Won't lie...they did when I first got it. Sent them to Vintage Vibe Guitars to get them repotted and all is well.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Does the name on the headstock really matter?
- Thread starter Fergie Fulton
- Start date
Hell yes! That was the only bass I ever bought for the name on the headstock, BTW. No other reason whatsoever. Fortunately it turned out to be a serious player I'd put right up with a Hofner for sound quality.That alone firmly secures its position in the upper echelon of cool.
depends on the player. if it sounds great, the name means nothing. i have a galveston p bass i picked up about a week ago. sounds amazing with some nice lows.....
"Will a better bass make you a better player?"
Yes and no. A better bass will definitely be easier to play, but not improve your actual playing significantly. I can see how a better bass might motivate you to practice more, essentially making you a better player.
Maybe I believed I would be better on a better bass when I was younger, but I quickly realized that it's not about the instrument, but more about the work you put into it. I have heard some really great players on cheap intruments.
I have also encountered people who cared what the name on the headstock was. Not too many though...
Yes and no. A better bass will definitely be easier to play, but not improve your actual playing significantly. I can see how a better bass might motivate you to practice more, essentially making you a better player.
Maybe I believed I would be better on a better bass when I was younger, but I quickly realized that it's not about the instrument, but more about the work you put into it. I have heard some really great players on cheap intruments.
I have also encountered people who cared what the name on the headstock was. Not too many though...
My two main basses are built from mostly Fender and Squier parts with a Moses neck on one and a Mighty Mite on the other. Nothing on the headstock and I've disovered that I quite like it that way.
I have no intentions to sell, they are just tools to me and if my tastes change or they fail to meet my expectations in some way, I'll just change whatever part isn't working.
Consequently, I get asked "what kind of bass is that" a lot, and that's one of the few questions I don't mind answering as I can tailor the response to who I'm dealing with.
If it's an audition with a gear snob, I just say "It's custom built" mention a few of the high profile part brands and leave the rest to his imagination.
If it's a guy who shuns expensive gear I say "Oh this is something i threw together with some old parts"
If it's a creepy dude at a club who looks like he's looking for something to grab to sell to raise money for his next fix. I say "It's a homemade no-name bass"
If it's a douchebag gear snob from another band giving me crap I roll my eyes at any names he drops and offer to let him play it. Beyond that I let my fingers do the talking for me for better or worse. Most people who have played my basses like them a lot.
So do names matter?.... well, to other people yes... sometimes.
I have no intentions to sell, they are just tools to me and if my tastes change or they fail to meet my expectations in some way, I'll just change whatever part isn't working.
Consequently, I get asked "what kind of bass is that" a lot, and that's one of the few questions I don't mind answering as I can tailor the response to who I'm dealing with.
If it's an audition with a gear snob, I just say "It's custom built" mention a few of the high profile part brands and leave the rest to his imagination.
If it's a guy who shuns expensive gear I say "Oh this is something i threw together with some old parts"
If it's a creepy dude at a club who looks like he's looking for something to grab to sell to raise money for his next fix. I say "It's a homemade no-name bass"
If it's a douchebag gear snob from another band giving me crap I roll my eyes at any names he drops and offer to let him play it. Beyond that I let my fingers do the talking for me for better or worse. Most people who have played my basses like them a lot.
So do names matter?.... well, to other people yes... sometimes.
Honestly, after passing the basic hurdles of tone, feel, weight, and mojo; I'm FAR more interested in the color and shape of the body than the logo on the headstock. That's how I listen with my eyes. I passed a bass that sounded good because it was a color i didn't like. I tend to take a modest white fender looking bass to first meetings with potential bandmates. I think bass preference is very personal. I am less impressed with cheap amps. It's OK to have an odd bass, cuz the tone pops up in unlikely places sometimes. But a cheap amp will always sound like a cheap amp. Get a really good impressive, solid amp, and high quality cables to impress people. Playing a weird bass with impunity is hip in certain circles. 
I guess it does matter to me. In that I would prefer no name at all on my headstock.
The first thing I did when I bought my laptop was pick off the Intel and Windows stickers. I was actually kinda thankful when some kid stole the logo off of my car. I often tear the logos off new pairs of jeans(when possible to do so without heavily damaging them) and I don't wear logoed t-shirts(even band shirts).
If somebody wants me to be a walking billboard, they should be paying me to display their logos, I shouldn't be the one paying them for the privilege.
The first thing I did when I bought my laptop was pick off the Intel and Windows stickers. I was actually kinda thankful when some kid stole the logo off of my car. I often tear the logos off new pairs of jeans(when possible to do so without heavily damaging them) and I don't wear logoed t-shirts(even band shirts).
If somebody wants me to be a walking billboard, they should be paying me to display their logos, I shouldn't be the one paying them for the privilege.
