It's not the Bass, it's you

[AngelCrusher]

Hey, I don't play Smoke on the Water on my Foderas!!!

I do play Sweet Home Alabama though... Which is worse.

Of all of the recording I have ever done (not a ton), it was at least 90% with Fenders. I bet if I was hired for a studio gig and showed up with my Valenti, Fodera, FBass and old Fender P and J, 9 out of 10 times only the Fenders would come out of the cases. I agree that good gear is important for studio work but owning quality Fenders saves a lot of potential stress and time in the studio.

Yea I consider quality Fenders to be top notch gear for recording. I am jealous of your boutique collection. I currently am doing a side project in which I am composing fusion and doing bass leads, etc and I will most likely be buying a boutique just for that, as I really love the sound and playability. My studio workhorse and for any live hired gun gigs is a Lakland Jazz. It can get me through about 99% of all the stuff I play. The boutique bass is really just a "Hey, I earned this" type of guitar for me. lol.

 

[Baird6869]

Yea I consider quality Fenders to be top notch gear for recording. I am jealous of your boutique collection. I currently am doing a side project in which I am composing fusion and doing bass leads, etc and I will most likely be buying a boutique just for that, as I really love the sound and playability. My studio workhorse and for any live hired gun gigs is a Lakland Jazz. It can get me through about 99% of all the stuff I play. The boutique bass is really just a "Hey, I earned this" type of guitar for me. lol.

Exactly what I did. I happily played my Fenders for over 20 years. I got lucky with a high Canadian dollar and a couple of years of nice bonuses and could afford a few nice boutiques. I didn't own a bass worth over $1000 until I was almost 40. Damned Talkbass!

 

[AngelCrusher]

Yeah its crazy to see these real young up and coming gospel guys rocking 5k Fbasses and MTD's..even with artist discount, the basses are still are expensive.

 

[jbalou02]

I do play Sweet Home Alabama though... Which is worse.

Not worse than Fly Me Courageous!

 

[basspraiser]

Many years ago in the early 80’s when I bought my first bass (a black Hondo II, 4 string) I let my next door “professional bassist” neighbor play it to get his opinion.


This guy has played with the Trammps, and many other R&B groups from the 70’s, he’s toured the world, done tons of session music, and still gigs today in a jazz band, and an oldies band where they do 70's covers.


He picked that damn (less than $200.00) bass up and the two of them together sounded like Stanley Clark & his Alembic…..pure magic.


Years later I got a crappy used Yamaha bass that had been ridden hard and put up wet. I let another “supper bass player” buddy of mine play it, and you could almost close your eyes and see & hear Jaco.


My present “pawn shop” ESP LTD B-104 that I got for $100.00 bucks - (after a professional set up), is blowing my freaking mind, and I’m constantly amazed at how it not only sounds in my hands, but also in the hands of others that are so much more experienced & skilled than me.


What am I saying: I’ve read dozens of posts of people comparing different basses, different tones, different everything, and I’ve seen a lot of people get really upset about their bass being harshly critiqued as “junk” or lacking in some way.


I submit to all of you, that ultimately it’s not the bass, although good electronics, exotic woods, good construction, etc. etc. helps…..


Ultimately it’s us, our hands, our skill, our passion, our dedication, and our efforts. The bass is the paintbrush, but your arms, hands, and fingers are Michelangelo………

Unfortunately yes....this is 1000% true!

I have a buddy who used to tour (semi-pro) for many years and now plays in a local cover band...he can get sounds out of my basses that i never knew could come from them!

I guess I am like the "amateur" golfer who believes that a nicer club will make his game better while the "old pro" is still using a beat up old set and can beat the pants off anyone!

 

[Neveragain55]

Unfortunately yes....this is 1000% true!

I have a buddy who used to tour (semi-pro) for many years and now plays in a local cover band...he can get sounds out of my basses that i never knew could come from them!

I guess I am like the "amateur" golfer who believes that a nicer club will make his game better while the "old pro" is still using a beat up old set and can beat the pants off anyone!

It is true, and believe me I didn't create this thread to knock custom basses that are very expensive or basses made by companies like Fodera, Alembic, Sadowsky, Zon, and so on.

I just wanted to use a true story as evidence that a skilled & experienced player can make an older or less exotic bass do the same amazing things a bass with flashy electronics, exotic woods, built-in pre-amps, and tricked out active pickups could do.

It was a cheer for stripped down, no frills basses more than anything.

I get & respect the argument some have made that a modern, expensive bass would make one practice more because the person playing would want to get everything out of the bass that it has to offer, but my counter argument would be - personally I would find the older less exotic bass more of a challenge "because it doesn't come equipped with all the bells & whistles" so I would practice more on it to bring the bass & myself to the level of the cat with the tricked out bass. (or at least try)

I've really loved all of the responses so far, even the response's that don't necessarily agree with my original post which doesn't seem to be too many.

In almost every post I've written in this forum, I include the caveat that I respect all bassists and their gear, whatever it may be. I do respect the folks playing the super cool tricked out basses, and I honor what they do with their equipment.

I think all of us "as bass players" should be striving everyday to be the best we can be (as corny as that sounds) regardless of what we have in our hands or how much it costs.

 

[AngelCrusher]

If you have an older, less exotic bass that records well, you are good to go. That is the key. Some basses just don't record as well even if the player is a total beast.

This is why people always say to just buy a Fender because you are all set for about everything. And yes, if you can't make that thing sing then it's on you.

 

[basspraiser]

It is true, and believe me I didn't create this thread to knock custom basses that are very expensive or basses made by companies like Fodera, Alembic, Sadowsky, Zon, and so on.

I just wanted to use a true story as evidence that a skilled & experienced player can make an older or less exotic bass do the same amazing things a bass with flashy electronics, exotic woods, built-in pre-amps, and tricked out active pickups could do.

It was a cheer for stripped down, no frills basses more than anything.

I get & respect the argument some have made that a modern, expensive bass would make one practice more because the person playing would want to get everything out of the bass that it has to offer, but my counter argument would be - personally I would find the older less exotic bass more of a challenge "because it doesn't come equipped with all the bells & whistles" so I would practice more on it to bring the bass & myself to the level of the cat with the tricked out bass. (or at least try)

I've really loved all of the responses so far, even the response's that don't necessarily agree with my original post which doesn't seem to be too many.

In almost every post I've written in this forum, I include the caveat that I respect all bassists and their gear, whatever it may be. I do respect the folks playing the super cool tricked out basses, and I honor what they do with their equipment.

I think all of us "as bass players" should be striving everyday to be the best we can be (as corny as that sounds) regardless of what we have in our hands or how much it costs.

It's all good!

 

[anavar]

Yeah its crazy to see these real young up and coming gospel guys rocking 5k Fbasses and MTD's..even with artist discount, the basses are still are expensive.

this. or people who have several custom shops and regular production model for a back up.

9k customs, backed up with a 5k production model bass...unreal.