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Bass Features: Top Ten Personal Turn-Offs

#203
1. Crap tuners. Even some high end basses aren't immune to backlash from hell & bad gear ratios. It drives me nuts.
I'm going to buck the trend & say I like headless simply because the Steinberger tuners are so good! :)

2. Overly glossy necks. I like natural or satin finishes generally, but some glosses are ok. Some are sticky & that is a peeve.

3. Big block heel joints and/or cutaways that make high fret access a pain.
I play up there once every 13 years, but it annoys me to know that I can't.

4. Noisy electronics. C'mon dammit, shielding is *not* that hard, why is it so rare?
How come I have to do it myself so often? Grrrr....

5. Active electronics that require 8218 screws to change. A solid (read: won't break) battery door that opens in about 0.5 seconds is what's needed here. I don't personally care for active electronics, but if you're gonna do it, do it right.

6. Bridges that are a PITA to intonate. Self-explanatory.

7. Oddly placed pickups that create goofy phase relationships when both PU are on.
I often prefer a single PU for this reason, or will end up picking only one or the other PU when I'm using a bass w/this issue.

8. Bad trussrod access. Why should I need to dismantle the instrument to make a simple change?

9. Heavy, or bad balance, or worse, both. A heavy bass isn't so bad if it balances ok, but a heavy unbalanced one = unplayable.

10. Not quite a bass peeve, but related : Having an odd shaped bass that requires an $8.2 million case. (i.e. Fender mustang case = ripoff) At least a standard size/shape bass gives you lots of choices here.

In spite of all this, I'm actually not picky. If it doesn't hurt my hands, and it sounds OK, I'll play it. When you think about it, there's more good than bad out there these days.

Perhaps I'm just an optimist, but I like the idea that I can go to a local shop & try everything from a '51 p-bass RI to a multi-string exotic wood bass with NASA-designed electronics. Choice is good & it sure beats the hell out of the limited choices we had when I started.


GT
 
#204
BigDawg said:
5. Conklin basses...just plain ****ing ugly.
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:eek: You hurt our feelings...

tinks.jpg
 
#205
L-1329 said:
Man, reading through this thread you all sound like a bunch of crotchety 90 year old men so set in your ways you can't even imagine thinking about anything different or new. No wonder Fender is still the main brand of choice, everything else would be just way too different and way to much change for you guys to take. It'd be like asking granny to program your blackberry.:smug:
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Well, I'm a person who appreciates subtlety. This is reflected in my instrument choice as well as the music I play with it. For some reason, in the bass playing community, this is not a commonly held view. If you want a guitar that is subtle in it's styling, it's not hard to find them being produced by any number of brands, but if you want it out of a bass, what option does anyone actually have beyond Fender and the brands that essentially make Fender copies? I think, and I'm not trying to put anyone down here, this is because bass players are largely insecure about their station as bass players. In my opinion, that could be the reason so many of us long for a 30 string instrument, and why so many brands ignore solid colors and traditional aesthetics in favor of exaggerated shapes and crazy 7 wood bodies. This probably also explains why so many of us seem to be at war with guitars in general. We, as a community, are bitter that guitars manage to take center stage so easily, so we overcompensate by overplaying on the most absurd looking instruments in the world. That's what I think, and I'm not trying to point the finger at anyone in particular, but it certainly seems to be the case with some people I have known in the past.

I like Fender cosmetically, because they are simple, they are distinct and recognizable. Their pick-guards provide a necessary amount of contrast and color. And most importantly, they don't upstage the musician that's playing them.

In some ways I'm not a bassist. I'm a musician who specializes in bass. I'm the songwriter in my band, and I've made albums all by myself before with guitar, drum machines and synthesizers. I tend to believe that the song as a whole deserves more attention than one particular aspect of it, and my basslines reflect that. So I don't often find myself in positions where I'm overly limited by the specifications of my instrument. 20 frets does the job in my case. Yeah, sometimes I make it to both ends of the neck, nearly running out of space, but it's nothing that seriously hinders me. And I know how much you guys hate it when people say this, but really, that's guitar territory anyway. Since I write the music, if I really need to be that high, I'll just assign it to a guitar and back him up with some powerchords on the high strings. I'm sure some people do, but I never span a full 3 octaves in the course of one melody, so for the most part, I can make the necessary adjustments to my playing to make it work with what I've got.
 
#206
1. Black hardware- This screams 80's hair bands to me. The first time I saw black hardware was around that era, and the two will always be linked in my mind, even if I actually do like some of that music. It just looks cheesy to me (required IMO)

2.Exessivly figured tops- Yup, they look great in your living room, or when you hold them in your hands, but when I see one being played in a "live" setting, they tend to look like someone puked on it from 25 feet away. Basicly too busy. It's nice to look at and all, but just looks wrong to me in a "working" environment. Again, IMO.

3. Plastic or Rubbery Knobs.- The exeption being Gibson, and Rickenbacker. I like them o.k. on them, but everything else... particularly high end stuff.... Just is a giant turn off to me. I'd prefer chrome/nickel plated knobs on everything.

4.Overly long upper horns I understand that this is for ballance, particularly on ERB's, but I don't have to like the way it looks. ;) (exeption made for Rickenbacker, 'cause I like the way that looks.);)

5.More than 21 Frets- makes for an awkward looking body shape due to the extended cutaway on the bottom to make access to the upper frets. Just another visual thing that I"m not fond of, however I understand the usefullness for those that need to play that high up the neck. I don't, so I'll stick with my opinon on htat.

