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Is Finding the Perfect Bass Boring?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I think I know what you mean, Dr. Cheese.
I feel the same way about my Millennium. Since it was my second bass, it took me some time (and four more basses - some I still own, some I don't) to figure it out.
What I feel I am giving up is the thrill of the chase and the infatuation with the latest and greatest. And, don't get me wrong, those are great feelings. However, it is also a great feeling to feel totally comfortable with the tone and playability of one bass. I have no worries or hestitation every time I pick it up.
I feel the same way about my Millennium. Since it was my second bass, it took me some time (and four more basses - some I still own, some I don't) to figure it out.
What I feel I am giving up is the thrill of the chase and the infatuation with the latest and greatest. And, don't get me wrong, those are great feelings. However, it is also a great feeling to feel totally comfortable with the tone and playability of one bass. I have no worries or hestitation every time I pick it up.
I can't imagine finding a perfect bass. There are way too many great bass tones out there, and no bass can do it all... not until there's a drastic leap in modeling technology, anyway.
after i had been playing bass long enough to want a new bass, i looked into what my heroes played and tried those basses out. the highlights include: fender precision, fender jazz, gibson thunderbird, gibson rd, rickenbacker 4003, musicman stingray, travis bean tb2000.
once i picked apart what i liked and didn't like about them i realized no bass existed that had all the things i liked. which was good because one of the things i didn't like about a couple of them (gibson thunderbird, rickenbacker 4003) was the price. the other thing was they weren't unique.
so i looked into custom jobs. i decided a price range, and what all i wanted in it based on what i liked about the basses i played.
the kicker was the bass wasn't allowed to have anything i didn't like if i was paying that much.
well, now i have this bass. and it's perfect. if it wasn't i'd learn to love it since it was built exactly to my spec's and i'm certainly not going to start over with this much money into it.
once i picked apart what i liked and didn't like about them i realized no bass existed that had all the things i liked. which was good because one of the things i didn't like about a couple of them (gibson thunderbird, rickenbacker 4003) was the price. the other thing was they weren't unique.
so i looked into custom jobs. i decided a price range, and what all i wanted in it based on what i liked about the basses i played.
the kicker was the bass wasn't allowed to have anything i didn't like if i was paying that much.
well, now i have this bass. and it's perfect. if it wasn't i'd learn to love it since it was built exactly to my spec's and i'm certainly not going to start over with this much money into it.
I agree 100%. Losing that sense of the chase is a downer, because I know I already have what works for me. As much as I like that TBC for sale right now, I know I already have something that gives me what I want.
My idea of a perfect bass is a bass that does what it does perfectly. I think you're describing a Swiss Army knife bass and agree, none exist... or will anytime soon.
Looking the perfect bass is one of the most exciting things for me. Trying different basses and critique'ing the instrument in every aspect. Every time I think I have found the bass, I crave for another. It's a neverending addiction. So to answer your question: No it is not boring looking for the perfect bass. It's the greatest joy!
Fuzbass, you and Brad out it well. A perfect bass does what it does perfectly. You Maryland guys need to start a bass philosophy society!
"The Bass" and "The Tone" are just illusions for an obsessive mind. That's what I keep telling myself. I get different sounds every day. Maybe my ear changes, maybe as the relative humidity fluctuates and my batteries and strings wear down I hear things differently. I'm pretty happy with the tonal range of my basses. GAS is a disease, I need to play the instrument I have.
Fuzbass, you and Brad out it well. A perfect bass does what it does perfectly. You Maryland guys need to start a bass philosophy society!
Trust me, I've seen enough people try to "upgrade" one instrument to have it "be just like" another one... and fail miserably, it's not funny.
In my case (and a couple of friends found this extremely amusing last week) I'm not really looking for any more basses. I have too many... so what happens? I get an email with some deals so ridiculous I pretty much have to take them. How ridiculous? Think "Here's my new 2007 Corvette. Want it for $19k?"...
on a much smaller scale of course
. "Too good to be true" is the exception in my world
boring? not at all
In fact, I have found the guys at the perfect bass are very friendly and helpful.
In fact, I have found the guys at the perfect bass are very friendly and helpful.
In my case (and a couple of friends found this extremely amusing last week) I'm not really looking for any more basses. I have too many... so what happens? I get an email with some deals so ridiculous I pretty much have to take them. How ridiculous? Think "Here's my new 2007 Corvette. Want it for $19k?"...
on a much smaller scale of course
To paraphrase you, Brad, "a deal is only good if you've got the money."
To paraphrase you, Brad, "a deal is only good if you've got the money."
Truer words wouldn't be truer.
Has a Yogi Berra ring to it, doesn't it?
If I didn't have the money for the 'Vette, I'd try to put together a small conglomerate for the purpse of purchasing said car with the goal of immediate liquidation for profit.
I watched way too much "Matlock".
rockstarbassist
Inactive
I just bought/buy more variations of it...
There's a 6-string TBX neck-through Quantum with my name on it somewhere!
There's a 6-string TBX neck-through Quantum with my name on it somewhere!
