Being embarrassed by basses you love?

[west al]

After going around with a lot of basses in 52 years, most were more expensive than what I play now. I have no problem with the Epi EB-0. I've always loved SG body style basses.

 

[jamro217]

Names on pegheads are almost meaningless these days. So many aftermarket parts and mods you can't tell what is what anymore. The only ones you can be sure of is either a boutique bass, one by a luthier or a Ric. Nobody bothers copying Gibson basses so they are usually original, too. The point being is that Fender makes all sorts of basses all over the world for different market segments and 90% of each is either a P or J variant named as such. Nobody complains if you show up with a Fender even if it's a Bronco. Gear snobs always complain about budget basses no matter what they sound like. If any instrument provides you the opportunity to play your best, then that's all that matters. I wouldn't bring an irreplaceable bass to a dive bar gig. If the crowd doesn't like it, they don't have to look at it. Bassists are invisible anyway, so the audience wouldn't be the ones complaining. Most likely the guitarist would be the one. You know, the guy who has to have his amp on 12 to hide his mistakes.

 

[HumanLarvae]

When I was 18, I bought my first bass an Ibanez Acoustic. I loved it because I didn't need an amp to play it, had very flat action, and had a tuner built in. But from day 1, I had to defend myself from folks who argue, "acoustic bass is useless." I'm still defending myself. A couple years later, I bought a used 5-string Schecter. I really loved this bass, because it felt like I was getting so much for the price. But Schecter as a brand hasn't really held up. So many folks think of them as the old numetal sponsor or the new djent sponsor. The last time I mentioned that I had a Schecter at a guitar shop, folks laughed and joked about how it must be covered in abalone inlays.

I've thought about replacing both of these basses with more premium basses, but I won't replace them unless the replacements are better quality. It seems, however, like I'd have to pay a great deal of money to get instruments that feel better to me. The Schecter, in particular, came from the Cort factory and was finished in Schecter's shop. It's still feels quite nice in my hands, and I genuinely find it more comfortable than the higher-end Fender, G&Ls, and Gibsons I tried in shops. The instruments that tempt me are things from Wal, Modulus, Mike Lull, etc. Even still, I can't shake the competing feelings that (1) I can do better than my basses, and (2) these are my trusty companions that I shouldn't replace.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has this problem. Tell me your stories, and tell me what you do/did in situations like these.

What is most important, is how it feels and sounds TO YOU! If it’s easy and comfortable to play and you are getting the tone you want, WHO CARES what brand it is? I love my Schecter.

 

[chadds]

Never be embarrassed by someone oooopppsss, something you love!

 

[dramatwist]

Nope. If it sounds good and plays well, I don't give a s***.

 

[Tim Schnautz]

What is most important, is how it feels and sounds TO YOU! If it’s easy and comfortable to play and you are getting the tone you want, WHO CARES what brand it is? I love my Schecter.

Agreed. I just landed a 40 dollar Lotus P copy with a baseball bat neck. I installed a new jack and laced it with DR Black Beauties.
It's got the mellowest tone.
A pure blues hammer!
I love it!

 

[Woodchuck]

True story: YEARS ago people clowned me for being a Warwick guy. I also got clowned for loving the Ibanez 5005.

 

[HumanLarvae]

Agreed. I just landed a 40 dollar Lotus P copy with a baseball bat neck. I installed a new jack and laced it with DR Black Beauties.
It's got the mellowest tone.
A pure blues hammer!
I love it!

While I don’t knock people who swear by their expensive equipment, on a personal level (I would say I am intermediate to scratching the surface of good) I seem to have to Justify the costs of some things. So if a play a $500 bass and a $1000 bass I really look hard at “is the $1000 bass really $500 better?”

Foderas are really nice. Are they REALLY worth 5-6k? I might be a little cheap but for that price I kind of expect it to cook me dinner (clean version)!

 

[Tim Schnautz]

While I don’t knock people who swear by their expensive equipment, on a personal level (I would say I am intermediate to scratching the surface of good) I seem to have to Justify the costs of some things. So if a play a $500 bass and a $1000 bass I really look hard at “is the $1000 bass really $500 better?”

Foderas are really nice. Are they REALLY worth 5-6k? I might be a little cheap but for that price I kind of expect it to cook me dinner (clean version)!

