Diamonds in the Rough

[Rip Topaz]

So many "I hate this bass" threads these days, and one thing keeps sticking in my mind.

Every bass I've ever picked up, heck any instrument at all, I always manage to find at least one thing they do well. Maybe not the easiest in the world to play, but I feel like every single instrument has a redeeming quality, you just gotta find it.

Anyone else feel like this? What's your "diamond in the rough"?

Here's mine:

Not a high dollar bass, and I had to modify it to find what I was after, but it now has the coolest slap sound of all my basses. This is a Dillion 5204, a cheap, formerly a Butterscotch Blonde, single coil P. It became my mod project over the summer, and I play it now more than I ever did in it's original form.

Whatcha got that makes you work for it, but you keep anyway?

Doesn't have to be modded out. Could just be that one bass you keep in the corner, and only play it once a year, but for that time period there's something about it that makes it total fun.

 

[funkingroovin]

Crappy pic of my Rough Diamond,and main player..an LPB SX Jazz..(yep,the Fender is my back-up )

I bought it from a fellow TB'r for the BnB neck and the old 70's Dimarzio it had in the neck position. Got it,plugged it in,and was promptly floored. Waaay-low action with no buzz anywhere,perfect intonation,and the Dimarzio just sung. I opened it up to find it fully shielded/grounded,solid shaft CTS pots and a Switchcraft jack,all very cleanly vintage cloth wired!
I added an old USA Reverend J p'up at the bridge,a vintage-style threaded barrel bridge,an old tort 'guard,and a 'Ferden' headstock waterslide to result in a priceless amount of awesome for about 200 bucks

 

[wild4oldcars]

Certainly not the prettiest (or pretty at all), but my peavey foundation is a solid workhorse and tonally exceptional. Picked it up last summer from GC's used site for about 120 shipped. I got some chrome domes on the way for it (finally)!

 

[oldrookie]

Chromes will do nicely on the Foundation. Had some on mine. Took it back to round wounds (Ken Smith Burners) and found its voice. Just a great, often overlooked bass.

Keep the Chromes on the Peavey Fury

 

[Selta]

My first bass - a Squire P. I keep it around just because it was my "first". I pick it up every now and again and have fun with it. It's a 4 string, of which I only own one other (see below), and has a ton of history with me. It's a P bass, so it sounds... like a P. Which is fun sometimes, just not my thing really.

Then there's the ESP M-IV bass. My only other four string, and I only keep it around for the art that is on the body - it's nice to look at. I pick this up maybe once every 2 years to tool around on. The electronics are messed up which I never remember except for when I pick it up (when I say, "Oh yeah, I should fix this."), but it also reminds me of my first decent bass. In all likelihood, once I get around to fixing it it'll likely become my modding platform to see what I can do electronics wise that's outside the usual realm of on-board stuff.

 

[moonshinegtrs]

Crappy pic of my Rough Diamond,and main player..an LPB SX Jazz..(yep,the Fender is my back-up )

I bought it from a fellow TB'r for the BnB neck and the old 70's Dimarzio it had in the neck position. Got it,plugged it in,and was promptly floored. Waaay-low action with no buzz anywhere,perfect intonation,and the Dimarzio just sung. I opened it up to find it fully shielded/grounded,solid shaft CTS pots and a Switchcraft jack,all very cleanly vintage cloth wired!
I added an old USA Reverend J p'up at the bridge,a vintage-style threaded barrel bridge,an old tort 'guard,and a 'Ferden' headstock waterslide to result in a priceless amount of awesome for about 200 bucks

Dude! That SX was one of the best feeling and sounding basses I have ever owned. Love the tort guard!

Moonshine

 

[pudgychef]

Chromes will do nicely on the Foundation. Had some on mine. Took it back to round wounds (Ken Smith Burners) and found its voice. Just a great, often overlooked bass.

Keep the Chromes on the Peavey Fury

I think the poster meant Chrome Dome knobs for the exposed shafts..but I could be wrong

 

[AaronVonRock]

My diamond in the rough is the $180 Gretsch Junior Jet 2202 that I bought on Ebay. That thing feels and sounds great.

 

[oldrookie]

I think the poster meant Chrome Dome knobs for the exposed shafts..but I could be wrong

Turns out you were correcct! Long day yesterday and I blew right past the "dome" part.

I also meant to write "I keep the Chromes for the Peavey Fury I own." I try never to be that assertive with my opinion about what other people should do to their basses.

Thanks for the catch.

I've only played two Foundations, the one I own and one that's been hanging on the wall of a local used guitar store. Both of them have the Super Ferrite pickups (the one for sale looks like the red one posted above). Both have a very thin, very fast neck. Both can be made to snap and snarl, but are also capable of a lot of more mellow sounds. Very versatile basses.

Oh, okay. Since you asked My hidden gem. Pawn shop deal. No case, one broken tuner (replaced with one from a Peavey Club member), one fantastic sounding bass.

 

[wild4oldcars]

Chromes will do nicely on the Foundation. Had some on mine. Took it back to round wounds (Ken Smith Burners) and found its voice. Just a great, often overlooked bass.

