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What defines a "classic" bass guitar?


Fionn
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[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1357249309' post='1919970']
Classic is something either groundbreaking from the past or has gained a large following (or both). The Ford GT40 had a name behind it for all the Ford fans & was a groundbreaking car in it's day. The Fairlight CMI is a classic as it was the original DAW with remote keyboard.
Fenders have a large following as they've been on the go for yonks & people know what it's gonna sound like before they buy it, so that makes them classics.
The Ritter Cora is a far nicer looking bass than the Fender Jazz (IMO of course) & start at @ £4k & Jens refers to the sound as "that classic Jazz sound". So therefore the Cora, as nice as it is, is not a classic & probably never will be.
I wouldn't have a classic bass as I don't like the "classic" shape.
[/quote]

I dunno, that just makes me think you are a hipster tbh. I don't mean that to be rude, but i have to say, thinking that any Ritter looks better than a Fender? well, i'm not exactly a Fender fan-boy, i'll play anything that looks, feels and sounds right, and the fender jazz just ticks all those boxes for me. I went and bought my very first bass myself. Hadn't a clue about basses, couldn't tell a fender from a... anything, i had no idea, didn't even know what a jazz or a P was, but i saw the Jazz bass (it was a copy, so i didn't know it was a Fender) and i liked it. It looked good (which was all i could comment on at the time). Have to say, i love the look of the jazz bass, and i think it's as close to perfect looking as a bass could get in my view. The thing about calling you a hipster was just because it's something a hipster would say- "I don't like Fender.... Too mainstream. I like Ritter, they're so underground they live in China."

Edited by MiltyG565
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I think ritters look rank :)
Tbh I think the term classic only needs to be understood by bass players in this context, I'm sure there are classic golf bats etc but I have no idea of the names of any of them, Joe public know the fender brand and the stratocaster, the Gibson brand maybe but probably not the models?

Anything someone like me as your average bass player would know straight away is classic imo which to be honest most of the Yamaha basses are out and maybe status from the more popular but less obvious brands, unless you have an interest in Yamaha basses its all letters and numbers I have a Yamaha fz600n ;)

Edited by stingrayPete1977
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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1357257686' post='1920140']
I think ritters look rank :)
Tbh I think the term classic only needs to be understood by bass players in this context, I'm sure there are classic golf bats etc but I have no idea of the names of any of them, Joe public know the fender brand and the stratocaster, the Gibson brand maybe but probably not the models?

Anything someone like me as your average bass player would know straight away is classic imo which to be honest most of the Yamaha basses are out and maybe status from the more popular but less obvious brands, unless you have an interest in Yamaha basses its all letters and numbers I have a Yamaha fz600n ;)
[/quote]

I agree. These things only matter to people like us.

My guitar is also a Yamaha... it's all letters and numbers too. I used to have a motorbike that was a Yamaha, it was all letters and numbers too. Wow, one tiny slip in the Yamaha warehouse, and a place like Thomann could end up with 5000 motorbikes!

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Mine is a motorbike :lol:

If someone suggested a Yamaha bbne5 as a good first 5 string they would be right but only if they had a few grand to spare to buy it, one letter or number different and its a £200 bass! I really have no idea from model to model until we do it can't be a classic, classic amongst Yamaha fans for sure but not a classic bass like a Rick, Ray, P or J :)

Edited by stingrayPete1977
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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1357254216' post='1920063']
The thing about calling you a hipster was just because it's something a hipster would say- "I don't like Fender.... Too mainstream. I like Ritter, they're so underground they live in China."
[/quote]

So your definition of "Hipster" is anyone who doesn't like the same things as you?
I happen to think that the Fender Jazz is one of the ugliest basses I've ever seen; I'm not a "hipster", I just have a different idea about what is aesthetically pleasing to you.

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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1357254216' post='1920063']
I dunno, that just makes me think you are a hipster tbh. I don't mean that to be rude, but i have to say, thinking that any Ritter looks better than a Fender? well, i'm not exactly a Fender fan-boy, i'll play anything that looks, feels and sounds right, and the fender jazz just ticks all those boxes for me. I went and bought my very first bass myself. Hadn't a clue about basses, couldn't tell a fender from a... anything, i had no idea, didn't even know what a jazz or a P was, but i saw the Jazz bass (it was a copy, so i didn't know it was a Fender) and i liked it. It looked good (which was all i could comment on at the time). Have to say, i love the look of the jazz bass, and i think it's as close to perfect looking as a bass could get in my view. The thing about calling you a hipster was just because it's something a hipster would say- "I don't like Fender.... Too mainstream. I like Ritter, they're so underground they live in China."
[/quote]

I don't dislike Fenders because they're mainstream, it's that hideous top horn. Ritters on the other hand tick all my boxes, except for the price. I was gutted after seeing my first Ritter & hoping that I could afford one.

