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Name a bass that really surprised you?
- Thread starter IGotGas
- Start date
Over the years I acquired some lovely new and vintage famous brand name basses , I bought a Dano Longhorn when they were first re-issued . Didn't play it much at first , and then it became my number one . I don't really understand how it happened , but I love the cheap little thing . Completely changed my views on just what made a quality instrument .
Electra Phoenix
Squier CV Sonic Blue
Mako Traditionals
Peavey Fury
Squier CV Sonic Blue
Mako Traditionals
Peavey Fury
Started taking lessons a while back. First lesson the instructor asked what bass I was going to use and I pulled out my '83 Foundation. He just said okay.
A couple of months later we were working on a piece and he stopped and said, "That thing really has a voice. Didn't think much of it when you pulled it out of the gig bag, but it really sounds great."
So...it didn't surprise me, but seemed to fit the theme of the thread.
Gotta' love SuperFerrite pickups. 
Both of my SX basses the P and the J at the time I only briefly read about the SX brand on TB.
I just picked up a MIM P bass. I was wary of the MIM label, I've heard hit and miss things about them. I played the two MIA P basses on the wall, and played the MIM as an afterthought right before I left.
Long story short, it came home with me. It's the most juicy P bass sound I've ever had out of a P bass and I've played a good number of them.
Long story short, it came home with me. It's the most juicy P bass sound I've ever had out of a P bass and I've played a good number of them.
I tried an '83 SQ Japanese Squier at a music store. It sounded and played and felt great, so for $250.00 I bought it. At first I was reluctant to be playing a Squier due to its beginner quality reputation ( we're talking early 2000 's) and the snobby putz lead singer playing his boutique Suhr guitar didn't like the image for the band. But I still played it as it was my first P bass and it sounded great. I still play it and realized that saying Squier on the headstock would be somewhat of a deterrent for someone who might be tempted to steal a vintage 80's Fender off the bandstand which is basically the same instrument.
The guys on the Dudepit were going bonkers about SX basses around 2000 saying "they're better than MIM Fenders once you change the pups".
When I moved to New Jersey in 2002, all of my stuff was inside of a storage locker that I couldn't inside since we had one big snowstorm after another.
Since I could not get to my basses since they were all the way in the back of the room, I broke down and got a SX J-bass clone for $99 from Rondo Music.
Mine was one of the originals that has a alder body with a photoflame top and the Fender'esque headstock that Rondo had to change.
After setting it up, it played great, since the amp was in storage I had no way to hear how the sucker sounds. For a cheap bass, it had a neck that felt great which came across like a P-bass neck but not as beefy, not as thin like a Jazz neck. It sounded OK with the original pups, thin and microphonic since they weren't potted.
Soon as I dropped some GFS pickups in the sucker and swapped out the cheap MIC electronics with some CTS 250k pots and a 0.47 orange drop, it came to life.
The guys on the Dudepit were right, that is a amazing bass that cost only $99.
I got their version of a P-bass which has the same alder body and photoflame top, it now has a Ovation (eBay replacement) neck since the truss rod gave out.
Last week I bought two more SX basses, a PJ with a swamp ash body, and a Jaguar bass. Swapped out the cheap pups with Caligs and rewired the electronics with CTS pots and orange drops. The ash body PJ J-bass now has stacked pots. Now both basses breathe fire.
When I moved to New Jersey in 2002, all of my stuff was inside of a storage locker that I couldn't inside since we had one big snowstorm after another.
Since I could not get to my basses since they were all the way in the back of the room, I broke down and got a SX J-bass clone for $99 from Rondo Music.
Mine was one of the originals that has a alder body with a photoflame top and the Fender'esque headstock that Rondo had to change.
After setting it up, it played great, since the amp was in storage I had no way to hear how the sucker sounds. For a cheap bass, it had a neck that felt great which came across like a P-bass neck but not as beefy, not as thin like a Jazz neck. It sounded OK with the original pups, thin and microphonic since they weren't potted.
Soon as I dropped some GFS pickups in the sucker and swapped out the cheap MIC electronics with some CTS 250k pots and a 0.47 orange drop, it came to life.
The guys on the Dudepit were right, that is a amazing bass that cost only $99.
I got their version of a P-bass which has the same alder body and photoflame top, it now has a Ovation (eBay replacement) neck since the truss rod gave out.
Last week I bought two more SX basses, a PJ with a swamp ash body, and a Jaguar bass. Swapped out the cheap pups with Caligs and rewired the electronics with CTS pots and orange drops. The ash body PJ J-bass now has stacked pots. Now both basses breathe fire.
The 82 G&L L2000E I picked up a couple months ago. Amazing bass! Great neck and the tone goes from fat and punchy to grindy and in your face with the flip of a couple switches. Really amazed by it.
