Basses that suprised you (In a good way)

[Naxeez]

I saw this suggestion on the existing thread called "Basses that dissapointed you" and I also thought this would be a more fun thread!

So tell me about your pleasantly surprises with basses. Also why would be nice

 

[snyderz]

Pleasantly surprised by a $300 US SB-2 I scored on ebay a few years ago. The MFDs are more than I could have asked for. Also just scored a parts P/J for $200 with licensed Fender neck, Grovers, Quarterpounders, and Badass. Very pleasantly surprised. BTW, welcome to TB. BTW, in your sig, it should be spelled Squier.

 

[DanHB18]

A Squier VM JagHB. Boy do I love her. Soooo versatile.

 

[GBassNorth]

I like all the basses I currently own (otherwise I wouldn't own them any longer). However, the three that just floored me when I first played them, I mean really really way beyond my expectations were:
1) Squier Affinity Jazz V
2) Kala hollow body Mahogany U-Bass
3) Warmoth home build

All these just look, feel and sound better than I would have ever thought they could have and the first two did it at a fraction of what I thought I'd have to pay for that sound and feel (not so much the Warmoth, it cost me a bundle to build, but very much worth it).

 

[grendle]

Surine. Thought it was ugly , so much so I had to play it. To this day it was hands down the best bass I have ever played. Tone was great and the playability was amazing. Thoughts transferred through the instrument effortlessly and flawlessly. Still ugly though.

Peavey B quad 4 &5. In the top 5 basses I have played. Amazing playability, cool look, uber flexible.

Steinberger XL2. engineering masterpiece. Ugly, but no equal.

Spector Doug wimblesh Sig. Signature Spector tone, amazing neck, amazing look and woods. Been a Spector player since 92, I don't think I'll own another that's not the DW spec. The bass I always dreamed they would make. The one in my Sig.

 

[JimmyM]

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Both of these basses surprised me. The P Lyte surprised me by how godawful it sounded with the original pickups, and it took 2 more tries, but I finally got it sounding great with the Quarter Pounders, and now I think it sounds pretty much the same as a regular sized PJ. Not 100% happy with the QP's and might try EMG's or DiMarzio Model PJ's, but it's a great improvement.

The Realistic violin bass surprised me by how much work it took to make it playable, but other than getting the pickups repotted, I didn't have to spend any money on it past buying it, and it's got such a great Hofner-like thumpy sound to it with a lot more dimension to it than my Jay Turser violin bass.

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This is a 2009 Danelectro Longhorn. I had always thought of them as twangy and mid scooped, and they are, but in such a good way that you really don't care. And I was really struck by how even the response is up and down the neck. Don't drop it on a hard surface or it's all over, but for $200, it was an amazing and most welcome addition to my stable of cheap crap basses that rock.

 

[Jazzbassguy]

My recently acquired Hofner Icon.

I figured of course that it would be great for Beatles stuff, and it is, but I was pleasantly surprised by how versatile it is. Definitely not a one-trick-pony.

Also, never having had a hollow body bass before, I am diggin' those tones - because it sounds totally different than my solid body basses. Gives me a completely different sound palette to work with.

 

[parmezans]

Squier VM '70 and '77 jazz.
Boy, do these PLAY! The best thing is, I only tried them in stock setup, in a store. They played better than more than half of the Fenders I tried that day. It may be that the stock setup was better on the Squiers, but I'm sure as hell impressed and my next bass is going to be a Squier VM '70 jazz, I currently have a Standard Jazz. And yes, it is a big difference.

 

[lindseyp]

One surprise was the Dingwall AB1, I didn't think I'd take to the fanned frets so quickly.
Another surprise was my MTD535; it had the wrong neck construction, but one run through it and I was hooked--it will have to be amajor famine before I let that thing go, just an amazing feel and sound. I've fallen for the hype.
Third, the MIM Fender P-bass I own. I tried to American Standards and two Mexicans through six amps, and the MIM I eventually took home blew the others away. It sounded great and felt broken in throuhg every amp.

 

[jumbodbassman]

Almost all of my danos have pretty much been excellent sounding instruments which is why i kept saying yes....all but one are korean made

my favorite but a little noisey

my least favorite but the built in chorus sounds great. thinking of changing the pup out to a curtis novak or Bill lawrence as i think that is the problem as i am a pbass guy.

only china made. compliments of joenerve

and these 2 scrolls have really surprised me.

series 10 korean made AEB with emg pup and labella flats. great neck, does a great Sir Paul. one on the left. other 2 are Bruce Johnsons

Univox/pan hollow body. little neck heavy but BION very versatile sounding bass

 

[Metaldood19]

Squier VM '70 and '77 jazz

These. Blown away as to how great they play for the price

 

[parmezans]

Jazzbassguy, that's a beautiful bass, I'm glad it sounds good.
Jumbodbassman, those Danos (?) look really ugly. :/ What's the appeal? And what kind of pickups are those, those thin round metallic ones? Weird positions, one even has 3 of them.
But those 2 last pictures... the things I would do for any of those...