Keep the Chromes on the Peavey Fury

I did mean the knobs haha, but good to know about the burners. I've had SIT Power Nickels on it, and they really gave it some punch. Right now i have a dean markley ss helix set on there, and it will really cut through a thick mix (tryst me, i play with about 10 pieces of mallet percussion, plus a guitar, synth drums, and various other non-pitched percussion)

I think the poster meant Chrome Dome knobs for the exposed shafts..but I could be wrong

Ding ding ding

 

[P. Aaron]

Sometimes a bass just isn't what you want to play a certain kind of music.


Most electric instruments could work in any music medium, it's up to the owner to work it in...time allowing and people pursue tonal ideals, and some instruments just don't get close enough.

One only really knows how well a bass (& rig) works is when you play music with others.

 

[Din Of Win]

One only really knows how well a bass (& rig) works is when you play music with others.

This.

I've played a few basses that don't sound amazing on their own... but maaaaaan when it was in the mix it sounded amazing! Conversely; i've had those basses that have sounded great noodling around at home, but got completely lost with the other instruments.

Anywho, back on track: My short scale SX Jaguar (J/J) has been my diamond in the rough. Sure, SX. Sure, cost me $120 shipped. Sure, "bad parts". I bought it on a whim... i love me some CAR+Tort, and a blocked neck. "I can just mod it" i said to myself. I got it. Set it up. Aside from some string changes, i haven't touched a thing! This bass sounds incredible (to me). I usually play my MiJ Fender P or '77 Univox Hi-Flyer out at live gigs... but i've recorded some stuff recently with my SX that i'm pretty dang happy with (also, much to the surprise of the sound tech).

Here's the quick, 1-shot each, 2 song e.p. we did over the holidays a few weeks ago: http://ghosthotel.bandcamp.com/

 

[oldrookie]

This.

IAnywho, back on track: My short scale SX Jaguar (J/J) has been my diamond in the rough. Sure, SX. Sure, cost me $120 shipped. Sure, "bad parts". I bought it on a whim... i love me some CAR+Tort, and a blocked neck. "I can just mod it" i said to myself. I got it. Set it up. Aside from some string changes, i haven't touched a thing! This bass sounds incredible (to me). I usually play my MiJ Fender P or '77 Univox Hi-Flyer out at live gigs... but i've recorded some stuff recently with my SX that i'm pretty dang happy with (also, much to the surprise of the sound tech).

Here's the quick, 1-shot each, 2 song e.p. we did over the holidays a few weeks ago: http://ghosthotel.bandcamp.com/

Had one of those basses and loved the sound, fit, and finish. Unfortunately, couldn't deal with the neck dive. Spent a lot of money trying to cure it, finally, reluctantly, sold it. Hated the feeling of my shirt trying to road trip from the right side of my back to the front left of my stomach.

Still miss the sound.

Nice playing on that track, Din of Win.

 

[funkingroovin]

Dude! That SX was one of the best feeling and sounding basses I have ever owned. Love the tort guard!

Moonshine

Thanks,and thanks again Moonshine! I can easily see why it found a place in your hand-built herd..I've been playing the snot out of it since day one and I wasn't kidding..it really did de-throne my Fenders! The only other plans I have for it are a set a flats,as I think they would mesh perfectly with the old-skool tones those p'ups throw around

 

[RyanJD]

Diamond in the rough eh?
I have three main basses now that I really enjoy.
In fact, I think my gear-chasing desires may be sated for a good while.
(Bass-wise, anyways. My personal rig needs some work.)

I consider all three of these diamonds, but I don't think they qualify as "diamonds in the rough."

That title belongs to my Dean EAB I got not long ago.
It's simple. It just works. And I really like the sound it provides.

I got it on Craigslist, hoping I wouldn't get stabbed in the process.
But the seller was a really nice dude who invited back over to his place to jam with him and the rest of his band.
We had a good time.

This bass is utterly useless plugged in, but acoustically, I'm a fan.
It's not perfect, but at the price I got it for, it's my diamond in the rough.

 

[mazareth]

My diamond in the rough is the $180 Gretsch Junior Jet 2202 that I bought on Ebay. That thing feels and sounds great.

^^^^^This.^^^^^ Paid $189 for mine. It's my "end of the night" bass. Very easy on the shoulder when that 4th set rolls around at the end of a gig. The drummer in my last band loved the sound of my "Gretschomatic."

 

[KablesP]

Diamond in the rough eh?
I have three main basses now that I really enjoy.
In fact, I think my gear-chasing desires may be sated for a good while.
(Bass-wise, anyways. My personal rig needs some work.)

I consider all three of these diamonds, but I don't think they qualify as "diamonds in the rough."

That title belongs to my Dean EAB I got not long ago.
It's simple. It just works. And I really like the sound it provides.

I got it on Craigslist, hoping I wouldn't get stabbed in the process.
But the seller was a really nice dude who invited back over to his place to jam with him and the rest of his band.
We had a good time.

This bass is utterly useless plugged in, but acoustically, I'm a fan.
It's not perfect, but at the price I got it for, it's my diamond in the rough.

My dad had a Dean acoustic and like you said, it was terrible plugged in and would feedback nonstop but it has a nice acoustic sound. Was a fretless too.