What gear exceeded expectations for you?

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Have you ever bought any bass gear which you expected to be good, but turned out to far exceed expectations?

For me this would be my Epiphone vintage pro bass. I've owned a bolt-on epiphone thunderbird before and still have a pro-v 5 string, and I expected the vintage pro to be prettier version of something between the two.

I've not used roundwounds since the last century, but after receiving the bass I played it for a few weeks with the stock strings and apart from the abrasive roundwounds on my fingertips I loved the feel of the bass - the 'oval' narrow neck with a slightly rounded fingerboard edge and the well finished fret-ends make it very comfortable to play. I was not prepared for how good it sounded though - the pro-bucker pickups sound huge and are dripping with tone. It is possible to a massive range of usable tones with just the three knobs and it is sometimes hard to believe it is a passive bass. The roundwounds had a little too much zing for my taste when they wrre new, the bridge pickup was on and the tone pot was open. I didn't enjoy the feel of the strings as much as I enjoyed the sound so I decided to get some La Bella 750T white nylons, hoping for a brighter variation on flatwounds, but not really knowing what kind of tone to expect from them. Once I had the strings on the bass, the smooth feel was even better than my previous favourite strings Thomastik TI-344, but what I liked about the bass's tone with the stock strings on was preserved, perhaps with a little more low end punch and without the excess brittle zing. I don't know whether the La Bellas would work this well on every bass, but they are perfect for me on this one.

So this bass which cost me £450 (b-stock for a near-invisible minor cosmetic issue) and a set of £30 strings (it pays to shop around) which I originally bought mainly due to the super-cool vintage looks rather than for it to become my main bass, has replaced my CIJ mustang as my go-to bass for rehearsals and recording, it's the first one I grab to play at home, and I used it on my only gig since I bought it.

What has anyone else bought - perhaps a combination of bass/amp/strings/fx/etc which was expected to be good, but far exeeded those expectations?

[CameronJ]

The gear I acquire tends to be purchased in the full knowledge that it’s going to be very good. However, the one purchase that caught me a bit off guard was my LaBella Black Nylon Tapewound strings. I bought them on a whim mainly out of curiosity as I was watching a lot of Janek Gwizdala’s VLOGs on YouTube and he has a couple of his P-style basses strung with them.

So I took the plunge and bought a used set from the Basschat marketplace. Put them on my Sandberg Electra VS and my god! I pretty much knew I’d like the tone before purchasing. Tonally I find them to be very similar to my Dunlop Flats but the feel...so smooth and so bendy! Really like the looseness of them as they make me play a little differently which I enjoy. I have to use a lighter touch which makes me feel a bit more cheeky when playing 

The best part? I got two sets (one factory sealed, one used) for less than the new price of one!

[chris_b]

I've been very pleasantly surprised by a lot of the gear I've bought: Berg and Barefaced cabs, Thunderfunk and Aguilar amps. 

The most unexpected, was the flats I put on my P5. The first set I'd used since the early 70's. The bass just came alive.

Then there was my Lakland 55-94. Bought on the strength of the Bass Player magazine 5 string bass shoot out. I'd only seen one photo and never held one. Bought off Ebay in 2003. Brilliant bass, still slightly sad I sold it last year!

[White Cloud]

Sure V5 ... above and beyond all expectations. It' my 'go to' bass and my least expensive 

[Paulhauser]

My Spector NS-5XL and my Atelier Z M265 custom basses. 

I already had high expectations as they are top of the line instruments but what I got in both instances exceeded these expectations on a level I hadn't felt before. Past the obvious quality of these instruments they probably have that extra magic in them for me that I rarely felt before. 

[bobmartin]

2 hours ago, CameronJ said:

However, the one purchase that caught me a bit off guard was my LaBella Black Nylon Tapewound strings. 

Which gauge did you get, the.105" or the .115" E string set? Am looking for a non "clangy" set for a new Ibanez SRH500F. The default open string Chromes are too bright against the nice woody tones off the fingerboard at the moment.

[Muzz]

In a secondhand shop recently, I spotted some (new) D'Addario half rounds on a shelf, and bought a set on a whim. Put them on my Bigman-equipped Shuker which I'd always struggled with because it was too bright (tho flats killed it off a bit too much) and it's a joy to play, and now sounds very good whether through my rig or DI'd. I must go back and buy the other sets before they run out...

[Lozz196]

Warwick Red Label Steel Rounds. At the price (just under £9) I wasn`t expecting much, but the sound, and the life of the strings has far surpassed my expectations. Similarly when I`ve bought Squier basses, and my current backup, a Vintage Tony Butler Sig Precision. Much better than you would think for a so-called budget instrument.

[bubinga5]

The Genz Benz 6.2 amp is a beast.. I knew it was a really great amp before I bought it, and it really is an amazing bit of kit, I actually prefer it to my old Aguilar AG500 head. I didn't realise how good a lightweight head could sound. But the Genz Benz Focus 210 cab is just outstanding. The fact that it was in Genz Benz's lower priced range, I can't fault it for £150 and sounds huge.  Superb sounding lightweight setup... Plug the Sei Jazz in and its all I need. 

 

Edited June 14, 2018 by bubinga5

[CameronJ]

3 hours ago, bobmartin said:

Which gauge did you get, the.105" or the .115" E string set? Am looking for a non "clangy" set for a new Ibanez SRH500F. The default open string Chromes are too bright against the nice woody tones off the fingerboard at the moment.

