Have you ever played a bad-sounding bass?

[Just Wrong]

I was thinking today how I've played basses I didn't like for several reasons (neck shape, wouldn't stay in tune, sharp frets, etc.), but I can't recall ever deciding not buying a bass or selling one because of how it sounds. At one time, my only bass was a Warwick and I was really into Motown. It wasn't ideal in terms of sound, but I made it work with flats and the preamp.

Have you ever decided against buying bass or selling one primarily because of how it sounded?

 

[Killing Floor]

I've played basses I didn't love the sound of. And didn't buy them. Sure.

 

[buldog5151bass]

You should be able to get a usable tone from any decent instrument.

 

[5StringBlues]

they sounded great before l picked them up

 

[Passinwind]

I was thinking today how I've played basses I didn't like for several reasons (neck shape, wouldn't stay in tune, sharp frets, etc.), but I can't recall ever deciding not buying a bass or selling one because of how it sounds. At one time, my only bass was a Warwick and I was really into Motown. It wasn't ideal in terms of sound, but I made it work with flats and the preamp.

Have you ever decided against buying bass or selling one primarily because of how it sounded?

Yep, my first "real" bass was an EB-0 that I never could stand the sound of at all.

 

[Jefus]

Yup. Peavey Patriot. Didn't matter flats or rounds. I couldn't stand that thing.

 

[Pilgrim]

The only bad sounding bass I have played was a cheap Japanese Hofner violin bass knock-off that my brother had in the 70s. The pickups were so microphonic that it was hard to play it loud enough to practice with and avoid feedback. Yikes!!

 

[Bob_Ross]

I can't recall ever deciding not buying a bass or selling one because of how it sounds.

Consider yourself lucky. Or sheltered.

They're out there. I've owned a couple over the years, and played a bunch more.

 

[Blues Bass 2]

Same as Passinwind , my first good bass was a 67 EBO . Spent some money having the EB3 small humbucking and other controls installed , refinished it dark walnut with Abalone binding and Schaller tuners .
It still sounded like poo .

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Just Wrong

Have you ever decided against buying bass or selling one primarily because of how it sounded?

I am a very honest person! I would never ever sell a bass that sounds bad to anybody!

Would be just wrong!

That's why I buy basses that sound good!

Yep, my first "real" bass was an EB-0 that I never could stand the sound of at all.

The first bass I ever played was a bad EB copy. Never bought it!


greetings

Wise(b)ass

 

[tb-player]

I bought a gorgeous Sadowsky Modern and returned it because it sounded like a Ken Smith (yuck! I didn't fully understand the effects of pickup spacing yet). Beautiful bass that played like a dream right out of the box… but I hated the tone.

 

[Polardog]

I had a Yamaha banana bass reissue about 20 years ago, think it was called SBV-500 or something. Couldn't get a useful tone out of it, just sounded weird.

 

[HardNHeavy]

an 80's charvel p copy..weak pickups and needed a setup

 

[Flatwound]

I tried a '69 P-bass with flats in a shop some years ago. It just seemed dull and uninspiring. As I was looking at another instrument, I heard someone playing a great-sounding, motownish bass. I turned around, and it was that same '69, P-bass.

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

Yes, my first bass was a gibson eb0. It sounded muddy, vague and nothing that I wanted a bass to sound like. I got it simply because it was an easy trade for my (gibson es330) and thinking back a big mistake. Dumped it a year later for a PBass and never looked back.

 

[themickster]

I was thinking today how I've played basses I didn't like for several reasons (neck shape, wouldn't stay in tune, sharp frets, etc.), but I can't recall ever deciding not buying a bass or selling one because of how it sounds. At one time, my only bass was a Warwick and I was really into Motown. It wasn't ideal in terms of sound, but I made it work with flats and the preamp.

Have you ever decided against buying bass or selling one primarily because of how it sounded?

I've never played one I didn't like hearing

 

[JKos]

Have you ever decided against buying bass or selling one primarily because of how it sounded?

Absolutely.

 

[G On Bass]

I've played basses that had limited tonal options and and the options it did offer were not my preferred ones. One had a single, passive mudbucker at the neck, and the others are pretty much anything with one pickup at the bridge. The closer, the worse.

 

[DirkP]

I needed years to come to the conclusion, that I don't like the sound of my all-tricks-pony P/J/Stingray G&L L2000. Something nasal and silvery in the mids that was always there. It was a beautiful quality instrument and my first expensive bass. I am a Fender convinced ever since.

 

[bikeplate]

Many