My Hondo P copy, duh. I didn't realize how good it actually was until I went to GC. The neck is fantastic. I have it tuned to CGCF with huge strings. It is the best bass for metal.
Twice. Bought both of them.
In 2004, I wandered into a shop and saw an Ibanez SRX500 (the far left bass in my avatar). Picked it up and was stunned at how well it played and sounded. Up until then I hadn't paid much attention to Ibanez. That bass changed that.
And about 5 years ago, I was looking for a 6er. Wasn't overly concerned about cost - my budget was about $2k. I played a bunch of them, and found my ESP LTD B206SM. It was perfect. Action was a little high, but I borrowed the tech's tools and adjusted the truss rod and the saddles in the shop. Lightning fast neck, with no buzz. The only issue was the fret edges were a little rough, but 10 minutes with a file cured that. In fixing the frets, I discovered how good the fit and finish on the neck was - the fit in the pocket was terrific, and the 6 bolt neck was as solid as anything I'd ever played.
In 2004, I wandered into a shop and saw an Ibanez SRX500 (the far left bass in my avatar). Picked it up and was stunned at how well it played and sounded. Up until then I hadn't paid much attention to Ibanez. That bass changed that.
And about 5 years ago, I was looking for a 6er. Wasn't overly concerned about cost - my budget was about $2k. I played a bunch of them, and found my ESP LTD B206SM. It was perfect. Action was a little high, but I borrowed the tech's tools and adjusted the truss rod and the saddles in the shop. Lightning fast neck, with no buzz. The only issue was the fret edges were a little rough, but 10 minutes with a file cured that. In fixing the frets, I discovered how good the fit and finish on the neck was - the fit in the pocket was terrific, and the 6 bolt neck was as solid as anything I'd ever played.
the Ibanez TMB100 bass. It's under $200 bucks ($169 right now at my GC) and I can't figure out why it's so cheap. Sounds fine, no glaring flaws, the frets are smooth and don't slice my fingertips like most basses under $200.
Tad bit of neck dive but seems like 90% of basses have neck dive anyway. If I had seen it when I traded in my Dean, I would've bought it.
Tad bit of neck dive but seems like 90% of basses have neck dive anyway. If I had seen it when I traded in my Dean, I would've bought it.
I have to say that it was my former Yamaha BB424X.
In March 2015, I was at a friend's local store waiting for my band mates to go to a local gig and I noticed a bass in a corner. I liked the vintage look with the sunburst and the black pickguard.
Picked up the bass and liked the way it felt in my hands. The feel of it spoke of wood, the neck felt just right and I liked the strings through body that gave it great sustain. It was a personal bass from my friend that he was selling second hand. He said I could take it to the gig to try it if I wanted. So I did.
Once I turned it on I was blown away by how good it sounded! If I had searched here on TB before, I would have seen the great reviews that it had but I since I hadn't I was really surprised by it.
Of course, I bought the bass.
I sold it at the end of last year and got me a Yamaha BB1024X.
In March 2015, I was at a friend's local store waiting for my band mates to go to a local gig and I noticed a bass in a corner. I liked the vintage look with the sunburst and the black pickguard.
Picked up the bass and liked the way it felt in my hands. The feel of it spoke of wood, the neck felt just right and I liked the strings through body that gave it great sustain. It was a personal bass from my friend that he was selling second hand. He said I could take it to the gig to try it if I wanted. So I did.
Once I turned it on I was blown away by how good it sounded! If I had searched here on TB before, I would have seen the great reviews that it had but I since I hadn't I was really surprised by it.
Of course, I bought the bass.
I sold it at the end of last year and got me a Yamaha BB1024X.
Hohner Professional P/J fretless, black with a rosewood neck. Got it at a salvage bargain outlet that had bought out a pawn shop. Beside the fact that it had a crappy spray can gold pickguard downgrade and only one control knob (which was this hideous purple strat knob) it looked pretty good (nice neck, no body damage, rust or cheese slicer action), but with no chance to plug it in there was a risk. I was planning on cannibalizing it for student basses or cheapo spare parts. The sticker said $205. but everything was half off, so it only cost $102.50. Got it home, plugged it in and couldn't believe how it sounds. Even with old round wounds on it. Refinned the guard in pearl white, added three chrome domes and new strings. That little ugly duckling has played countless gigs and was/is my go to fretless in the studio.
Hate to say the "S" word on here, but mine is a Indo made Squier jaguar VM with active bass boost. I was wanting a practice bass & saw it, loved the classic shape & nice big sound. Read on Fender's forum that the best ones are the Standards & VM that were made in Indo. Plus it was $150
