Disappointing experiences with basses you thought you'd love

[arbiterusa]

Back in 1986 or 87 I drove from San Diego to Bass Center LA (an exceptionally long drive) to try a Wal. Geddy was playing them. I'd bought a Steinberger (still have it) because Geddy was playing that so I figured the Wal had to be even better.

Totally underwhelmed. A decent bass to be sure, but wasn't taking me anywhere I wanted to go.

Turns out that what Geddy likes in basses and what I like in basses is pretty different. I don't like Rickenbackers either.

Bass Center LA was a great store though. Every bass player should get to walk into a store with nothing but basses at least once in their lives.

 

[Obese Chess]

I've played a few boutique basses I figured I'd love, but just weren't for me. I played a Status a few years back and it just felt like a toy, I kept stumbling over my hands. I also played a Skjold a few years prior to that that was utterly unremarkable, but I am also very open to the idea that it was just a bad setup since it had been hanging on the wall of GC for god knows how long. Wal, too, more recently - I was like "wow, this is nice, but it's not like, wait five years and pay ten thousand dollars nice."

Very rare that I play a bad instrument, though, and always nice to learn more about what I like and don't like.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

Gibson Thunderbird. I love the look, love the sound and desperately wanted to love the '94 bass I bought but just couldn't get on with the size of it and the feeling that I was going to take the large headstock off that skinny neck sooner or later so traded it with a friend. Still have a yearning for one though. Come to think of it I went through the same thing with a Manson Explorer bass about ten years earlier...

 

[groove pump]

Sandberg Electra - the J-bass version.

It's nobody's fault if the fit of a certain bass isn't right for me. The only way to figure that out is to get the bass in my hands and play it. So I got one of these instruments on a clearance sale (online) for a terrific deal hoping that I would be a decent alternative to my old 10.5 lb. parts J.

This buy was a roll of the dice because of the clearance sale; I wouldn't be able to return it. But I looked at the specs listed on the site and gathered info/feedback from where I could and it looked like this would be a lighter alternative that could run active or passive and would also give me a neck with a more comfortable width than the typical 1.5" at the nut that we get with most traditional J-basses.

I got the bass, dialed it in, tried this 'n that, and noticed that the neck seemed to be more narrow that 39.5mm nut width that they had listed on their web page. The ruler confirmed that - it was only 37mm at the nut (zero fret). When I went back to the website to check it again, they had actually updated their specs (no, I didn't read the page for the California TT by accident before I got it).

Even though I wasn't buying a premium German-built Sandberg, I bought that Electra model because I knew that the specs they had originally listed might work for me. Not really a case of bait-and-switch here, but awful timing that left me with some sour grapes.

If I go shopping for something in the primo realm from that neck of the woods, I'll probably look for a Maruszczyk Elwood.

 

[dalkowski]

Allen Woody Rumblekat.

Found it on CL, loved the color and looks, and the price. I just found that it never "fit" me well. I know I've mentioned it to @dalkowski but I swear that bass made me feel like I had a trapezoidal shaped torso! It always wanted to hang way off center to what I consider the sweet spot, very far, and I always found my left hand pulling it into position while playing. That and combined with the weight just proved it wasn't for me.

I really wanted it to work, great tone and very solid bass.

The upside was I got more for it on a trade in at GC than I paid.

OMG I'd forgotten about my Woody, which I thought fit me fine (or I willed myself to believe it did) until one night at rehearsal I wanted to throw it across the room. I blame lack of back contouring.

Like my man from Wisco, I loved everything else about it, especially the thump with flats and the neck pup soloed.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Never played a Fender Precision I liked. This is due to the chunky neck. If it had a Jazz neck the story may be different.

 

[mattj1stc]

Only happened once. I had always wanted a Ric - so many great players, amazing look, unique signature sound. I finally got a new one of my own. It delivered in terms of sound, look and even playability. In fact, it was even better sounding and much more versatile than I expected it to be. However, the quality (again of a new instrument) was deplorable. The paint started coming off in some spots within a few weeks. The pickup switch and two pots failed at different times. The bridge would not intonate well (had to reverse two saddles to make it work). The bridge also had tail lift, and I replaced it with a hipshot drop-in, which was better. Then I starting having issues with cold solder joints (in places that had previously had not failed). I fixed these, but that was it for me - I got rid of the bass. I still think Rics look cool and sound good, but I don't think I would ever trust one again.

 

[coy garcia]

Anyone ever had one of those?

I'll kick things off with one of mine.

I always liked the look of Stingrays. I'd played a few OLP's in the past but never an original MM. I quite enjoyed the tone and, from things I'd read in fora, I'd thought it would be just fantastic. Fast forward some time and I get to play a beautiful stealth black Stingray 5 HH.

Aaaaaand... nah. Disappointment. The neck was nicely chunky, it was finished semi-glossy which I don't like but it was set up great and despite that, it felt extremely uncomfortable for some reason and the tone... Well, it was a bit "meh", really and I played it through a very nice amp and a kemper!

Now ok, it wasn't BAD by any means but I just didn't quite see me spending that much money on... that. Really put me off MM basses.

So how about you?

Yep always loved EBMM in other players hands and had to have one....got a 2004 5st ..been collecting dust for over 10yrs... not my thing.

