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Bass Features: Top Ten Personal Turn-Offs

#61
1) Split coil pickups
I just love the old jazz bars and humbuckers.

2) basses with less than 23 frets
It's just what I'm used to! Since my main bass has 23 frets, when I'm improvising in tend to think in 23 fret mode.

3) chrome hardware
When black hardware is readily available, why?

4) Excessively heavy basses
I like light basses that can be worn up high. Stick your Thunderbirds! :P

5) 34"+ scale
You can get a good low B sound from 34" scale. 34" scale just feels so much more playable to me. I stick with it, though I like 32" scale as well!

6) 5 string basses
I like them with 4,6,7,8,9+ strings. However, I really don't like 5 strings. If I ever needed a Low B, I'd get a 6 or a 7.
 
#62
In no particular order:

- Basses with fewer than 24 frets -- something about a 2-octave neck just makes me feel safe.
- String trees -- how hard is it to make a tilted headstock?
- Not enough room between the fingerboard & the neck pickup for slapping (and PJ pickups placed the "wrong" way)
- Crappy hardware -- need I say more?
- Basses without straplocks -- I know it's an easy fix, but it just makes me nervous. I've seen a bass fall right off a stage and snap in half. :crying:
- Excessively heavy basses -- I say that, but of course my main bass is a custom Zon 5er that checks in @ 12lbs! (it's worth the backache)
- Unbalanced basses
- Noisy electronics
- Plastic nuts
- poorly dressed frets
 
#63
  • Inaccessible truss rods- no one likes to take off the neck to make a truss-rod adjustment
  • Small bodies- they just don't work for me and contribute to neck dive
  • Narrow string spacing- just doesn't work for me
  • Hidden trim pots- the one thing I hate most is a trim pot that is hidden inside of the bass. The Audere preamp is an example. If something needs to be adjusted, put it where I can get to it. At least, make the knob big enough that I can adjust it without tools.
  • Excessive switches and knobs- personally, I just don't use them. Something with a three band eq, plus series/parallel switches for both pickups, plus active/passive, etc, simply confuses me.
  • Basses WITHOUT pickguards- sure, they look great when new, but what about 5 years from now. Personally I'd rather just replace a pickguard than have to refinish a bass. BTW, even bassists who don't use a pick scratch the surface of their basses with their fingers.
  • 24 fret necks- I know I'll get flamed for this, but there's nothing I hate more than listening to a bassist wank above the 21st fret. Don't hate me, but it just doesn't appeal to me.
  • Painted necks- yuck
 
#64
I agree with the bulk of Brendan's post. A lot of the nits being picked are things that could be replaced or changed and certainly wouldn't stop me from buying a bass that otherwise fit me well.

I suppose the visuals of a bass aren't as important to me as they are to others. I'd like my bass to look great, but I'll sacrafice aesthetics for ergonomics and tone.

My list:

1. Extremely heavy basses

I've got an neck through ash/maple 5 and a bolt-on 4 with a walnut body and mahogany neck. They are as heavy as I am willing to go with a bass.

2. Unbalanced basses

No more neck dive for me. It's too hard on my left hand and hurts my fretting technique.

3. No protruding lower horns

It has to rest normally and not gouge me when I'm playing. A painful gig with a borrowed bass made me realize the importance of this.

4. The input jack should not be on the front of the bass

This distracts me visually and I have found myself hitting the cable with my right hand occasionally.

5. Tight string spacing.

I just don't like it. Not on a 4, not on a 5, not on a 6. 19 mm feels right to me.

6. Thick or overly rounded necks

Don't like baseball bats. I like 'em thin and flat. While it should be a separate entry, I also don't like overly rounded fingerboards. A 9.5" radius just doesn't feel right and I really don't want to play one with a 7.5" radius. I like 14" but 12" feels fine too.

7. I prefer dual pickup configurations with active electronics

I like active basses and need the tone shaping capabilities, though I must have an active/passive switch. But more important than that, a single pickup bass would have to be really special for me to consider it. I love being able to dial in a fat neck pickup tone or isolate the bridge for some growl.

8. The neck pickup cannot be too close to the edge of the fretboard.

I do a fair amount of my fingerstyle playing (when I want a big, round tone) and all of slapping in that area and I need that real estate free. This is an absolute deal breaker for me.

9. A muddy tone

I love warmth and I don't like a tone so clean as to sound sterile, but a severe lack of clarity is a unacceptable to me. I want to be felt AND heard. Ego aside, in my current band I do a fair amount of chording/arpeggios higher up on the neck and need my tone to be free from mud.

10. Long scale basses.

34" is just right for me. I don't like 90% of low B strings (my 5 is tuned E-A-D-G-C) because they feel floppy. I had a 35 & 1/4" five with a low B and I thought it sounded great. But other than that, I really didn't dig the longer scale. I've since played some normal scale 5's with great sounding B strings, but I find I like having the high C much more useful and comfortable.

