Do You Ever Think..."It Just Doesn't Matter."

plangentmusic said:

So you do ever think; "Give me something that is playable and sounds decent and I'll make it happen." And stop driving yourself crazy.

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I think every mature player does.

I'm astounded at the hair-splitting and often purely imaginary crap people absolutely obsess over on this (and every other) gear forum.

It's a sickness -- and one I supported myself by pandering to in the old days.

It's just fun. It's a great feeling to have bought a new toy, be it as a status symbol (I haz ALEMBIC, mofo! 10,000 dolla bass yo!) or tool (I really needed that p/j/mm/headless/active/exotic woods bass, for I play progressivefunkpunkatmosphericmetaljazz).

But I'm with you man. Get a great feeling bass, and do your thing.

On the other hand though, if you happen to be the kind of person that we all are deep inside, if we're honest: the person that just wants the newest most awesome bass, and you have the moneyz for it, why the hell not? But owning a lot of basses and being a great bassist have no correlation whatsoever.

IMHO

...TEP.

Heh.

Idk...In the last few years I've come to believe that more of my "tone" comes from my fingers and how I eq whatever amp I'm playing thru than anything else.

Yeah a few of the $1k + basses I've played were nice and all, but if you can get the sound ur after with a stock SX (or whatever) why not save a few bucks, ya know?

I know I've settled down the last couple years. Quite the frenzy for a while there.

Yeah, with an EQ you can do a lot, but you can't pull out every tone with every bass..... my SR has a fat tone, and not very articulate... but I make do.. that is, until wednesday when my warwick comes in the post

Anyway, a lot of times you can take stuff off the wall in GC and think wow, this sounds nice.. but when you get it home its different...

I dunno.. The magician counts more than the wand, the wand chooses you and you use it. Most of the time, its your skill that overwhelms the actual tone, sure people hear your tone, but they hear your skill first...

hmmm Anyway if you have some skill you can just use your fingers, ears, and amp/preamp to create a tone for every style with just one bass.

People have 10+ basses one for each different style that "requires" a different tone, but when you get something that is only built for one tone, you're going to be buying tons of basses, where if you get something that you can mold, then you have something that you can play for everything..........

duno if this makes sense when you actually read it, I just thought aloud lol

manwiththedogs said:

Idk...In the last few years I've come to believe that more of my "tone" comes from my fingers and how I eq whatever amp I'm playing thru than anything else.

Yeah a few of the $1k + basses I've played were nice and all, but if you can get the sound ur after with a stock SX (or whatever) why not save a few bucks, ya know?

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We have a winner at only four posts into the thread!!

Fingers aren't what gives low action. Fingers don't give you a comfortable neck profile. Fingers don't make electronics quieter. Fingers don't switch from single coil to humbucker.

I understand and agree with the spirit of the OP. But the reason we keep searching for the perfect bass is "because we can". All the little things don't matter ... but they do.

Boutique players are pozerz.

Bob C said:

But the reason we keep searching for the perfect bass is "because we can".

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And you're a process-oriented personality. A large majority of people on gear fora are.

That's what almost all this stuff boils down to.

Bob C said:

We have a winner at only four posts into the thread!!

Fingers aren't what gives low action. Fingers don't give you a comfortable neck profile. Fingers don't make electronics quieter. Fingers don't switch from single coil to humbucker.

I understand and agree with the spirit of the OP. But the reason we keep searching for the perfect bass is "because we can". All the little things don't matter ... but they do.

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Lol...Ok...taking yourself a mite srsly there but whatever, to each his own...
My point is that a good player can make a so-so instrument sound killer. I kinda see your point tho...all the bells and whistles are nice to have if you need 'em

They all sound different unplugged, in my practice room.

Plugged in, and sent into a sound system - nope. They all sound the same.

Oh, did i mention they all feel different?

Thats why i have eight.


