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Do you REALLY need a bass?

MonkeyBass

MonkeyBass

Mar 22, 2009
1,134
49
Denver, CO
#1
... yes I'm being sarcastic. I guess I'm getting a little annoyed with all these threads asking, for example, do you really need a tone control? Do you really need a tube amp? Do you really need a solid state amp? Do you really need a P-bass? etc etc... it never ends!

Just buy whatever floats your boat!!! If you don't like it, don't use it!

Ok... I got that off my chest.

Maybe I need to find a different forum to go to for awhile. I love TB but, man, sometimes it seems like the same questions get asked over and over and over and over.

By the way the best bass for metal is the Mothman played by Chuck Norris eating carrots... and that's an example of what I love about TB.
 
#5
MonkeyBass said:
... yes I'm being sarcastic. I guess I'm getting a little annoyed with all these threads asking, for example, do you really need a tone control? Do you really need a tube amp? Do you really need a solid state amp? Do you really need a P-bass? etc etc... it never ends!

Just buy whatever floats your boat!!! If you don't like it, don't use it!

Ok... I got that off my chest.

Maybe I need to find a different forum to go to for awhile. I love TB but, man, sometimes it seems like the same questions get asked over and over and over and over.

By the way the best bass for metal is the Mothman played by Chuck Norris eating carrots... and that's an example of what I love about TB.
Click to expand...

+100
Get tired of the "What are the best wood screws to use in a the bridge of a '71 P-bass.."

or "my pinky hurts when I play the 'B' in 1st position on the 'G' string.."

These guys kill me..I got 1 bass, 2 rigs and play my a$$ off...Don't want it any other way!
 
#6
MonkeyBass said:
... yes I'm being sarcastic. I guess I'm getting a little annoyed with all these threads asking, for example, do you really need a tone control? Do you really need a tube amp? Do you really need a solid state amp? Do you really need a P-bass? etc etc... it never ends!

Just buy whatever floats your boat!!! If you don't like it, don't use it!

Ok... I got that off my chest.

Maybe I need to find a different forum to go to for awhile. I love TB but, man, sometimes it seems like the same questions get asked over and over and over and over.

By the way the best bass for metal is the Mothman played by Chuck Norris eating carrots... and that's an example of what I love about TB.
Click to expand...

Although I don't get, why anyone would rather get annoyed at those threads than to simply bypass them.

Yes, it's obviously personal.
Do YOU need x,y or z...
 
#9
I like the tuba idea, although it would just be a matter of time until someone comes on saying "Fender tubas suck, Rickenbacker tubas are the best". Then someone would reply, "No Rickenbacker tubas are overpriced. Fender tubas are the best".
 
#11
MonkeyBass said:
... yes I'm being sarcastic. I guess I'm getting a little annoyed with all these threads asking, for example, do you really need a tone control? Do you really need a tube amp? Do you really need a solid state amp? Do you really need a P-bass? etc etc... it never ends!

Just buy whatever floats your boat!!! If you don't like it, don't use it!

Ok... I got that off my chest.

Maybe I need to find a different forum to go to for awhile. I love TB but, man, sometimes it seems like the same questions get asked over and over and over and over.

By the way the best bass for metal is the Mothman played by Chuck Norris eating carrots... and that's an example of what I love about TB.
Click to expand...
Good post. And when did music come down to pure "need," anyway? We all use certain gear because we like the way it sounds. Do most people "need" a bunch of apps on their phones? No...they just like them! Nothing wrong with that, and it's none of anyone else's business. "Do you really need ________?" sounds like a very insecure question IMO.
 
#12
PDGood said:
I like the tuba idea, although it would just be a matter of time until someone comes on saying "Fender tubas suck, Rickenbacker tubas are the best". Then someone would reply, "No Rickenbacker tubas are overpriced. Fender tubas are the best".
Click to expand...

The Fender Jazz Tuba is obviously the best since its valves are smaller, therefore, more responsive. The P-Tuba, that's just for low-end...sucks for any type of expression. And don't even get me started on Gibsons....
 
#14
Same questions etc. is inherent to a public forum - current state. Maybe it would be nice if the forum software forced a search of the topic before a new thread is posted - like some self-help IT tools that force a review of known problem resolutions before a new problem can be submitted.
 
#19
To answer the OP question? Yes. I have a great Rick 4002. It was my main bass for years. Then my old injuries -- childhood bike wrecks, slammed elbow, dislocated thumb, cracked pinky, etc., all came back to haunt me. The only way I could keep playing electric bass for more than 20 minutes at a time without cramping up was to design and have built my custom P-style fanned fret bass.

So in my case the question was simple: if I was done playing bass, the answer would have been no. But I was not done playing bass, so the answer was a most definitive yes. And I have way, way, multiple times made back in gig $$ what I paid to have it custom built.

I still pull out the Rick 4002 when it's a short gig, or if it's for a number or two that just has to have the Rick vibe for the bass line.

BTW: I triple. I also gig on a regular basis on double bass in a variety of genres and especially tuba: one of the less common variants of a detachable bell 186 BBb which I have both an upright bell for indoors and the original recording bell for outdoors. All my instruments, amps, and all accessories (tuners, cords, mouthpieces, rosin, sheet music, etc.) have been paid for by gigs.
 

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