• 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.

Do you have a perfect bass?

#43
A little clarification.

Strings did not come to mind when I posted this tread. And really not part of the equation. For me.

If you changed a bridge, pickups. nut, tuners or general electronics.

Everyone has their strings that they love so I expect strings to be a normal change on every Bass.

Sorry for the confusion.
 
#44
I've got two perfect basses what I'd never change.

158645900_3992189870840108_119389043291913205_n.jpg
157820711_3992210480838047_1673197367361466471_n.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Reedeaux, Admiral Akbar and lowdownthump
#45
My Ibanez SRF705BBF Portamento - if I could only own one bass, this would be it. Some day way down the road I *might* consider changing the tuning keys (if they prove to be as crap as the ones on my SR506), but for now it’s pretty much perfect.
 
#46
This one was and is beyond my expectations. The aesthetics of it appealed to me, the specs looked good but I bought it without playing it first, and it plays better by far than any instrument I’ve ever owned or played. I have tried out a lot of different instruments over the years, and have some keepers. But this is the one that came to me perfect, apart from a string change or two until I settled on the TI’s that sound incredible. Heirloom bass.
A720CCE8-9C02-49C7-BFD4-BF0308C58646.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lukasonbass and Admiral Akbar
#51
My only real objective perfection is the action. I guess and and weird resonances or dead spots, though I haven't run across that issue in a lot of years.

Ill scrutinize them pretty hard for the perfect relief and then do fretwork if I have to. I’m aiming for very low action, around 1mm to 1.5mm with no buzzing until you dig in.

I have several that are perfect by that standard.

Shout out to the two Reverend which were able to get that kind of action off the rack.

The others I got used so I dont know if they needed extra work. The Ibanez, I had to have refretted once. But that neck thru is epic stable. Had to only adjust the truss rod a few times in decades.

reverend_mercalli.jpg

reverend_thundergun.jpg


warwick_corvette3.jpg

ibanez_musician.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Admiral Akbar
#56
Every bass I've had in the past had things I liked about them and things I didn't. All pretty different. But none were ever a perfect fit.
Even if I could have one bass with the best parts of all those basses, none of them were physically comfortable to play. Accept for one that had a perfect neck, but the body wasn't comfy.
So, I decided to learn how to build a bass and do it myself. Right now I'm working on one with a shape very close to a Diva and it seems like it's going to be comfy to hold and play. I'll copy the neck of the one I liked.
How it will sound still remains to be seen. If this one doesn't check all the boxes when it's done, I guess I'll just keep building them until I get it right. Then I'll report back here.
It could be in 6 mo from now, or 6 yrs.
 
#60
Rearranged, not changed…

C4800D60-EB8B-4137-89D6-45CF0E412F25.jpeg


As a yute, I aspired to play
Chris Squire Bass.
I sweated for weeks once I’d decided to remove the pickup cover.
Now I could pick over the pup!
Up toward the neck was too wobbly, Down toward the tail was too clanky.
The pup cover offered the perfect wrist rest.

83C8A43F-4C1C-4956-8F0C-30FB9102EB3A.jpeg




I haven’t kept my pick chops together, but I’ve become accustomed to her smile. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Giffro, Doctor Intrepid, PrairieThunder13 and 1 other person

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back