I'm looking at buying another 5'er, and was gonna do a Warmoth Gecko. But looking at the players of bands that I like(jam bands at the moment), and see most, if not all, play Modulus. Looking at the price, I could buil 2-3 Geckos. So, I guess this is a 2part thread asking if anyone buys/ has bought a bass by what their influences play. Secondly, what makes Modulus so "great", if it's just the graphite neck? Please no flaming, just asking informatively. Thank you.
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Do you buy cause an influence plays?
- Thread starter TheAngryPocket
- Start date
I have purchased instruments based on what my favorite plays before. Mostly Geddy Lee, Ric's and his Sig Jazz. I don't currently own anything an influence plays though.
I've only had the opportunity to play a Modulus once, was a used Q5 in a GC. Great instrument, but I'm not sure it's worth the high price tag for me. Graphite neck seemed to suck low end out.
I've only had the opportunity to play a Modulus once, was a used Q5 in a GC. Great instrument, but I'm not sure it's worth the high price tag for me. Graphite neck seemed to suck low end out.
No. I love Chris Squire's playing, so I did try a Rick just to see what the deal was. I found out that they aren't for me. Simply not my cup of tea.
And I understand that Modulus has nicer electronics, but I could do that with a Gecko, and have nice woods too. Only drawback is I can't get a neck-thru.
Same here, loved the tone, but the neck wasn't for me. Someday I will have to get a custom one made for me.
I'll try things if I like what they sound like in the hands of a guy who either plays similarly to me or does something (music wise) that I want to do. That said, if it doesn't work for me then I move on. I won't buy something and then force the creative juices to flow if it just isn't there.
I bought a MIM Fender Jazz bass when I was 18 I believe. It was the first bass I ever bought with my own money. I wanted it because of John Paul Jones. I was playing an MIM Fender P at the time and did not understand the differences between the two.
I stopped playing bass for years & years. Now I am playing a Fender P not because I was influenced by other bass players but because I feel it's the right bass for me...for now.
I stopped playing bass for years & years. Now I am playing a Fender P not because I was influenced by other bass players but because I feel it's the right bass for me...for now.
I always wanted to make something for myself. I fell that getting the bass that one of my influences played was copying them a bit much.
sj_bass
Supporting Member
Playing in tribute bands means having basses that are directly influenced by the players... Of course, some of my basses I own just for their damn good looks. Others for their sound. Others for their versatility. Others for...
I'm such a bass whore.
I'm such a bass whore.
I answered yes above because that's what I did for my first bass and amp, but I think I'm becoming a little wiser.
I've always liked bass but the bassist that made me want to play bass is John Paul Jones. I looked at his setup and decided I wanted to sound like him so I bought a Jazz bass (Squier VM Jazz) and an Acoustic amp (Acoustic B10 combo). Boy did I have much to learn, to start with JPJ's tone on the early stuff sounds more like a P bass than a J bass to me, so I was constantly frustrated with my Jazz's tone being too bright and clangy. I didn't realize I bought a bass that seems to be built for Funk. It had 500K pots (To be brighter), a maple body (heavy, bright), and came with roundwound strings(like usual but still very bright). The amp is good though. I put flats on it and did a series/parallel mod (which is usually in series) and now I have realized I should have just bought a P bass.
I've always liked bass but the bassist that made me want to play bass is John Paul Jones. I looked at his setup and decided I wanted to sound like him so I bought a Jazz bass (Squier VM Jazz) and an Acoustic amp (Acoustic B10 combo). Boy did I have much to learn, to start with JPJ's tone on the early stuff sounds more like a P bass than a J bass to me, so I was constantly frustrated with my Jazz's tone being too bright and clangy. I didn't realize I bought a bass that seems to be built for Funk. It had 500K pots (To be brighter), a maple body (heavy, bright), and came with roundwound strings(like usual but still very bright). The amp is good though. I put flats on it and did a series/parallel mod (which is usually in series) and now I have realized I should have just bought a P bass.
Well, I got my MIM Jazz bass because I thought, "I can afford it. And Geddy Lee plays Jazz basses and they sound cool, so they must be good." (I've owned it for a while and realized that mine actually doesn't have that awesome sound I'm looking for (don't know if it's the strings, pickups, amp, or what), so now I've learned that I need to make sure a bass has the sound that I want from it before I buy it). I also really liked the neck better than my first bass's neck, so I also bought it because the neck was awesome. If I found a bass that I thought sounded good and felt good to me, I'm sure I'd buy it even if an influence didn't play it.
I admit that I do, although I played one bass for over 20 years and none of my influences every played one (Guild B301). Now that I am older and can afford the basses I GASed for when I was younger, I am enjoying chasing the tones I idolized growing up. Already have the Ric, next up on my list: Steinberger L2 (or XL2) from the 80's. Then, possibly a Wal or Aria SB-1000.
I bought a Epi EB-0 because Jack Bruce used to play a Gibson EB-0 before he switched to EB-3, and I didn't like the new Gibson EB-3 or the Epi EB-3. EB-0 does look cool too.
When I bought my bass (a Squier j), my only influence was Jimmy Haslip because my dad loved the yellowjackets. There was no way I could afford the bass he's playing! Now I just buy what sounds and looks good and most importantly what I NEED. If a famous guy plays it then cool but I'm not gonna go buy a hofner just because Sir Paul had one.
I wouldn't buy a bass just because someone I like plays it, but if I was trying to emulate someone's sound, using the same instrument would be a good place to start. I have ceratainly tried basses (and amps and effects) because someone whose sound I like uses them. Sometimes they worked for me, sometimes not.
Absolutely not. My favorite bassist when I was just starting out learning to play was Cliff Burton, but I have never owned an Aria Pro nor a Ric simply because they didn't fit me.
Seeing a favourite bassist play (through) a particular piece of gear is more likely to make me look into it, but I wouldn't buy it blindly without a test drive first.
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