Are You a Bass Snob?

[Gust0o]

No - but I'm only recently returned to playing, so I haven't had the years-upon-years required to develop some seriously nasty habits; like slap, for example

I think we're all snobbish, to a degree - I mean, having mastered the art to some degree, would we return, sans sentimentality, to the Encores and Staggs of our learning moments?

I don't think so; not without some emotional catch.

That said, the boutique snobbery bug has yet to bite. I'm not sure I'd want to pay £5k for a bass to play it in a pub; or round my mates; or in my games room. I certainly couldn't buy one and insist it was better than anything else; for one, I'm not sure that I'd overly know.

The only occasion I've come close was when I picked up Shaggy's BCR Eagle. Which might have qualified, if not for the stigma of the BC Rich brand - and thus my only chance for some out-and-out snobbery was taken from me

The substance over style comment resonates for me; and substance is objective, to a degree. I could never see myself playing some single-cut piece of Finland's finest forests; but I could see myself hitting my Platinum ST for a rock-out - such is the substance of my playing

[casapete]

I play a Danelectro...........nuff said.

[gjones]

My head says NO but my heart says YES.

[CHRISDABASS]

Yes!! Who wants to buy my fender??? Lol

[CHRISDABASS]

Yes!! Who wants to buy my fender??? Lol

[Cat Burrito]

I hope I'm not a snob. I prefer Fenders but I've tried (& gigged) everything from Epiphones to Rickenbackers - I just keep returning to my original preference. It's all down to taste and there is a strong "Only a Fender" brigade as much as there is a strong anti-Fender mob too. Certainly studio wise if a producer suggested he could get a great sound from an old Hondo bass, I'd run with that. In the last studio session I used an old 80s solid state amp which sounded great. Probably had a resale value of about £50 but the producer knew the studio and the sounds he could get.

[Bigwan]

I used to be a snob. Now my 2 main basses are a bog standard Fender P and a Lakland J. I've done the custom builds (probably wouldn't again - no reflection on the luthier in question btw) and been lucky with cheaper alternatives (I defy anyone to tell me my 'cheap' '95 Warwick Corvette can't compete with a top-of-the-range Thumb. I've played both.), been close to making some MAJOR purchases, including recently contemplating both Toasted and Clarky's ACs for sale here, but keep coming around to 'simple'.

I used to HATE the idea of owning a Fender but now it doesn't bother me in the slightest whether the headstock says Fender, Squier, Lakland, AC, Sadowsky... whatever, If I like it I'll play it.

I'm not even an amp snob (although some of my gear might lead you to think I am). 90% of the folk on here wouldn't urinate on my Ashdown if it was on fire (which seems to be common!), let alone own one, but it's what works for me. If it didn't work I wouldn't own it - sold off my Aguilar AG500 and Thunderfunk TF550 and kept the Ashdown (the Aggie and T'Funk were flavour of the month at the time, but each to their own). If I get my "Trace v-type pre/micro power amp in 1u" project sorted - thread to come in build diary forum - if it works as well as it should, that'll be my ultimate!

Edited August 18, 2010 by Bigwan

[throwoff]

I am pretty much a snob I have no basses under 799 list.

CIJ 57' reissue P - LOVE IT
MM Stingray 3eq - LOVE IT
RockBass Corvette Premium 5 String - LOVE IT

[ead]

I hope not! My main gigging basses all cost less than £300.

My "special" bass is a Ric. I have lusted after once since the 70's and finally acquired a 4003 Jetglow this year. Reserved for special occasions and pubs & clubs where damage is unlikely

[JTUK]

[quote name='Toasted' post='928345' date='Aug 18 2010, 08:57 AM']Yes, 100%. There are no good jazz basses for under £2K.

Flame on.[/quote]


ha ha

Not sure I would go this far...but if I was spending £2k or in the region of, Fenders wouldn't be top of my list, for sure.
Not saying you can't get a very decent one for that, but it brings you into territory of other makers which floor them in almost all regards as far as I would be concerned.
Having said that, I wouldn't rule one out entirely, but would be pretty sceptical until I played it.

[Toasted]

[quote name='Bigwan' post='928490' date='Aug 18 2010, 11:40 AM']been close to making some MAJOR purchases, including recently contemplating both Toasted and Clarky's ACs for sale here, but keep coming around to 'simple'.[/quote]

Go, on treat yourself. You only live once ;-)

[Musicman20]

If I was spending £2k plus on a Jazz bass, it would be a Sei no doubt. That way you would be getting top of the range, without the costs of getting it from the USA.

