Who gone through simple to complex then back to simple bass?

[Pinball]

I got "over-complicated bass" with a Carvin LB75p. It's a great bass but I was for ever fiddling with settings rather than playing. The same had already happened to me with lead guitar, where I had abandoned my multi effects pedal and modelling amp for the same reasons.
I now keep it simple with my current set up I tend to leave the guitar settings alone and just flip between pups. I only use a few effects and have stomp boxes and I also leave the amp settings alone, keeping changes to a minimum.

[drTStingray]

I have done this to an extent in that I often use a bass, the first example of which I bought in 1979. It is a 2EQ Stingray.

I learned to play initially on a Jazz copy and hankered after a Precision for many years - heaven knows why because virtually none of my favourite bassists used them other than the 60s soul guys - and for them, at that time, it was probably the best thing around for that genre. So I bypassed the Fenders and went straight to a Musicman.

I have been tempted to buy a Precision many times since then but have not succumbed.

I wonder how many of you 'complex to simple' bassists will go the whole hog - to an upright - the Electric bass was a very poor substitute for the complexity of tone which comes out of an upright - indeed really a totally different instrument. And I recall the same debate as is being had here between upright and electric bass.

In some modern music the bass is virtually in audible - why on earth would this be? It's almost as if some producers are these days trying to emulate the sound of guitarist run jam sessions!!! With very loud drummers!! No doubt fashion will change and common sense will return.

Edited December 31, 2013 by drTStingray

[BigRedX]

So what is a complex bass?

[Musicman20]

Some would say the EBMM Big Al is complex, but it is in fact just incredibly versatile!

Thing is, it sounds more like a good P bass in the middle pup in passive than some P basses!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1388498641' post='2322685']
Some would say the EBMM Big Al is complex, but it is in fact just incredibly versatile!
[/quote]

Just had a look at the control diagram and apart form the fact that you get pickups 1+2 in series in what would be "all off" position it seems incredibly intuitive and versatile and not at all complex.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1388499469' post='2322708']


Just had a look at the control diagram and apart form the fact that you get pickups 1+2 in series in what would be "all off" position it seems incredibly intuitive and versatile and not at all complex.
[/quote]

Indeed, it's very intuitive, however some have stated it has too many knobs and buttons!