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Bass snobbery

Fletz

Fletz

Jan 16, 2009
4,658
3,007
New Jersey
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Hartke artist
#1
As I've been on these boards for quite a while I've noticed a recurring phenomenon of bass snobbery. Best way to find it is to say something like "you can't go wrong with a p-bass." Then duck and cover. Just wait for the Spector, Warwick, Musicman contingent to attack.

Of course, you can get the same reaction with "why would anyone play a p-bass?" Then watch the Fender loyalists go on the offensive. "Leo made it 60 years ago and it's still perfect..."

As I get older and watch these flame wars, and political flames and sports flames and on and on it strikes me how ignorant people can sound when they can't accept a different opinion. A healthy conversation is awesome, but spouting stupidity is exhausting.

I have 3 completely different P-basses and a wonderful Jazz. I don't feel any reason to bash any boutique, knock off, cheapo or high priced bass. At the end of the day, we are all bassists with different tastes, skill sets, needs and wallets. Support your fellow bassist - don't beat him or her up for approaching the same game with a different style.
 
#2
Personally, I will not buy a Squier or an MIM Fender. However, I also believe that everyone should play what they like and can afford regardless of what anyone else thinks or says and I would never criticize anyone for their choice in gear.
 
#4
People are insecure about themselves and project it here. Most of that comes from never getting to date the good looking women, never accomplishing anything, never making that team, and never getting that job they wanted. So they come here, all unbalanced and need to protect and defend their choices in music and gear because they are so insecure that they made a bad choice.

Also, when you give children access to the internet you get this. People are obnoxious and its the reason you dont see a lot of long time members still posting here. They move on because the forum has gone from a place on intelligent discussion to a bunch of idiots with identity problems, insecurity, and inability to have an intelligent discussion based on logic rather than personal preference.
 
#6
Bruins29 said:
People are insecure about themselves and project it here. Most of that comes from never getting to date the good looking women, never accomplishing anything, never making that team, and never getting that job they wanted. So they come here, all unbalanced and need to protect and defend their choices in music and gear because they are so insecure that they made a bad choice.

Also, when you give children access to the internet you get this. People are obnoxious and its the reason you dont see a lot of long time members still posting here. They move on because the forum has gone from a place on intelligent discussion to a bunch of idiots with identity problems, insecurity, and inability to have an intelligent discussion based on logic rather than personal preference.
Click to expand...

It's far from being just kids doing that. I remember when I joined that people couldn't praise a P Bass without bashing other basses. It has stopped since then, but it was a bit trying if a P Bass wasn't your main bass and P/J basses did NOT count.
 
#8
Does this actually happen much? I haven't been here long, but of the gear discussions I have seen are mostly comprised of "play whatever you want", with a little bit of "oh just wait for the such and such snobs to derail this thread" thrown in. The actual volume of the alleged snobs seems tiny in comparison to the amount of hand-wringing over them.
 
#9
There's a flip side to this as well. Different people have different standards they want to see met. They have different price points where they hit diminishing returns. If someone has been playing an American Jazz bass, but isn't quite satisfied, they might decide to go for an NYC Sadowski. For just about all of us this would require some sacrifice and some saving. I can't justify that expense, but that's me and my situation. But if someone is quite happy with what they got for their sacrifice, why shouldn't they share that?
 
#10
spade2you said:
It's far from being just kids doing that. I remember when I joined that people couldn't praise a P Bass without bashing other basses. It has stopped since then, but it was a bit trying if a P Bass wasn't your main bass and P/J basses did NOT count.
Click to expand...

I play a Warwick now, MM Stingray 5 is next on my 'to get' list then a cool older P-bass.

Good example of learning from this forum: I would have never considered flat wounds until I heard some of the great dark growly tones people here are getting out of their p-basses with flats.
 
