flyfisher Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Exactly. All the gear available today is good enough for anyone and great players will always sound great whatever they play. Look at Macca and his 'cheap, crappy' violin bass In fact, pretty much any of the gear used by the best players is available to the committed amateur player so all this agonising over the quest for 'perfect tone' is nonsense really. My suspicion is that there are two basics in this game - gear and talent. We can buy the gear, then change the gear, then mod the gear, then buy custom gear, but continually blame the gear while all the time it is the talent or application that we really lack to be a great player. Still, I guess that always focusing on the gear helps us to forget our shortcomings in the talent department. If only it were possible to buy talent as easily as it is to buy gear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1415540807' post='2601270'] Exactly. All the gear available today is good enough for anyone and great players will always sound great whatever they play. Look at Macca and his 'cheap, crappy' violin bass In fact, pretty much any of the gear used by the best players is available to the committed amateur player so all this agonising over the quest for 'perfect tone' is nonsense really. My suspicion is that there are two basics in this game - gear and talent. We can buy the gear, then change the gear, then mod the gear, then buy custom gear, but continually blame the gear while all the time it is the talent or application that we really lack to be a great player. Still, I guess that always focusing on the gear helps us to forget our shortcomings in the talent department. If only it were possible to buy talent as easily as it is to buy gear! [/quote] I couldn't agree more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Every single person I know with top end custom stuff can also play really well, I've not one person with a £3k plus bass that cant play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 I'm sure that's true, but I doubt they are good players [u]because[/u] they've got high-end gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1415547672' post='2601336'] I'm sure that's true, but I doubt they are good players [u]because[/u] they've got high-end gear. [/quote] Agree with your posts. I keep reading how someone "has" to spend a lot of money for a "playable" bass. This sounds like BS to me. I can understand someone wanting to do it for the pleasure of owning something unique and expensive, nothing really wrong with that, but some make out they are forced to because nothing else (i.e., what us mainstream players use) will get the job done. I know sometimes you have to spend more to get the configuration you want, its not always easy buying off the shelf with the exact spec you prefer, but i cant believe someone with a 3k bass (for example) wouldn't be able to play a much, much cheaper bass and still get the job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 No but then that contradicts the idea people are buying this stuff with the hope of it being the answer to their prayers of being able to play doesn't it? The people buying it must have already got their sh*t together on cheaper gear and are not on this quest we always hear about but in fact just like high end gear and have the skills to be able to play it properly. As I've said before in other threads one persons high end gear is anothers work horse inexpensive run of the mill stuff. I take no notice of endorsed products, watching someone rock out with an Ashdown rig as you sit smugly saying if its good enough for so and so it's good enough for me is all well and good until you take into account the pre EQ Di and two grands worth of in ear monitors, stage dressing/advertising at its finest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 I'm not disparaging people who buy high end gear, regardless of whether they can play or not. Their money, their choice, no problem. I'm just suggesting there is no correlation between gear and talent and that a great player will sound great pretty much regardless of what gear they happen to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415548259' post='2601348'] No but then that contradicts the idea people are buying this stuff with the hope of it being the answer to their prayers of being able to play doesn't it? [/quote] Yes, but these people will normally already have other basses so should know better ;-) [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1415549961' post='2601367'] I'm not disparaging people who buy high end gear, regardless of whether they can play or not. Their money, their choice, no problem. I'm just suggesting there is no correlation between gear and talent and that a great player will sound great pretty much regardless of what gear they happen to use. [/quote] Yep, spot on again, although i still think sometimes you need to up the budget to get something that you do feel more comfortable on, and so can play better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Just watched this again. Excellent track, redolent of Avalon-era Roxy, and great playing by all involved. Just remembered I still have [i]The High Road[/i] on VHS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 I have seen some stuff like Richard Bona and Yanek Gwizdala etc that in fairness although they would rock with a Squier P no doubt the loop station tapping stuff would not be possible on any of my basses without some fret dressing and even then the necks might not be stable enough to stay at such a low action on a tour basis, granted this is not your everyday pub gig issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Yes, there are those that do need a more specialist instrument. ill give you that. But as you say, these are not your everyday players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 I sold Martthebass a Squier P bass for about £60, out of the box is was beyond my needs ability wise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415553800' post='2601412'] I sold Martthebass a Squier P bass for about £60, out of the box is was beyond my needs ability wise [/quote] Too many knobs on it ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Lol, you got it! The 2 small ones were ok, just the massive one in the middle making a hash of things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1415547672' post='2601336'] I'm sure that's true, but I doubt they are good players [u]because[/u] they've got high-end gear. [/quote] Some basses are unplayable, IMO and most good players wouldn't even try. Sure, they could get a tune out of it, but they'd be so compromsied, they'd not bother, IMV.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Do you mean some models are intrinsically unplayable or that some individual examples are unplayable? I'd be surprised at the former (unless it was a 'toy' bass) and would like to think that the latter could be sorted if properly set up. I take your point about good players not bothering though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Both, I go into some shops and look at the stock and I don't even want to pick one up as I know it would be such a bugger to play and do what I want to do on a bass... Whether that bass can be set up to be playable as I'd want it, is also debateable. Most probably couldn't anyway... and there would so many other things about them that I'd dislike that it wouldn't even get off first base. It is possible that the issue is more mine than the bass... but many people like my basses to play so I'm thinking why isn't theirs more like mine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 That does sound more like personal preference to me. I find a wide P bass neck and high action very, very hard to play, yet I know others love this set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 It is a preference for sure.... but there are somethings that just can't be done on bad basses...and even if you could get close to doing them, you'd mess your hands up for later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1415645449' post='2602363'] That does sound more like personal preference to me. I find a wide P bass neck and high action very, very hard to play, yet I know others love this set up. [/quote] When you've just got off a double bass, the wide P bass neck and high action seem neither wide nor high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1415646383' post='2602378'] When you've just got off a double bass, the wide P bass neck and high action seem neither wide nor high. [/quote] Since taking up DB I agree but then in a way you can say the same about "unplayable" uprights or cant play arco on particular strings, cant slap on particular strings. Tools for the job just the same I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 I'm a poor enough player that I'd assume it was me before I assumed it was the bass, upright or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 James Jamersons' P Bass was considered unplayable apparently. It had a very high action and old strings and was never set up properly as he liked it like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1415648333' post='2602404'] I'm a poor enough player that I'd assume it was me before I assumed it was the bass, upright or not. [/quote] Likewise but I know its not my bass as I have heard the noises Jake Newman and Geoff Chamlers can get out of it, ah must be me after all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Anyone remember the Sue Ryder "craze" a few years ago? I know loads of people brought them but im convinced they were mostly unplayable. I tried 3 and felt they were terrible. Now these I can believe would hinder anyone, even me, and it's normally the other way around ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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