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Great basses you don't click with


LukeFRC
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I've hated Sadowskys. I've loved Sadowskys. They always seem to sound ace in the mix even though the isolated sound generally does nothing for me.

I'll jump in the Ricky club though - kinda love the look of them, hate the way they play and (on some) rip into my arm.

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[quote name='ped' timestamp='1457345828' post='2997477']
I'm pretty convinced I could get comfortable with most instruments given time to tweak and adjust. For me it's more about the amount of relief on the neck and the action (arrow straight and super low) which is a deal breaker for me. Several basses I've loved the sound of just haven't been capable of a setup which suits me.
[/quote]

Pretty much on this page. I can get along with a great many basses, but I find that none are right for absolutely every style of music. That being said, love the look of Ricks but never played one that stayed more than a few minutes in my hands

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[quote name='therealting' timestamp='1457358489' post='2997682']
Sadowskys don't make any sense until you're in a band situation.
[/quote]

I'm glad somebody else is with me. Their core sound just doesn't do anything for me whatsoever. If I picked one up in a shop, I wouldn't walk out with one. Having tried one on a gig... well, that's a different matter. But I don't think I could buy I bass that does nothing for me tonally outside of a band situation.

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[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1457358857' post='2997687']


I'm glad somebody else is with me. Their core sound just doesn't do anything for me whatsoever. If I picked one up in a shop, I wouldn't walk out with one. Having tried one on a gig... well, that's a different matter. But I don't think I could buy I bass that does nothing for me tonally outside of a band situation.
[/quote]

I'm pretty spoilt by having a Sadowsky MV4 and a pair of Dingwalls (Super J5 and Super P5), and I very much prefer five strings to four so I don't practice on the Sadowsky alone. When I'm in a situation that demands a traditional-looking four string though, the Sadowsky as my token four delivers phenomenally well.

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Loads of supposedly 'great' basses I've never been able to get on with:
Rickenbackers
Fender Jazz
Warwicks
Wals
Status
Any Musicman bass
Never played an Overwater I've liked either, apart from the very early weird shaped one.

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[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1457365920' post='2997804']
Hohner b2a - it's nicely competent, and it's small enough to hide in the car for lunchtime practice but it's just not floating my boat
[/quote]

Ouch!! I just bought one yesterday! My band mates are going to kill me but I played one recently and liked the tone but need to see how it works with the band.

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[quote name='danhkr' timestamp='1457517501' post='2999197']
Jazzes. Love the sound, the necks and the look, just always feel weird on a strap. I think maybe the offset body shape just makes them feel massive. Always end up back on a precision.
[/quote]

I must admit they do feel really 'thick' to me, and something about a plastic screwed on scratchplate doesn't feel right. I think they look nice from the front but the body shape looks awkward and bloated when at an angle, I think.

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[quote name='ped' timestamp='1457518074' post='2999200']
I must admit they do feel really 'thick' to me, and something about a plastic screwed on scratchplate doesn't feel right. I think they look nice from the front but the body shape looks awkward and bloated when at an angle, I think.
[/quote]

My beef with jazzes is the balance on the knee, or lack thereof. I'm much happier on a P bass.

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[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1457525481' post='2999317']
Ive enjoyed reading this thread.

Its actually made me want to try a few of these basses. Ive never played a Rickenbacker, now I really want to see what there all about.
[/quote]

Likewise, it's reignited my own curiosity. I quite like the look, in a perverse way, but I hear such mixed reviews on the tone and feel. Seems I must try one for myself, if only in the name of SCIENCE!

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[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1457525481' post='2999317']
Ive never played a Rickenbacker, now I really want to see what there all about.
[/quote]

To save you the trouble of trying one, you can simulate the experience by borrowing your drummers sticks and hitting them together... :ph34r:

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[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1457532518' post='2999432']
To save you the trouble of trying one, you can simulate the experience by borrowing your drummers sticks and hitting them together... :ph34r:
[/quote]

I find a broom handle is close approximation to a Rickenbacker.
Although that probably plays better.

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Two come to mind.

Warwick Streamer Stage 1 5 string

Stingray 5

Love the sound of these things and they're clearly extremely well made instruments, but I just couldn't get a good sound out of them, and they felt all wrong!

EDIT: oh, and anything by Yamaha, particularly the RBX series and the Attitude. They feel like plastic toys to me!

Edited by chrismuzz
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As the OP I thought I would chime in and say.... the bass that caused the musings that started this post did alright at practice.... sounded good. Not amazing. But good. Great instrument... still not sure that the tone is me.

Oh and I tried 2x18's Rickenbacker - it's the one that doesn't look quite so vintage. Did not know what to make of it. It was good but from a very different position to your standard Fender derived basses (which 80% of designs are*) was odd. Didn't make me want one



[size=1]* I have no facts to back this up[/size]

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Easy. My Alembic Signature 4. An impulsive buy from the Bass Centre in London, late 2000.


A real shame. In many ways, this Bass is too 'Big' for me.

[size=4][color=#000000][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]It has a complicated EQ system that I’ve struggled to get a tone I like out of. Large body, very heavy (easily more than 10 KG) and I don’t find it comfortable to play. The stretch down beyond the 3rd fret is too much, even when seated. Rarely played and never gigged.[/font][/color][/size]

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[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1457638995' post='3000561']
Just out of interest mate, I'm wondering why you haven't sold it on?
[/quote]

:) It's been up for sale on Basschat a couple of times in the past (for around £2.5k) but no serious interest, or any offers. I don't want to ship abroad either.

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[quote name='SimonEdward' timestamp='1457639884' post='3000573']


:) It's been up for sale on Basschat a couple of times in the past (for around £2.5k) but no serious interest, or any offers. I don't want to ship abroad either.
[/quote]

Shame, looks good despite you not clicking with it.

Sounds like a commission sale may help? Drop it off, forget about it.... cash in down the line :)

Mmm, wonder what I'd buy after getting that £2.5k back!



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[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1457640273' post='3000584']
Mmm, wonder what I'd buy after getting that £2.5k back!
[/quote]

I'm lucky to have some good Basses, so the 'bic won't be missed. I would like to try an inexpensive 5-string, with a high 'C', to play Solo parts on some song's I'm recording.

What would you spend it on? :)

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