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Bass Features: Top Ten Personal Turn-Offs

#281
SKATE RAT said:
i think all you "erb" guys are being too sensitive.most people here disagree with me but who cares. dude its just a message board where people can post "persoal" opinions.don't get your panties in a bunch,
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Trust me, you'd be complaining if people were always reminding ya that your gear sucks. Besides, who are you and what makes you the authority/god of bass?

Although the funny thing is, you're really lucky the mods don't shut ya down. A couple are playing some "ugly" 6, 7, and 8 string basses and they run this place. So, might wanna be a little more respectful, huh?

Mikeyd74 said:
IMO there is a lot of the "HEY!!! LOOK AT ME!!!" syndrome associated with ERB players. It's the "I have a lot of strings so I'm a better bass player" philosophy.
IMO It's also a matter of laziness.
A buddy of mine plays a six string and he explained that it helps to avoid moving up and down the neck. How boring can that be?
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No, that's an image instilled by jealous bassists and guitarists. Besides, guitarists can do most chords inside the 3rd position. That's not lazy, it's smart. Is it dumb to use an oven mitt to hold hot stuff?

Besides, ERB players are often the least image conscious of bassists. I've been in and out of enough cover bands to hear how gear should look and what sort of shirt and pants to wear with them. Most of y'all taking the shots are so full of yourselves and the image you maintain, be it metal, punk, or classic rock.
 
#282
Neck with less than 24 frets (one reason I stay away from Fenders)

Neck as thin as a toothpick

Neck like a telephone pole

Weight ove 9lbs

Short scale (less than 34"), worst intonation in the world!

Shrill sounding active electronics

AE/Preamp battery dies even if the bass isn't plugged in.

Have to ditto "Classic Headstock/Slab Body designs" (Fender/Gibson) the most UNCOMFORTABLE instruments to play, period!

Clanky sounding pickups like the P-styleor over-nasal sounding pickups

Bad truss rod access

The old-style Fender bridge, I HAVE to have individually adjustable bridgeepieces or it just ain't gonna fly.

More than 6-strings on a bass, after that you might as well be playing lead guitar.

Basses made with tons of different kinds of exotic hardwoods just to look impressive. It may look real pretty but sound like complete crap.
 
#284
spade2you said:
Trust me, you'd be complaining if people were always reminding ya that your gear sucks. Besides, who are you and what makes you the authority/god of bass?

Although the funny thing is, you're really lucky the mods don't shut ya down. A couple are playing some "ugly" 6, 7, and 8 string basses and they run this place. So, might wanna be a little more respectful, huh?



No, that's an image instilled by jealous bassists and guitarists. Besides, guitarists can do most chords inside the 3rd position. That's not lazy, it's smart. Is it dumb to use an oven mitt to hold hot stuff?

Besides, ERB players are often the least image conscious of bassists. I've been in and out of enough cover bands to hear how gear should look and what sort of shirt and pants to wear with them. Most of y'all taking the shots are so full of yourselves and the image you maintain, be it metal, punk, or classic rock.
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That's true about the chords, only if you want every song to have open jingly chords in it.
 
#285
More than 6-strings on a bass, after that you might as well be playing lead guitar.
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And this is bad how? I do a lot of duets with a female vocalist, and I find a 7-string to be just the ticket. I suppose a guitar could be half the duet as well, but it wouldn't sound the same at all. A 4 or 5 string bass couldn't do it either. Bring in a guitar or keyboard, now, and I set down the 7 and pick up a 5 or 6.
 
#288
I think what should be happening in this thread is more explanation of why people make the gear decisions they make, and less speculation about why other people differ from us. I'll admit, I was guilty of something of this sort of a few pages back. I'm a bit ashamed of it now. I think a lot of people are saying things that aren't necessarily meant to be offensive, but are coming across that way to those of us that disagree. An ERB player saying that he prefers not to be burdened by irrelevant tradition can easily be read as "you four string players are stuck in the past." It's a fine line. As a four string player, who feels like his string and fret count is ideal, it's just as easy for me to be upset by such a comment as it is by me saying something like "six string basses are a desperate plea for attention driven by insecurity relating to constantly being upstaged by guitar." That would be a stupid thing for me to say (and it was stupid when I actually did say it). Indeed it is sometimes true, but it's no more true than the fact that some four string players are indeed closed minded and uncritical of their choices. That is why generalizations are bad... in general.

