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How do you bond with a bass?

#61
I bond with my instruments by spending the first few hours of ownership woodshedding on it and then setting it up. I buy a lot of basses second-hand, so most of them need help in one way or another (new strings, fretboard needs oil, or the setup needs some tweaking). Then you go out and make some memories with it. My Schecter Stiletto Studio-6 was my first sixer, first bass with EMG pickups,and it was intimidating as hell to play because it was the size of an aircraft carrier but eventually I conquered it. My Squire MB-4 was a cheap bass I bought to beat on in Iraq, but damned if it won't go to the grave with me because it is so comfortable for me to play, I love the Skull N' Crossbones paint job, and it has a great tone to it.

Peace,
Greg
 
#62
I know I like a bass within minutes of picking it up. If I keep playing past a half hour and I still like it, odds are, I love it. It's quick for me. I've learned that over the years I've played any piece of gear that I can tell almost immediately if I like it. If I'm still not sure after about 10 min, I know it's not something I'm going to like/love and I'll move on. Plus, I'm pretty faithful to the gear I love. It takes a lot for me to love away from what works for me. That could be good and bad.
 
#64
- Have it be your first bass.
- Buy a bass that looks gorgeous and feels/plays like a dream.
- Buy it with your first pay check.
- Have only one bass, and know it inside out.
- Gig it for 20 years, build memories with it. Have a lot of first-time experiences with it.
- Pick it up and play it every single day, develop your skills on it and it'll feel like home.
- Develop 'your sound' on it.
- Record a dozen albums with it.
- Clean it regularly and painstakingly care for it.
- Learn to do a perfect setup on it.

Also:
- Buy something above your level, a bass that shows up your flaws, and practice your a$$ off to master these new skills on it.
- Put it on a stand in your bedroom so its the last thing you see at night and the first thing you see in the morning.
- Be willing to pay ANY asking price once you find the bass that captures your heart.
- Rescue/restore a bass. Pour love and time into it, and you develop a special connection with it.
 
#66
Jazz Ad said:
For me, the magic happens when I can forget the instrument, when it only becomes an interface between my brain and what I hear.
If I get effortless great tone and don't spend my time looking at the neck trying to avoid mistakes, I know it's a good one.
The few basses to which I'm really attached are like that. I grab them, start playing and instantly love what comes out.
Click to expand...

That's exactly my experience. When the bass (or guitar or Dobro) becomes invisible, I can seriously play music on it. Another element, as has already been brought up, is play the tar out of it. My two main basses have been frequently gigged starting in '06 for one and '07 for the other (see avatar). All my basses have similar necks, with the exception of one that has medium jumbo frets, so I don't spend a lot of time adapting.
 

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