Ha ha ha, you are either getting GAS or have GAS.
Once the buying starts, it's nearly impossible to stop.
If ya got the money................BUY!
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Holy Grail Basses: Perspective
- Thread starter ProbablyTooLoud
- Start date
Once the buying starts, it's nearly impossible to stop.
If ya got the money................BUY!
I think my history helps me not become a collector. When I was a boy we weren't actually POOR, but we didn't have any extra money. We could have little luxuries occasionally, but we had to think about whether they were possible at that time.
So when I went off to college, for example, I had enough extra money for some beer and burgers on occasion, and the occasional date, but my sound system was one of those Radio Shack all-in-one deals. While other guys were spending thousands on audiophile systems, I didn't have those resources. While other guys were stocking up on guitars and such, I had to make do with one of everything.
By the time I got where I had decent money, it was too late for me to form the collector mentality and too late to form the "must have the very best" mentality. I am sure a lot of people would feel differently, like their having to make do with one of something mid grade could now be replaced by having lots of the very best. But in my case it just seems to have burned off that desire. I'm not a minimalist, but if I've got one bass guitar that works I don't feel much pull to get another one. A little, of course, I'm human and susceptible to the same stuff as everyone, but not to the point of accumulating large quantities of any particular thing.
So when I went off to college, for example, I had enough extra money for some beer and burgers on occasion, and the occasional date, but my sound system was one of those Radio Shack all-in-one deals. While other guys were spending thousands on audiophile systems, I didn't have those resources. While other guys were stocking up on guitars and such, I had to make do with one of everything.
By the time I got where I had decent money, it was too late for me to form the collector mentality and too late to form the "must have the very best" mentality. I am sure a lot of people would feel differently, like their having to make do with one of something mid grade could now be replaced by having lots of the very best. But in my case it just seems to have burned off that desire. I'm not a minimalist, but if I've got one bass guitar that works I don't feel much pull to get another one. A little, of course, I'm human and susceptible to the same stuff as everyone, but not to the point of accumulating large quantities of any particular thing.
I mean, yeah. In my experience, the unplugged tone of a bass influences the sound plugged in. I'm not saying it's more important than the pickup type and location in terms of plugged in sound, though.
The custom bass has what I'd call a stiff unplugged tone. It's on the thin side, and the notes decay fairly quickly. I feel that comes through when plugged in, too. It's very synth slap bass. Sounds a lot like the bass tone on Sanctified by NIN.
I've tried to get basses to sound the same by dropping the same pickups in them, and there are still notable differences despite the similar electronics. I'm not saying the audience will notice whatever I'm perceiving.
If I'm in a store these days, I don't bother to plug something in unless I like how it sounds unplugged. Stores also generally don't stock stuff I'm interested in anyway, though, so my visits tend to be short.
I went down that rabbit hole and ended up with over a dozen bass guitars by 2010. In 1974 I had one, in 1978 I had two, in 1982 I had three, in 1993 I had four…the latest was the first one I got over the Internet, then things got out of hand quickly. Today in 2024 I have six left, four of which have been with me for over 20 years.
Yes, advertising and consumerism took me in and spit me out.
P.S. I was never a collector. To me a collector is someone who has every version to the P-bass…51, 54, 57, 62, 66 and so on, Thunderbirds in every custom color, every Fender bass and guitar finished in Antigua, etc.
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I prefer Jazz basses because I prefer slim necks and can find my way around the control plate without looking down. Beyond that cosmetic features are not important with a few exceptions, 3TSB and bigazz blocks in the fretboard are not desirable but if the deal is good enough I can live with it. All that said, the only things I consider non negotiable is playability and how lively it sounds unplugged. I’ve never bought a bass that is loud enough to hear unplugged that didn’t sing when plugged in.
Well...
30-some years ago, I made a list of all the basses that I felt I should have in my "Bass Herd". Being left handed made it hard to find some of them; in fact, I had to have 3 of them made. But, I finally completed the "Herd" this summer; counting the 3 "extra" basses I accumulated along the way? I have 27 of the things... Nevertheless, I do have a handful of "Holy Grail" basses. But, 2 of them are basses I will almost certainly never find; the other two? Finding those 2 is... extremely unlikely. Thing is, though; for me, "Holy Grail" is all about the search - not the finding. What are these basses?
1. Ampeg EUB-1. According to Bruce Johnson (the man who should know), Ampeg is supposed to have made only ONE lefty. It was made for Franky Valli & the 4 Seasons' bass player; who, AFAIK, still owns it - and ain't selling. But, if he does? I'd probably make him an offer...
2. Ovation Magnum 1. Far as I've been able to research it - they never made any left handed basses - period. But...?
3. Gretsch White Falcon Bass. I've only ever seen one left handed Gretsch bass - that wasn't a conversion, or a Brooklyn-made factory custom. It's a '94 G6119BO-LH Broadkaster - and I own it. In almost 40 years of looking, I've never seen another lefty. But, I have proof that they did make some - and, maybe one of them is a White Falcon. I'm still looking...
