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Headless basses


ProfJames

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30 minutes ago, tauzero said:

Apart from being fugly, headstocks wreck the balance of basses. Warwick really missed a trick not making the Thumb headless as they planned at one point. Still, each to their own, and you have my sympathy. 

I didn’t like headless basses and now I do. I play an 80s Yamaha headless on my party band and everyone LOVES it.

Did they care when I was playing a 60s jazz? No.

80s headless bass? Yes.

Does it sound better than the 60s jazz? Yes.

 

 

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6 hours ago, ubit said:

...  the head is part of what makes guitars sexy ...

I can't say I've ever considered any musical instrument to be 'sexy' (although It's true I play drums, so...). 'Looking good' I can accept, in an abstract sort of way, but then, most of the amorphous blobs offered since the late '50s don't really fit that bill at all, for me. I'll accept the Epiphone 'Jack Casady' as acceptable, but still prefer my Hofner Verithins, for 'looking good'. S'all a matter of individual taste, of course (or lack of, obviously...). :friends:

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5 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

I can't say I've ever considered any musical instrument to be 'sexy' (although It's true I play drums, so...). 'Looking good' I can accept, in an abstract sort of way, but then, most of the amorphous blobs offered since the late '50s don't really fit that bill at all, for me. I'll accept the Epiphone 'Jack Casady' as acceptable, but still prefer my Hofner Verithins, for 'looking good'. S'all a matter of individual taste, of course (or lack of, obviously...). :friends:

Sexy is what made me get into bands when I was really young. I wanted to emulate my heroes and be popular with girls. When I looked at guitar players I thought that's what I want. When I went to a school dance and the bands gear was set up was the first time I saw a bass in the flesh. I immediately fell in love. I'm sure it was a Fender copy but it just looked so cool. That was when I said I. want to play that. Sexy is what I wanted and I just thought the long neck and even longer head stock of Fenders and the Thunderbird looked sooo sexy!

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24 minutes ago, ubit said:

Again, as Dad said, it's down to taste.

The 60s pickups are weak and never seem to cut through. Call me a heretic if you must, but I sort of think instruments have progressed and while I love it for what it is and it represents, it’s far from the holy grail. In fact, it’s a step backwards in many ways. 

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1 hour ago, Burns-bass said:

The 60s pickups are weak and never seem to cut through

I can't say much about the 60's pups but my Fender P and J have really powerful pick ups. I think the P is 2000's  and the J may be 80's or 90's but I have never dated them. I really should.

Edited by ubit
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2 hours ago, tauzero said:

Apart from being fugly, headstocks wreck the balance of basses. Warwick really missed a trick not making the Thumb headless as they planned at one point. Still, each to their own, and you have my sympathy. 

Poppycock I say, poppycock! I have never had any problem with balance on ANY of my 14 basses.

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9 minutes ago, ubit said:

I can't say much about the 60's pups but my Fender P and J have really powerful pick ups. I think the P is 2000's  and the J may be 80's or 90's but I have never dated them. I really should.

Yep. The newer pickups are great. I recently bought a 2019 jazz and it’s an amazing instrument. It’s one of the limited run ones I think and it’s fantastically made!

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1 hour ago, Burns-bass said:

Yep. The newer pickups are great. I recently bought a 2019 jazz and it’s an amazing instrument. It’s one of the limited run ones I think and it’s fantastically made!

Like so many things it's all a matter of taste, but the internet seems designed to stop people accepting we can prefer different things.

I tried out an active 2019 MIM  Jazz A/B with a Flea Jazz (Custom shop '62 pickups) and the latter made the former sound awful, to my ears.

I bet you'd have preferred them the other way round, and why not?

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11 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Like so many things it's all a matter of taste, but the internet seems designed to stop people accepting we can prefer different things.

I tried out an active 2019 MIM  Jazz A/B with a Flea Jazz (Custom shop '62 pickups) and the latter made the former sound awful, to my ears.

I bet you'd have preferred them the other way round, and why not?

I have headless basses, headed basses, old ones and new ones, upright ones, shirt scales one, acoustic ones and even electric upright bass ones. I am a lover of all things bass!

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8 hours ago, Rich said:

There speaks a man with no Thunderbird :lol:

I had an Epi Thunderbird and again had no problem playing it. As do many professional bands.Yes it has a heavy headstock. Does it cause you problems? No. 

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11 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Christina for me, just sayin 😁

Then again, I don't think either would get chucked out of bed for eating toast!

Christina-Aguilera-7.jpg

Edited by ubit
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  • 5 weeks later...

Well I’m now in the headless club, I bought a Hohner B2A and I’m absolutely loving it,  especially in active mode, it’s got a great sound and it’s really comfortable to play, quick question, what stand are you guys using for them , google wasn’t a lot of help 

Edited by Reggaebass
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21 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Well I’m now in the headless club, I bought a Hohner B2A and I’m absolutely loving it,  especially in active mode, it’s got a great sound and it’s really comfortable to play, quick question, what stand are you guys using for them , google wasn’t a lot of help 

I never use stands tbh, just lean them in a convenient corner or something ;)

I'd think you'd be best making up something of your own design for a cricket bat bass tho.. You know you can !

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29 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Well I’m now in the headless club, I bought a Hohner B2A and I’m absolutely loving it,  especially in active mode, it’s got a great sound and it’s really comfortable to play, quick question, what stand are you guys using for them , google wasn’t a lot of help 

Welcome!!   Hercules do a small portable stand which I use on mine......

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33 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Well I’m now in the headless club, I bought a Hohner B2A and I’m absolutely loving it,  especially in active mode, it’s got a great sound and it’s really comfortable to play, quick question, what stand are you guys using for them , google wasn’t a lot of help 


https://www.headlessusa.com/steinberger-stand

image.jpeg.a15676f4fc8c1eef8b2798e1d257cb39.jpeg

 

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