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Disappointing experiences with basses you thought you'd love
- Thread starter Gothic
- Start date
Gretsch G5440LSB Electromatic Hollowbody Long Scale Bass
Looked great, sounded weak, and bad neck dive, really wanted to like this one but moved it on after a few months.
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Looked great, sounded weak, and bad neck dive, really wanted to like this one but moved it on after a few months.
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Stingray - the one I had borrowed for a gig was incredibly dull, lifeless, uneven and heavy.
Warwicks - pricy and defo not for me. Very compressed tone with weird response (highs sticking out). Also I feel wenge/bubinga necks require frequent string changes as they don't age well with that character
Warwicks - pricy and defo not for me. Very compressed tone with weird response (highs sticking out). Also I feel wenge/bubinga necks require frequent string changes as they don't age well with that character
Nickels, EXL190 or 220, I don't remember exactly, but I do remember the excessive bright of the bass, I think it had ceramic pickups.
I've had several original 50's gold guard Ps - the thing is the original anodized aluminum guards were factory sprayed with clear nitro. Makes a HUGE difference in feel compared to the 'raw' unlacquered reissues. I've seen some of the more recent Custom Shop ones (maybe others?) have started getting this detail right. It's interesting that the issue was identified and resolved 60+ years ago but then abandoned. If I ever got a reissue the first thing I'd do is lacquer the guard if it hadn't been done already.
Every Ric I ever played. Something in their necks that disagrees with me. Still love the looks of them though.
As much as it pains me to say, my Alembics. Don't get me wrong, I think they they are fantastic instruments in terms of build, tone and they were a groundbreaking company in terms of electronics and build quality but, the comfort level is a huge disappoint for me.
I've owned several over the years, and currently own a SCSD and a S1 medium scale. Neither gets played as much as I want them to be played. The sig. dlx. has some severe neck dive issues that just makes playing it uncomfortable these days, and the S1 is just an unwieldy instrument at times. No regrets in buying either, and I plan on holding onto them as long as I can because they were dream basses to me, but from a comfort level they are disappointing in that I find it hard to look forward to playing them at times.
I've owned several over the years, and currently own a SCSD and a S1 medium scale. Neither gets played as much as I want them to be played. The sig. dlx. has some severe neck dive issues that just makes playing it uncomfortable these days, and the S1 is just an unwieldy instrument at times. No regrets in buying either, and I plan on holding onto them as long as I can because they were dream basses to me, but from a comfort level they are disappointing in that I find it hard to look forward to playing them at times.
Fender American Ultra Jazz V: So I have other Fenders which I love (a Geddy and an Elite P). I tried an Ultra Jazz (4 string) at a store - loved it. Then months later I seen a used 5 string Ultra Jazz 4 sale - I thought "win/win... I get to add a 5 string to the arsenal and get an ULTRA". Uhhh.... 4 months later I'm still not sure if I like this thing.
So its beautiful, no flaws, but it doesn't "feel" the same as anything else. Obviously, the conversion to 5 string is throwing me a bit. The quality of the instrument is "there". The string spacing isn't a factor. But I do not have the same enthusiasm I had when I tested the 4 string version. I play it daily... I try to adapt my hand position/fingerings to include the 5th string often. I'm just not sure I like what it brings to the tone. The B string often just sounds like a low freq noise (to me). Using a pick and tone adjustments help with that some. A bit stronger of an attack seems to help too. Ya can't play a note "softly" on a B string. And a speaker sounds better than headsets. But on the flip-side, if you're playin the wrong note, you aren't likely to notice till you look down and the B string does make a good thumb rest.
I dunno..... months later, the jury is STILL "out" on this one. I'm swinging between continuing on to learn to play with that 5th string (I do like the challenge) or trading it in for a 4 string.
So its beautiful, no flaws, but it doesn't "feel" the same as anything else. Obviously, the conversion to 5 string is throwing me a bit. The quality of the instrument is "there". The string spacing isn't a factor. But I do not have the same enthusiasm I had when I tested the 4 string version. I play it daily... I try to adapt my hand position/fingerings to include the 5th string often. I'm just not sure I like what it brings to the tone. The B string often just sounds like a low freq noise (to me). Using a pick and tone adjustments help with that some. A bit stronger of an attack seems to help too. Ya can't play a note "softly" on a B string. And a speaker sounds better than headsets. But on the flip-side, if you're playin the wrong note, you aren't likely to notice till you look down and the B string does make a good thumb rest.
I dunno..... months later, the jury is STILL "out" on this one. I'm swinging between continuing on to learn to play with that 5th string (I do like the challenge) or trading it in for a 4 string.
A couple of times...
After all the loving posts about Geddy Lee Jazz basses I went to a shop that was selling one used. I didn't like the neck, the thing that more people seems to appreciate on that bass (tone didnd't amaze mee as well to be honest).
Later I bought a wonderful G&L L2500. 5 strings, matching headstock, a combination of all possible sounds, in perfect conditions. I played it for 1 year or so, did a couple of small gigs. Loved the neck. Loved the look.
But I realized I didn't feel comfortable with 5 strings, it was too heavy, and all that versatility in combinations of active/passive, splittable humbuckers, switches, knobs annoyed me. So many sound, not a distinct character. I sold it.