4. Rickenbacker 4001/4003 fretless. RIC has never made many fretless basses - and most of the ones I've seen, are 4001s. And none of them have been left handed - so far. So, it's... sorta reasonable... to assume there's a lefty out there somewhere. I'm looking...
So... like I said; to me, a "Holy Grail" is about the search - not the finding. TBH, if I ever did find one of these basses? I think that buying it, would ruin the "Holy Grail" aspect of it. And, I'm not sure I'd really want to do that...
30-some years ago, I made a list of all the basses that I felt I should have in my "Bass Herd". Being left handed made it hard to find some of them; in fact, I had to have 3 of them made. But, I finally completed the "Herd" this summer; counting the 3 "extra" basses I accumulated along the way? I have 27 of the things... Nevertheless, I do have a handful of "Holy Grail" basses. But, 2 of them are basses I will almost certainly never find; the other two? Finding those 2 is... extremely unlikely. Thing is, though; for me, "Holy Grail" is all about the search - not the finding. What are these basses?
1. Ampeg EUB-1. According to Bruce Johnson (the man who should know), Ampeg is supposed to have made only ONE lefty. It was made for Franky Valli & the 4 Seasons' bass player; who, AFAIK, still owns it - and ain't selling. But, if he does? I'd probably make him an offer...
2. Ovation Magnum 1. Far as I've been able to research it - they never made any left handed basses - period. But...?
3. Gretsch White Falcon Bass. I've only ever seen one left handed Gretsch bass - that wasn't a conversion, or a Brooklyn-made factory custom. It's a '94 G6119BO-LH Broadkaster - and I own it. In almost 40 years of looking, I've never seen another lefty. But, I have proof that they did make some - and, maybe one of them is a White Falcon. I'm still looking...
4. Rickenbacker 4001/4003 fretless. RIC has never made many fretless basses - and most of the ones I've seen, are 4001s. And none of them have been left handed - so far. So, it's... sorta reasonable... to assume there's a lefty out there somewhere. I'm looking...
So... like I said; to me, a "Holy Grail" is about the search - not the finding. TBH, if I ever did find one of these basses? I think that buying it, would ruin the "Holy Grail" aspect of it. And, I'm not sure I'd really want to do that...
Lefty fretless Ricky.Well...
30-some years ago, I made a list of all the basses that I felt I should have in my "Bass Herd". Being left handed made it hard to find some of them; in fact, I had to have 3 of them made. But, I finally completed the "Herd" this summer; counting the 3 "extra" basses I accumulated along the way? I have 27 of the things... Nevertheless, I do have a handful of "Holy Grail" basses. But, 2 of them are basses I will almost certainly never find; the other two? Finding those 2 is... extremely unlikely. Thing is, though; for me, "Holy Grail" is all about the search - not the finding. What are these basses?
1. Ampeg EUB-1. According to Bruce Johnson (the man who should know), Ampeg is supposed to have made only ONE lefty. It was made for Franky Valli & the 4 Seasons' bass player; who, AFAIK, still owns it - and ain't selling. But, if he does? I'd probably make him an offer...
2. Ovation Magnum 1. Far as I've been able to research it - they never made any left handed basses - period. But...?
3. Gretsch White Falcon Bass. I've only ever seen one left handed Gretsch bass - that wasn't a conversion, or a Brooklyn-made factory custom. It's a '94 G6119BO-LH Broadkaster - and I own it. In almost 40 years of looking, I've never seen another lefty. But, I have proof that they did make some - and, maybe one of them is a White Falcon. I'm still looking...
4. Rickenbacker 4001/4003 fretless. RIC has never made many fretless basses - and most of the ones I've seen, are 4001s. And none of them have been left handed - so far. So, it's... sorta reasonable... to assume there's a lefty out there somewhere. I'm looking...
So... like I said; to me, a "Holy Grail" is about the search - not the finding. TBH, if I ever did find one of these basses? I think that buying it, would ruin the "Holy Grail" aspect of it. And, I'm not sure I'd really want to do that...
https://reverb.com/item/85317290-le...-fretless-4001-rickenbacker-custom-build-bass
You know, I did look at that one; and, I'll admit it - I'm tempted. However; did you read the description? It's an old, lefty fretted 4003 that was converted - by well qualified people, whose names I recognize - into a Paul McCartney fretless. Sadly, one of my "Herd" rules is: "NO conversions - unless there's absolutely no other choice". Plus, while it is a beautiful conversion, it's missing something that real fretless 4001's have; small red dots on the edge of the fingerboard, where the frets would be. Being sorta tone-deaf? I sorta need those dots - or a lined fingerboard. Like the 4 fretless basses I already own, all have... But, yeah; if I knew - knew - that it was that bass; or nothing? It would already be on the way to my house. And, that would go for the "left handed" Peavey T-40 that's on Reverb, too. But, sadly, that's also a conversion. New - and beautifully done - left handed body, with everything else swapped over from a right handed one. But, that "no conversions" thing, again... Although, I'm pretty sure there really were no left handed Peavey's - ever....
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