Great basses you don't click with

[LukeFRC]

So there are good instruments and there are the really great ones - and it's hard to quantify what makes them great, but they sound good play good and have an evenness across the neck.

Instruments you are lucky to own... Ever had one and just not clicked with the sound it makes when you play it?

[tredders]

Every Jazz bass I've ever owned has been like this for me. I've owned an AV62, couple of nice Japanese RI models, and (briefly) a JV one, and they all sounded woeful when I played them.

I think I just don't like the sound that Jazz basses make!

[odysseus]

I've never owned one, but a couple of mates have Rickenbackers. They're great basses apparently. but not in my hands. Dunno why, they just don't feel right to me - not even as though I'd get used to it in time. *shrug*

[guybrush threepwood]

I always love the sound of a Stingray. But when I play one, I just find them too unruly; far too much presence in the mix.

[Pinball]

[quote name='tredders' timestamp='1457044282' post='2994883']
Every Jazz bass I've ever owned has been like this for me. I've owned an AV62, couple of nice Japanese RI models, and (briefly) a JV one, and they all sounded woeful when I played them.
I think I just don't like the sound that Jazz basses make!
[/quote]
Same here I love the sound they make when playing them at home and just can't make them work for me in a band-samdberg TM4's are an example. They are clearly great basses just not for me.

[neepheid]

I'm another example of "tried a Rickenbacker 4003, didn't get what all the fuss is about". *shrugs*

[kodiakblair]

It's the Peavey Sarzo with me. Lovely bass, feels great but I can't get used to the tone.

Plenty of string changes before I give up though

[Rich]

Yup, another Rick vote here. Borrowed one many years ago, great sound but god I just hated the feel of it. Shame, it'd be a great sonic addition to the toolbox but I just know it would drive me mental within minutes.

[Bobthedog]

G&L M2000 for me. Others loved it and it sounded great in their hands. I could never get happy with my tone from it and it moved on very quickly.

[paul_5]

Another Rick story here. Borrowed a mid 70's 4003 to run through an Ampeg stack to record with a few years back.

Sounded awesome.

Felt sh*t.

Used a Jazz bass instead

[BassBus]

I had an Ibanez GWB35 for a while. I love Gary Willis' playing but I like to tune my fivers with a high C. It just did not suit it and I found I didn't get on with only one pickup. It is a shame cause it was a lovely bass. Swapped it for an ESP fiver and that gave me exactly what I wanted.

[TrevorR]

Rickys... Love the look, love the sound, can't abide the feel of the neck. Similarly basses with lacquered maple fingerboards.

Call me shallow but I can't get past the visual appearance of the Lakland oval bridge.

Never played a Warwick that felt comfy in my hands.

[Dazed]

Stingray. Always fancied one. Got one. Surprisingly disappointing. At the same time I picked a U.S. Sub, it blew the Stingray away.
The Sub was well worn and had been played a lot, whereas the Stingray was almost mint, it played fine but just didn't have "it".

Status Streamline was another. It wasn't the marmite body shape as I quite like it. I can't pinpoint what it was but I just didn't get on with it. It didn't sound or feel right to me.

Reading the above comments, I'm wondering now about a Ric, I'd never wanted one or saw the appeal. That is until the last 12 months when I've listened more to them, unintentionally to start with when I found out a band I really was blown by used Rics almost exclusively. Now I've made an effort to listen to them and like them quite a lot. Still don't like how they look though.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Dazed

[Subbeh]

Stingray for me too. Love the look, feel, neck profile and bomb proof build quality. I love the way they sound when other people play them. Saw a solid originals band last week and the 'ray the bassist was playing sat really well and had a huge presence which
really worked for their three piece setup.

I just really like everything about them except the way they sound when I play one. Maybe I need to try a 2 band eq one...

[Hobbayne]

Another vote for Warwick. I borrowed a mates Fortress once and hated the neck profile and the tone.

[keefbaker]

Yeah, I also can't "do" Jazz basses. I've played other peoples, I tried an old 70s one, a new one, and American Deluxe, I even owned one once. They just don't suit me.

[ead]

I'm another in the Ricky camp sadly. They were my 'dream' bass and having saved up for a year to buy one I found it to be not a great experience. I persevered for a year then sold it on.

On the other hand I love Jazz and Jazz-type basses.

Edited March 4, 2016 by ead

[BrunoBass]

I just can't get on with the Jazz bass, I find the neck too cramped. I love the sound, I love the look, it's a shame. One of my planned projects for this year is to put a chunky neck on a Jazz bass body and see how it goes.

[Muzz]

Never played a Rick, Jazz or Stingray I could live with, and I've owned several of each.

Jazzes I just don't like the look of, Stingrays I like everything about apart from the amplified sound (and the weight of a particularly heavy one), and Ricks...well, they look nice...

[No lust in Jazz]

Warwick Streamer
Status - Any I've touched
Gibson Thunderbird
Stingray

[CamdenRob]

I don't think there are any great basses I don't get on with as a design... I've played examples of loads of different types of bass that I didn't like but I think they were just poor instruments rather than a poor design.

...except for Rics obviously but this thread is supposed to be about "great" basses...

[Machines]

An Overwater Progress III Deluxe. It was a refined Rolls Royce when I actually wanted a raucous Ferrari.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Machines

[Musicman20]

Ric 4003. Still want one, still love the style and tone, but just didn't feel right on the few occasions I tried one. I will get one, one day...and fight it until I like it haha.

[Muzz]

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1457084435' post='2995073']
An Overwater Progress III Deluxe. It was a refined Rolls Royce when I actually wanted a raucous Ferrari.
[/quote]

Oh yeah, just remembered that: had a (proper) Overwater Perception - beautiful thing, but waaaay too polite for me. Sold it, regretted it, got it back...and sold it again.

[LewisK1975]

Ricks and Jazzes getting a lot of mention here - here's my take on both, as a player whose go to has always been a Precision.

Rick 4003 - Best looking Bass I've ever 'worn'. Completely uncomfortable to play for me. Lack of body chamfers and that ridiculous bridge pickup surround made it a total fight to finish a gig, even with the 'over the top' cover removed.

Jazz - Always loved the sound of them, Played many but always drifted back to the precision, mainly because of the necks being so different in comparison. Then I discovered the ones which have 'U' shaped necks, and found that even with the narrower nut and string spacing, the neck sits really nicely in the hand. Got myself a 1975 Jazz a few weeks ago and I'm totally besotted with it. Now I just need a good backup to it (there's a thread there I reckon!)

YMMV!

Edited March 4, 2016 by LewisK1975