There are a lot of other things I prefer in terms of hardwar (knobs, bridges, tuners) or in terms of looks (I like natural wood or burst finishes) but none of those are deal breakers for me.
 
#65
1. Basses with no heads are an abomination.

2. For some reason I can't stant the larger jazz bass type tuners, I perfer the cheaper Ibanez, Yamaha type.

3. A fretboard that isn't rosewood. I haven't played a lot of basses but all the ones without a rosewood fretboard I have hated.

4. I dislike that tobacco burst type colour, alot.

5. I dislike my output jack on the front, I perfer it on the bottom.

6. Less then 24 frets, I have fun playing up high.
I can't really think of anything else.
 
#67
definitely some good points in this thread so far. I think I'll download it when it's run its course and compile a list of relevant 'reminders'

and one of the good points to most all of the 'small' custom builders is that you can get the features you want on a bass - something not always possible with the big (and wanna-be-big) guys

all the best,

R
 
#69
1. Neckdive
2. Uncomfortable to play
3. Bad Styling (and no, this doesn't always lead to number 2!
4. Ibanez necks, they're too thin for my tastes anymore
5. Gaudy add ons like skull knobs, or American flag pickguards
6. Sharp Frets
7. 4 Stringers-they no longer feel comfortable to me, nor do they provide the range I need.
8. Basses that are too expensive to play out simply because you're afraid it'll get stolen. I want a playable bass, not something that I have to keep in a glass case.
9. Horrible airbrush jobs-it's a bass guitar, not the nosecone of a bomber plane.
10. Bad hardware-you know what I'm talking about, chrome that peels, gold that discolors, powder coated black that fades. Yes, I'm looking in your direction, Leo Kwan! Hopefully your stuff that's powdercoated black doesn't shine up chrome anymore!
 
#71
Bruce Lindfield said:
1.Anything pointy or sharp
2.Unbalanced - ie. neck dive
3.Body too small
4.Fiddly electronics layout
5.Neck too thick - front to back
6.Neck too narrow - widthways
7.Any graphics or lettering on the body
8.Maple or any pale fingerboard
9.Headless
10. Narrow string spacing
Click to expand...

Just realised that I missed a biggie :

0. Looks like a Toilet Seat!! :p
 
#72
1. Heavy basses.
2. Chunky basses...51 P reissue and Mike Dirnt for example.
3. anything longer than 34"...I tried it, I don't like it.
4. Gold hardware...gold packages on cars look like **** and they do on basses as well.
5. Conklin basses...just plain ****ing ugly.
6. Pastel colored basses...punk pink can eat my ass.
7. Painted/gloss necks...the slowest necks ever.
8. Relic'd paintjobs...let it get old on its own.
9. Solid colored paintjobs w/o pickguards...it's fine to go solid, but dress it up a little.
10. Bongo & Parker Fly basses...squared off horns look like they were never finished.
 
#73
Couldn't think of 10. Keep in mind, my view is a slightly askew due to the type of basses I play. :smug:

1) Wide String Spacing - 15mm is perfect.
2) Short Upper Horn - Neck dive bad!
3) Short Lower Horn - Has to be comfortable to play when sitting down (how I practice).
4) Small Bodies - IMO, ERBs w/ little bodies & wide necks just look funny.
5) Super Glossy Finishes (especially on the neck) - Just doesn't feel natural to me.
6) Burst Finishes - If there is paint, I prefer opaque.
7) Less than 11-Strings - Yes, I said it.

Things like muddy tone, shoddy workmanship, and bad fretjobs are obvious no-no's so I didn't include them. But I guess that makes 10.
 
#74
1) Truss rods that make you do any serious dismantling to adjust.
2) The singlecuts where the top horn is joined to the neck for quite a distance. Don't mind Les Paul style bodies though.
3) Graphics of any kind on the body, lines, blobs, skulls, etc.
4) Stupid inlays on the fretboard, like those dragons and trees. Block inlays are my favourite.
5) Randomly shaped bodies, like pointy metal basses and things like that. The only one I don't mind is the Flying V. This includes basses shaped like guns or axes.
6) Lurid paint finishes, I prefer dark colours or even better, natural finishes.
7) Those peculiar metal covers over the pickups and bridges of old Fenders.
8) Violin shaped basses.
9) Too many controls and switches.
10) Neck dive.
 
#75
I seem to be the only one on earth that feels this way, but for me the number one thing that makes me completely uninterested in even playing a bass, is seeing a maple fingerboard. I just friggin hate the way it feels under my fingers.

PIA truss rod access is a big one for me, as well.

Any bass that's more than about 9 lbs, is gonna be impracticle for gigging, so not worth my time.

Any bass that's a PIA to play sitting down, is probably not gonna be on my list either. I will work out melody lines or chording ideas sitting with my bass in my lap on the floor fairly often.

A preamp that isn't QUICKLY bypassable in case of a dead battery. This could be a killer on a gig.
 