#11
I hate when you ask a question and people answer with "that topic's already been answered before." Yes, I can do a search and plow through miles of posts to try to find the answer, and yes, I'm sure every single question has been handled before, but sometimes I just want a quick and easy answer. And there are others who reply long and sarcastically, but never actually answer the question. Don't belittle the uninformed or computer newbies. Let's just answer and move on.
 
#12
spade2you said:
It's far from being just kids doing that. I remember when I joined that people couldn't praise a P Bass without bashing other basses. It has stopped since then, but it was a bit trying if a P Bass wasn't your main bass and P/J basses did NOT count.
Click to expand...

Of course. I guess we should say kids = adults who are immature idiots with identity problems.

I guarantee many of the people who act like this never accomplished anything. So they come here to make up for it with their stupidity. Also, most of these jackasses wouldnt dare act like this in person. They are tough because its anonymous.

People get too hung up on gear BTW. If many of these posters put effort into their playing instead of what faking bass or amp they used they might actually be a decent player.

Oh that's right, there is no such thing as being a better player...everyone plays for the song, and all that crazy technique that people spend years to master dosent matter because its overplaying LOL:rollno:
 
#14
Just about all the gear snobs I've known are in the lower third when it comes to playing ability.

They can't play worth a damn, they don't practice, but they buy stuff and act like their gear means they're good.

True example: a guy buys his high school kid a MIJ Epi Casino and a MIC VOX amp "with the blue speaker," and "it sounds just like the Beatles." He was serious. LOL The guy himself sucked on guitar, but had a lot of nice guitars and booteek amps.
 
#16
it strikes me how ignorant people can sound when they can't accept a different opinion.

This works both ways.
There are some who try to "shove" Their opinions down the throats of others because they don't respect the fact that the other person's opinion is just as valid as their own.
Also, it seems to me that often people who present their opinion are looking more for agreement and confirmation than they are acceptance.
 
#17
As I've been on these boards for quite a while, I've noticed a recurring phenomenon of people starting threads complaining about other people having opinions. This is a discussion forum where folks are supposed to gather and discuss all things bass related. Do you not want people to have opinions differing from yours? If you start a thread saying that "type A guitar is the best" and some cat gets on and says "no type B guitar is the best", I don't think you should be offended by that. That shows insecurity. What a lame forum it would be if everyone thought the exact same way as you. They have the right to say their stingray is better than your precision, just in the same way that you have the right to call them snobs. That's what makes these boards last; everyone can voice their opinion, no matter how ridiculous it may be.
 
#18
I just want a bass that looks great and sounds at least half decent. I don't care at all whatever brand it might say on the head.

I think sometimes people are hearing things that aren't there too. Past a certain price point, you're paying for brand, prestige and some extra finishing touches that in no way affect the sound. I'll play a no name chinese knockoff tomorrow if i think it looks and sounds good enough (yes I know the last bit is unlikely unless you change the electronics...)
 
#19
FunkyMcNasty said:
As I've been on these boards for quite a while, I've noticed a recurring phenomenon of people starting threads complaining about other people having opinions. This is a discussion forum where folks are supposed to gather and discuss all things bass related. Do you not want people to have opinions differing from yours? If you start a thread saying that "type A guitar is the best" and some cat gets on and says "no type B guitar is the best", I don't think you should be offended by that. That shows insecurity. What a lame forum it would be if everyone thought the exact same way as you. They have the right to say their stingray is better than your precision, just in the same way that you have the right to call them snobs. That's what makes these boards last; everyone can voice their opinion, no matter how ridiculous it may be.
Click to expand...

I dont know what you are reading but that is not what the OP was talking about. At least what I got from it.

And the ole "everyone is entitled to their opinion" is completely old, worn out and tired. This thread was not about dissuading people from having an opinion. This whole forum is about opinions. The only people I see trotting out the "everyone has a right to their opinion" is people who are wrong.

It is the same people who say "winning isnt everything" Losers.

And, also what would make this board last (as an intelligent place to discuss all things bass) is an IQ and maturity test. Too many idiotic, insecure, sociopaths have turned this once elite bass forum into a playground.
 

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