Over the years, I've collected some pretty sweet high dollar gear. A lot of it I'm afraid to touch. So I gig with Ibanez and Squiers. I've discovered where the working mans value is.

 

[HumanLarvae]

Over the years, I've collected some pretty sweet high dollar gear. A lot of it I'm afraid to touch. So I gig with Ibanez and Squiers. I've discovered where the working mans value is.

Lol. Yeah, I can see that. I think you can get so much tone shaping out of amps, preamps and pedals that it ALMOST doesn’t matter what you play. If you have some amount of skill and know how to use gear then just being comfortable with the feel of your instrument is the most important thing. Probably not a popular opinion!

 

[Low End Scum]

You like what you like. Unfortunately there's a lotta folks out there that can't let other people enjoy something they don't personally enjuoy. My little brother and little sister really dig modern hip hop. I really get into weird abrasive experimental stuff. Neither "sucks" or gets laughs unless silly has happened in it like a goofy lyric or sound. Nobody is "wrong" for what they like and they don't scratch the same itch cause different genre's have different goals.

For instruments, people seem to get very baked into what they perceive an instrument does/is for/can do. I remember one of my earlier shows some older fellas well into their 60's got up with a weird ramshackle assortment of gear. One in a tweed cowboy hat that was clearly years old of honest wear with a nice minimalist jazz drum kit. One guy, no shirt, one strap of his overalls unbuttoned, impressive beer gut. So I'm thinking "meth-head country" is about to happen. Then Mr. Overalls whips out a flame covered X shaped BC Rich Warlock guitar out of his case and the bassist pulls out an Ibanez 5 string. OK, I think to myself, maybe this is going to be weird heavy metal. Wrong again. They were actually just a pretty solid rock band.

Guys who were playing music they liked with what they had and they enjoyed it. I've gotten weird looks because I played in a pretty heavy and fast punk/metal band with a Jazz Bass, or occasionally a Rickenbacker. I've gotten weird looks and comments because I have a fleshed out pedal board and sometimes the guitarists I've jammed with don't use any at all. I mean, think of Iron Maiden. They're one of those household names of Metal. Those dudes were doin that on Stratocasters n stuff.

 

[Mark Ellis]

Here is a super interesting video on where guitar tone comes from: It would apply to bass just as much.
From what I can here 90% of the sound comes from your fingers, most of the sound of the instrument comes from the strings and pickups. Watch the video. What is your opinion?
Action and setup contributes to playability.
What the bass looks like is showmanship.

 

[keyofnight]

For instruments, people seem to get very baked into what they perceive an instrument does/is for/can do. I remember one of my earlier shows some older fellas well into their 60's got up with a weird ramshackle assortment of gear. One in a tweed cowboy hat that was clearly years old of honest wear with a nice minimalist jazz drum kit. One guy, no shirt, one strap of his overalls unbuttoned, impressive beer gut. So I'm thinking "meth-head country" is about to happen. Then Mr. Overalls whips out a flame covered X shaped BC Rich Warlock guitar out of his case and the bassist pulls out an Ibanez 5 string. OK, I think to myself, maybe this is going to be weird heavy metal. Wrong again. They were actually just a pretty solid rock band.

Guys who were playing music they liked with what they had and they enjoyed it. I've gotten weird looks because I played in a pretty heavy and fast punk/metal band with a Jazz Bass, or occasionally a Rickenbacker. I've gotten weird looks and comments because I have a fleshed out pedal board and sometimes the guitarists I've jammed with don't use any at all. I mean, think of Iron Maiden. They're one of those household names of Metal. Those dudes were doin that on Stratocasters n stuff.

Yeah, for sure. Sometimes we have to break the conventions and standards people enforce, because most of those standards are based on misconceptions anyway. Like, speaking of Iron Maiden, most people are surprised to find that Steve Harris uses a P-bass with flats. Go figure. Even still, p-bass players can feel connected to both Steve Harris and James Jamerson, and that's pretty awesome when you think about it.

Here is a super interesting video on where guitar tone comes from: It would apply to bass just as much.
From what I can here 90% of the sound comes from your fingers, most of the sound of the instrument comes from the strings and pickups. Watch the video. What is your opinion?
Action and setup contributes to playability.
What the bass looks like is showmanship.

