Fisheth Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 So say you've just wandered into a store, played this beautiful bass but there's something about it that really puts you off it... What is that one thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Depends on the bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Gold hardware... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Too many numbers before the decimal point. Beggars can't be choosers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myke Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Finger prints.. I don't like basses that show up your finger prints all over the place! Also price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Bad ergonomics. There's no excuse for a bass that doesn't balance well and feel comfortable to play - we're not in the 1950s anymore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Badly setup / straight out of the box unsetup. Action like a cheesegrater, loose or uneven knobs. Thick necks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheth Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 [quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1429478130' post='2751847'] Badly setup / straight out of the box unsetup. Action like a cheesegrater, loose or uneven knobs. Thick necks. [/quote] Aside from thick necks, aren't all of those things you can sort? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subbeh Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 (edited) [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1429477525' post='2751832'] Gold hardware... [/quote] Same, I can't think of anything that puts me off a bass more. Just can't stand the blingy gold look. Edited April 19, 2015 by Subbeh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 It`s not a Fender Precision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Exotic woods of the coffee table persuasion, especially when dressed away to show contrasting layers of other exotic woods. Bleargh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 [quote name='Fisheth' timestamp='1429478424' post='2751850'] Aside from thick necks, aren't all of those things you can sort? [/quote] Yeh - note, I mean this on new guitars, on seconds or older yes, I can sort it. If it has a bad cheese-grater action, how can I actually tell what it is like to play, it could be covering other problems? Knobs loose or out of line means noone really cared putting it together or out on the display, in which case, it could well be a dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 "Musicman" written on the headstock....just kidding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheth Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 [quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1429480280' post='2751873'] Yeh - note, I mean this on new guitars, on seconds or older yes, I can sort it. If it has a bad cheese-grater action, how can I actually tell what it is like to play, it could be covering other problems? Knobs loose or out of line means noone really cared putting it together or out on the display, in which case, it could well be a dog. [/quote] Thanks for the clarification. This makes more sense now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 [quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1429478088' post='2751846'] Bad ergonomics. There's no excuse for a bass that doesn't balance well and feel comfortable to play - we're not in the 1950s anymore! [/quote] Yep - neck dive is my bugbear. Why design a bass that doesn't balance well ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Active electronics, nowhere to rest your thumb, and neck dive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Deal breakers? In no particular order; sound, weight, manufacturer, string spacing, colour and price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Neck dive. 42mm nut width. More than 5 strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1429481312' post='2751881'] ...nowhere to rest your thumb... [/quote] This. Given that it has to have pickups, basses with nowhere to rest your thumb must be deliberately designed to be that way! Why?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I'm easy on most things, but am developing an irrational dislike of non-angled headstocks and square neck heels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Oh, and oval pickups! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1429482286' post='2751897'] ...an irrational dislike of non-angled headstocks... [/quote] Having played Fenders for years this never bothered me. It was only when I played a few basses with angled headstocks I realised what a crappy design a non-angled headstock really is, and how it's basically a cost/mass-production issue. But I still love Fenders. *Sigh* [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1429482349' post='2751898'] ...and oval pickups! [/quote] Blooargh!! Edited April 19, 2015 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 The main problem I have with otherwise perfect basses is colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1429482441' post='2751900'] It was only when I played a few basses with angled headstocks I realised what a crappy design a non-angled headstock really is, [/quote] Tell that to the many Gibson owners who have suffered broken headstocks over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1429482820' post='2751905'] Tell that to the many Gibson owners who have suffered broken headstocks over the years. [/quote] I really think that's a Gibson thing, not an angled headstock thing. Spectors aren't known for headstock breakage for example. And anyway, isn't that more a Gibson g**t*r thing rather than a Gibson bass thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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