GAS Heartbreak!!!!! What do I do???

[Macrocosmcwh]

I cant tell you how long I have waited for a Kubicki Bass that is at the right price that I can justify getting it. Well... One came up on CL... $850.00 !!!!! It was a perfect condition PERFECT CONDITION 1990 9v Kubicki Factor Fret-less un-lined. I didn't hesitate I bought it. I got it yesterday.... and well.... I am less than thrilled.

I cant tell you how I have lusted after this bass for the better part of my life. And after actually starting to play bass about 2.5 years ago the search was ON!

Now that I have it... I feel let down. NOT THAT IT DOES NOT SOUND INCREDIBLE.... It plays awesome... I just suck!!!! It is amazing how much frets help with making you sound like a rockstar... Now remove those... and it is like you are playing for the first time ever. I am mostly disappointed with how I SOUND. Chording is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT....

Here is my question.... (I knew I would get to it eventually) Should I keep this bass and suck it up and get better? Or see if I can find someone who might want to trade a fretted Kubicki for a non-fretted one, because my lust for the instrument is fading... LOL BECAUSE I SUCK! LOL

Thanks for reading this.... and thanks ahead of time for your help!

[M.R. Ogle]

Wait for a fretted one, sell yours to fund it.

[jphovercraft]

Depends ... do you want/need a fretless? If so, "get better". It takes some time and effort to get the intonation down ... besides, where are you going to find another perfect Kubicki? ... but if you do, by all means, trade for your dream bass ... but I wouldn't let it go for anything less!

[TolerancEJ]

Take it as a personal challenge. Buckle down and learn the fretless. It is not going to happen overnight, but if you stick with it, you're gonna pick it up.

[Marcury]

Sorry to hear your disappointment. I missed buying a beautiful red-burst unlined Kubiki this summer, less GAS now, but at the time I was heartbroken.

If you've never played fretless before, it takes time and regular practice sometimes to the exclusion of playing fretted at all for a time.

[obimark]

Is the fretless sound worth the effort/learning curve for you? That is all you need to determine, IME, the sound only works for some things, and for 95% of what I play, I just don't need it nor particularly want it. Therefore, it isn't worth the effort to do it.
Your story may be different. But it certainly isn't worth it if you jsut are doing it to keep this bass. Wait for a fretted one, my guess is usually the Kubicki basses go for 800-1200 range, anymore and you are being ripped off.

[hsech]

It depends if you like the sound of fretless or not. Fretless isn't for everyone. I've had my Carvin AC40 semi acoustic fretless for a while and I'm still learning. I played an upright in college, but that was back in the 1960's. It's coming, but it's slow. It is a cool thing if you play with guys playing jazz or acoustic guitars.

[Macrocosmcwh]

In the past two years I have seen 2 under $1000.00.... Most of the time they are north of 1300.00 and NOT ANYWHERE CLOSE to the condition of this one... Usually quite a bit of "rash" .... What about having the thing fretted? Bad idea?

[Marcury]

Originally Posted by Macrocosmcwh

What about having the thing fretted? Bad idea?

my two cents, yes bad idea!

[Macrocosmcwh]

Originally Posted by Marcury

my two cents, yes bad idea!

:SLAP MY FACE:

LOL

hahahahahaha.....

PARDON THE MOMENT OF INSANITY!

[aguacateojos]

Well, if you got a great deal on this one and it is in good condition - sell it and buy a fretted one!

[jbybj]

Fretless is all about muscle memory and your ear. Give it time. Your bass is not going to depreciate over the next year. IME, it's not difficult to make a fretless sound like any fretted bass, once you get your intonation in line. It's all in how you set it up and your technique.

I have been criticized on Youtube for not playing a fretless like a fretless. "Why bother with a fretless if you aren't going to do any slides or glissandos??"

Be patient, practice, and there is a good chance it will just click one day. Then you will be very glad you kept it. A year or two from now, if you are still frustrated, then you can act knowing you gave it a try.

Or, being a bolt on instrument, have Phil make you a fretted neck, and enjoy the luxury of being able to swap.

Just don't act rashly.

JBY

[Macrocosmcwh]

Originally Posted by jbybj

Fretless is all about muscle memory and your ear. Give it time. Your bass is not going to depreciate over the next year. IME, it's not difficult to make a fretless sound like any fretted bass, once you get your intonation in line. It's all in how you set it up and your technique.

I have been criticized on Youtube for not playing a fretless like a fretless. "Why bother with a fretless if you aren't going to do any slides or glissandos??"

Be patient, practice, and there is a good chance it will just click one day. Then you will be very glad you kept it. A year or two from now, if you are still frustrated, then you can act knowing you gave it a try.

Or, being a bolt on instrument, have Phil make you a fretted neck, and enjoy the luxury of being able to swap.

Just don't act rashly.

JBY

Hahaha I actually talked to Phil yesterday (What a great guy BTW).... a neck... fretted... is $1500.00.... a NECK IS $1500.00 wow.... =)

[TRichardsbass]

I bought my first fretless after watching Sting play one for hours at a Police show. It didn't sound anything really like a fretless, and afterall, this was the Outlandos tour. More punk then anything, and unless I tried, it just sounded like an Ibanez Musician 924 but without some fret clank.

Nothing wrong with not playing a "fretless like a fretless". That type of thought is just freakin' Jaco worshipers. Bill Wyman of the Stones played a homemade fretless for the entire first half of the Stone albums. Sounds like rock, not "fretless".

Keep the bass, as the Kubicki, IMHO, is maybe the best fretless you can find. Just put the other basses down and practice. It will train you to play by ear much better, and it only takes about a good month before you feel comfortable enough to play it out regularly.

[whodom]

Relevant video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wtYGZt7aI4

[Macrocosmcwh]

Originally Posted by whodom

Relevant video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wtYGZt7aI4

Hahahahahahaha I almost feel over laughing at that! Awesome YouTube find!!!! Lmfao!

[Macrocosmcwh]

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

I bought my first fretless after watching Sting play one for hours at a Police show. It didn't sound anything really like a fretless, and afterall, this was the Outlandos tour. More punk then anything, and unless I tried, it just sounded like an Ibanez Musician 924 but without some fret clank.

Nothing wrong with not playing a "fretless like a fretless". That type of thought is just freakin' Jaco worshipers. Bill Wyman of the Stones played a homemade fretless for the entire first half of the Stone albums. Sounds like rock, not "fretless".

Keep the bass, as the Kubicki, IMHO, is maybe the best fretless you can find. Just put the other basses down and practice. It will train you to play by ear much better, and it only takes about a good month before you feel comfortable enough to play it out regularly.

At one point weren't you thinking about taking a Kubicki apart? very good advice tho! Thank you!

[autodidact]

Look at it this way: Yes it's very helpful to learn fretless and it will help you in some aspects to become a better player

However...

If you WANT to play fretted then play fretted! Play what you like, don't settle for anything less.

[cheapbasslovin]

I'm certain learning to play fretless made me a much better fretted player. Once I got the hang of it I also found I really liked it. YMMV.

[TRichardsbass]

Originally Posted by Macrocosmcwh

At one point weren't you thinking about taking a Kubicki apart? very good advice tho! Thank you!

Yes, however, at the time I had five Kubicki's and could afford to "sacrifice" one.

Every bass player can use a fretless in the arsenal. So keep it. You got a steal.