Disappointing experiences with basses you thought you'd love

[hvymetallurgist]

Sterling Ray35 HH for me…I couldn't have been more stoked as it was my first bass I'd bought for myself in ages (was borrowing basses at the time) and wow what a massive let-down. By all accounts I think I got a dud example, but boy was it a flop. Bad tuners (metal literally smearing/deforming up in the helical gears from bad interference fit), unfinished spots on the neck, horrendous fret work, and boat anchor weight.

Glad I didn't let it put me off SBMM, because my SUB Ray4 is my daily driver and is almost always the bass I reach for first every day in my stable.

 

[twinjet]

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?

I believe it was an Emperor II by Fodera, down at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville. It was my first ever A/B using a truly high-end bass.

This bass was gorgeous. It felt amazing. The set-up, perfect. I started playing some notes, but nothing stood out to me. It sounded boring. Fiddled with some of the many knobs, nothing. After 5 minutes of "are you about done" from my cohorts, I hung the bass up.

It could have been that I didn't know the amp well, understand the onboard EQ or get much time with it, but nothing I did gave me a tone worth drooling over.

Maybe some day I'll get another shot.

 

[Corrington]

For me, it was a Modulus Quantum 5 with a stunning spalted maple top. That bass was beautiful and sounded amazing. Growl, thump, spank… everything I wanted sonically.

Unfortunately, I could never get used to the 35" scale or the neck profile (too wide side-to-side and too narrow front-to-back). It felt like I was playing a surfboard. I sold it less than a year later and was sad to see it go. I really wanted it to be "the one."

My hands and finger spread are just too small for a 35" scale. Now I mostly play 32" medium scale basses. They are much more comfortable and enjoyable.

If Modulus ever offers a 32" Quantum, I'll be the first in line to buy one.
Come on Modulus, I'm rooting for you! You can do it!

 

[Acoop]

Only one disappointment and the only one I sold for less than I paid for it. ... Odyssey Basses out of Vancouver BC. ... Beautiful feel and finish, neck through, Hi-A Pickups, great bass but it wouldn't stay in tune. ... At home it was fine but on a gig it was hell. ... So l sold it. ...

 

[JRA]

So how about you?

the very first EB i ever owned: a ric = it was fretted , i'd just come from DB --- i played it for a hot minute and went to fretless.

 

[Ggaa]

Schechter Stiletto custom 5....nice looking ax, but heavy, EMG soapbars and 2 band eq didn't have as lively a sound as my KS with EMG jazz pups, just not my sound.

 

[coyote1]

Three of 'em:

Tune TWB53. Nice looking bass, sounded good. But the low B just rattled like crazy, despite multiple string gauge choices and setups. Sold after about three years.

Yamaha BTB1206 neck-thru. Again incurable low-B rattle, but this also could not get a decent clean sound. I wanted it to be a 'fusion' bass, but it sounded grunge. Returned it within 90 days.

Cort fretless 4. Had it all: comfortable, light weight, 'mwah' across the entire neck, great playability. And a rattle inside the neck that I didn't hear in the shop. Turned out this neck-thru had a broken truss rod. Returned it within three days.

Honorable mention: Warwick Corvette fretless 4. German bubinga instrument. Was ultimately a disappointment because it did not have the fretless sound I wanted. That said, it was a gorgeous instrument that sounded great on its own merits, so I ended up keeping it 18 years.

 

[Jefenator]

I've bought 43 electric basses since 1988, each time with the highest of hopes, but 33 of those wound up back on the block. Honorable mention:

• Yamaha TRB-6P. My first attempt at a high-end bass. Low B was weak and the piezo pickup wasn't very musical.
• 1969 P-Bass. Burst w/ tort, what could possibly go wrong? Just didn't have the mojo, that's what.
• '88 Stingray 5. Never bonded. Rays get a lot of mention in these threads - I haven't given up hope yet (maybe the right 2-band will come along)
• Yamaha BB1600. So the guy in No Doubt used one. Didn't do much for me onstage. I tried it on a track for an album project and they had me come back and redo it with the P-bass.
• Pedulla Rapture. Looked super freakin' cool online but in person looked as if someone had hacked it down with a bandsaw then expertly contoured the edges & refinished. (Still was on the heavy side in spite of the "dinky" body sizing.) And like so many other 5-strings I've caught & released, the low B was iffy.