#76
In no particular order of importance:

1) Excessively heavy basses.
It's just not required to get a good sounding bass. I don't like having a sore shoulder after a jam or show.

2) Neck dive.
Lightweight tuners are now readily available!

3) Poor neck rod adjustment access.
I don't want to have to remove screws to get to it. MM and Sadowsky style "wheels" are ideal.

4) Cheap feeling hardware and pots.
If it feels cheap, it is cheap!

5) Tilt-back headstocks.
Maybe just because the main basses I play are all straight, but it feels weird to have a tilt-back headstock. Plus, they don't fit in a gig bag as well.

6) Neck through basses.
It's just a feel thing.

7) A floppy B-string.
The scale length doesn't really matter, but a floppy B does. You can get good sounding 34" B's (but 37" is the best! :D ).

8) Poor battery access.
If there's a battery in it, make it easily accessible.

9) Too many or overly complicated knobs/electronics.
Keep it simple and intuitive.

10) Noisy single coils.
You can get stacked singles to cancel out the hum, so why not? The difference in tone (if any) is not worth the extra hum.

NOTES on other features people have brought up:
Active vs. Passive.
It doesn't really matter to me as long as it sounds good. I am generally preferring passive these days.

Pickguard or bare?
It really depends on the bass. I couldn't imagine a P-Bass or StingRay (4 or 5) without one and I prefer Jazzes with them. There are many other basses that look great without them as well.

String count.
It doesn't really matter as long as it plays, sounds and looks good. I don't ever see myself playing anything other than 4 and 5-strings. I don't hold anything against anyone for having a 7-string though.
 
#77
This is the Personal turn off thread so here goes:

1) >34" scale. Too big, makes my hands hurt.

2) Spacing at the bridge greater than 17.5mm (Stingray 5, G&L). A bit smaller is ok, but any bigger makes my hands hurt.

3) Gold hardware. UGH.

4) Short upper horns. The strap button has to be as close to the 12th fret as possible. I'm OK with a heavy bass, but it has to sit right.

5) Bad electronics. Unshielded cavities, crappy pots. No.

6) Nut wider than 1.75" for a 5 string.

7) "Vintage style" bridges. I hate them.

8) Push / pull pots instead of switches. I know I'm in the minority here, but push / pull pots always seem to get crappy and loose after a while.

9) Recessed strap locks. What if you lose your strap?

10) Hard to access / use truss rods.
 
#78
Here are some of the things that turn me off.

1. Crappy electronics. Cannot stand noise. I want nice clean tone.

2. Rough or sharp frets.

3. Passive basses. I need some EQ on my bass. I have been in many situations where I did not play on my amp and had to adjust the tone from my bass to get my sound.

4. Less than 5 strings!!!!!!!!!!!! I can play a 4 but I will buy a 5 string or higher bass much quicker than I would buy a 4.

5. P-basses. I know some of you may want to flame me but I cannot stand P's.

6. Metal basses. Will never play or buy one.

7. Unable to achieve low action. I have got to have it low. Cannot play on a bass with high action.

8. Thin string spacing. Got to have 18mm or higher.

9. Chunky and thin necks. I love it wide and flat.

10. Seperate volume for each pickup. Got to have a blend knob. I have put a lot of good basses back on the wall for this very thing.

And let me repeat this again. It must have more than 4 strings. For what I play I need the low B. I can play without it but I would prefer playing with it.
 
#79
1. Jazz basses (HATE EM)
2. Ugly paintjobs
3. Musicmans
4. thin necks
5. basses with a battery (this aint no radio shack)
6. 6 strings
7. custom made guitars with the weird wood colors (Never liked em)
8. plastic nuts
9. 1 F hole in a semi/hollowbody
10. Couldnt really think of anything, but I want a bass with a whammy bar.
 
#80
Afrokid said:
what do pickguards actually do? who the hell strums that hard to the point where it would actually hit the bass itsself? just never understood it....
Click to expand...

This is going to sound totally stupid! but when im slapping fast, or aggresivly, my popping finger actually strikes the bass body before pulling up, and my cheapo P copy, with a massive cavity under the pickguard was the most comfortable on the right hand as the plastic would just bend slightly everytime i struck it!

And im all for pickguards on fenders and MM's, Personally i think they accent the shape of the bass quite nicely.

Anyway, things i hate.

-Gold hardware, it tarnishes, and more often than not dosnt look very gold!

-J Pickups. its a comfort issue, i tought myself bass, so my technique isnt universally correct, and a lot of the time i rely on having a nice wide soapbar to rest my thumb on! (i do love the sound an playabilities of j's by the way!)

-maple/gloss necks. i just find that it gets sticky far to easy! I love wenge necks, feels much more natural.

-Tobacco/sun Burst. simply dosnt do it for me.

-Non carved neck heels (im sure theres a better way to phrase that, mind block!) again, pretty self explanitory.
 

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