Edit: Especially that viola bass. That's the sexiest bass I've ever seen, seriously.

 

[jumbodbassman]

Ugly is the new pretty.... very old school appeal to many

LIPSTICK pickups because they actually were inside lipstick casings in the 60's when the danos first came out. No reverse so some 60 humm but they actually sound pretty good, especially with flat wound pups.

some closeup porn shot

and you gotta love the rear....

 

[rojo412]

Just about any Squier...
The Deluxe Active J in particular ALWAYS sounds and feels better than most other basses at GC.
I had an MB4 that played and sounded phenomenal.
The VM Jazz is a looker, too.
Heck, even the Affinity series is drastically better than their "Austin" or "SX" or "JB Player" (or any other generic brand) competitor for the same money.

It's going to be a sad day when Fender realizes just how good these are...

 

[jumbodbassman]

Just about any Squier...

It's going to be a sad day when Fender realizes just how good these are...

I got to try out a squier natural jazz bass at GC )( the mod one evryone raves about) when i was buying my PF 500 and then returned for a SVT7 and tried a few other squiers and the first again. Luckily i was able to resist as i have a bunch of fender J's but i was amazed at how god it played and we all know Gc does set anything up.... If they had one in SB with a rosewood neck i would have been using both hands to walk out....

 

[funkingroovin]

The one that REALLY surprised me is a Frankenbass I put together last August. The wife pointed out that if I sold "all that junk" I keep collecting,I'd probably have enough to get the new bass I wanted and if not,the $ difference would be my Birthday/ Christmas present.

I emptied my "junk" boxes,laid it all out,and determined I could have 2+ basses,if I got another body. I bought a blk sparkle Sq. P/J body here for $50. I had a P p'up from a MIJ Jag,the J p'up from God knows where,vint.threaded barrel bridge,Tort 'guard from a Deluxe P,chrome 'F' jazz bridge cover,neck/tuners from a 16yr old Sq. P,mim jazz wiring harness,two black speed knobs w/white numbers for the volumes,and a knurled chrome barrel for the tone knob. I moved the jack to the pickguard's 4th hole(think j config. on a P bass)

I set it up,plugged it in,and was dumbstruck. And to be honest,a little pissed. Dumbstruck because it set up,played,and sounded phenomenal..and looked pretty damn hot to boot! Pissed because I realized that this junkyard mutt I had 50 bucks into just replaced about 6 grand worth of guitars!! No joke.

I sold the rest of my 'junk' and used the dough to buy a new Sq. Jag neck(blk headstock,pearl blocks) to put on that bass,which I'm keepin! It sets up silly low like my MarcusMiller,and looks like a million bucks with the new neck. Very Vintage Fender/Rat Rod..it's still my main,and I always get a good laugh when someone gets close enough to see "Squier" on the headstock and does a double take

 

[JimmyM]

Jumbodbassman, those Danos (?) look really ugly. :/ What's the appeal? And what kind of pickups are those, those thin round metallic ones? Weird positions, one even has 3 of them.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And when I be holdin' my Dano, I'll throw some beauty bass in your eye! Some folks don't get them, but I do.

 

[Phalex]

My Mark Hoppus signature bass surprised the hell out of me. My intention was to play it for an outdoor Biker Rodeo, and turn around and flip it. But the thing just has that tone....... After playing a few gigs with it, I went back to my Ric for a weekend, and my drummer was like "Where's that ugly blue bass you bought?" That clinched it! It wasn't just me.

 

[parmezans]

Ugly is the new pretty.... very old school appeal to many

LIPSTICK pickups because they actually were inside lipstick casings in the 60's when the danos first came out. No reverse so some 60 humm but they actually sound pretty good, especially with flat wound pups.

some closeup porn shot

and you gotta love the rear....

Worth the quote so people see it again. Where's the fapfap emoticon?
Danos, old school? Haha, to me they look like something that came from the Jetsons.

edit: What strings are on that univox? They look yummy.

 

[Jazzbassguy]

Jazzbassguy, that's a beautiful bass, I'm glad it sounds good..

Thanks, Parms. Yeah, I love playing this Hofner Icon. Sounds great, light as a feather.