Ever had a love / hate relation with a bass guitar(you never bought)?

I LOVE the look of the Fender 60th anniversary P but I don't particularly care for Fender XD

 

The Geddy Lee bass I just got rid of.

I loved it because of the CS60s pickups I installed.

I hated it because the neck was indeed way too skinny for me.

I loved it because it look awesome.

I hated it because of the truss rod adjustment location.

Sigh...

 

Music man sting rays. I love how they sound when other people play them, but in my hands they just don't sound or feel good.

 

Mike Dirnt Precision bass by Squier. Light as hell and a smooth neck, but not very good tone and the E string is really dead and clacky sounding.

 

There was an older (late 90's/early 2000's, I think?) American Deluxe Fender Jazz hanging on the wall of my local Guitar Center. It looked a lot like this one, so I suspect it's from the same era…maybe even the same, exact model.

Oh my God, that transparent teal finish was gorgeous! I thought to myself, "It's an MIA Jazz with all the deluxe bells and whistles. I bet it'd sound and feel as great as it looks!" So, I worked up the nerve to take it down (I'm always nervy handling any instrument that costs four-digits ), plugged it in and gave it a whirl…


…and was very sadly disappointed.

Of my three, over-arching criteria…"Looks", "Feel" and "Sound"…it only met the first. I couldn't exactly put a finger on it, but it just didn't "feel" right to my hands. And sonically-speaking, it was kinda tepid. Or, to borrow a saying of my girlfriend's, it didn't suck, but it didn't not-suck.

 

I don't like the look of those jazz and precision basses with the neck pickup moved really close to the neck.

 

Rick. Love the sound so much. Every few years I will pick one up to try out, and it just does not fit me at all. Just feels too awkward to play. Sucks because I do love the way they sound.

 

Rickenbacker. Love the sound. Coolest looking bass in the world. The feel is just impossible for me.

 

Squier Classic Vibe 60's P Bass
Pink/Red body with tort guard
Great playing bass but butt ugly, so i got a sonic blue one

 

As best I can tell, the neck pickup is in the proper position. Look how it sits in relation to the pickguard screws, especially the one on the right-side edge of the control plate. If you draw a straight line heading towards your feet, it almost crosses over the screw. The one I linked is in-line with this "measurement".

 

Rick 4003. Looks killer and sounds great, but are expensive and they just don't feel right to me.

 

Rick 4001/4003. My inner Chris Squire and Getty Lee really want one. But they never feel right to me. I'll stick with my Carvins.

 

I think it's a curse that's put upon people who can't spell his name right. It'll never, ever feel right in their hands. I think it's why a Squier will never feel right to me.

 

Ha!

 

Sorry, I couldn't resist!

 

Yep. Ric for me too. I dig everything about them except how they feel in my hands. I have tried dozens over the years. Not even close. Can't stand how they feel.

 

These are great players. I dig both the red and the blue--the only reason I don't own one is because the necks are too narrow front to back for my tastes and I prefer heftier frets.

 

As for Rics, I love -em. I would love to have a 4001 especially.

But I do think this is a brand where it is wise to try it out before you buy one. There are so many variations even within the same models produced the same year...particularly with regard to the necks.

If you've never played a Ric, I urge people to try one out in person before you make an internet purchase. Rics are not for everyone.

I do dig Rics a lot, but I can also understand totally why some people consider them clunky.

Players who.may have come up playing Fender type basses and feel most comfortable with that kind of instrument might find Rics too foreign in feel and different in sound.

Overall, though, great, classy, unique instruments.

 

I love Spector shape and sound but I hate the reach, even on my 34". I always felt like the reach was that of a 35. I was recently informed that, at least on some Spectors, they use the same body/neck for both 34 and 35 scales and just move the bridge accordingly; therefore, the nut on the 34 is, indeed, the same reach as a 35, of course the fret spacing differs but the reach to nut is the same.