After all the loving posts about Geddy Lee Jazz basses I went to a shop that was selling one used. I didn't like the neck, the thing that more people seems to appreciate on that bass (tone didnd't amaze mee as well to be honest).
Later I bought a wonderful G&L L2500. 5 strings, matching headstock, a combination of all possible sounds, in perfect conditions. I played it for 1 year or so, did a couple of small gigs. Loved the neck. Loved the look.
But I realized I didn't feel comfortable with 5 strings, it was too heavy, and all that versatility in combinations of active/passive, splittable humbuckers, switches, knobs annoyed me. So many sound, not a distinct character. I sold it.
It most definitely went to a good homeStingray 5
I really wanted to love it -- it was a stunner! -- especially since I put hundreds of gigs on an FNA, but the G-string being right up against the edge of the board didn't work for me, and the tone wasn't an immediate winner.
I had no trouble finding a good home for it, though. [edit: I'm having trouble attaching the image from my phone]
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Stingray Special - The opposite of warm sounding. Felt great though.
Rick 4003 - Not what I remember as a kid. I guess my taste has changed.
Rick 4003 - Not what I remember as a kid. I guess my taste has changed.
Vadim 5 string - total stunner on looks, that's about it.
G&L L2500 - thick neck, high action, unbalanced with crappy frets.
Warwick FNA jazz - neck dive like never before.
MM bongo - super disappointment, could not set up to my liking. A buzz on the E string in the low position that could not be cured. A glossy neck and toilet seat shape sealed it for me.
Lakland 5501 - overrated with a sticky truss rod, and I got tired of 35" scale wide necks.
Fender american P bass 5st - Everyone raves, it felt like a walmart bass if they made one.
G&L L2500 - thick neck, high action, unbalanced with crappy frets.
Warwick FNA jazz - neck dive like never before.
MM bongo - super disappointment, could not set up to my liking. A buzz on the E string in the low position that could not be cured. A glossy neck and toilet seat shape sealed it for me.
Lakland 5501 - overrated with a sticky truss rod, and I got tired of 35" scale wide necks.
Fender american P bass 5st - Everyone raves, it felt like a walmart bass if they made one.
Thank you, I'll avoid putting them on my 424
(Personally I love the sound of GHS Bass Boomers going through both pickups, but my opinion isn't relevant here
)
A Hohner B2V headless bass I bought in the '90s. Everyone praised (and still praises) the sound of the headless Hohners, but to me the pickups sounded too thick and lacking in clarity after playing a bass with a PJ configuration. I fitted Hohner's active circuitry but it didn't really help, so I sold the bass. However I saw another one for sale about a year ago and bought it. Now that I've had several basses with humbuckers, the B2V sounds a bit more acceptable!
Fender Vintera 70s Jazz Bass MIM, Ive been 2 years thinking to buy this bass, last year I demanded it online, when I taked it out of the box the action was too high, so I´ve lowered paciently until it was confortable. For my surprise that neck was hard to play as hell, never liked to play it despite the amazing tone of the pickups. Later I trade it for a Sire Marcus Miller V7 and it was like arriving home even if to control the preamp you need a engineering degree.
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Another one for Ricks. Tried out two different 4003 basses and basically had the same disappointments as everyone else (underwhelming tone/ergonomics didn't work for me either).
Of the 15 or so basses I've owned, the only one I feel I truly couldn't make work for me was a Tribute L-2500. Of all the tonal options on the bass, only the passive settings sounded okay at best to my ear. Nails went in the coffin when I realized I also didn't care for how bulky mine was, and I'm positive it needed fret work too. Traded it off, juice wasn't worth the squeeze.
Got a few new ones after my trip to GC last week. Tried both a Gretsch jr. jet (?)(I think that's the one anyway, short scale single cut w/either one or two pups) as well as one of the Cheaper SS Rays (Tbh idk Whether it was a SUB or SBMM). Anyway, I'd describe both as lifeless, dull and thud-y sounding. Even after adjusting the EQ/bright switches on the Rumble combo I was using, their sounds were just duller than a butter knife.
On the bright side, tried out a few more basses there that turned out to be pretty awesome in turn. Blue + roasted maple Ray 34, a Blue Jackson w/a bound neck, and a contemporary Jazz. All had great tone/options and were in surprisingly good condition for GC.
Of the 15 or so basses I've owned, the only one I feel I truly couldn't make work for me was a Tribute L-2500. Of all the tonal options on the bass, only the passive settings sounded okay at best to my ear. Nails went in the coffin when I realized I also didn't care for how bulky mine was, and I'm positive it needed fret work too. Traded it off, juice wasn't worth the squeeze.
Got a few new ones after my trip to GC last week. Tried both a Gretsch jr. jet (?)(I think that's the one anyway, short scale single cut w/either one or two pups) as well as one of the Cheaper SS Rays (Tbh idk Whether it was a SUB or SBMM). Anyway, I'd describe both as lifeless, dull and thud-y sounding. Even after adjusting the EQ/bright switches on the Rumble combo I was using, their sounds were just duller than a butter knife.
On the bright side, tried out a few more basses there that turned out to be pretty awesome in turn. Blue + roasted maple Ray 34, a Blue Jackson w/a bound neck, and a contemporary Jazz. All had great tone/options and were in surprisingly good condition for GC.
