• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Is Finding the Perfect Bass Boring?

#21
Dr. Cheese said:
I have slowly come to the conclusion that considering all factors such as tone, weight, comfort, neck profile, build quality, nice action, and price, the USA Peavey Millennium is the perfect bass for me. Like all of us, I still love other basses, but I know the Millennium gives me what I want, the way I want it. The problem is that now that I know it's just right for me, I feel almost a bit of a letdown, kind of like once I finally got my doctorate. I spent so much time working on it, when I graduated, it was like 'what's next" for a moment.

I know the logical answer is, you got the right bass, go shed, but I still, I do miss just looking and thinking about cool basses.:D
Click to expand...

Want another one:hyper:
 
#22
Dr. Cheese said:
I have slowly come to the conclusion that considering all factors such as tone, weight, comfort, neck profile, build quality, nice action, and price, the USA Peavey Millennium is the perfect bass for me. Like all of us, I still love other basses, but I know the Millennium gives me what I want, the way I want it. The problem is that now that I know it's just right for me, I feel almost a bit of a letdown, kind of like once I finally got my doctorate. I spent so much time working on it, when I graduated, it was like 'what's next" for a moment.

I know the logical answer is, you got the right bass, go shed, but I still, I do miss just looking and thinking about cool basses.:D
Click to expand...

I've found around two dozen perfect basses and am enjoying every minute of playing them.

PS I did the shedding before I got the basses;)
 
#23
The GAS that is but, since the max of over 20 about 2 years ago (Foderas, Sads, Smith, Bebensee, Kinal, Citron, Modulus, old J & P, etc, ec.) I have begun slowly discarding the unused ones (pending sale of a Monarch right now).

I'm finally attached to a Imperial Elite 5 36" and a Sad NYC
24-5, both fretless. So now it's just oddball weird and not necesarily expensive 'fun' instruments.:hyper:
 
#24
Bought my 1975 P-Bass in 1975 and have not lusted for another bass since. I play in 2 bands..a classic rock band and a jazz band where we play mostly originals. No one has ever complained about the bass. The tone I need and want is just always there with a little tweaking. Just a simple happy camper am I.:bassist:
 
#25
Dr. Cheese said:
I have slowly come to the conclusion that considering all factors such as tone, weight, comfort, neck profile, build quality, nice action, and price, the USA Peavey Millennium is the perfect bass for me. Like all of us, I still love other basses, but I know the Millennium gives me what I want, the way I want it. The problem is that now that I know it's just right for me, I feel almost a bit of a letdown, kind of like once I finally got my doctorate. I spent so much time working on it, when I graduated, it was like 'what's next" for a moment.

I know the logical answer is, you got the right bass, go shed, but I still, I do miss just looking and thinking about cool basses.:D
Click to expand...

Why, there's your problem! :D
 
#29
An old Navy saying goes, "If you walk into a bar and all the women are below your standards... lower your standards." So it is with basses... my bass isn't perfect, but I learned to work with what I have (and at the time, it was [and still is] the best I could find "in that price bracket"). Love what ya got, gentleman (and ladies). And practice!!!
 
#31
I am also much more content because I have lost interest in having a bunch of bass tones. I really like a Stingray tone, a Jazz tone, and I love the P tone too. I really like the modern tone like a Cirrus/Ken Smith, but I suspect that I can live without it. My Millennium can pretty much get all the tones, especially the jazz and Stingray, the P tone is only so so. Like someone posted earlier, the reality is that when one is out playing,one probably isn't switching basses that much anyway. I know I don't.:bassist:
 
#33
Once you find the "perfect" bass, challenge it by using other basses in cases you would use your perfect one (keeping both basses handy and alternating between the two). If you keep on choosing that bass for reasons of sound, playbility and ergonomics (time and time again) then you have found your perfect bass. I have found my perfect bass back in 1999: my first DINGWALL (not the one on my avatar); and even though I have bought and performed with many great basses over the years (please browse my profile), I am still hooked in terms of sound, playability and ergonomics on my Dingwall(s). So some of the least used basses have to go sometime soon
 
#37
Dr. Cheese said:
I have slowly come to the conclusion that considering all factors such as tone, weight, comfort, neck profile, build quality, nice action, and price, the USA Peavey Millennium is the perfect bass for me. Like all of us, I still love other basses, but I know the Millennium gives me what I want, the way I want it. The problem is that now that I know it's just right for me, I feel almost a bit of a letdown, kind of like once I finally got my doctorate. I spent so much time working on it, when I graduated, it was like 'what's next" for a moment.

I know the logical answer is, you got the right bass, go shed, but I still, I do miss just looking and thinking about cool basses.:D
Click to expand...


My wife asked me before we tied the knot if 'she was the one'. I said no ;) She about flipped, but what I meant was that we are perfectly compatible, I probably have some other people out there with just as good compatability, but we work great together, and that is all that matters. Two weeks later, and extremely uninteresting two weeks, we were hunky dory.

ANYWAYS, basses are like that, some work great for you, but there is not one one that would do everything perfectly (don't beleive me? Which bass has the best p-j slap sound - thick humbucker all in one? It is NOT the roscoe beck ;) ). But, as long a you got the right tool, you have no excuses for not getting the job done to the best of your abilites.

I feel like that now, that I have the tools I was requesting a while back, so now that I got them I need to follow through and play. although time is now getting divided by writing material and recording instead of just playing (its a tough life), I still find myself on stage with nothing but myself in the way of getting good lines out. It was much different when my bass was in my way as well, I at least had that as a fall back. :)
 
#38
EduardoK said:
Brad, please please post the list on those 24 basses !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Off the top of my head... looks like it's more than 24

Ambush 5
Fodera AJ Contrabass 6
Bone Avatar 6
Yancey semihollow 5
1980 G&L L2000E
1968 Jazz
1978 Jazz
2001 FMT 5
1979 Tobias
1980 Tobias 5
1992 MTD 635
Elrick NJS semihollow fretless 5
Elrick NJS 5
Marleaux JB Deluxe 5
Zon Legacy Standard fretless 5
F Bass Studio 5
F Bass BN6
and I was just sold an almost new KXB5 Brubaker at an offer I couldn't refuse price so now with some recent trades I think I have eight. Need a group shot of that.
 
#39
Still being new to the bass scene, even though I have probably twenty or so shipping boxes up in my attic from basses that I've tried and returned,(thanks music 123) I can't imagine, right now, not wanting to try something new, and trying to find something close to "that sound" that I'm looking for!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back