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Bass you can't bond with
- Thread starter mattbass6945
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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.
I really like the build quality but I haven't found a comfortable position with one yet. Tried different heights with different style straps. My playing position with it and so on.. Might just break down and move the strap position to the center on the bottom and see if that solves it.. Its more the body of the bass that doesn't sit well on me not the neck being farther out..
I ended up letting my strap out a bit, and playing it more at an angle than horizontally - I do the same thing with my T-bird...
My 1960 Yaron stack knob Jazz. This bass is incredible and plays itself it is so comfortable in the hand. I invite anyone to come and play it for yourself if you are in my neck of the woods. It will not disappoint. Sorry, I just had to show it off. Its my favourite bass.
I play my TBird like Entwistle does for height horizontally. Might try the Spector on more of an angle like you've tried..
I feel like I'm the opposite. Very few basses don't "work" for me. There have been a couple, like the Talman which just hurts me to play, but it's rare. Not saying I'm a great player with anything I pick up, but I don't usually notice much difference in the way of fret types/sizes, neck profile etc.
I play my TBird like Entwistle does for height horizontally. Might try the Spector on more of an angle like you've tried..
At a recent gig:
I always wanted an Epiphone Alan Woody. When my daughter got one I thought I'd end up playing it more than her, but I just can't make it sound like she does. It seems awkward at every position. And the nut feels like it's 3" wide though it's only the usual 1.65. Great bass as far as quality goes, the thing sounds like thunder when she plays it at their basketball games with the school band. I just can't do a thing with it.
Jazz basses and my Carvin LB70. Can't get used to them, unfortunately. There's nothing wrong with those instruments, just not a good fit
I’ve owned and tried jazz basses since the 60’s never liked them until last week when I scored a Geddy Lee. Holy crap I really love this bass!! Way different than the jazz basses I have tried.
Any Warwick bass. I love the tone but they are just not ergonomic for me. Ive had an FNA, Thumb, and a Streamer. Of course I haven't owned a corvette, so maybe I beat my head against the wall one more time.
Also, anything with a graphite neck. after a while that compressed kind of tone starts to grate on me. Ive had a Modulus Q5, Zon sonus custom, Gould. After a while I always found myself wanting something that was edgy, dirtier, not so perfect.
Also, anything with a graphite neck. after a while that compressed kind of tone starts to grate on me. Ive had a Modulus Q5, Zon sonus custom, Gould. After a while I always found myself wanting something that was edgy, dirtier, not so perfect.
I only play jazz basses, tried quite a few, all sold now, except a mustang that i just got.
Reverend Dub King. Great bass: reasonable price, unique appearance, wide tonal range, excellent fit and finish and quality hardware. I especially like the pan pot and the chunky bridge which is designed to allow either top load or string-through stringing, which gives you a wider choice of strings for a short-scale instrument.
Unfortunately, it just doesn't feel good in my hands: the neck feels too wide and flat, especially during extended playing. To be fair, my thumbs are arthritic, so I may have a narrower ergonomic "comfort zone" than some.
In any case, I keep going back to Guild Starfires. That slender neck carve fits my hand like a glove: haven't found anything else that's as comfortable for me to play. Ironically, I felt kinda *meh...* about the sound at first. But after ditching the factory round-wounds for flats, tweaking the pup pole piece heights, gradually putting together a rig that complements the instrument and adjusting my right-hand playing technique, I was able to get to a very "happy place" sonically.
At least in this case, starting with an instrument that "felt right" and then finding ways to coax the desired sounds out of it was the way to go. If the bass itself is uncomfortable to play, there's just so much you can do to overcome that especially if, like me, you have physical issues that limit your ability to adjust your technique to fit the ergonomics of the instrument. At least, that's how I see it. Your experiences may differ.
Unfortunately, it just doesn't feel good in my hands: the neck feels too wide and flat, especially during extended playing. To be fair, my thumbs are arthritic, so I may have a narrower ergonomic "comfort zone" than some.
In any case, I keep going back to Guild Starfires. That slender neck carve fits my hand like a glove: haven't found anything else that's as comfortable for me to play. Ironically, I felt kinda *meh...* about the sound at first. But after ditching the factory round-wounds for flats, tweaking the pup pole piece heights, gradually putting together a rig that complements the instrument and adjusting my right-hand playing technique, I was able to get to a very "happy place" sonically.
At least in this case, starting with an instrument that "felt right" and then finding ways to coax the desired sounds out of it was the way to go. If the bass itself is uncomfortable to play, there's just so much you can do to overcome that especially if, like me, you have physical issues that limit your ability to adjust your technique to fit the ergonomics of the instrument. At least, that's how I see it. Your experiences may differ.
This happened to me. I had a stack of cash to buy one of these machines, rolled into GC, strapped one on, played five notes and took it off. Kind of like blond girls, I guess. Just not for me.