I like the Warwick Corvette, but not the Streamer for the very same reasons.

Some folk like Bjork, some folk like Abba. None is wrong & both are great songwriters (though I can't stand Abba, I like their songs). :)

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[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1357241975' post='1919785']
Luke's list of classics....

Fender Jazz
Fender Precision
Rickenbacker 4001
Stingray (2eq)
Stingray 5
G&L L1000
Warwick Streamer Stage 1/Spector NS (controversially I would say warwick is the more "classic" version of Ned Steinberger's design, at least this side of the pond)
Warwick Thumb NT 5
Gibson EB
Gibson Thunderbird
Hofner Violin
Peavey T40


Beyond that there are the Wal/Steinberger/Jaydee 80's stuff, and some quite cool stuff from Gibson in the 70's but none of it would be classic I think.
[/quote]

sounds about right!! an yh I think Alembics an status could be banged in place of the streamer?

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[quote name='harleyheath' timestamp='1357291248' post='1920332']
sounds about right!! an yh I think Alembics an status could be banged in place of the streamer?
[/quote]
Yeah- I stuck alembic on there and then took them off. Mainly because apart from music only bass players listen too I couldn't think of one Alembic player. I guess John Entwhistle?

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[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1357299265' post='1920497']
Yeah- I stuck alembic on there and then took them off. Mainly because apart from music only bass players listen too I couldn't think of one Alembic player. I guess John Entwhistle?
[/quote]

John McVie? Joe Bouchard (Blue Oyster Cult)? OK - hardly A list celebs that your average MOP would recognise... :rolleyes: :D

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[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1357318962' post='1921014']
I thought "hipsters" were those blokes with shoulder-bags and skinny jeans who mince around cities on single-speed racers with tan leather saddles and narrow handlebars.

CB
[/quote]

I'm glad I don't fit that description, but many do and it seems a little harsh on them... each to their own... who are we to judge?

Back to the topic - erm, surely a Warwick Thumb 4 Bolt-on? I can't think of a more iconic bass... not their 'top' model, but perhaps one of their most distinctive?

Obviously I'm biased :)

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[quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1357333277' post='1921365']
I'm glad I don't fit that description, but many do and it seems a little harsh on them... each to their own... who are we to judge?

Back to the topic - erm, surely a Warwick Thumb 4 Bolt-on? I can't think of a more iconic bass... not their 'top' model, but perhaps one of their most distinctive?

Obviously I'm biased :)
[/quote]

It's official - Hipsters favour Warwick bolt-ons! You heard it here first :-)

CB

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[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1357342365' post='1921518']
Close. Apart from the model. And the manufacturer. I'm guessing you mean a Hofner 500/1. :-)

CB
[/quote]

I'm sort of glad I got that wrong. They are vile instruments.

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[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1357342499' post='1921522']
I'm sort of glad I got that wrong. They are vile instruments.
[/quote]

I'm embarrassed to have supplied the details. But, in my defence, I've lifted one but put it straight back rather than playing it. :-)

CB

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I think there are some designs from the '80s that are becoming classics now. Like the Steingberger L-series, the Warwick Thumb and the Status Series II.

There are already lots of established classics from the '70s. And it would be too soon to find classics from the '90s even if there were any new designs of note from that decade, which I'm not sure there were. The Godin Acoustibass / A4 was quite a good bass and a new design but was never very popular.

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[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1357318962' post='1921014']
I thought "hipsters" were those blokes with shoulder-bags and skinny jeans who mince around cities on single-speed racers with tan leather saddles and narrow handlebars.

CB
[/quote]

Afraid not. They are, around here at least, People who feel they need to be different, so actively seek out underground music genres and artists, weird clothes shops and places to get massive glasses. As soon as any of the things they like become even slightly cool, they stop liking them, claiming that it is "Too mainstream".

I think they have now ditched the term "Too mainstream" now too... for obvious reasons.

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