Or lack of QC.
Every component that goes into a bass has a certain tolerance, say + or - .05. Depending how much drift there is within the tolerance speced for each component, the feel of a bass could be different. Maybe better maybe not.
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Every component that goes into a bass has a certain tolerance, say + or - .05. Depending how much drift there is within the tolerance speced for each component, the feel of a bass could be different. Maybe better maybe not.
I don't know what it is but I have played a couple of guitars and basses that just sing, even unplugged. The make and model doesn't seem to matter, and I've heard it with everything from Squiers to made in Mexico fenders to made in Americas. I've played the same models that simply didn't have it too. Heck my extremely crappy TCM telecaster screams. It's not coming from me... as I said others of the same models in my hands don't "sing" the same way at all.
Every piece of wood is different, even coming from the same slab from the same tree.
Unless an instrument is made of 100% man made materials, there will be good, bad, ugly, and phenomenal instruments among the same design, and even the same production lot if factory made.
Heck, even robot built electronics have some variance due to tolerance drift and worn machines as posted above.
You'll play instruments that feel like they almost play themselves, and some you have to fight.
It's a fact of life.
Unless an instrument is made of 100% man made materials, there will be good, bad, ugly, and phenomenal instruments among the same design, and even the same production lot if factory made.
Heck, even robot built electronics have some variance due to tolerance drift and worn machines as posted above.
You'll play instruments that feel like they almost play themselves, and some you have to fight.
It's a fact of life.
Dude, my fellow TB members didn't understand my definition of Mojo so I had to modify it.To start a thread and then go back to it and make massive changes to the first starter post is the ultimate in TB flim flammery IMO.
I'm half tempted to start a thread about P basses being the ultimate groove machine and then, nearly 24 hours later, going in and changing "P basses" to "Brady Bunch" or something else that completely changes the vibe.
Bait and switch city, OP.
Even after modifying it members continue to talk about magic and vintage instruments.
It's my thread and I don't need your permission to modify it. If you don't like it then feel free to stay off my thread!
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LOL
Nope. We can do that whole "agree to disagree" thing when it comes to any topic, or what we consider to be tricky internet forum behavior.
As far as I know, starting a thread that I choose to respond to doesn't make you the boss of me.
I'd wish you a good day but that may be seen as a snarky comment.
- Oct 7, 2000
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To start a thread and then go back to it and make massive changes to the first starter post is the ultimate in TB flim flammery IMO.
I'm half tempted to start a thread about P basses being the ultimate groove machine and then, nearly 24 hours later, going in and changing "P basses" to "Brady Bunch" or something else that completely changes the vibe.
Bait and switch city, OP.
Thanks for pointing that out. I hadn't noticed, and yeah... I kind of agree.
Sadly, I'm starting to think of the potential behind doing such a thing just for fun
.I'm a honest and positive person who attempts to come up with interesting threads to get my fellow TB members input.
I have zero reason to try to bait and switch anything.
In the past, I would have ignored your snarky post, but I don't feel like turning the other cheek today.
You should think about how your post will come across to the person who started the thread before being
so bold as to post something so snarky!
You have great day!
I have zero reason to try to bait and switch anything.
In the past, I would have ignored your snarky post, but I don't feel like turning the other cheek today.
You should think about how your post will come across to the person who started the thread before being
so bold as to post something so snarky!
You have great day!
Yes, I know for a fact that some basses have "superior" tone. It's not a question of "belief" since it's well known that they do, in fact, exist.
However, what is defined as "superior" tone is subjective and can easily vary from person to person.
So, with that subjectivity in mind, which specific basses have "superior" tone is essentially a crapshoot and it has nothing to do with "mojo" at all.
I think MOJO IS the crapshoot, right? When your subjective taste meets an instrument that hits all of your subjective buttons in terms of feel and tone, which physical properties may be the result of manufacturing defects or drift in tolerances. When I was looking at Jazz basses years ago I played seven of them in Sam Ash. The two that had MOJO (feel and tone I like) were an SX fretless and a MIM Jazz. They played well, felt comfy, and sounded great. The MIM in particular had the tone in spades. I sat with it and thought "Now THIS is a Jazz bass". It was gone when I went back to buy it.
Feel and tone you like isn't magic, or mojo or any other intangible quality, it's simply feel and tone you like. Others may not like it.
There's no such thing as instrument "mojo" somebody simply made it up.
It is easier to use word MOJO as short hand, than to type or say all that stuff about physical tolerances in manufacturing and subjective feeling on tone/feel. To be honest I don't really use the word MOJO unless I'm talking about the Slim Harpo song.
I remember reading a few years ago that the wood changes some from years of string vibrations. Is it true? If it is it could lead to a little mojo.
This part, at least, is proven and known. But it pertains to spruce soundboards, at around 30 years of playing, the cellular structure has "set" and is influenced by those decades of vibration positively. Some luthiers have set up sound chambers to accelerate the process for later use in their acoustic builds.
Other woods are different, cedar soundboards are appreciated for not needing this lengthy play-in time, but the tradeoff is they never attain the sound quality of the spruce.
And of course, a solid P-bass could be made out of aged cheese and still sound good...if it has the mojo...
Would one made of Swiss cheese sound like a semi-hollow?
I guess one made of Limburger would really stink.
Bleu cheese for blues...naturally.
What's the best cheese for metal?...nevermind...found it...
Mojo? I've always understood that to mean some kind of "vibe" that has been imparted into the instrument. Usually because some great musician (doesn't has to be a famous one) played it for years. And somehow that will come out through "you" when you play it. That being said... No, I don't believe in "Mojo".
I'm surprised at how many people are taking the interpretation of mojo to be some sort of magical, mystical, whimsical thing.
To me it's none of that. It's just a random "awesome sauce" that the instrument has, for whatever reason. It's completely subjective to the person who's playing it that makes it incredible. And because of that awesome sauce, it feels better, plays better and SOUNDS better.
I used to work at a Mexican food restaurant as a teenager and I remember occasionally, I felt like making an enchilada with just a touch more sauce, just because, and customer would say "man, best enchilada ever". I think the same is true for anything in manufacturing, some kid in the assembly line feels like giving the pickup one more wind just to please one lucky customer. Or maybe the luthier woke up on the right side of the bed and decides to spend just an extra 5min on a particular build (even if it's already to spec). It's those kinds of things that I'm sure amount to Mojo-ness!
To me it's none of that. It's just a random "awesome sauce" that the instrument has, for whatever reason. It's completely subjective to the person who's playing it that makes it incredible. And because of that awesome sauce, it feels better, plays better and SOUNDS better.
I used to work at a Mexican food restaurant as a teenager and I remember occasionally, I felt like making an enchilada with just a touch more sauce, just because, and customer would say "man, best enchilada ever". I think the same is true for anything in manufacturing, some kid in the assembly line feels like giving the pickup one more wind just to please one lucky customer. Or maybe the luthier woke up on the right side of the bed and decides to spend just an extra 5min on a particular build (even if it's already to spec). It's those kinds of things that I'm sure amount to Mojo-ness!