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manwiththedogs,

Just picking on you a little. Sorry. The thing is, the "tone is in the fingers" is shouted from the pulpit so frequently. There is much truth to it, BUT

1 There is more to seek in a fine bass besides tone. That was my main point.

2 Some say the little differences aren't noticeable. I say they often are. Whether they MATTER (as the OP asks) is a question for each of us to decide.

I tend to agree that in the end, a bass is a bass and music is music. But finding happiness in playing is a journey. People like to try, buy, learn new things. People like to find the "best" and then find something better. That's people for ya.

Bongolation said:

And you're a process-oriented personality. A large majority of people on gear fora are.

That's what almost all this stuff boils down to.

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I'm more of a scholar than a partaker. But please elaborate.

I went through this with Japanese kitchen knives and sharpening stones. Spent thousands and once I became highly skilled with them I ended up paring down to just what need. I did the same with Saxophones too. With basses I have kept this in mind and have tried to buy basses that cover many tones and do many things. When I first started I started the same pattern again, went through a bunch of gear really fast. Now I do my homework and research and try out basses, amps, cabs,etc.., thoroughly before I buy these days. Even if I buy something online more than likely I tried it out in person before hand.
As far a price is concerned. I don't see myself spending $2000+ on a bass or even $1500. You can get a lot of great basses and gear for around and under a grand.
Right now I have 3 basses. Two 5 sting fretted and one 4 string fretless. That covers everything I do with over kill. I've had that many for a while now and am trying make that my limit. The only way I will get a 4th bass is if one is given to me.

Bob C said:

manwiththedogs,

Just picking on you a little. Sorry.

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No harm done bro...it is just the interwebs after all

Bob C said:

I'm more of a scholar than a partaker. But please elaborate.

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Without exaggeration, I could write a three-hundred page book on this subject. I find understanding this incredibly important to understanding musicians and people in general. How to compress this down to a paragraph...

French-born marketing psychologist Clotaire Rapaille can distill much of this sort of thing down into one or two words (which is why he's become rich). He says that, uniquely, in American consumer culture,

PERFECTION = DEATH

Typically, Americans don't want perfection as much as potential.

There are lots of people on this board who, if given the PERFECT bass, one that filled their every need to perfection, would be utterly nonplussed. They wouldn't know what to do with it -- or themselves. There would be nothing to fiddle with, nothing to "upgrade," nothing more to yearn for over the horizon. It would be over. In two days, they'd slip into depression.

PERFECTION = DEATH

As far as it goes, Rapaille is dead-on, but I think that there's more to it, a difference between the process-oriented and outcomes-oriented personalities, the differences between amateur and professional outlooks. All of these are part of it.

One of the most essential pieces of advice I give young musicians and young people in general is, "avoid seductive process," those fascinating little sidetracks that wind up eating your whole life and ruining any chance for realizing your goal -- the outcome for which you strived but never attained. Being able to recognize and reject seductive process is the hallmark of true professionalism and is usually the point that determines winners and losers in life.

"Give me something that is playable and sounds decent and I'll make it happen."

That is my exact attitude these days. All I'm trying to find is that ONE, 5 string bass that feels like home in my hands and I know I can make it happen. Just one, that's all!

Haven't quite found it yet.

KramerBassFan said:

They all sound different unplugged, in my practice room.

Plugged in, and sent into a sound system - nope. They all sound the same.

Oh, did i mention they all feel different?

Thats why i have eight.


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If my Fender J bass sounded even remotely like my mandolin through a sound system, I'd fire the sound guy. But I'm weird like that, I guess.

I went full circle from vintage Fenders 20+ years ago... then through other 50-60 basses.. back to vintage (and new) Fenders.

It is cool to own $5000 "coffee table" basses, but IMO on a gig... a) most don't sound any better than a good old MIA Fender (or MM, etc.)... and b) does anyone in the crowd REALLY care that your bass cost as much as their car? Not IME on hundreds of gigs. The odd sound guy or fellow bass geek might be impressed with your Alleva Coppolo, Sadowsky or Roscoe, but the impressed people tend to be few and far between.

YMMV