Whats your cheap bass horror story?

theshadow2001 · #1 03-20-2007, 01:47 PM

My chineese bass is on the way into the country soon if its not already here

Anyway this got me thinking about the rap that the cheap chineese basses get here. I haven't seen a whole lot of posts about implosions or other sorts of fantastic self distruction. (Even though according to everyone talkbass is full of them) I did a bit of a search and didn't come up with much.

So whats your CCB horror story?

DrBassie · #2 03-20-2007, 01:49 PM

The Antigua "Hank" thread. Now that's a horror story!

theshadow2001 · #3 03-20-2007, 02:00 PM

Thats true however this thread isn't going to be a venue for round two or I'll have it deleted so fast your heads will spin.

mpoppitt · #4 03-20-2007, 02:20 PM

Here is my testament to the quality of those 'ebonized' fingerboards:

I won't even get into the open seams...

drurb · #5 03-20-2007, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theshadow2001

I haven't seen a whole lot of posts about implosions or other sorts of fantastic self distruction. (Even though according to everyone talkbass is full of them) I did a bit of a search and didn't come up with much.

Did you see this one?

mpm · #6 03-20-2007, 03:00 PM

Yeah, they do explode on you...but mine gave me a chance to experiment so first I planed the fingerboard and applied fiberglass resin (black) and, by golly, it worked! So a couple of months later the neck heel gave up the ghost...so then I reset it with a little more elevation at the bridge. Yep, that worked too!! Oh yeah, before I reset the neck, I stripped the finish. It really needed that...so now I'm going to experiment with a couple of different finish options. So its not the best sounding instrument in the world but it shore is LOUD! Next experiment on that rascal is a enlongated nut as it is 42 1/2 inch scale...ok, ok, very little was right on it when I got it...

hdiddy · #7 03-20-2007, 03:18 PM

42 1/2" scale???? Isn't that like the scale length for a 7/8ths bass? No wonder it was so loud!

Good to hear we have an experienced luthier playing Frankenstein on one of these beasts.

Marcus Johnson · #8 03-20-2007, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpoppitt

Here is my testament to the quality of those 'ebonized' fingerboards:

I won't even get into the open seams...

Hah! I love that pic. Who needs all them damn high notes anyway?

Tim F · #9 03-20-2007, 03:23 PM

Dat's rite! you're s'pose to be a BASS player! High notes are fer sissies!

Marcus Johnson · #10 03-20-2007, 04:46 PM

Note, also, how mpoppitt remains the composed, stylish gentleman, even though his bass is crumbling beneath his fingers.

theshadow2001 · #11 03-20-2007, 06:39 PM

wow thats some crazy stuff happening to basses there! I like how mpm used his to experiment on though. After all is that not what cheap instruments are for?

Michael Case · #12 03-20-2007, 08:43 PM

My CCB horror story goes like this. I owned one for six months end of story.

Andrew Chilcote · #13 03-20-2007, 09:34 PM

i have another palentino story. the bass imploded on itself at some point over winter break (perhaps because the band room had no heating or windows), and the director was gonna trash the instrument. but me and the other 3 bass players got to it before him, and we took it to the beach that summer and surfed on it. we then finished it off in a bonfire that night. best 'dogs and marshmallows we ever had.

screamkingart · #14 03-20-2007, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpoppitt

Here is my testament to the quality of those 'ebonized' fingerboards:

I won't even get into the open seams...

woa i've never seen this! you played it that way too? slap?

Cathead · #15 03-20-2007, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpoppitt

Here is my testament to the quality of those 'ebonized' fingerboards:

I won't even get into the open seams...

Look at the way the guy on guitar is catching G chord.......just like my dad taught me. I have a Palatino, but so far the worse thing I can say about it is it has an annoying string buzz on the A string when it's noted in the D postion....there and only there.

mpoppitt · #16 03-21-2007, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by screamkingart

you played it that way too? slap?

I tried...

bassbob · #17 03-21-2007, 07:51 AM

This was back when my wallet was flat and I was desperate for a 3/4 bass. I was playing a 1/2 size fiberglass bass that was okay for what it was but it still lacked in many areas. So one of the music stores in the burbs had a scratch and dent special for a Palatino as is $999 or BO.
I drove up to check it out and found the set up was even done for the most part. There were strings and the bridge was on it but nothing lined up. The store guy let me take it in the back room and work on it for awhile. I got the bridge aligned and tuned it up. While I was aligning the bridge I looked inside the F holes and wow it was a junkyard in there. ribs were uneven and looked like they would pop. The end pin joint looked a little loose and there was glue everywhere. The buzz from several positions on the neck was the least of the worries on this thing.
The store guy characterized all this as minor problems and asked me what I'd offer. I said ( just for the hell of it ) $200. He got this hurt look and started walking off as I listed all the obvious defects. Anyway I found my Englehardt shortly after this and things got better.