• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Disappointing experiences with basses you thought you'd love

#262
I've had a couple of basses I did love for awhile, but for some reason didn't work out long term. But the two that became disappointments very quickly were:

1. Ibanez SRX500 (2002). Great playability, but I soon discovered it got buried in a band mix (especially the D & G strings) and sounded terrible for recording. It didn't last long.

2. Fender Am. Deluxe Precision (1999, bought 2004). Beautiful, light, and had a fantastic neck, but I couldn't get along with the active electronics and it had a harsh-sounding, atonal dead spot at the 10th fret on the G string. It wasn't just weak output, but nasty overtones that for me rendered that fret useless. I had it for less than a year.

Based on those two, I avoided active electronics for a long time, but I got back into the fold with a G&L M-2500.
 
#263
REALLY like the premise of this thread.

It's made me realize, I'm glad I stayed all these years (50+) with what has worked for me (a passive, 4 str., Fender Jazz) and didn't experiment around with other basses.

Saved this certified "tight a*s" alot of money too!!!!!

Still gigging that Jazz, but did buy my first new bass in 2014, a Jazz Elite.
It was a wedding anniversary present from the wife that I paid for!
It's my unneeded backup.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Nuage420, Mickey666, Corrington and 1 other person
#266
Dare I say it? Every time over the years that I've bought a Fender Precision or Jazz bass, I've had high hopes that it would be "the one", and every time I've been underwhelmed. They've just never felt comfortable to me. This would include close Fender copies (such as Warmoth). Additionally, in the case of Jazz basses, I've never been able to get a sound I really like. Obviously I'm in the minority, but I've realized that the traditional P or J bass just doesn't do it for me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Corrington and Giffro
#268
ESP C-305. Beautiful bass, well made, well setup out of the case, tight low B. A great value, especially for neck-through construction...

...but it has that sort of generic hi-fi tone you get out of so many active dual soapbar setups, which made it of no use to me. It's probably great if you're a slapper or you're running it through a Darkglass, but I wasn't and I don't.

p5pd833q8tlsqvpka2l7.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: notJaco
#269
Yellow Bang66 said:
Rickenbacker, Once had a battery die on my active Stiletto, Drummer/Host happened to have A Rick on hand. Everyone was in total awe, I was upset I didnt have a spare battery on hand! But what the hey I wasnt about to spoil the "jam" by pouting about my dilemma! I did toy with driving to the liquor store for more "refreshments & a fresh 9 volt!But i relented & strapped it on. Meh. I was Not impressed as the other Jammers!it was Heavy,filthy & badly needed new Strings! and a GOOD Setup!I Guess I was expecting some sort of Geddy or Macca Magic but Poop, nothing sounded kind of thin and was uncomfortable to play! IMade wonder why so many rave about them or Why they are so coveted!My schecter was way better!Drummer even tried selling it to me,for way more than that it was worth! I countered he scoffed "Its a Rickenbacker!" Big deal it was crap! I really never looked at them as a cool Bass, anyway. maybe I was just in a bad dead battery mood! but it just left me flat, unimpressed. meh. it didnt help that drummer had kept in such poor condition too! I m kinda glad I didnt like it. cause soon after I Found my #1 Fender !!
Click to expand...
I feel you on that! But that's how I feel about Fenders. Everyone's always telling me I should get a P-bass... Does it look or SOUND like I'd have any interest in a P-bass?!
Let's see: every bass at guitar center is a disappointment. Never set up, tons of fret buzz. A $700 Ibanez was just horrible, returned it. A $400 acoustic, back-bowed, almost a whole 1/2 step sharp at the 12th, returned it. A Breedlove acoustic was disappointing, too, though. $700. I asked if it could be set up for drop-D. I had to buy it then pay another shop $100 more to find out, and this seller didn't allow returns! He totally car salesmanned that bass to me. The extra setup made the action really high, but there was still a lot of fret buzz. Sent it back to Breedlove to see if they could set it up well... They just put it back to factory specs, took out the shim that the second shop put in to raise the bridge, and was like "and we found pieces of wood under the bridge?!" Like they had no idea how that could have happened. I'm like, you MAKE guitars and have never heard of a shim? I paid an extra $100 to have that put in, and the nut filed for heavier strings! Sold it for $330. Shame. Waste.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back