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The basses you love to hate thread.


StephenFerguson
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Dont know what all the fuss is about re- Ricks, Warwicks etc- try playing the 60s Hofner Senator I have in my other room. Feels like everytime I pick it up it is going to explode. Action like a DB.

I love all basses- but even more when I`m on a gig. I try to forget about the instrument and now feel I am happier with a cheap instrument- my Fender Roadworns - than the boutique basses I have.

Its not what you play.....

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I have to disagree, have you played a lindo or a stagg, or tried to let go of a thunderbird without the headstock brutaly saluting Isaac newton? It's not what you play, its how you play it, and if you try to play bass guitar using a wet turd, your hands get shity. Word.

Edited by StephenFerguson
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Plain P-basses, I really don't like that "tons of lower mids and nothing else" kind of sound. Blah!
However I don't mind [i]some[/i], especially those with more full range pups and other pups added. I'm also aware that a lot of my favourite music was recorded with them.

Edited by Adrenochrome
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Ooooh I love this thread :)

Thunderbird - Got one and love it, has to be played with the strap as low as it will go otherwise you look like a [email="tw@t"]tw@t[/email]!

Warwicks - Must say only ever played one and maybe I got lucky but this is my go to bass for tone and playability and will never part with it

Modulus - Had a flea bass....loved it!

Fender - Urrrrggggggghhhhhhh :) although still managed to find myself thinking I'd like a really old one....think this is what makes me hate them the most! Don't like playing them but for some reason still want to own one!

Stingray - Really wanted one, when I tried to play it felt and played like a coffee table

Single Cutaway Basses.......just wrong!

Damn I feel better for that!

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I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't like playing Fenders!! I've felt like a bit of an outcast for saying the only thing i like about them is their tone!! I also found the same with Warwicks. Awful to play, but I really like their tone.

Playability wise the best I've ever picked up are Laklands by a long shot, closely followed by Yamaha and Marleaux.

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Maybe hate is too string but I am disappointed with many of the newer medium/low-end Ibanez and Peavey basses I have tried recently.

They seem to have perfected the ability to take good wood and electronics and then carve it all away until they are the size of a wooden spoon?????
Also someone send Peavey some lemon oil so that they can oil their rosewood fret boards before they send them out, the ones I tried felt dry and rough.

Note: I like some of their basses, which makes it even more annoying because I know they can make decent stuff!.

Edited by Pinball
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[quote name='StephenFerguson' timestamp='1350892960' post='1844627']
I have to disagree, have you played a lindo or a stagg, or tried to let go of a thunderbird without the headstock brutaly saluting Isaac newton? It's not what you play, its how you play it, and if you try to bass guitar using a wet turd, your hands get shity. Word.
[/quote]

Yes and yes, couple of twiddles on the bridge and truss rod and they were fine. Quick move of the strap button/chuck some weight on the body end of your strap and the t-bird stays put just lovely.
If you can't play bass well you may need to buy a more expensive instrument to make up for it.
:)
*flame on....*

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[sub][size=5]Fender Precisions, horrible things. Never been able to understand people paying out thousands for a vintage one.[/size][/sub]

[sub][size=5]Unless you manage to get one with LED's, then it may be cool ;) [/size][/sub]

[sub][size=5]Warwick Buzzard[/size][/sub]

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Fenders, simply for the lack of originality, in all the time P and J basses have existed the body design has never really changed much, and they never seem to try anything new. Probably why I like the Blacktop Jazz, there's a bit of creativity there, deviating from the norm and taking a risk.

Thunderbirds. I really liked them until I tried one, and took a sharp swing in the other direction. Like a baseball bat with a lead weight at both ends, unbalanced, uncomfortable and awkward. And far too heavy to play sitting down. Wasn't sure whether to play it or fight with it.

BC Rich, with the exception of the mockingbird, they're trying way too hard to look cool. And failing.

Stingrays with the single MM pickup in the bridge position, they look unbalanced.

I can't yet find it in me to hate Rick's, I like the look too much, but then I've never played one.

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[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1350858196' post='1844466']
Anything that has an odd looking exotic wood top, they look like coffee tables, horrid.

LED's, really??, do people [i]actually[/i] think these are cool??
[/quote]
yeah, I've never really got the whole LED thing. If anything it would really put me off a bass, and I can't think of many venues short of headlining to crowds more than 1000 a night where you're not going to look like an idiot with them on.

The coffee table bass stuff.... I'm in two minds about. I know why manufacturers will use nice woods, and you can see people get excited about the visual of the woods used- but I think a lot of the time there is an utter missunderstanding about how to use the woods and body shapes to make something beautiful, rather than just a mess off wood. His visual eye is something I think Alan at ACG has got a er.. eye for and a few other makers have some visual design sense.... but some others.... just look a mess.... add a single cut to that and it can be horrid! My pet hate is basses that not only are made up of lots of woods, they are made up of so many that the term ply is the only real one you should use (yes I know technically it's not as the grain isn't crisscrossing)
[quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1350894921' post='1844643']
Plain P-basses, I really don't like that "tons of lower mids and nothing else" kind of sound. Blah!
However I don't mind [i]some[/i], especially those with more full range pups and other pups added. I'm also aware that a lot of my favourite music was recorded with them.
[/quote] they work in the mix though. though agree about some being better than others.
Another hate for me... lovely sounding basses that just don't work in a band. I mean, whats the point?
[quote name='Blackbird88' timestamp='1350911021' post='1844918']
Fenders, simply for the lack of originality, in all the time P and J basses have existed the body design has never really changed much, and they never seem to try anything new. Probably why I like the Blacktop Jazz, there's a bit of creativity there, deviating from the norm and taking a risk.
[/quote] err.... you know fender invented the original right?

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[quote name='Stance' timestamp='1350858120' post='1844464']
[url="http://www.gbase.com/gear/bc-rich-mockingbird-bass-bc-rich-mockingbird"]http://www.gbase.com...ich-mockingbird[/url]
[/quote]

That Mockingbird is gorgeous! I do love a bass with many many switches. :)

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[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1350902988' post='1844758']
Yes and yes, couple of twiddles on the bridge and truss rod and they were fine. Quick move of the strap button/chuck some weight on the body end of your strap and the t-bird stays put just lovely.
If you can't play bass well you may need to buy a more expensive instrument to make up for it.
:)
*flame on....*
[/quote] Grrrrrr ;) For the price of a t-bird and the amount of time gibson have had to perfect the "design" I resent having to tweak the bugger just to get a well balanced bass, at the end of the day I prefer to play on a well balanced peice of wood with a good allroung range (exepting my P bass which has a,,,,,p bass range but its allowed) rather than an unweildy coffe table ;). Oh and for the record, some of the cheap tanglewoods and aria basses I have played are just as good as alot of branded mid range basses...flame returned :)

Edited by StephenFerguson
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[quote name='casapete' timestamp='1350911381' post='1844927']
Thats because Leo Fender got it so right from the off - if it ain't broke don't fix it etc...........................
[/quote]

I'm of the school of thought that he fine tuned it and got it 100% at the second attempt (not withstanding the 'prototype slab body single coil stretched telecaster guitar). All the niggles of the classic Precision are sorted with a Musicman Stingray. It's always been a Precision Mk II to me. Whatever - I still prefer the niggles of the Mk I !!

I digress

Bass I love to hate. The well made , very versatile and extremely playable workmanlike Jaydee. A professional's instrument to be proud of......... and I think they're too ugly to even look at !! Sorry Jaydee fans but they're just hideous.

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