How accurate are your opinions on gear?

[Roland Rock]

An opinion is a personal thing, and everyone is entitled to one, although some are more qualified than others, right?

This topic is about how time/memories/other factors may distort the truth somewhat. Here's some hypothetical examples:

- A player had a 2EQ Stingray 13 years ago, and he has always upheld on BC that they didn't like the tone.
The truth is, he was young and clueless about controls at that time, and in likelihood just had the Bass and Treble cranked all the time.

- Someone states that a certain rig that they had in the '70s was the perfect tone, a tone that no other rig to this day can equal.
That was 40 years ago - the person is very different, their hearing is probably different. Perhaps those 'glory days' bring back all sorts of happy memories of youth, groupies etc. and their memory has filtered out all the crap stuff. Could their memory have sweetened up the tone of that rig over time?

- A band are supporting, and the headliners kindly offer the use of their gear. The bass player is faced with an Orange Terror bass and a Markbass cab, neither of which she has used before. She is too polite to tweak the controls, so plays the gig, and is not keen on the tone.
Every time an Orange Terror is mentioned on BC, she chips in saying that they are crap.

I have been guilty of 'blanket statements' on BC in the past. When you think about it, how accurate are your opinions on gear?

[LukeFRC]

I met a guy years ago who was into reggae, ran his own sound system. Good music but the fella wasn't to be trusted any further than you could throw him. .. your sig says you're into Reggae so I'm not sure I can trust anything you say.....














that sort of thing what the thread is about.

[waynepunkdude]

100% I am a genius.

[HowieBass]

Opinions are always 100% accurate because it's a person's viewpoint based on their own experience at the time. Opinions change over time; some opinions are more informed than others; some opinions I listen to, others I don't. For example, I could read quotes from Carl Sagan all the time and benefit from his opinions and wisdom; I couldn't say the same is true with say Nick Clegg...

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1401101744' post='2459982']
Opinions are always 100% accurate because it's a person's viewpoint based on their own experience at the time
[/quote]

How would you apply that to the second example? What if he played it now and it's a disappointment? Then his opinion was not 100% accurate

[flyfisher]

+1

The world is full of opinions and it's the job of the questioner to seek out answers from the multitude of opinions available, not the job of the opinionated to mould their opinions to satisfy the questioner.

Such things can be difficult enough when actual facts are involved, but when the subject is purely subjective such as 'good music' or 'best tone' then it's even more tricky.

[HowieBass]

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1401101744' post='2459982']
Opinions change over time
[/quote]

It's for the same reason that one perhaps should not regret past mistakes because you thought it was the right decision at the time.

[neepheid]

Opinions go bad and get my nose out of joint when they are paraded around as fact. I try to be really careful not to do this these days - I'm sure in the past I've jumped on the "wooly Ashdown" bandwagon based upon the experience of clapped out gear in rehearsal rooms for example.

No more though. If I think it's good, then it is good - in my little bubble. I will shy away from making blanket statements about the output of a particular brand, model, factory, country of manufacture etc. because I can categorically state that I lack the statistical oversight of the entire group being discussed to make any such proclamations. I can say with 100% certainty that the 10 basses in my bass cupboard are the best 10 basses in my bass cupboard though

Anything else I say can and should be taken with a pinch of salt. I don't expect everyone to agree with me and my love of Gibson basses for instance (part of the appeal for me is the championing of the underdog anyway), but I will take grave exception to anyone who has the impudence/arrogance to make blanket statements about the quality/tone/structural integrity of "all Gibson basses" just because they didn't like the microscopic sample they tried. That's just like saying all cheese is awful, just because the first cheese you ever tasted was a Danish Blue and you didn't like it. So ALL cheese is bad? Riiiiiight then.

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1401103722' post='2460023']
Opinions go bad and get my nose out of joint when they are paraded around as fact. I try to be really careful not to do this these days - I'm sure in the past I've jumped on the "wooly Ashdown" bandwagon based upon the experience of clapped out gear in rehearsal rooms for example.