Now, I DO think it's completely alright to call a bass ugly. I really don't understand being personally offended by this. Questioning the way I play? I get being offended by that, but being offended by somebody not liking the color of your bass? Totally not a big deal. I understand why people hate pickguards, because I hated them when I was in my teens. There are other differences in opinion that I can't relate to, but it doesn't mean I should get upset about them. A lot of my favorite guitars are things I openly think are kind of hideous. It's just a matter of taste, and i think we should ease up a little when it comes to the truly superficial qualities.
 
#290
not_jason said:
I think what should be happening in this thread is more explanation of why people make the gear decisions they make, and less speculation about why other people differ from us. I'll admit, I was guilty of something of this sort of a few pages back. I'm a bit ashamed of it now. I think a lot of people are saying things that aren't necessarily meant to be offensive, but are coming across that way to those of us that disagree. An ERB player saying that he prefers not to be burdened by irrelevant tradition can easily be read as "you four string players are stuck in the past." It's a fine line. As a four string player, who feels like his string and fret count is ideal, it's just as easy for me to be upset by such a comment as it is by me saying something like "six string basses are a desperate plea for attention driven by insecurity relating to constantly being upstaged by guitar." That would be a stupid thing for me to say (and it was stupid when I actually did say it). Indeed it is sometimes true, but it's no more true than the fact that some four string players are indeed closed minded and uncritical of their choices. That is why generalizations are bad... in general.

Now, I DO think it's completely alright to call a bass ugly. I really don't understand being personally offended by this. Questioning the way I play? I get being offended by that, but being offended by somebody not liking the color of your bass? Totally not a big deal. I understand why people hate pickguards, because I hated them when I was in my teens. There are other differences in opinion that I can't relate to, but it doesn't mean I should get upset about them. A lot of my favorite guitars are things I openly think are kind of hideous. It's just a matter of taste, and i think we should ease up a little when it comes to the truly superficial qualities.
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+1
 
#291
not_jason said:
Now, I DO think it's completely alright to call a bass ugly. I really don't understand being personally offended by this.
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Unfortunately (for you anyway), the neighborhood mods find it offensive. Guess what? They run the show here. Don't like it, troll somewherez else.

It's rude and lacks class to bash a bass based on looks. A lot of us play a part in the design of our basses. Calling them ugly is insulting the luthier and the guy who ordered it. If you think my Conklin is ugly, I'd like to see some of YOUR designs.

Besides, who the hell cares how something looks? Do the looks make you a better player? Hell no. I don't know about you, but I don't need to follow fashion trends to get the job done. If you're worried about lighting, a certain look, and a fog machine making or breaking a show.....PRACTICE MORE. :scowl:

This reminds me of arguments where guys say biker shorts are ghey. Yes, they look strange, but you'll never see a guy in blue jean win a race.
 
#292
spade2you said:
Unfortunately (for you anyway), the neighborhood mods find it offensive. Guess what? They run the show here. Don't like it, troll somewherez else.
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relax. don't always menace with the mods. please read the OP carefully.
It's rude and lacks class to bash a bass based on looks. A lot of us play a part in the design of our basses. Calling them ugly is insulting the luthier and the guy who ordered it. If you think my Conklin is ugly, I'd like to see some of YOUR designs.
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please read the OP carefully.
Besides, who the hell cares how something looks? Do the looks make you a better player? Hell no. I don't know about you, but I don't need to follow fashion trends to get the job done. If you're worried about lighting, a certain look, and a fog machine making or breaking a show.....PRACTICE MORE. :scowl:
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+1 Agree
This reminds me of arguments where guys say biker shorts are ghey. Yes, they look strange, but you'll never see a guy in blue jean win a race.
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you're right if you see bassplaying as a race.
 
#293
1- Basses with less than 21 frets... (Fender)

2- Bolt on necks (Neck through has much better sustain)

3- Bright, bold colors (Think 80's metal)

4- Copied designs... (Sadowsky, Lakeland, etc, etc. Come up with your own design)

5- Fender style bridges (feed through??? That is a PITA!!!)

6- Lined Fretless Basses... (Learn your playing positions)

7- Truss rod adjustments hidden or hard to get to...

