How have your tastes changed?

[ugly_bassplayer]

Nope.... I suck just as much on any bass

 

[Paulabass]

Passive bolt on
Active neck thru
Passive bolt on
Active neck thru
Passive bolt on
Active neck thru
Passive bolt on
Active neck thru
And so on, and so on........

 

[NecroticImbecil]

My criteria for my first bass were cheap and functional. When I got more money I had a couple cooler looking basses that were also functional. From there I went to thin neck, good (or cool) looking, great sounding and have stuck with that with few exceptions.

 

[baddarryl]

When I was a kid in the late 70’s and early 80’s everything Fender sucked. Then a few years ago after reading in TB I picked up a recent Jazz Bass and was blown away. Everything I have now was designed by Leo! Current #1 is a 76 P I just got.

 

[Lammchop93]

yes.

Then: Active 5 string modern sounding basses with a GK or other Hi-fi amp
Now" 4 string fender with an warm Orange amp.

 

[Hundred proof]

I started with a P bass 70s vintage, but always wanted a Jazz. I've found it relatively easy to get a decent P tone out of most of the Precisions I've come across. Used a 68 for years sold it about two years ago. Went through countless Jazz basses trying to find "the one" and finally did. It's still around, about 4 years ago, looking for something different I came across a deal on an EBMM Sterling ripped out the pickup and all the electronics and started with a clean sheet of paper it's a keeper too. Went through a ton of other basses over the years these two are what I've distilled it down to.

 

[40Hz]

Then: I liked everything.

Now: I like everything.

 

[TheGreatSealof]

I am deplorable. 2010 was my first bass, Ibanez SG300. Cherry red body with a slim, fast maple neck. I truly dedicated myself to learning bass and a monogimos relationship with my first love. Then......THE DREADED GAS!!!!!!THE DREADED GAS!!!!!!

My first love was only slightly modified. I replaced stock pups with Bartolini pups. Total love! Then THE DREADED GAS!!!!!!

I have many stories to tell but I won't bore you any longer. I have owned, sold, and purchased many more instruments. So to address your question, my tastes have changed many times. Some for the better, many regrets. I need help killing the THE DREADED GAS!!!!!!

 

[Dabndug]

Then: Would only play a Rickenbacker 4000, because of the neck.

Now: Will play anything that isn't totally trashed (partially trashed is fine).

 

[Charlzm]

It's been interesting seeing how my bass tastes have changed over time--how about yours?

Then: short scale
Now: medium scale

Then: semi-hollow body
Now: solid body

Then: neck pickup and dark, fundamental-heavy tone
Now: middle (even slightly bridge-ward) pickup and articulate, mid-rich tone

No change: limited neck taper, narrow string spacing at bridge

No change: flat wound strings

Then - I thought I liked neck through basses with single coil pickups
Now - I like bolt-on basses with P/J or split coils (although I do still like single coils)

 

[bassplayer9512]

Then: Jazz basses
Anything fast from jazz to metal

Now: P bass
Anything with a great groove

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

For years I was a Jazz neck kind of guy. I wanted a small nut width, and thin neck. The Geddy Jazz was pretty much exactly what I wanted from my bass necks.
And I didn't want a Pbass. It was basic, low class.
Then, I picked up a Fender Roger Waters Sig Pbass.
1.75" nut.
I think it's the biggest 4 string neck Fender makes.
Felt like home.
And I could use the tone knob in a way that I never could with a jazz. It's nigh impossible to get a bad tone from a Pbass. Even the tone knob rolled all the way off is usable and useful on a Pbass.
I seriously sold every other bass I owned after I bought the RW P.
I've since reacquired a Jazz, as it does have its place.
And I've picked up a 5 string, which I swore I'd never play unless someone paid me enough to play one.
Well, I got the call and someone paid me more than enough.
Now, i like having it around. It too has its uses.
But the Pbass is home.

 

[walking Bass]

Started short scale and still prefer it. Picked up fretless and 5 string along the way, but fretted short scales just sound and play best for me.

 

[Frndmoretti]

When I was 15 I wanted to play a P bass and sound like duff mckagan because "you can actually hear him".

I got decent speakers whenI was 17.

Then I wanted to sound like Paul Simonon but play like Mike Watt and geezer Butler (different ideas for different projects).

10 years later and it'sall the same.

 

[3bc]

Only real change is in downsizing things. Back when I gigged a lot and did some touring, my rig was HUGE. SWR megoliath 8x10, a rack for my wireless, power conditioner and SWR head. Then another rack for my laptop in ears and RME fireface interface for running samples and synths out of. And I had my hard shell case for my TBird, and then a hard shell case for my hard shell case (big SKB keyboard flight case).

Now I have a Genzler mini stack of doom 2x 1x12’s. And I can load in one trip. Gig bag for the bass and the class D Genzler head and one cab in each hand. My goal is still the same, nice round, deep but balanced sound that skews ever so slightly to the “hi if” side of things.

 

[JackNasty]

Then: 5 string active
Now: 4 string passive

 

[Kukulkan61]

I’ve always been a P bass guy and have tried numerous jazz basses, I couldn’t warm up to them and I would flip them as fast as I was buying them. Well I’ve had a change of heart just recently since I scored this D Lakin, this bass is so good I’ve even been gigging it lately and it is now in the rotation with my 2 P basses!!

 

[sikamikanico]

Then: Bass
Now: Mids

Then: P bass with flats
Now: P bass with pressurewounds (or old nickel rounds)

Then: all you need is a P
Now: P may be all you need, but surely there’s a better bass out there?

 

[Watchootognbout]

No.
My tastes haven't changed.
But I have finally have a wider choice of the style of basses that I've always wanted.

 

[Frndmoretti]

Then: Bass
Now: Mids

Then: P bass with flats
Now: P bass with pressurewounds (or old nickel rounds)

Then: all you need is a P
Now: P may be all you need, but surely there’s a better bass out there?

I second the mids part