I’ve got the .105 set. No clang here, just thump!

[bobmartin]

1 hour ago, CameronJ said:

I’ve got the .105 set. No clang here, just thump!

Thanks, I'm thinking about the LaBellas or the D'Addarios, but have read some reviews that they (D'Addarios) are on the bright side..

[TheGreek]

I bought a Spector following advice from another BCer - "can't go wrong with any of the neck throughs" . So I bought a Korean NS4 - plays like a dream - everything I was told and more. For an entry/budget model it really punches above it's weight - so much so that I bought another.

I know that many people have similar experiences with their first Bass Collection Nanyo - great tonal palette and a great, easy to play, neck profile. I'm hanging out for a 4/5/6 series model at a reasonable price.

I'd also propose ACGs - yes, we know that they've got a good reputation but it isn't till you play one that you realise why. Always well produced, great build quality with great materials but the tonal palette is huge - I don't think there's a bass with a wider range - and that includes the famed Wal basses. Great VFM too - everybody with GAS should have one.

[T-Bay]

Behringer Microphone, only had a couple of Behringer things before and they were terrible. This was so cheap I thought I was worth a go. Seems to keep up with lead vocalists Shure, in fact he was amazed by the quality. In a recording studio you may well see the difference but it’s fine at the dog and duck on a Friday.

Edited June 15, 2018 by T-Bay
Typo

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

8 hours ago, chris_b said:

I've been very pleasantly surprised by a lot of the gear I've bought: Berg and Barefaced cabs, Thunderfunk and Aguilar amps. 

I can vouch for your Aguilar amp & barefaced cabs - they sounded fantastic at Robin's jam night a couple of weeks ago.

I've just thought of another piece of kit which exceeded my expectations - I bought a secondhand Roland MicroCube bass RX to have something battery powered which is loud enough for quiet acoustic jams with my Kala U-bass, but It is not only a lot more powerful than the specs would suggest, but the amp sims, particularly the fliptop & SVT are excellent and very inspiring so I now use it as my everyday practice amp and keep it set up next to my desk.

[kodiakblair]

Reapting myself again. Bought a £76 Harley Benton PB-50 just to see what £76 got you. Turned out £76 got me a nice looking bass with a fantastic neck that sounded great.

Put Status Hot Wire tapes on it and promptly ignored my other basses. Bought another,strung with TI's this time.

 

4 years later I still mostly ignore my other basses.

[bassbiscuits]

I love it when you buy some gear and it immediately finds a home as your main gigging equipment. 

A few years ago I took a punt on a Schroeder 1210 cab on here, after my two homemade cabs finally began giving up the ghost. The Schroeder was, and still is, an incredible cab. 

Not the most refined perhaps, but a fantastically powerful, loud, toneful cab that I've used for almost every gig since I bought it. 

I also bought a Yamaha BB604 a couple of years back, primarily to cover some rough old pub gigs over Xmas and New Year. But it turned out to be a really good bass by any standards. It is brilliantly set up, with really thumping tone and very versatile. 

Makes up for all the junk I've wasted money on that was never much good!

[12stringbassist]

Nothing I have ever played through has matched this, or come close to it.

[Paddy515]

150 quid bought me this L.P. blue Sq C/V 50s P bass. Expected this to be of fine quality but once set up and played in anger, I was shocked how well it produces such a great low thump. Would a swap-out of the pup for something a little more boutique improve the tones - I doubt it.

[Graham]

EHX's Deluxe Bass Big Muff is fantastic and exceeded my expectations. In the standard setting it's a great big fuzz and with the filters engaged you get some brilliant, clear distortion. What'a more, you can have both as the filters are foot-switchable. I have no need for another fuzz or distortion, which is great from a non-boutique brand

[paul_5]

Wilkinson Jazz pickups - got a pair in my fretless and they’re amazing; they sound like they cost ten times their price.

[Mark_ii]

Genz amp (Shuttle max 12.2 @ 600w x2) played through my barefaced cabs (compact & Super 12).  Massive full bodied sound,  I've had so many positive comments about the rig.

[Westenra]

Yamaha BB424x, heard good things online and when I went to pick it up it felt like it was made for my hands. That P sound really needs to be heard to be believed.

[HazBeen]

Line6 Helix HX. Modeling is here to stay. Still amazed every day just how quickly this thing has become the centre/heart of my pedalboard.

Bogarts basses, I bought the 1st one on a whim, not expecting that I would end up owning three that I would use 90% of the time.  To me they beat their nearest rival Status for sound, ergonomics, balance and playability.

[police squad]

my Fender Flea jazz bass. So it was about 800 quid. I grew up lusting after Herbie Flowers Jazz, stack pots, blue etc.

But I have a thing for shell pink too.

shell pink, stack knobs (but I love P basses right)

It's still my number one after 2 years

[Marvin]

I suppose it'd have to be my Squier VM Precision bass. I wanted a bass that could take a few knocks at venues where I knew my gear might be 'exposed'. I bought it for £150 s/h from Rich Tone Music. I wasn't expecting much to be honest. After I tweaked the set up it's been a brilliant bass. It's got great tone, lots of output...it's just a cracking bass. I shouldn't like it because I never really liked the amber/natural see through finish, but I actually love that bass.

 

Edited June 17, 2018 by Marvin