No more though. If I think it's good, then it is good - in my little bubble. I will shy away from making blanket statements about the output of a particular brand, model, factory, country of manufacture etc. because I can categorically state that I lack the statistical oversight of the entire group being discussed to make any such proclamations. I can say with 100% certainty that the 10 basses in my bass cupboard are the best 10 basses in my bass cupboard though

Anything else I say can and should be taken with a pinch of salt. I don't expect everyone to agree with me and my love of Gibson basses for instance (part of the appeal for me is the championing of the underdog anyway), but I will take grave exception to anyone who has the impudence/arrogance to make blanket statements about the quality/tone/structural integrity of "all Gibson basses" just because they didn't like the microscopic sample they tried. That's just like saying all cheese is awful, just because the first cheese you ever tasted was a Danish Blue and you didn't like it. So ALL cheese is bad? Riiiiiight then.
[/quote]

Cupboard basses are all sh*t

[Weststarx]

I always ask for peoples opinions and end up buying what I was going to buy in the first place haha.

If I find a lot of people have the same experience with something then I will listen, but if its just one persons opinion against mine on something, I always go with mine.

[neepheid]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1401104058' post='2460026']
Cupboard basses are all sh*t
[/quote]

My cupboard doesn't have a door, it's more of a display area:

[krysh]

my opinion is my opinion, no matter how much it changes.
well, it does if I'm proved being wrong, but I trust my own experiences best.

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1401104244' post='2460030']


My cupboard doesn't have a door, it's more of a display area:


[/quote]

Ah, that's different. Display area basses are all great.

I remember your build diary for this - cool little space

Edited May 26, 2014 by Roland Rock

[neepheid]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1401104409' post='2460033']
Ah, that's different. Display area basses are all great.

I remember your build diary for this - cool little space
[/quote]

It was the main advantage of going to a combi boiler for me - the space freed up by the removal of the water tanks. The fuel efficiency? Irrelevant!

I don't have basses tucked away in cupboards, in cases, under beds etc. Any which I have owned which I no longer wish to play get sold. End of.

[goingdownslow]

I find people to be biased towards their own opinions.

[Prosebass]

Ed Friedland is GOD!

[Marvin]

I've found there to be a lot of well repeated opinions on BC that don't seem to hold true, for me anyway. Certain brands that have 100% QC that I've found wanting and vice versa. What brands sound like what etc.

Ashdown are a good example. Continually slated for sounding woolly or as if someone is holding a blanket to the cab...I used one, an 810, the other day and thought it sounded very articulate. It was clear and well defined in the band mix. I'd certainly not be put of the brand. I've also got mates who use them.

My opinion tends to change a lot. In the practice room my band uses there is a Hartke 410XL. At first I really liked it, however, as time has gone on I have come to really dislike it. It's to harsh sounding for me and my band.

I tend to try and use or hear gear, then make my mind up now Peavey gear is still sh*t though, having owned some

[lurksalot]

I tend to draw from others opinions only what I can pick up based on the experience on which those opinions are based , a lot of opinions are based on taste or style for instance , and thus completely arbitrary.
For instance a lot of the discussion on 'tone' seems irrelevant to me because it often seems that the discussions aren't contextualised at all.

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1401106872' post='2460061']
Ashdown are a good example. Continually slated for sounding woolly or as if someone is holding a blanket to the cab...
[/quote]

.... the definitive blanket statement

[BetaFunk]

Just use your own judgement. That's why i've picked up some cracking 70s, 80s & 90s basses at bargain prices because they aren't fashionable and therefore don't get talked about in glowing terms. I just hope all the experts continue to keep away from these gems.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1401106872' post='2460061']
Peavey gear is still sh*t though, having owned some
[/quote]

Careful now

[flyfisher]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1401106872' post='2460061']

Ashdown are a good example. Continually slated for sounding woolly or as if someone is holding a blanket to the cab...I used one, an 810, the other day and thought it sounded very articulate. It was clear and well defined in the band mix. I'd certainly not be put of the brand. I've also got mates who use them.

[/quote]

Indeed, and there are plenty of pro players who use Ashdown, as there are for almost any decent brand of gear.

And need I mention how Macca's 'crappy' cheap old bass has held him back over the years . . . .

Edited May 26, 2014 by flyfisher

[Marvin]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1401110997' post='2460122']
Careful now
[/quote]

To qualify, it was only a Peavey Basic 60 way back when...it was totally inadequate for what I needed, so not Peavey's fault really.

Edited May 26, 2014 by Marvin

[yorks5stringer]

Opinions.....aren't they like arseholes?

[icastle]

I'm actually quite happy to recommend gear that I wouldn't ever consider buying for my own use - there's no 'one size fits all' and my requirements aren't generally going to be the same as the next persons.