Sadowsky NYC and Alleva basses look stunning though....really nice gear.

[JPS]

As I play either a Yamaha BB414, or a Fender Mexican Precision I would say no. However, if I wasn't so skint and could afford an expensive/high end bass then the answer may well be different.

Ultimately I like to think that I just enjoy playing bass and as that as long as the bass in question plays OK, stays in tune and sounds good enough to play lame covers in the Dog & Patridge on a Friday night, then it's good enough for me.

[basshead56]

Im a total snob.
It has to be either Fender or Gibson

Seriously though, I´ve tried a few others, Musicman Rays, a SUB, a Daisy Rock (I loved it!), Epiphones, a few Schecters (some great, some awful), a pair of Rickenbackers (not a fan at all-though they look great) and a G&L (l2000).
There are loads I´d love to try too though-Shuker, Roscoe, Alleva etc though more so because they come so highly recommended on here.
Oh and a Sadowsky Jazz V-have to try one those!

Most of what I have wasn´t the cheapest, but all thats really on my GAS list are much cheaper basses:
Aria Pro II Cardinal CSB 300/380 (red),
Dean Stylist ´Cabbie´,
Eastwood Rocket (Any colour)
Gretsch Junior Jet,
Eastwood classic 4 (White)

Hmm, maybe i should´ve started with those instead of all the Fenders.

Edited August 18, 2010 by basshead56

[ShergoldSnickers]

If only.

[RhysP]

I've played enough basses in my 30+ years of playing to have a bloody good idea of what I do & don't like.
Fenders definately come into the "Don't like" category for me, as do Rickenbackers.
I own two basses that many people would class as "High end" basses, & I own them because they are the best basses I've ever played.
If that makes me a snob then so be it.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='928350' date='Aug 18 2010, 09:01 AM']Given that a jazz bass is a trademark of Fender... and only Fender basses can use the term jazz bass, then yeah, I agree... J bass copies on the other hand...[/quote]
He obviously has not tried my squierish super Jazz has he Russ,£400 and I would be happy to put it to the Pepsi challenge!

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='928887' date='Aug 18 2010, 06:21 PM']He obviously has not tried my squierish super Jazz has he Russ,£400 and I would be happy to put it to the Pepsi challenge![/quote]

Talk about getting a good one...

[stingrayPete1977]

Your super Jazz might turn out even better then mine although the neck choice might put some off?

[Chris2112]

I'll admit, I do get a kick out of using exotic basses like Kubickis, Alembics and Status. I'd never settle for a jazz or a jazz copy as for me, bass design has went so much furher than that! Everything has its place though.

[Telebass]

Yes, but only because I find that other basses than Fenders just don't feel like 'home'...

[Lfalex v1.1]

Actually, no.

I have budget basses, common basses, expensive basses, exotic basses and weird basses.
And when it comes to amps, I've used the same old stuff for the last 12 years, and would only replace it if it broke.

[BoomBass]

I started out on a MIJ Fender Jazz. Then, I have been around countless boutique basses (Sadowsky, Celinder, Alleva Coppolo, Mørch, MTD, etc.), but in the end, nothing really plays like an old Fender - P or J. Just IMHO.

[Davo-London]

AS for Leo, there's always room for simplicity in bass playing and so the P not only has a market amongst bass players but it does amongst sound engineers and band leaders too.

As for snobbery, there's lots of that about. I recently, for fun, acquired a 1986 MIJ Squier Jazz for $300. This bass demonstrates that unless you are a pro you really don't need to spend much money to get a fantastic bass. I have had a custom bass made for me by Cliff Bordwell. This is partly because a) I can afford it I love basses and c) I'm good enough a player to be able to justify it. But when I play live both basses would work.

Davo

[algmusic]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='928194' date='Aug 17 2010, 11:30 PM']Same here, I have basses from both end of the ££ scale and I agree there's good and bad in both cheap and expensive[/quote]


+1

You just gotta try it. some brands generally are good and others generally bad.. but i've heard cra*p vintage basses and good cheap ones no name basses.

You get the Friday afternoons basses and the Wednesday mornings production line bass, then the brand might not matter... :-)