Bass you can't bond with

[Spidey2112]

Any Gibson basses. I just love the look of Thunderbirds and SG basses, but I can't get a good tone out of them to save my life, and I can't stand the feel of the necks. Normally if I play a bass long enough I will adapt, but I just can't seem to with them. It's a pity, I love the look of the T bird basses.

If I ever find a white one, I most certainly will try my hardest to not bond with it...

....

 

[Ironbar]

Rickenbacker. Love the way the look and sound,but so uncomfortable to play.

Nailed it. I LOVE the Rick sound, I LOVE the way they look, but they just feel wrong.

 

[EatS1stBassist]

3 of my favorites... probably never play a real '62, but I got the other two covered... 700? Total awesomeness, @EatS1stBassist! Hope you're well, my friend!

Yes thank you doin’ Good! Yeah Crazy! Probably more. A lot of US built Precision’s, customs and and a lot of everything. No Money just spent what I had on basses and guitars. That’s my ‘78 in the pic of my Avatar. Had a ‘73 before that. LOL HOPE ALL IS WELL

 

[EatS1stBassist]

Any Gibson basses. I just love the look of Thunderbirds and SG basses, but I can't get a good tone out of them to save my life, and I can't stand the feel of the necks. Normally if I play a bass long enough I will adapt, but I just can't seem to with them. It's a pity, I love the look of the T bird basses.

Owned 5 different EB’s, 3 Gibsons And two Epi’s...not for me

 

[tlc1976]

As much as I like them, I have been unable to bond with every Ibanez bass I have owned except for the RKB900. I love this particular bass but it is more like a Fender P-Bass than any other Ibanez bass they make.

Probably my only bass I didn't really bond with that much was my Ibanez. And I think it's because I sorta cheated on it during the honeymoon. Within months I was already GASing for a 6 string fretless and was looking into building my own. Which I started building parts for that winter. But the Ibanez has been a great bass, aside from the crappy electronics from day one. Sexiest friggin headstock of any of my basses, I used the design on my 6. If anything I'm getting more bonding with it lately than ever, since I installed new Jazz wiring and it sounds like a Jazz.

Could have been too that within months before the Ibanez, I did all the fingerboard rework on the Harmony. I remember playing it with the frets pulled and loving it. Fretless before, and fretless after. A fretted was good for the toolbox but my heart was all about the fretless.

 

[jaybones]

First bass I ever played, a borrowed Lyon P(OS).

Must have been made Friday afternoon when there was a shortage of wire, solder and flux in the factory. Wasn't even an inch of slack in the entire wiring harness. And the tiny dabs of solder were proportional to the pathetic dime sized pots.

Honed my soldering skills using my dad's ginormous pistol grip soldering iron with a heat shield and half inch wide chisel tip and huge rosin core solder to get it back together each and every time I tried to plug in and play.

Took the PG on and off so many times the soft wood holes had stripped out. In the end they were all toothpicks and glue. Eventually it just stopped making any output (probably cooked the pots with the huge soldering iron. No temp control, lights dimmed when it would cycle on).

Didn't spoil me on the P though, as I have one in the stable now (Affinity with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pup and tapewound strings).

 

[TH63]

I can't seem to bond with jazz basses. They look cool. They sound cool by themselves, but in a band situation, I'd rather have anything else. I just don't "feel it" with a jazz. I like my precisions, my G&L L2500 and my Musicman Stingray, so it's not like I'm a monogamous bassist. My first choice, my Fender American Precision V.

I've got a jazz with dimarzio model j humbuckers, it's awesome, my go to bass.

 

[EatS1stBassist]

First bass I ever played, a borrowed Lyon P(OS).

View attachment 2925124

Must have been made Friday afternoon when there was a shortage of wire, solder and flux in the factory. Wasn't even an inch of slack in the entire wiring harness. And the tiny dabs of solder were proportional to the pathetic dime sized pots.

Honed my soldering skills using my dad's ginormous pistol grip soldering iron with a heat shield and half inch wide chisel tip and huge rosin core solder to get it back together each and every time I tried to plug in and play.

Took the PG on and off so many times the soft wood holes had stripped out. In the end they were all toothpicks and glue. Eventually it just stopped making any output (probably cooked the pots with the huge soldering iron. No temp control, lights dimmed when it would cycle on).

Didn't spoil me on the P though, as I have one in the stable now (Affinity with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pup and tapewound strings).

Cool story

 

[RobTheRiot]

I got a brand new Fender MP Jaguar bass for a steal (under $50), and was so excited. I liked the look, I like P/J set ups, but I just couldn’t for the life of me get comfortable playing it - neck wasn’t right, sounds weren’t right - just wasn’t for me. I tried, but at some point you face reality.
Bummer.

 

[RustyAxe]

Coronado II reissue. Sits in the case and never gets played. I HATE short scale basses (30") but didn't know that when I bought it (sight unseen). I've played only a couple gigs with it in the past four years. Sure is pretty on stage, though!

