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Bass Features: Top Ten Personal Turn-Offs

#241
In no particular order:
1) Fender basses and all fender-style basses (the only traditional style basses that I like are Alembics).
2) Ibanez basses.
3) Bolt-on necks.
4) Clover leaf machine heads and machine heads all on one side of the headstock.
5) Narrow headstocks/headstocks with poorly placed machine heads where strings come off the nut haphazardly/asymmetrically.
6) Less than 24 frets or short scale lengths.
7) One pickup/wimpy pickups.
8) Funky body shapes.
9) Poor wood options.
10) Necks and headstocks that aren't painted to match the finish on the rest of the bass/fruity colours (i.e. not black or natural wood colour).
 
#242
Debased said:
Top Ten reasons to demean ERBs ;):

1) It's easier to criticize that which you don't understand than it is to learn about it.

2) Fear of change or progress.

3) ERBs appear intimidating to the uninitiated.

4) Insecurity.

5) Envy.

6) Conformity.

7) Too cheap to buy a decent instrument.

8) Old-school fashion slave.

9) Insufficient musical imagination, creativity, or originality.

10) Pro bono cheerleader for the Fender Corporation.
Click to expand...


Single greatest post of all time
 
#244
I'm the bassist and singer in a two piece band. We use programmed beats and my buddy plays guitar. I'm pretty notorious for playing above the 12th fret, and for using my bass to essentially emulate guitar, but I'm still a firm believer in the ability of four strings to successfully state my point. I realize it may seem like an arbitrary limitation, and in fact, it probably is, but in my experience, it's a lucky coincidence that a 4 string bass in standard tuning runs the entire range of what I think is tonally useful. Like I said, we're a two piece, and I need to be versatile, but also, I need to be present as the bass player. If I go too high for too long, and the bottom drops out because of it, the music suffers dynamically. And though I do play a lot of chords, supporting my guitarist while he solos, they have a distinctly bass character too them even if they are within the guitar range, just by virtue of being played on thicker strings. It tends to keep things dynamically grounded. And too low? It's just never been my preference. D is about as far down as I'd ever want to be. I can hardly discern the subtleties of pitch between B, C and C#. I prefer the way these notes sound in the next highest octave. Also, I like the simplicity of design in a four string, like the ease of muting the unwanted strings (compared to a 5 or 6). I like having an E at the bottom, a note that is more generally useful to me than a low B. I like the string spacing, etc.

And to echo previous sentiments, I don't think I should be categorized as an old man, afraid of change and growth because I feel this way. It may read as such, but it's not intended to insult those who feel their extended range is necessary. This is just how i feel about the music I like to play. I think it's really naive to suggest that four string players are necessarily closed minded. I prefer a four string because I played a 5 string for 3 years. I learned my lessons about overplaying not from a rickety old man, but from listening back to my own playing, and hearing how distracting it was from the music as a whole. If you play music that works well with your preferred style and set up, then I'm happy for you, but in my case, for what I play, I strongly believe I'm giving it the best treatment I can.
 
#245
in no particular order:
-that "boutique bass look," in general. i have just contradicted all of you, but i earnestly think that basses like alembic, fodera, CARL THOMPSON especially are hideous.
-that gibson 3-point bridge--when you adjust the intonation it throws the action WAY off. the only bad thing on my thunderbird.
-basses that have nowhere to rest your thumb--that's why i'm bad with danelectros.
-short scale. i actually find them much harder to play, and to me the sound is more akin to an "oversized guitar" than a bass.
-basses that insist on using a P and a J pickup on the same bass. including the fenders.
-heavily finished/oiled necks. nuff said.
-for that matter, i've seen basses with bodies that have about 1/4 inch of finish on them, which is just wrong.
-FANNED FRETS! they just look so horrible.
-Difficult truss rod access. Nobody wants to have to take off the neck to adjust it.
-anything with too many buttons and switches and knobs on it. vol/vol/tone/tone is the absolute maximum, to me.

and to finish it off, I strongly advise against maple as a tonewood--too bright.
 
#247
Let's see...ERB? Check. Singlecut? Check. Hideous top wood? Check. Too many knobs? Check. Bolt-on neck? Check. Boutique luthier? Check. Gotta admit, it's hateful all right.

CIMG3099.gif
 
#251
My turn-offs

1. Hideous exotic woods that look to be overly extravagant. Grain is nice, perhaps some light quilting is nice under a darker finish, but full blown marbling is ugly.

2. Wide necks - i like to play with my thumb wrapped around the neck, which leads to #3

3. Other than 4 strings.

4. More than 4 knobs. Stack them if you want more control. use discrete switching

I could go on, But I would rather just show you what pops into my head as a nightmare bass.

http://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/prodigy_le.htm

I couldn't think of anything worse. By their standard of calling their own work art, 2girls1cup must be a masterpiece.
 
#252
Cerpin_Taxt said:
My turn-offs

1. Hideous exotic woods that look to be overly extravagant. Grain is nice, perhaps some light quilting is nice under a darker finish, but full blown marbling is ugly.

2. Wide necks - i like to play with my thumb wrapped around the neck, which leads to #3

3. Other than 4 strings.

4. More than 4 knobs. Stack them if you want more control. use discrete switching

I could go on, But I would rather just show you what pops into my head as a nightmare bass.

http://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/prodigy_le.htm

I couldn't think of anything worse. By their standard of calling their own work art, 2girls1cup must be a masterpiece.
Click to expand...


Stop doing #2 and you can play any bass out there.


Could people start posting USEFUL stuff instead of just bashing ERBs and boutique basses? This is pointless. Yes, you hate my bass. My tone and technique suck a big one. We get it.
 
#257
Biggest turn offs for me are:

Active electronics, or active that can't be bypassed.

More than 5 strings (OK, I admit, really more than 4 . .)

Anything longer than 34" scale

Anything that looks like it came from the local Renaissance Faire craft zone or goes well with a fanny pack . . .
 
#259
My turnoffs....

Fingerboard too flat
Neck too wide
No zero fret
Too heavy
Needs a battery
Truss Rod adjustment not at the headstock
Has neckdive
Uncomfortable to hold
Sounds sterile or nasally
No body and fingerboard edge radiusing

+ 7 more....

Neck pickup too close to the neck
Pointy or Garish shape
Headless
Gaudy color/finish
Too many strings
More than 3 knobs
A nut that is not made of Bone


George
 
#260
BassGod said:
I've never fully understood why so many people dislike gold hardware. IMO, it looks classy.
Click to expand...

Because sometimes it LOOKS like an obvious attempt to make something appear classy, that perhaps really isn't so. It ends up cheapening the whole look for some.

Remember; while you can't polish a turd, you can plate it.

It does look good on a Ritter though, don't it?
 

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