Confession Time: Admit How You Are Different From The Bass Player Norm

nocontrols · #1 06-02-2011, 09:24 AM

Like any community, bass players have certain institutionalized opinions that are based on popularity. But then there are those times when you disagree with nearly every bass player.

Fess up: How are you a weirdo when it comes to disagreeing with your bass playing peers?

True for me:

1) I don't care about flamed or quilted maple tops, select body woods, gold hardware, or any of the other features normally associated with higher-end basses.

2) I actually have more fun and sound better playing cheap instruments... partly because expensive ones are usually active which I can't make work for me and partly because I am too cautious with expensive things. So when people say "save up for a premium bass so you'll sound better"? That would probably be a detriment to me.

3) I don't like Jaco's tone. This is blasphemy, I know, but I thought it was too nasal and constricted. A Jazz Bass is capable of TONS of awesome and great tones... many of which I love... but I don't like that bridge pickup and I don't like the tone dialed way up and I don't even like that journalists call it "burpy". It could also be described as "quacky" in my opinion. Jaco was brilliant and I'm not denying his playing or composition skills whatsoever. I just don't think his sound was particularly deep.

Your turn.

loinmute · #2 06-02-2011, 09:29 AM

I can't stand the fact that a guitar needs 9 volt batteries to sound decent; thus, I only play passives.

I respect slap guys but I hate that tone. It's like 80's porno music.

I am quite sold with |Leo Quan bridges. I love 'em. Not for tone as much as simplicity.

mongo2 · #3 06-02-2011, 09:31 AM

I play Krappy Basses...definitely not the norm.

SantiagoGT15 · #4 06-02-2011, 09:46 AM

1.- I like how active basses sound , but I just can't stand knowing that my battery could die any moment while I'm playing

2.- I like Fretless basses , even though all the other players (guitar , keyboards even drums) don't like it and want to talk me out of it (They like slap so they think I should slap :'C ) also fretless is not the norm

3.- I hate when people tell me : "why do you buy so many basses, why not save and buy an expensive one?" I like cheap to moderate priced basses ...that is not the norm

groooooove · #5 06-02-2011, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SantiagoGT15

1.- I like how active basses sound , but I just can't stand knowing that my battery could die any moment while I'm playing

batteries die slowly. you have nothing to worry about. youll start hearing some light distorting in the higher frequencies, thats when your battery is dead and in need of changing. you can still play for many hours like this though.

dbhokie · #6 06-02-2011, 09:52 AM

1.) I am not human.

GrapeApe · #7 06-02-2011, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nocontrols

Like any community, bass players have certain institutionalized opinions that are based on popularity. But then there are those times when you disagree with nearly every bass player.

Fess up: How are you a weirdo when it comes to disagreeing with your bass playing peers?

True for me:

1) I don't care about flamed or quilted maple tops, select body woods, gold hardware, or any of the other features normally associated with higher-end basses.

2) I actually have more fun and sound better playing cheap instruments... partly because expensive ones are usually active which I can't make work for me and partly because I am too cautious with expensive things. So when people say "save up for a premium bass so you'll sound better"? That would probably be a detriment to me.

3) I don't like Jaco's tone. This is blasphemy, I know, but I thought it was too nasal and constricted. A Jazz Bass is capable of TONS of awesome and great tones... many of which I love... but I don't like that bridge pickup and I don't like the tone dialed way up and I don't even like that journalists call it "burpy". It could also be described as "quacky" in my opinion. Jaco was brilliant and I'm not denying his playing or composition skills whatsoever. I just don't think his sound was particularly deep.

Your turn.

You might not be as weird as you think - I actually agree with all of those...

jim777 · #8 06-02-2011, 09:54 AM

I played guitar, including 20 years as a lead guitarist in bands, for 35 years until arthritis made it impossible to strum with my right hand.

(that's not when I took up bass though! I play keys and drums and other instruments as well.)

Fuzzbass · #9 06-02-2011, 09:56 AM

I too dislike JacoTone^tm

In fact I'm not even that crazy about the J-bass tone (I'm a P-bass/Stingray guy)

Heck, I prefer single-pickup basses, period

I mostly use fingerstyle, but am actively trying to improve my pickstyle playing. Pick snobbery makes absolutely no sense to me

portlandguy · #10 06-02-2011, 10:00 AM

I cant stand slap, I am pretty good at it and practiced it years ago but never do it.

bassbully · #11 06-02-2011, 10:02 AM

Oh no you didnt! I see a big o' can of worms opening here..get ready! This is my take all IMO so no flaming please.

I dont think you need a zillion watts to play I use 300/w combo and was just told to turn down at an outdoor gig last week

I hate active basses..to hi-fi.Give me passive and make it a Fender the king of basses IMO and make it a P bass please, older the better too.

I dont care for slap bass, hate tap, chording and dont understand bass solo albums. Dont' dig Jaco, Jeff Berlin all those cats...talent yes..boring? Even more so IMO.To be honest any bass solo's unless its short and serves the song. A bass guitar is a support instrument only thats it..use it for that only. Root notes, octives and filling out the chords within the scale works.

As much as I love bass and love being a bass player guitar is the way for me to be creative and write music and write whole songs.On Bass I can write basslines on for others music ..but thats it. Bass is fun to play in a band setting but to practice or play alone...boring..sorry.