 

[Gothic]

I've bought 43 electric basses since 1988, each time with the highest of hopes, but 33 of those wound up back on the block. Honorable mention:

• Yamaha TRB-6P. My first attempt at a high-end bass. Low B was weak and the piezo pickup wasn't very musical.
• 1969 P-Bass. Burst w/ tort, what could possibly go wrong? Just didn't have the mojo, that's what.
• '88 Stingray 5. Never bonded. Rays get a lot of mention in these threads - I haven't given up hope yet (maybe the right 2-band will come along)
• Yamaha BB1600. So the guy in No Doubt used one. Didn't do much for me onstage. I tried it on a track for an album project and they had me come back and redo it with the P-bass.
• Pedulla Rapture. Looked super freakin' cool online but in person looked as if someone had hacked it down with a bandsaw then expertly contoured the edges & refinished. (Still was on the heavy side in spite of the "dinky" body sizing.) And like so many other 5-strings I've caught & released, the low B was iffy.

Now you made me curious about the ones that made it into the fold!

 

[Yellow Bang66]

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?

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 !!

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I got a steinberger spirit xt-25 thinking I'd like it, but the string spacing was too tight. There's nothing wrong w the bass, I should have done my homework better but it was my 1st 5'er.

 

[wazzel]

My Heartfield DR5. It was my first nice bass so was really excited about the purchase. Kind of an impulse buy. Did not take long for the new bass smell to wear off and I realized it was not for me. Was not able to get a good resale price for it so just kept playing it until I saved enough to get a replacement. The replacement got played exclusively for 14 years

 

[Yogi Bear]

A Lull PJ5 I purchased a while ago from Gelb. Amazing in every aspect, but as others have said, the 35" scale was something I could not adjust to.

 

[Danny O Danny]

A couple of years ago I bought a brand new EB Music Man Stingray Special. It looked beautiful and I was enticed by the lighter weight. But it had the worst neck dead spot of any bass I've ever owned, and I could never get the pickup/preamp to sound like my old '78 Stingray. I didn't keep it for long.

 

[Drzejzi]

I always had problems with setting the right sound in a band setting with my Ibanez ATK, but I'm still trying Now equipped with flats, an onboard distortion and with using a HPF it gives me some unique tonal options, but in comparison most of the times it looses with my other basses.

I also have a 6 strings Jazz Bass copy with 19mm string spacing, which I thought I'll prefer because I (used to) slap a lot, but this monstrosity is just too big.

And I have a Fender Jazz that sounds, plays and looks wonderfully, but with it I feel like I lost a challenge that I set for myself: not to be another boring bass player

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I have love and disappointment all in one bass. I own an original Godin Acoustibass that I bought brand new.
I love how it plays, feels and looks. It sounds great in solo practice and low volume group settings. I was very disappointed that it did not cut it in loud rockabilly/ rock and roll gigs.

If it is a fretless and you'd like to get rid of it one day, please let me know

 

[Pilgrim]

I bought an Epi EB-3, the dual pickup SG-body bass, and I made the mistake of getting it in 34" scale.

Worst mistake I ever made. The body was so light and the neck was both long and mounted near the top of the body - it was an imbalance nightmare.

Not only that, the neck was set so far out that it not only imbalanced the light SG body, but also felt like a longer reach than any other 34" bass I have ever played. Really an uncomfortable neck on which to reach the first few frets.

I bought it, had it for about two weeks and resold it. I was (and am) very happy for it to be gone.

I now have a '64 EB-0, and will never own another SG-body bass with a 34" neck. Very bad idea!

 

[Corrington]

And I have a Fender Jazz that sounds, plays and looks wonderfully, but with it I feel like I lost a challenge that I set for myself: not to be another boring bass player

You could always get a crazy cool paint job. Eddie Van Halen, Zakk Wylde, Jimi Hendrix (Monterey Pop Festival Strat), Buddy Guy (Polka Dot Strat), Paul Stanley of Kiss (Ibanez Iceman PS1CM), Synyster Gates (Schecter signature), etc. You'd be in good company.
Notice all of these guys are guitar players. I think it's time for the bass players to cut loose and go wild and you could lead the way. =)

 

[Gothic]

You could always get a crazy cool paint job.

...or go one step further and "tractor" it a la Berry Oakley.

 

[Pugosaurus]

I think I'm going to sell my Spector Legend Neck-thru 5-string because even though the neck feels intuitive and I like it, it's not too heavy either, the 35-inch-scale just feels odd and the sounds that come through it don't sound like something that I relate to. The only-active soundscape and the specific Spector growl just don't hit me.

I still adore Spectors as cool and beautiful instruments but not all cool and beautiful instruments are something that would fit me mentally.