8- Exposed Pole Pickups... (You really like the look???)

9- Passive basses with one knob... (I like control)

10- Death Metal inspired bodies (Yeah, I know they are at least original, but really not my cup o' tea. I mean, if I wanted to be Goth, I would be. Vampyre Basses, and B.C. Rich bodies are just... Ugly IMO)
 
#295
I don't post on this website all that often because of threads like this but I'll chime in anyway. Someone who plays an ERB isn't necessarily more talented or better sounding than someone with a 4 banger, or vice versa. For me personally, the main reason why I prefer 4-string basses is really sort of stupid/straightforward: one of the bad habits I have as a bass player is overplaying/putting notes where they don't belong/etc. The temptation is there for me in spades when I have a really good-playing 6 string bass in front of me. Of course sometimes for different kinds of music, more notes more rapidly and in that case ERB's win hands-down.

As far as top personal turnoffs, i have 5:

1) slim necks bother the hell out of me... much more so than baseball bat necks. slimmer is not necessarily always "better" - there's a neck for every playing style/set of hands and to each their own

2) inaccessible truss road (this seems to be a popular one)

3) neck weight/dive

4) overly hi-fi/sterile sounding active electronics

5) necks with any kind of finish on them (bad b/c they invariably end up feeling sticky
 
#297
netbot said:
you're right if you see bassplaying as a race.
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It was more of a practicality or form and function statement in relation to comfort and ergonomics, but the playing dynamics of speed playing are also functional. Wooten's playing might be too fast or technical for most forms of music, but learning the technique is beneficial because it allows for virtually effortless playing.

The inherent problem is that ergonomic basses and good form aren't deemed fashionably cool by a lot of genres of music. If my bands told me that I had to play a neck heavy bass and hang it to my knees for a 2 hour studio session with band A then play for another 2 hours with band B....not gonna happen.
 
#298
spade2you said:
In response to several thingies: (please note, I'm doing a bunch of things at once if others answer it first....)

In regards to orchestral instruments, there's hardly the necessity for a big range.....because you have plenty of musicians dedicated to each particular range. It would be interesting to have a contra bassist, bass guitarist, and piccolo bassist in my jam band trio.....but then we'd have 5 members. I gotta cover that sort of range on my own.
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As do the cellists who play in trios and 4tets, no? Not to mention the enormous catalogue of solo music for the various classical strings.


as for the multi-bassists, I'd actually pay good money to listen that. Sounds like an interesting experiment. (No "Big Bottom" Spinal Tap jokes now, you hear? :))

GT
 
#299
Warning, some of these may be hypocritical as my basses break some of the rules.
But I do give most basses a chance, and occasionally ones that don't have features I like make the grade.

-Headless basses (usually hideous)
-24 fret basses (the reach is usually too far to 1/2 pos for my tastes (alembic breaks this rule))
-Poorly balanced basses (should balance well on a knee and a strap)
-No bridge pickup
-2 band pre-amps (the alembic breaks this one, I usually like a bit of mid-boost coming out of the bass)
-No front dot markers (I think basses tend to look unfinished without them)
-Most burst finishes and natural finishes (both my p and alembic break this rule)
-Light colored pickguards (i like black or dark brown tort)
-"Vintage" tints
-Sharp fret ends (mostly on low end basses, but a few of the MTD Z basses I've picked up have had this issue)
-Hard to read side markers
-Ebony fretboards (alembic breaks this rule)
-11+ Lbs (no one likes shoulder ache, and even "the sound of wood" isn't worth it)
-Non clover leaf tuners (easier for me to adjust)
-Jacks that don't "click in" (cables falling out on stage is unacceptable)
-Logo/branding on body (tacky)
-Basses w/o straplocks (while I think they should be standard this is easily fixable)
-Gaudy color schemes, ie metal flake, obnoxiously bright colors (kind of like a big sign that says "hey, look at me!")
-model name/number anywhere except the headstock (ESP/LTD you know who you are)
-poor relic jobs (done nicely i like them)
-poor fit and finish (there shouldn't really be any excuse for neck gaps, finish flaws, orange peel, and poorly fitting parts)
-overly complicated electronics (some exceptions, but one of the reasons I like my p is that it only has two knobs and one switch)
-Pointy "metal" basses
-Poor truss rod access
 

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