Bonding with your basses?

[Paul S]

Nothing to do with cut fingers and superglue. I am currently going through a bit of a shuffle with my gear and reflecting upon the nature of GAS etc. GAS is GAS, nothing can be done about it. But after the thrill of chase?

A common denominator for me is I have to bond with a bass if I want to keep it. I have managed to slowly (some might say not so slowly) accrue many basses (some might say too many) some of which seemed, ostensibly, to tick all my boxes when I bought them. Yet, when push comes to shove, they stay on the rack or in the bag.

Case in point - a while back and totally out of nowhere I found myself with an exceptionally strong outbreak of GAS for a Danelectro Longhorn bass. I lost one on eBay and felt cheated - then one popped up on here just a day or so later. Fair to say that from the first time I picked it up and plugged it in I was totally smitten. [/smileyfest] So when, a couple of weeks later, a Dano DC bass registered on my radar I jumped at it. Used it at a couple of rehearsals and it does everything I need from a bass. Yet it doesn't 'do it' for me, lovely as it is, and I have just finished taking pics of it to list it for sale.

Two other recent basses - Yamaha BB414 - absolutely lovely bass that, on paper, is perfect yet, for me, not a keeper. Squier Katana - only arrived a couple of days ago but I can't put it down - it is SO comfortable, plays so well and sounds so good.

Is this silly? Am I just a romantic old fool and should I just play any old bass? Does anyone else have to bond with their instrument?

[Lozz196]

I know what you mean Paul, and find I`m pretty much the same. Bizarrely I find that the more perfect a bass, the less I bond with it, it`s almost as if the flaws are what make me gel with it. My trusty 78 Precision for example, heavy, dented, genuine road-worn, you have to know how hard to hit the strings on each fret/string as this can be different, and I love it, far more than other newer Precisions I`ve had which have been pristine and virtually played themselves.

I remember reading Eric Clapton saying similar about his fave Strat, "Blackie" - not that I`d put myself in the same talent-league as Mr Clapton of course, but it does seem that some of us have the need to bond with an instrument.

[gary mac]

Know exactly what you mean.

I've had some extremely good instruments that I just haven't bonded with, even when I've really wanted to.

Others irrelevant of their price point, perceived coolness or lack of, have become firm faves.

[BassBus]

Oh yes!

I've found my custom basses take longest. When the Status and Overwater arrived as brand new basses they were undoubtedly brilliant basses. Looked great sounded good, played very well. But something took months to really click. Usually an adjustment to setup and finding the right strings just drops that last piece of the jigsaw in place. I had an Ibanez GWB35 for about 18 months that I never bonded with. Swapped it in a trade and the ESP LTD that came in in it's place just gave everything the Ibby didn't give me. It's all such a subjective thing that you can never put your finger on.

[discreet]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1430643671' post='2763222']
Is this silly? Am I just a romantic old fool..?
[/quote]

Yes, and yes. But I completely understand where you're coming from. Apologies for going on about it, but since I sold my 76P four years ago I've had many basses through my hands and some of them have been truly remarkable. But in the end they were all missing something essential, i.e. they weren't MY 76P... so when I got the chance to buy it back, I did everything possible to do so and am now more pleased and happy than I have any right to be over the acquisition of what is after all a basic P bass!

However, what I learnt from owning lots of different basses in that time made me appreciate just how good my 76P is and it's now set up within an inch of its life and it plays brilliantly and sounds magnificent. Oh, and it looks great too! And my bass GAS... isn't gone (of course) but it has subsided significantly. At least for now...

[synthaside]

I'm actually a bit in this position myself , i have a fantastic status that looks drop dead gorgeous I GAS'ed after very badly and is very special as my mrs bought it for me ... when push comes to shove and i'm loading the car to go rehearsal

The Epi Tbird goes in and the status stays at home , Im more at home on it I can make it generate the sound I'm looking for in each song we play its and old shoe , i know exactly what to expect from it and my fingers dont have to think.

Im bonded to my bass there are many like it but this one is mine.

[leonshelley01]

Same as! I bought a jazz bass with my first wage packet after being unemployed for a while and ever since it has been the bass I always pick up. I've even bought more jazz basses to try to replicate it, same replacement bridges, pickups etc but they just don't feel or sound the same!

[neepheid]

I can play anything with a chunky enough long scale neck. Attachments to certain instruments are formed with me because of circumstances - my wife bought me my RD Artist, I rescued my Victory Artist from being a basket case, I did a lot of modding to my Epi Les Paul Standard. Those would be the last three of the current batch to go if there had to be an emergency sale, know what I mean? After that, it's how much I like it versus how much of a PITA it would be to get another one. I really liked my Epi Jack Casady for instance, but it's simple enough to get another so I sold it when I needed some cash, no problem.

[FinnDave]

For me it's my Mexican Fender classic 60s jazz, bought new a couple of years ago as soon as they came out with cellulose finish, and has been played at almost every gig since. Being cellulose, the finish is already a bit chipped here and there, but this bass just fits me like a comfortable old coat. I say 'almost every gig' as occasionally I forsake my lovely Jazz for a US P bass for a few weeks, but always come back to the jazz. I also have an LBP maple neck Mex Jazz with an incredible sound, but it is usually left in its gig bag at gigs, I just haven't bonded with it yet.

