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Looks or Sound
- Thread starter pica
- Start date
Which bass? I bought my Ric because of the sound. The sound I'd heard on countless recordings by YES and Rush. Turned out it played really well and felt good too.
Then I bought my Hoppus P bass because I didn't want to take my Ric to a biker party in the sun and wind. I never heard one, and never saw it until it showed up in a box on my doorstep. I never even intended to keep it.
Then... I fell in love with the tone of the damn thing, and my Ric hasn't seen a lot of stage time since..... I swapped out the P neck for something a little jazzier, and now it feels and sounds good. It looks like hell however. I have no idea what the guy that owned it before me did, but I suspect he was in a punk band or something....
Then I bought my Hoppus P bass because I didn't want to take my Ric to a biker party in the sun and wind. I never heard one, and never saw it until it showed up in a box on my doorstep. I never even intended to keep it.
Then... I fell in love with the tone of the damn thing, and my Ric hasn't seen a lot of stage time since..... I swapped out the P neck for something a little jazzier, and now it feels and sounds good. It looks like hell however. I have no idea what the guy that owned it before me did, but I suspect he was in a punk band or something....
A little of both. I knew that I loved EMGs, the curved backside of Spectors, and pretty, fancy wood.
The Ibanez SRT800DX had just come out and it had all of those. It's been my main since I got it, and I got rid of the Spector that it replaced.
The Ibanez SRT800DX had just come out and it had all of those. It's been my main since I got it, and I got rid of the Spector that it replaced.
This is why I LOVE TB!
You'd hate the ever lovin crap outta my Hoppus, and yet we can still be friends!! 
Most important to me is balance and comfort- with weight being quite important ,as well as tone.
Looks are not all too important to me.
First, hands down is sound. It's a musical instrument and its function is to make sound. If the sounds ain't what I want to hear, then absolutely NOTHING else matters in any way.
Then its feel- but I've got a lot of leeway there. I'm switching all the time between instruments ranging from a 35" 5-string bass, 34" fretted and fretless basses with rounds and flats, guitars ranging from the typical Fender length of 25.5" to 24.75". Different fingerboard radii from the 7.25" of vintage style Fenders to a very flat 10", and strings from the 10/46 I use on my Strat to the 45/130 on the 5-string. So, it's gotta feel comfortable, but "comfortable" is a pretty big range for me.
Then it's functional reliability. A great sounding instrument that's made of flimsy wood or problematic hardware just isn't worth the hassle. Crappy pots, cheap switches, clumsy truss rods, etc. are just pointless.
Then it's weight. I had too many instruments that were painfully heavy (especially the '73 Precision which was my first bass at well over 12 pounds, a Gibson Les Paul guitar, and one of the two pre EB StingRays). Yeah, I used good straps, and I'm not averse to working, but when my neck, shoulder, and left arm cramp up at in the beginning of the fourth set, but don't when I play lighter basses, it's the weight that's causing the problem).
After that it's appearance. And most times, that's not an issue. If I'm looking for a new bass, once they pass muster on the important stuff, there're generally very few viable candidates.
But, here's the real test. I play it unamplified. If it says "Hi, honey, I'm home!!!" then it's a keeper. Even if it was an Antigua '70s Jazz with blocks 'n' binding, if it said that, I'd get it.
John
Then its feel- but I've got a lot of leeway there. I'm switching all the time between instruments ranging from a 35" 5-string bass, 34" fretted and fretless basses with rounds and flats, guitars ranging from the typical Fender length of 25.5" to 24.75". Different fingerboard radii from the 7.25" of vintage style Fenders to a very flat 10", and strings from the 10/46 I use on my Strat to the 45/130 on the 5-string. So, it's gotta feel comfortable, but "comfortable" is a pretty big range for me.
Then it's functional reliability. A great sounding instrument that's made of flimsy wood or problematic hardware just isn't worth the hassle. Crappy pots, cheap switches, clumsy truss rods, etc. are just pointless.
Then it's weight. I had too many instruments that were painfully heavy (especially the '73 Precision which was my first bass at well over 12 pounds, a Gibson Les Paul guitar, and one of the two pre EB StingRays). Yeah, I used good straps, and I'm not averse to working, but when my neck, shoulder, and left arm cramp up at in the beginning of the fourth set, but don't when I play lighter basses, it's the weight that's causing the problem).
After that it's appearance. And most times, that's not an issue. If I'm looking for a new bass, once they pass muster on the important stuff, there're generally very few viable candidates.
But, here's the real test. I play it unamplified. If it says "Hi, honey, I'm home!!!" then it's a keeper. Even if it was an Antigua '70s Jazz with blocks 'n' binding, if it said that, I'd get it.
John
This is why I LOVE TB!
I actually really like those basses and love the neck you put on yours! I bought one a few years back, and eventually traded it to my dad. It's his back up bass and he loves it, and had never heard of Mark Hoppus either.
Both. I'm not really interested in playing a bass I don't like the look of when there are so many basses out there that I find gorgeous looking. At the same time, I won't play an instrument that doesn't feel and sound good to me no matter how amazing it might look. It's worth pointing out that playability is a huge factor in terms of what I'll play. I've sold or passed on basses that looked and sounded fantastic but just didn't feel right in my hands. Another thing: I've had a few basses made for me and I will choose tonal characteristics before looks. I might love the look of certain wood combinations but if those combinations won't produce the sound I'm looking for then that particular combination is no longer an option.
I'll readily admit that I love owning what I consider to be beautiful instruments. I love walking into my "bass room" and seeing my babies sitting there waiting to be played. I also enjoy "wearing" a nice looking bass on stage the way I enjoy wearing a nice shirt. Again though, if my Fender works better for a particular gig I use it - even if my walnut burl-topped MTD goes better with my outfit.
I'll readily admit that I love owning what I consider to be beautiful instruments. I love walking into my "bass room" and seeing my babies sitting there waiting to be played. I also enjoy "wearing" a nice looking bass on stage the way I enjoy wearing a nice shirt. Again though, if my Fender works better for a particular gig I use it - even if my walnut burl-topped MTD goes better with my outfit.
See, I disagree, man.
I'd say:
Looking alright and sounding fantastic is better than sounding alright but looking fantastic.
If it looks or sounds BAD, there's a problem.
I must admit, that I went more for looks with my current bass.
I knew I wanted a P , as a gitarrist, I loved tele's, I was on a budget and needed a decent piece of bass.
So I chose the Squier 50's CV - more for looks and design, I just trusted it to sound and play like I expected.
The neck felt a bit strange at first, but by now I love everything about it - the way it plays, feels, sounds, and looks.
I knew I wanted a P , as a gitarrist, I loved tele's, I was on a budget and needed a decent piece of bass.
So I chose the Squier 50's CV - more for looks and design, I just trusted it to sound and play like I expected.
The neck felt a bit strange at first, but by now I love everything about it - the way it plays, feels, sounds, and looks.
I bought my SBV-500 without having played it, and it just happened to sound great. I think it's always best if you get a chance to try something first, though.
I don't understand how anyone could put anything before the sound?
The tonality of an instrument is the most important aspect. Looks are further down the list.
The tonality of an instrument is the most important aspect. Looks are further down the list.