 

[MobileHolmes]

Basses, I've got my likes and dislikes, but in general, disliking some basses isn't really a problem for me.

With guitars, I just cant' get comfy with SGs, which actually does bother me, because I'd really like to have one, they just poke me weird.

 

[75kva]

Bought a MM Sterling , well made bass but it and I never quite got along . Traded it for a MM Stingray , similar story . Traded it for a CIJ Fender Geddy Lee and am happy now . The necks on the MM's were just not for me , really well made instrument though !

 

[EatS1stBassist]

Bought a MM Sterling , well made bass but it and I never quite got along . Traded it for a MM Stingray , similar story . Traded it for a CIJ Fender Geddy Lee and am happy now . The necks on the MM's were just not for me , really well made instrument though !

Just went through 2 Sterling Subs 4 And 5 nice bass for the money but could not bond with them. Ended up with a Geddy Lee. I love it. Sorry not a Rush fan but I love this bass.

 

[TrevorG]

Years ago I bought a fretless Ibanez musician. The Oreo looking one. Bought it off one of the best bass players I ever knew. He made it sound like a dream. I couldn't. Didn't feel right, didn't sound right. Got really frustrating. Sold it and got one of the early Overwater Explorers. Never looked back.

 

[Lownote38]

Any Lakland I've played. They play "okay" I guess, but not proportionately to the price tag.

 

[atb]

EB Bongo.
Every time I see one on the wall I'll grab it and play it.
I love the tone, feels right in the hands, but there's a certain "butter face" quality about the bass that I just can't seem to get over.
Maybe I need counseling. Ha ha.

 

[Axstar]

My 2013 American P. It's stupid light, like just over 8 pounds. Balances really nicely with the Res-o-lite tuners. Sounds amazing.

I just can't get my hand around the neck. Makes me writhe in pain after a set. I hate that I'm gonna have to sell it.

Have you considered putting another neck on there? A Fender Jazz neck should be a straight transplant, and other manufacturers make necks that fit the Fender footprint. The bassist in Greta Van Fleet stuck a Jazz neck on his P bass as he loved the tone but couldn't get on with the feel. I've done it myself before today!

 

[glocke1]

I think Jazz basses are gorgeous, but I just can't find one that feels right in my hands. It's usually the neck or pickups that just don't work for me. Other times I can't quite put my finger on it.

Just curious if others suffer from the same affliction. Are there any basses put there you love the look and sound of, but can't find the one?

I love jazz basses. I've come to realize they are the perfect bass for me.

I used to feel that way about P-basses, could never bond with them (clunky necks) until i picked up Fire Roasted Ash 58 pbass reissue. Awesome bass..

At one time I owned an Alembic S1 Long Scale. Was sort of a dream bass for me, and while I enjoyed playing it and played it a lot, I don't think I ever bonded with it as much as I would have liked due to the reach to get to the first fret.

 

[ThaCoast]

Jazz basses. There's only been one i felt comfortable playing & that was a friend's copy. Nice weight, slim width neck but chunky profile, Fat jazz tone & gorgeous look (3 tone burst with red tort guard, all chrome hardware including knobs). I've played other jazz basses, even those with split p pickups in, & i just can't dig the offset body. It feels unbalanced - then again it should feel that way no? Maybe i'm so used to a precision bass feel, look & all that a jazz bass is a ground i'll never break. TBH, i'm fine with that, i've got plenty other basses that suit me for my needs, a jazz bass isn't one of them.

Quoting myself cause i did forget to mention: With jazz basses it's only the body shape i can't handle. I love the slim fast neck, Two of my precisions have jazz style necks. My other two sport the traditional precision bass, but bouncing between all 4 isn't a problem. On another note, there's some basses i could bond with but don't suit my look persay: Yamaha TRBX, Ibanez for the most part. & Musicman Sterling bass. I can bond with the Ray perfectly since it's just a pbass on steroids to me, but the sterling is smaller & kinda their version of a 'jazz' bass. Plays fine, i couldn't bond. & Any bongo bass, hate the look, would never play regardless.

 

[mattbass6945]

Quoting myself cause i did forget to mention: With jazz basses it's only the body shape i can't handle. I love the slim fast neck, Two of my precisions have jazz style necks. My other two sport the traditional precision bass, but bouncing between all 4 isn't a problem. On another note, there's some basses i could bond with but don't suit my look persay: Yamaha TRBX, Ibanez for the most part. & Musicman Sterling bass. I can bond with the Ray perfectly since it's just a pbass on steroids to me, but the sterling is smaller & kinda their version of a 'jazz' bass. Plays fine, i couldn't bond. & Any bongo bass, hate the look, would never play regardless.

I'm just the opposite. I'm one of probably 3 people who prefer a p bass neck.