I went from 4 string P to 5 string P that was a never go back moment then to a JB 5.....again never go back ......well okay sometimes the P is good especially with a pick.
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how has your taste in basses changed?
- Thread starter pcake
- Start date
My biggest change is allowing variety. Back in the day I played my one bass (+ a backup), had my one "signature" sound, and did not want other flavors. Silly kid. Now I love all the different bass types, and all the wide varieties of sounds they can produce.
I also hated "wooden looking" basses back in the day, but now love them.
I also hated "wooden looking" basses back in the day, but now love them.
What, it would kill you to lick them once in a while?Never tasted my basses.
Still like all my basses but some of them seemed to put on weight now that I'm in my mid-50's. 
I've came full circle.
First thing I could honestly call a bass was my 12lb P-bass from Japan,put a set of tapes on it and I was done
Then I lost my way for about 30 years
Actives, pointy headstocks,, boutiques, 5 strings, headless, garish colours, alcohol, couple of 6 strings,, fretless, acoustic bass, ,bass ukes, short scales, a semi hollow, neck through designs, carbon necks, hi mass bridges, brass things added for sustain.A sad 3 decades
6 years back a £70 single coil P-bass was bought. Tapes went on it the following day
Since then 70 odd basses have remained in cases,cupboards and under beds while I enjoy the simple pleasure of the P-bass
What's real? ... After 50-years, for me, it's all down to necks and pickups. ... Old Fender necks are prefered, but, there are companies that make them the old school way, Fender doesn't any more. ... Pickups? ... Old Fender are good but, again, Lollar, Lindy, Augi's are all great. ... After that it doesn't matter what colour the body is, bridge, tuners, strings? Buy quality, buy once.
I started with a 1966 P bass and enjoyed playing a Steinie L2, a Jackson/Charvel and so on.
Then, in 2011, I came across a six string bass that blew me away.
I now play only 6’s and wouldn’t consider anything else, but then I play prog and prog metal and use Yamaha/Carvin basses.
Then, in 2011, I came across a six string bass that blew me away.
I now play only 6’s and wouldn’t consider anything else, but then I play prog and prog metal and use Yamaha/Carvin basses.
I’m much more picky than when I started in 1984. After regularly trying out every bass I could along the way, my preferences evolved gradually- there was always a common characteristic with each new bass, and I would usually stick with any given bass for at least 5 years.
Initially, my approach was to have one bass to cover everything, but I have become more open to the idea of keeping multiple basses (a whopping 3in all)
in the collection.
These days, my basses are effortless to play, have quiet electronics (active and passive), and are much lighter in weight.
Initially, my approach was to have one bass to cover everything, but I have become more open to the idea of keeping multiple basses (a whopping 3in all)
in the collection. These days, my basses are effortless to play, have quiet electronics (active and passive), and are much lighter in weight.
I started out on a P bass, went from that to a Gretsch shortscale and from there I've set out to try every bass I can play and collect every pick up configuration, some have left me but most have stayed! I think the only two things that have eluded me owning are fanned fret and a P/MM
If anything my taste in Basses has only proven that I have no taste, I can find something I like in just about anything!
If anything my taste in Basses has only proven that I have no taste, I can find something I like in just about anything!
Always liked p-basses. Tried a bunch of others. Still like p-basses, and the occasional Gibson.
I never had tastes with regards to basses. They are not fashion articles I think.i Keep a couple of old ones and a 6.
I used to be more interested in how a bass looks. Now, looks take a back seat to how it plays, feels and sounds. Looks are still important but I'd never buy a good looking bass that didn't play, feel and sound good.
Not really. I've gone full circle back to playing an EB-0 after 50 years. It's not the Gibson EB-0 I played in 1970. It's an Epiphone EB-0 strung with D'Addario ETB92S Nylons, that plays great, and sounds fine.
For my first bass, I wanted one that functioned and was within my budget. While these are still important today, I am a bit pickier.
Allot. I started off with only Fenders..... jazzes at that. I never could understand why the bottom dropped out with them so I went to Fender P basses where I stayed for years.
I loved vintage but never kept the ones I bought for long. I also swore off active basses since they sounded weird and hi- fi to me. I also felt you only needed four strings...flats at that.
Today I play 5 string Laklands, all active with roundwound strings. I’m the happiest I have ever been playing bass.
I loved vintage but never kept the ones I bought for long. I also swore off active basses since they sounded weird and hi- fi to me. I also felt you only needed four strings...flats at that.
Today I play 5 string Laklands, all active with roundwound strings. I’m the happiest I have ever been playing bass.
