Ever got a bass you thought would be rubbish but turned out really good?

OOZMAN · #1 07-27-2010, 03:17 AM

My current (and first) bass was $89, and I thought it would sound the way it costs - cheap. But its just amazing, the action's low, it's got a sweet sound, heaps of tone, perfect neck, really comfortable and it looks good.

I've been to some music stores and some of the basses for $800 don't sound or play as good *cough gibson cough*

.

I see some TBers with dozens of previous basses, and I feel like I should want more guitars or a better sound, but I'm totally satisfied with my setup.

Anyone else had the same experience(s)? Please share.

P.S. I don't care if there's another thread the same as this one, the search function is rubbish. Complain to the admins about the search tool before you complain to me.

kommando84 · #2 07-27-2010, 03:36 AM

My first long-scale bass was an Epiphone Accu-Bass which I bought long after Epiphone stopped making them. I didn't buy it thinking it was rubbish, but once I got it home and looked around on the internet, I realized it had a laughably poor review and quality control history and didn't seem to be desirable at all.

I actually loved playing that bass, and there was nothing wrong with it.

I still wish I hadn't traded it in, though I did get a great guitar amp out of it (Fender Hot Rod Deville 4x10).

mao · #3 07-27-2010, 03:51 AM

My cheap 3rd hand OLP MM3 5 strings. Comfortable and sounds really good !

OOZMAN · #4 07-27-2010, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kommando84

I still wish I hadn't traded it in, though I did get a great guitar amp out of it (Fender Hot Rod Deville 4x10).

That is a niiiiiiiiiiiice deal

DaLoCo · #5 07-27-2010, 04:48 AM

I have a Santa Fe p-bass copy hanging in the store now that is just beautifull....beats the Rockbass Streamer next to it hands down. If it had five strings my shop discount would have been abused already.

lbwdog · #6 07-27-2010, 05:20 AM

I've had several inexpensive basses that became my main player. One in particular was a Washburn (can't remember the model). For a couple of years in the eighties, my guitar player had a small music shop, so I would get to try gear on our regular gig, and buy it for a fraction above cost. This Washburn was light, had a great feeling neck, and was well under $200 my cost.

Another is the bass I use mainly these days. I had stopped playing for a few years and sold off all basses except my '64 Precision, but around '98, I decided I wanted another Jazz in the stable. Saw one in the local classifieds for $200 and after viewing and playing it, I bought it for $125. It's a lightweight MIM '95 "Traditional" model that came with an all in one white vinyl pickguard, and the slimmest Jazz neck I've ever played. I've since installed a vintage tort PG and chrome control plate, vintage Fender bridge, and Dimarzio DP123 pickups with CTS pots. I've also sanded, steel wooled the neck and finished it off with several coats of Tru-Oil. The only other hardware mod I want to do is install Ultralite tuners. My quest is to make it as lightweight as possible.

This bass, while excellent as stock, is even nicer now, and It's the one I use 99.5% of the time. I'm actually gonna sell the '64 P and make the Jazz my sole electric bass.

Sijjvra · #7 07-27-2010, 06:17 AM

My Brice 5'er. I expected it to have the sterile tones of the lower end Ibanez basses.

It does not. It's got a modern tone, but has a lot more growl and throatiness to it than the low end Ibanez. I'm very happy with it.

Kraken · #8 07-27-2010, 06:32 AM

I'd never really liked the sound of Fender Basses till I got my first Jazz, still not keen on P-basses (far too thumpy IMHO) but others do and I understand why they do, but I digress, the answer is yes, my First MIM Jazz V.

to OP i notice you are new, so a quick welcome, However, this

Quote:

Originally Posted by OOZMAN

P.S. I don't care if there's another thread the same as this one, the search function is rubbish. Complain to the admins about the search tool before you complain to me.

is not going to make you many friends very quickly. but as with everything. welcome and enjoy!

Fly Guitars · #9 07-27-2010, 06:48 AM

I really like my Vox Clubman. A cheap early/mid 60s bass - no adjustable truss rod - poor tuning keys and a very low price tag. But such fun to play, don't really know why

Sauron_ · #10 07-27-2010, 07:22 AM

My ex-300$ Yamaha BB1000 Michael Anthony. Great bass for the money!!

snyderz · #11 07-27-2010, 07:38 AM

Had a Fodera Monarch once. Surprisingly OK.

DRafalske · #12 07-27-2010, 07:40 AM

I tried out a SBMM Ray34 the other day in the local GC. I haven't cared a whole lot for EBMM, but this Sterling was amazing. It's now sitting right at the top of my GAS list. Hopefully I'll have enough money saved up by this weekend to go pick it up.

D

Phalex · #13 07-27-2010, 07:44 AM

I bought a beat to hell Hoppus sig P-bass off E-bay for $350.00 with the intention of using it as a bit of a warclub. The damn thing stole my heart!

lonote · #14 07-27-2010, 07:50 AM

If I thought something was going to be rubbish, I wouldn't buy it.

plangentmusic · #15 07-27-2010, 07:52 AM

Wouldn't you know after playing it for just a few minutes?

Kwesi · #16 07-27-2010, 08:12 AM

Within the first few minutes of buying my Fender AmDlx FMT I thought I had made a HUGE mistake but after a string change and action adjustment it was clear that I had not

.

FCB · #17 07-27-2010, 08:15 AM

my samick just fiogured whats the worst it could be. has to be better than anything you can get at walmart so i picked it up since it needed work. got it all fixed up. plays great. way better than my others.

tdogg · #18 07-27-2010, 08:20 AM

my mom attends alot of garage sales, so i asked her to keep an eye out for old looking guitars and basses. she doesnt know much about guitar gear so i just asked her to take a pic with her cell phone and send it to me when she finds one.

she called me one day and said that she bought me a bass for $10! i was curious what it was, so i went over to her house to find a 1970's harmony P-bass in decent shape. its not really worth anything, and the pickups were very corroded, but the neck felt good. after a proper neck adjustment, new tuners, new strings and two MM pups (major surgery) its one of my favorite basses! sounds awesome too.

FCB · #19 07-27-2010, 08:45 AM

nice deal. looks alot like mine

OOZMAN · #20 07-28-2010, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kraken

I'd never really liked the sound of Fender Basses till I got my first Jazz, still not keen on P-basses (far too thumpy IMHO) but others do and I understand why they do, but I digress, the answer is yes, my First MIM Jazz V.

to OP i notice you are new, so a quick welcome, However, this

is not going to make you many friends very quickly. but as with everything. welcome and enjoy!

Thank you for the welcome and the feedback!

I was just stating my opinion, but I'm not really sure how my quote is 'not going to make me any friends', apart from the admin guys maybe...