Yes but then what if I found out one of my favorite basses to play has a fingerboard radius I think I don't like and I have to start not liking it
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Anyone else becoming a bass snob?
- Thread starter GodPlayedBass
- Start date
Granted, there is a fine, fuzzy, crooked line between personal preference and snobbery. In my experience, the line has more to do with attitude. It's perfectly alright to say I like _______________ (brand, model, woods, pickups, the way this bass looks, sounds, feels, etc.). Snobbery is manifested when those preferences extend to something like, "Because I prefer ___________ that makes me superior to those who don't prefer ___________." (As in, "He can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke the same cigarettes as me....") The other manifestation is when the subjective opinion is expressed that any other bass/options/playing styles, etc., are inferior, just because. That's when the snobbery kicks in.
Me too! And I've only been playing 45 years
Almost have it figured out now - for sure I prefer short-scale, narrow string spacing, lightweight, passive.
Still on the fence about construction though: will 'lighter-weight composite' finally trump an aluminum neck?
I hope to get that point sorted in a couple of months, when my custom-order BassLab arrives.
I have already owned five different graphite instruments, but none of them quite hit the spot...
Me too! And I've only been playing 45 years
Almost have it figured out now - for sure I prefer short-scale, narrow string spacing, lightweight, passive.
Still on the fence about construction though: will 'lighter-weight composite' finally trump an aluminum neck?
I hope to get that point sorted in a couple of months, when my custom-order BassLab arrives.
I have already owned five different graphite instruments, but none of them quite hit the spot...
Interesting, I've been GASsing over a full-graphite bass for a while... mostly for their low weight and neck rigidity so being able to get a super-low action.... what didn't you like about the 5 you had?
I'm a weird kind of snob. In my view... any bass made before 2000 is inferior, IMHO. Gotta love modern technology.
One (Moses) was very disappointing sound-wise (those are now out of production, I think for good reason). Most of the others were disappointing only due to poor execution: as in those builders NOT providing the neck profile I contracted them to build! (Frustrating to spend $$$$ and get something that's not even close to spec. )
One whom shall remain nameless made a product that sounded so good I was willing to overlook the oversize neck - BUT the thing was a horrendous rattle trap, and even after shipped back to the maker overseas, was pronounced unfixable! Had a truss rod, but it didn't work. The maker paid the return shipping AND gave me a full refund, which was decent of them - but that was a year of my life that I won't get back...
I like Rosewood and maple boards, I specifically desire Pbasses, if I’m browsing for basses I don’t even waste my time to check it out if it’s a PJ, blue or has gold hardware...
wmhill
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I'm not sure I'd call it snobbery- but I do know what I like (maple fretboards, MM style pickups, active electronics) and more importantly dislike (P basses, Fenders/Squiers, Gibsons, flatwounds, heavy basses). Over 3 decades of gigging have afforded me the opportunity to try a lot of different basses & gear and know what I like/dislike. I prefer steak to salmon and don't believe that makes me a food snob.
I wouldn’t consider myself a bass snob, but I’m extremely picky on what I want out of a bass. As the price of the bass goes up - then the more performance and quality I expect out of a bass. A couple of my basses are Squiers, so I don’t care at all what’s on the headstock. But playability, string to string evenness, fretwork, pickup performance, straight neck, resonance, sustain, and many other small details are very important to me. 20+ years ago I wasn’t too picky, but after 30+ years of playing and owning quite a few basses there isn’t a lot of wiggle room in what I’ll accept. Although it’s kind of a curse because it’s difficult for me to find “keeper” basses. I do miss the days where I didn’t know any better.
Ric5
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Anyone else becoming a bass snob?
nope ... I sold off my collectable expensive basses and replaced them with frankenstein parts basses
nope ... I sold off my collectable expensive basses and replaced them with frankenstein parts basses
Neither of my 2 are light, nor is the BO CF neck one.
Set up a cheap Squier and you can get low action, but the CF ones will stay low in different humidities and temps. Add headless, and both of mine were stored for 5y or so and barely needed to be tuned afterwards.
liking a specific kind of bass doesnt make you a snob.
crapping on other peoples choice of bass does make you a snob...and a few other things
crapping on other peoples choice of bass does make you a snob...and a few other things
No snob here. I have a '63 P, a 70's Univox hollowbody, a 64 EB-0, three Gretsch basses from basic to professional, and various other basses in short, medium and long scale.
I'm thinking of building a cigar box bass, which I think would be fun. They do it with guitars, why not a bass?
Me too. I'm not a snob either, what works for me may not work for someone else and I'm good with that.
Just make sure you use a box of an approved tonewood. You know, something Leo used.
EXCELLENT point!!
Evidently most of the wood boxes were made of Spanish Cedar. I'm sure that Leo would only have used boxes which were available as trash castoffs in Fullerton, as he was always a thrifty sort.
Therefore I suppose the most snobby choice would be a wooden cigar box found on a trash heap in Fullerton.
I know what I like. I don't see the point in pretending otherwise. Others can play whatever they like. I'm going to pass on anything with active electronics for example. Those instruments are largely a waste of my time.