[FinnDave]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1430648259' post='2763276']
I really liked my Epi Jack Casady for instance, but it's simple enough to get another so I sold it when I needed some cash, no problem.
[/quote]

Interesting, as I bought one of these earlier this year, played it a few times, one gig, since when it has stayed in its case and is now for sale. An excellent bass in every respect, great player, great sound, beautiful to look at, but just not 'my' bass. I love Precisions and P type necks (like the Casady) but when I just need to play, it's really always been a Jazz bass for me.

[Grangur]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1430644015' post='2763224']
I know what you mean Paul, and find I`m pretty much the same. Bizarrely I find that the more perfect a bass, the less I bond with it, it`s almost as if the flaws are what make me gel with it. My trusty 78 Precision for example, heavy, dented, genuine road-worn, you have to know how hard to hit the strings on each fret/string as this can be different, and I love it, far more than other newer Precisions I`ve had which have been pristine and virtually played themselves.

I remember reading Eric Clapton saying similar about his fave Strat, "Blackie" - not that I`d put myself in the same talent-league as Mr Clapton of course, but it does seem that some of us have the need to bond with an instrument.
[/quote]
+1 i have 3 basses. 2 are in pristine condition. They play perfectly. Well, they would if a good bassist was playing them. But somehow it's like eating off the best china; somehow you don't relax and gel with it.

The one that I relax with is one I bought more cheaply, more battered and even written on in Chinese!

The crazy thing is my head tells me to buy them in good condition, or in a condition that I can work on and make near perfect, but I relax with them when it doesn't matter if you ding it.

I also don't think having a choice of bass helps. If you have a load, how do you single 1 out as "the bass"? Yet curiosity drives the GAS.

[MacDaddy]

I would like to think a bass guitar is just a tool to do a job. They are made to be be played so I play them.

However my custom Shuker is the best bass in the world and my Hamer Blitz is a keeper [size=4] [/size]

[JapanAxe]

Yes, I totally get this. Ideally you want to feel the start of the bonding process in the shop (I have never yet bought a bass untried) but you can still get caught out and later find you haven't fallen in love with the instrument.

[Hobbayne]

The Squier bitsa in my sig is my favourite. I know its just a amalgam of bits and pieces, but it just feels so snug.

[hubrad]

+1 for bonding! My 'ultrabond' bass is here: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/44673-ibanez-roadster-megacustom/page__hl__ibanez%20roadster
I have so much time and soul invested in that bass that it took me a loooong time to find anything else; I mention part way through that process that I finally got an Overwater.. played a particular model and something in me went 'bump'. It took me about four years to justify pressing the button on the same model, but once it finally arrived it didn't disappoint in any way.. still got that, and it will be in action at the end of the week.
A very interesting experiment is to go to one of the specialist places such as Bass Direct and play a variety of basses. You either soon start to realise what all this talk of bonding is about, or you are happy enough playing anything. We're not all the same, thank goodness!

[chris_b]

Its called "talking to you". They say you've passed an interview within 10 seconds of walking through the door. It's the same with me and bass gear. I don't know what the process is, but as soon as I pick up a bass I know if it's "talking" or not. After that it still has to pass a lot of tests, like the tone, the look and the price, but the feel of the thing always comes first.

As I've said before, I don't do GAS or collections, I only buy basses to be played and they have to be better than what I already have so my gear just evolves and improves.

[discreet]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1430650924' post='2763326']
....I only buy basses to be played and they have to be better than what I already have so my gear just evolves and improves.
[/quote]

That's what I tried to do, but it turned out the bass I had in the first place was difficult to improve upon.

[chris_b]

Yep. Sooner or later you get to a place where you have to start thinking more about your playing because the gear side of things is done.

[discreet]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1430652851' post='2763372']
Yep. Sooner or later you get to a place where you have to start thinking more about your playing because the gear side of things is done.
[/quote]

Woah! This is definitely the wrong forum for that! We're down the rabbit hole now, people!

Seriously though, all I want is a decent all-valve amp that doesn't burst my scrotum when I pickup it up, then I'm done.

Edited May 3, 2015 by discreet

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1430653067' post='2763374']
Seriously though, all I want is a decent all-valve amp that doesn't burst my scrotum when I pickup it up, then I'm done.
[/quote]

You need to try the Mesa Prodigy. I know it wasn't for me, but it definitely meets your second requirement!

[JTUK]

If I don't really like the bass..or bond with it, I don't keep it.
But I don't generally go through many basses as I know when I've bought the right one
in the first place. So, altho my buying process is quite convuluted and drawn out,
I don't often get it wrong once I've made up my mind.
The pluses and minuses of being a very picky buyer...??

[Duarte]

I used to own 3 musicman bongo basses (why, I don't know) - they were phenomenal instruments. A bit ridiculous, stupidly hi-tech, pristine sounding and in mint condition.

Then when I started renting my own flat, I had to sell them to live. It was torture.. I got a nice lump sum once they had all sold, had no bass for about a year. THAT was torture.

I had managed to save around £400 over the year, and spent it on the cheapest, most beaten up MusicMan I could find, which was a 1993 Sterling. Never looked back, it is my only bass, and got me through a tough time. It's a keeper for sure...I can't imagine owning anything better!

[Roger2611]

Trouble is you amass a collection of excellent basses all with a reason to be kept!

[tedmanzie]

Paul, I think that the time has come to sell me back that 32" PBass

I really 'bonded' with that one! (but sold it...)

Edited May 3, 2015 by tedmanzie

[Number6]

I love that every instrument you ever buy comes with its own foibles that you only discover over time playing it.....those small imperfections imo endear you to particular basses.