6. Pencil thin necks- Just don't feel good in my hands. Again, personal preferance. I'd prefer at least 1 5/8" across at the nut.

7. Active Electornics- I've never seen the need for it for what I do (YRMV). Just one more thing to go wrong. Batteries are for stompboxes IMO.:ninja:

8.Difficult to get at Truss Rod- Self explanitory. I will put up with a hard to get at truss rod in an exeptional sounding instrument though. No excuse for it in a modern bass though. I actually prefer a headstock adjustable truss rod. The MIM Fender would be a good example of very easy to work with truss rod adjustment.

9.Satin Finished necks- Feels wrong to my hands. I came up playing what are now considered "Vintage" Fenders, and that's what feels right to me. Satin feels o.k. after they've been played in for a few years, but scratchy and stiff like an overly starched collar until then. YUCK!

10.Multiple pickups-Give me just one in the right spot and I'll be very happy.
 
#207
1) "sticky neck" from a bad finish. Ibanez's are the worst for this IME.

2) No good place to rest a thumb, First 4 years of playing were on a Jazz so I need that bridge pickup, or at least something there to replace it!

3) Thick, P-style necks. Give me a slimline modulus anyday.

4) Because of the fact I like thin necks, I don't like 5 strings. I have a 6 string I use in a jazz sextet, but I'm in sitting on a stool, jazzman mode then. When I'm jumping about at a punk gig, it's so much easier to play a 4.

5) "guitar wannabe" basses, like the SG bass, the T-bird, all of that, it just seems like they're saying "now YOU can be as cool as your guitarist!" saying that, I'm a total hypocrite, my workhorse bass is a Jaguar. But have you played one?!

6) Lack of shielding. What the hell? All it takes is some foil and a bit of wire to ground! It should be as standard as strap buttons.

7) Speaking of strap buttons, strap locks should become the de facto standard also. A pair of Schallers is what, £5? Or at least have better designed buttons that hold a strap well. (take a look at an LP studio 6 stringer, you'll see what i mean)

Thats it for now...
 
#210
3toes said:
I'm afraid I have to agree with him. It would look amazing if that top horn wasn't so freakin big.
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AAACCCKKK!!!!! :eek:


:D... Naw. Different strokes and all that jazz. :)

Back on topic, I was trying to think of ten peeves of my own, and couldn't come up with them. I have a few annoyances that are more brand-specific, but no real generalized "peeves". I'm easy, I guess. ;)
 
#215
L-1329 said:
Man, reading through this thread you all sound like a bunch of crotchety 90 year old men so set in your ways you can't even imagine thinking about anything different or new. No wonder Fender is still the main brand of choice, everything else would be just way too different and way to much change for you guys to take. It'd be like asking granny to program your blackberry.:smug:
Click to expand...

i own several fenders. so i'm supposed to be an 90yrs old phart in your eyes? fair enough, back in the past i spent 10 thousands on gear, effects, preamps, amps and so on just to experiment on new sounds, new materials etc.
finally i found fender. i now own some old dirty 70s amps from fender and i'm happy now. it's cheap, it does the job, my 90yrs old bandmates love the sound. the audience (all over 80)love the sound and i get compliments on that and by the way i'm the Head of IT of a company who has 22 networks worldwide managed and maintaned by me and my team. serving over 2000 users 24/7 with houndreds of applications and servers. etc etc

maybe your granma can teach you how to setup a blackberry?
 
#216
String trees. A clear indication of poor design IMO.

A slab of wood that would make a great coffee table but would look silly if strapped to a hairy guy in ripped jeans i.e. me.

Ridiculous inlays - a waste of time and money...and why are they always dragons or something similarly geeky?

Warwick necks - especially the 5s. I can never find a comfortable way to play them.

Bridges that look nice but aren't adjustable...after all what's more important than being in tune?

No neck pickup - I wouldn't rule out a bass on this basis but I use the neck pickup soloed 80% of the time.

Poor upper register access.

Chunky bolt-on neck joins (Fender are the main offenders here!)

Too many controls. I'd rather get one sound I love out of an instrument than many sounds I have to tweak all the time.

Can't think of any more right now.
 
#217
10 turn-offs?

1.) when it's actually sounds like a guitar and not like a bass:scowl:
2.) high action:rollno:
3.) dirt from the previous owner:eyebrow:
4.) small tuners. i like the leprechaun stuff:spit:
5.) ERB's. are you playing Bass or what?:rolleyes:
6.) too Fancy looking. is not my thing when they looks like a piece of furniture and the half rainforest is built in it. maybe it's a low selfesteem thing...:hiding:
7.) relic as finish option
8.) more than one tone control:spit:
9.) preamps that needs battery. c'mon there should be other solutions for that! i'm not against active electronics. if someone want active electronics in his bass then he should be able to get the power from a phantom power unit. this battery thing is soo...:scowl:
10.) LED's on Fretboards. it sounds like: "hey, i'm the bassplayer! look at meee!! hello! i'm in the dark! i'm the bassplayer, please look at me!..hellooo!!.." it's a fretboard, not a landing strip for airplanes:smug:
 
#219
1. Active basses (bad experience playing a Jag)
2. Any stickers or writing on the body.
3. Gold hardware.
4. Bass's trying to be guitars i.e SG (can't even stand it as a guitar)
5. Musicmans, sorry jsut can't stand the design.
6. Anything more than 4 strings (I can do all i want on them)
7. String trees
8. Metal guitars (they just look plain awful)
9. Top horn to big (unpreportional)
10. Dodgy inlays (i.e fender sting issue, whats the point of his signature being there??)
 

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