 

[kodiakblair]

Peavey Sarzo signature. Looked great, felt great, sounded meh. Thinking it might just be me, I asked another player for her opinion. After 5-10 minutes it was returned along with her "this bass has no balls" pronouncement

 

[overit]

Pedulla MVP PJ 4. The classic shape was always a favorite for years but I was never able to find one in person to try. I finally found an an affordable, older, solid blue metallic on Reverb and bought it expecting it to be the one. It wasn't bad but compared to the Am. Std. Jazz I was really comfortable with in both sound and feel, it just didn't do it for me at the time - neck felt thick and the tone wasn't there. I wonder how I'd feel about it now.

 

[Basvarken]

Guild M-85 II.
It took me years to find one. But when I eventually got one, I just couldn't make friends with it.
The sound was not ballsy enough for my taste. A bit tame.

A bit like that beautiful girl in high school. You were desperately trying to get her attention.
But when you finally got to take her out on a date, she appeared to be downright boring lass

 

[Deleted member 365158]

Disappointed is a bit strong, I'd say I didn't care for 3 basses that I've had.
1) fender jazz mim early 2000's
It just didn't feel right at the time.
2) 1982 ibanez roadstar II
Loved it other than the slab body. I gave it to one of my sons... he loves it. I bought an 86 that has body contours... i love it!
3) Harley Benton enhanced p/mm. As cool as it was, it just wasn't for me. Now a 12 year old kid is rocking it!

 

[bigdaddybass12]

LTD D4. Nice neck thru, dark natural finish, but it was just not "me'

 

[Deleted member 165050]

If I go shopping for something in the primo realm from that neck of the woods, I'll probably look for a Maruszczyk Elwood.

I find mine very playable, plus nice to look at.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Rickenbaker 4003, I wanted to like but I couldn't... wasn't for me I guess.

 

[Dincrest]

When I was a teen, my dream bass was a Warwick. When I finally procured an incredible 1997 Warwick Corvette Standard 4 (with the wenge neck) from a TBer... I did my best to make it work for me. It was easily the best playing and best sounding (especially after I swapped out the active MECs for passive Duncans) bass I've had with my favorite neck. But try as I might, it never sat right on me. I do most of my playing while standing, and this bass balanced too horizontally for my tastes and the small body made the neck jut out too far left, making first position a reach. I had that bass for well over a decade, it was my #1 during my time in three bands, I built up much history with it, but sold it a few years ago to a jazz student whom it fits perfectly.

I felt the same about a Spector ReBop 5 I snagged from a TBer a few years back. Incredible sounding and playing bass with a sledgehammer of a low B. But, like the Warwick, I didn't like the way it sat on me while standing. That Spector balanced too horizontally and the neck jutted out too far to the left, making first position an uncomfortable reach. I sold that one.

Those were two basses that I was all excited for, but let down by. They are also a big reason why I'm an advocate for "let your hands/body be your guide" because sometimes you never get a feel for a bass until you strap it on. This is why I'd choose a Soundgear over a Warwick or Spector.

EDIT: And like others, I had the opportunity to play a Rickenbacker... and didn't like it. A recording engineer (and gigging bassist) I worked with had a Ric (among other incredible basses) and invited me to try it. That bass was the most uncomfortable thing to play. It felt like I had a rectangular plank of wood strapped to my body. It didn't nestle the way my #1 LTD or my #2 Soundgear do.

 

[Jazzkuma]

Every since I was a young girl , I wanted 2 basses. A 70's style Fender Jazz and a MusicMan StingRay.
It took many many years to find a Jazz that I liked. Even more for the StringRay. I went through 6 Jazz basses & 4 Stingrays . They are not all created equal .

Up until about 2 weeks ago , I was convinced I'd never own another Stingray. I had sworn off if them .
Now I'm happily eating my words and enjoying it!!
Keep trying them . You might find the one.


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Yeah I totally agree that Stingrays are great basses and I do believe having a P, J and a Stingray is the holy trinity for session bassists.

I understand why many people love them but its just not for me. Same deal with the Ric's, its a great bass, looks amazing to me but its another bass which has a very specific tone which just happens to be different from what I look for in basses.

Im still open to giving them a try in the future, maybe my taste in sound changes.

 

[Jason Hollar]

During the 90's & 2000's I acquired several very nice basses: a Pedulla Hexabuzz, two Zons, a Modulus vintage jazz, and two Warwicks. All sold due to heavy weight (coffee table basses) and awfully bright tones (must've been the coffee table wood and hyped up active electronics.)

Back to Fender type passives these days.

 

[Bringindafunk]

I heard nothing but great things about Carvin basses. I've had other Carvin gear in the past that I found to be outstanding and excellent value so when I found a pristine 5-string that had been owned and barely played by a guitarist I jumped at it. The bass was really nice with perfectly level frets and fantastic action. Unfortunately I just couldn't bond with it.

I hated the tone and how the preamp was voiced. The neck was too thin front to back and too wide top to bottom. I didn't like where the front pickup was placed on the body which caused my plucking hand to be closer to the neck than I prefer and I didn't like the overall shape of the body either. It was a bit too fat and round for me causing my anchor point to be a bit too far from the strings. I also have come to the realization that I probably don't like ebony fingerboards on fretted basses.

It was such a tremendous value that I really contemplated keeping it but I knew it wouldn't be anything more than wall art and I hated the thought of something that nice never getting played so I sold it. I would never not recommend a Carvin/Kiesel bass to someone, but it just wasn't for me.

 

[Crackle]

MusicMan Big Al. On paper it looked like the perfect bass. In reality, there was little I liked about it. The neck felt wrong and I could not get a satisfying tone out of the three single coil pickups in any configuration.