Modding a bass is foolish unless the bass needs it. Most of the stuff out there is snakeoil or adds little improvement for the money spent ex:Badass bridge.

Theory is great if you want to learn how music works, the logic behind the notes, chord structure etc. If you want to get good fast and get gigs learn the fretboard, know your chords and how to read a simple chord chart and develop your ear. Dont use tab use your ear and the chords to the song. There are allot of famous musicians that only knew this and did mighty fine this way. I have played with those who knew theory and those who did not know a lick and both could play..no diff at all.

I dont see why anyone needs 50 basses and 50 amps. You can only play one at a time. If you dont gig or never plan to buy a Squier and a cheap amp not a $3000.00 bass and a full tube stack.

Effects petals are great for guitar.... bass?...No!

All of this is IMO

Jools4001 · #12 06-02-2011, 10:06 AM

I don't like anything that Fender has ever made in regards to bass.

I hate P-Basses, don't mind J's so much (but not enough to buy one) and I think their amps are rubbish.

Is that enough bass playing heresy for ya? Of course this is just my opinion, if Fenders work for you fair enough

Just for clarity: I do own a Squier Precision 5 string because I needed a backup 5 and it was dirt cheap, and I do have a very cheap Frankenbass P that I bought when my son showed an interest in bass and inherited it when he grew up and left home without it.

Oh yeah, and I'm not a guitarist, but I do like the sound of Strats and Teles

nocontrols · #13 06-02-2011, 10:06 AM

I agree that slap seems to be the absolute gold standard for showing how AWESOME your skills are but I agree that it doesn't sound good and outside of funk and maybe some other "here and there" applications, I can't think of when I want to use it. I'm weird, I know.

This isn't true of me but I'm wondering if anyone posting here can make this claim: Is there a bass player who has not owned or does not care to own a Fender? I'd be shocked by that one. I'll count Squiers as Fenders.

BassGen · #14 06-02-2011, 10:07 AM

I don't even know what "Jaco tone" is. Only heard of the dude when I first came here.

UnfortunateTony · #15 06-02-2011, 10:08 AM

I don't like more then 4 strings, though I have no problem with 5+

I like using weird tunings

I despise these supposed "high end basses" to me they all look and sound awful for the most part and I can't understand why you'd spend so much money on them.

I don't like P basses.

I don't like tort guards.

I move my strap around a lot.

I heavily boost my EQ. Nothing is ever left flat or cut.

I could go on for hours, but overall, I like the ways in which I'm different

Venom of God · #16 06-02-2011, 10:08 AM

I can't stand slap also, it sounds bad to me and reminds me of guitarists back in college who would pick up a bass and instantly start slapping some Chilli Peppers line or something. I play in a hard rock band and use fingers (on a Thunderbird). My guitarist isn't too loud nor is he overbearing (and he's also the lead vocalist!).

BagelBruin · #17 06-02-2011, 10:08 AM

I don't like 810 cabs too much, because they are heavy and I don't have a road crew yet...

groooooove · #18 06-02-2011, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbully

Oh no you didnt! I see a big o' can of worms opening here..get ready! This is my take all IMO so no flaming please.

I dont think you need a zillion watts to play I use 300/w combo and was just told to turn down at an outdoor gig last week

I hate active basses..to hi-fi.Give me passive and make it a Fender the king of basses IMO and make it a P bass please, older the better too.

I dont care for slap bass, hate tap, chording and dont understand bass solo albums. Dont' dig Jaco, Jeff Berlin all those cats...talent yes..boring? Even more so IMO.To be honest any bass solo's unless its short and serves the song. A bass guitar is a support instrument only thats it..use it for that only. Root notes, octives and filling out the chords within the scale works.

As much as I love bass and love being a bass player guitar is the way for me to be creative and write music and write whole songs.On Bass I can write basslines on for others music ..but thats it. Bass is fun to play in a band setting but to practice or play alone...boring..sorry.

Modding a bass is foolish unless the bass needs it. Most of the stuff out there is snakeoil or adds little improvement for the money spent ex:Badass bridge.

Theory is great if you want to learn how music works, the logic behind the notes, chord structure etc. If you want to get good fast and get gigs learn the fretboard, know your chords and how to read a simple chord chart and develop your ear. Dont use tab use your ear and the chords to the song. There are allot of famous musicians that only knew this and did mighty fine this way. I have played with those who knew theory and those who did not know a lick and both could play..no diff at all.

I dont see why anyone needs 50 basses and 50 amps. You can only play one at a time. If you dont gig or never plan to buy a Squier and a cheap amp not a $3000.00 bass and a full tube stack.

Effects petals are great for guitar.... bass?...No!

All of this is IMO

you seem like you hate creativity.

BagelBruin · #19 06-02-2011, 10:10 AM

OH! I don't care for old instruments. I bet I can find a new (but still used) that sounds just as good. I am not a collector.

namraj · #20 06-02-2011, 10:11 AM

I play guitar as well.

I don't mind playing simple lines if thats what the song needs (I play a lot of pop)

I'm not a good slap bass player, but I'm not that bothered as I think that most of the time it's not needed.

I think that Flea's bass lines lack innovation and think he should sit down and listen to some real big fish or cat empire to learn how to play funky lines that work with a poppy band.