so people would take us more serious. To cut a long story short and for an easy life I traded my Yammy in for a MIM Jazz. I actually did grow to like the bass but I sold it after leaving the band and bought a BBG5S.[/quote] When we started the Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band, the guitarist told me it woudl be great if I played a Stingray, rather than the Warwick Corvette $$ or the Ibanez SR400 I was mostly using at the time. He was a Les Paul guy through and through and bought a couple of Strats just to fit in better, so he walked his talk... I said no, they were very ugly basses. That was it. Then I found a cheap OLP and thought "ok, why not, let's try that". And... it just felt great. I even started to think it looked good. So I improved it with pickup and preamp... and became my #1 bass, and my fixation with Stingray started. Fast forward to today: my main bass: MM 4-string Stingray + three OLPs, one of them turned fretless. + 5-string MM SUB5 (stingray again) + 5-string Squier Jazz, wide spacing, which is being turned into a Stingray "soundclone", with a SD MM pickup and Stingray preamp. So I am very glad our guitarist talked about me getting a Stingray. I can't imagine not playing one (or a few) these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I must confess I've badgered band mates into getting cooler looking instruments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I did fail an audition once as I didn't have the required beat up old Fender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgie Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Never had any band tell me which bass I should/shouldn't own or use. I've had band mates advise me WHICH of MY basses they like me to use, which I've always found more helpful than anything. Really depends on the situation though. I tend to like the more traditional basses anyway (All my basses are either P's, J's or Stingrays) so it just depends on the occasion. Function gigs where I might need a bigger range I'll take the SR5, a funk gig most probably SR4. A straight up rock covers gig I'll either take the P, or the J, depending on the setlist. If there are some songs with slap in them, I'd probably take the J over the P. All depends on the gig/mood I think. I would definitely like a P5 and a J5 too....though that's just for GAS reasons, nothing wrong with the SR5! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='Higgie' post='1291209' date='Jul 3 2011, 05:35 PM']Never had any band tell me which bass I should/shouldn't own or use. I've had band mates advise me WHICH of MY basses they like me to use, which I've always found more helpful than anything. Really depends on the situation though. I tend to like the more traditional basses anyway (All my basses are either P's, J's or Stingrays) so it just depends on the occasion. Function gigs where I might need a bigger range I'll take the SR5, a funk gig most probably SR4. A straight up rock covers gig I'll either take the P, or the J, depending on the setlist. If there are some songs with slap in them, I'd probably take the J over the P. All depends on the gig/mood I think. I would definitely like a P5 and a J5 too....though that's just for GAS reasons, nothing wrong with the SR5! [/quote] All of this right down to the details +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I'm a fender fan, but no way should anyone be insisting you buy a certain bass for image purposes Only exception i could think of would be if you where joining serious tribute band, but you would be informed of requirements prior to being offered the gig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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