I love this video. I've seen it several times, along with several half-hearted rebuttals. I don't think we need rigorous experiments to show that "the sound comes from your fingers," though. Just knowing anything about playing technique and timbre will teach us that much. I think this video teaches us that only differences that make a difference will make a difference, and there are so many mods people do to their instruments that don't really matter.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Sometimes I'm ashamed to play my P bass because it makes me look old.

I can see that. Its a old-cat bass, I play one too,,,,,

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Here is a super interesting video on where guitar tone comes from: It would apply to bass just as much.
From what I can here 90% of the sound comes from your fingers, most of the sound of the instrument comes from the strings and pickups. Watch the video. What is your opinion?
Action and setup contributes to playability.
What the bass looks like is showmanship.

blasphemy,,,,as some people with their rare rainforest wood, hand made with no electric tools basses would say!!

 

[B-Mac]

When I was 18, I bought my first bass an Ibanez Acoustic. I loved it because I didn't need an amp to play it, had very flat action, and had a tuner built in. But from day 1, I had to defend myself from folks who argue, "acoustic bass is useless." I'm still defending myself. A couple years later, I bought a used 5-string Schecter. I really loved this bass, because it felt like I was getting so much for the price. But Schecter as a brand hasn't really held up. So many folks think of them as the old numetal sponsor or the new djent sponsor. The last time I mentioned that I had a Schecter at a guitar shop, folks laughed and joked about how it must be covered in abalone inlays.

I've thought about replacing both of these basses with more premium basses, but I won't replace them unless the replacements are better quality. It seems, however, like I'd have to pay a great deal of money to get instruments that feel better to me. The Schecter, in particular, came from the Cort factory and was finished in Schecter's shop. It's still feels quite nice in my hands, and I genuinely find it more comfortable than the higher-end Fender, G&Ls, and Gibsons I tried in shops. The instruments that tempt me are things from Wal, Modulus, Mike Lull, etc. Even still, I can't shake the competing feelings that (1) I can do better than my basses, and (2) these are my trusty companions that I shouldn't replace.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has this problem. Tell me your stories, and tell me what you do/did in situations like these.

Life is way too short to worry about what others think, especially what Fender fanbois think

 

[CletusMarley]

Not at all. I'm going to play what I like and you should do the same.

 

[Killing Floor]

You can have my Kramer Ferrington when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

 

[Low End Scum]

Yeah, for sure. Sometimes we have to break the conventions and standards people enforce, because most of those standards are based on misconceptions anyway. Like, speaking of Iron Maiden, most people are surprised to find that Steve Harris uses a P-bass with flats. Go figure. Even still, p-bass players can feel connected to both Steve Harris and James Jamerson, and that's pretty awesome when you think about it.



I love this video. I've seen it several times, along with several half-hearted rebuttals. I don't think we need rigorous experiments to show that "the sound comes from your fingers," though. Just knowing anything about playing technique and timbre will teach us that much. I think this video teaches us that only differences that make a difference will make a difference, and there are so many mods people do to their instruments that don't really matter.

If I remember correctly, a P with flats through a guitar amp as well. Hell, I just jammed in a shed with some local old school "redneck rock" guys with what many would classify as an overt metal bass. I think a good bit of it is psychological. If it works for you, it works for you, but there's more ways than 1 to skin a cat. Plus, for some of us we just really love gear and so getting "that perfect setup" is part of the fun.

As my special lady friend likes to say "Don't yuck on their yum"

 

[keyofnight]

It's fun to see this thread seeing some life again after a few years of being dead. Things have changed some, so it's update time. After more introspection, I found that every time I pick up my Schecter I think about what I could change to fix it or make it better. It's a project, and I don't want a project as my main instrument anymore. The cultural problems are just the last straw. What it comes down to is that it's been 20 years, and I've changed.

I decided that I needed a bass that would fade into the background more — something a little more timeless but something that could keep up with my Schecter in terms of build quality and features. After seriously considering a Yamaha BB5000, I went with a Yamaha BBP35 in a lovely sunburst. This instrument just feels… complete. Nothing feels like an afterthought, and nothing needs to be fixed or modified or considered. It also passes the vibe check in every way.

My Schecter will still be around, of course… but now I can put it aside as a keepsake, and just get to work.