Old Gear vs. Modern Bass Tech

[Jazzdogg]

Not interested in nostalgia for gear, unless it is gear that I own and keep / use at least in part for the memories, and I wouldn't purchase 'another' of a piece of gear I sold before to replace it out of nostalgia. Old gear is not generally better, not better made and mojo is just BS justification for something not so great, but usually expensive.

Class D amps are better in every regard than lead sled A/Bs, speaker drivers are often better, but it's incremental refinements.

Instruments, mass produced ones at least, are typically better made and far more consistent than older ones.

Tone I'd rather was 'bright', wideband as it's easier to EQ it down to a thumpy tone than to make one bright. I want my rig to be able to cover most genres.

Playability is about set up and QC, and the latter is better in more modern instruments.

You make a lot of valid points. Some amps have a baked-in sound that's optimized for so-called bedroom sound or studio tone, while others are much better tailored to suit live performances on pro stages.
My preference is for simple, reliable, lightweight gear that gives my "my sound" using loudspeakers no larger than necessary,and used in multiples for larger venues and outdoor gigs.

 

[P. Aaron]

I have a (new in 2020) Mesa WD800 and a new in 2024 RevSounds 2 x 10. For the type of gigging I'm doing now, this lightweight rig is perfect and easy to get a good sound in almost any room. Scant minutes to set up & tear down.

When it comes to basses and guitars, I love the vintage colors and look and some well-worn Fender's and Ray's all look cool but if I have to get a particular one in a hurry w/my own money, I prefer new. I like a clean, adjustable instrument with the provable pedigree.

Plus, I wanna get at the notes instinctively and not reenact Iwo Jima with an older, unknown-worn instrument onstage or in rehearsal.

 

[CamJazzBass]

I don't think I really have vintage stuff. I have an SVT-3 Pro that I don't really know how old it is, but even if from the 90's, is that really vintage. My other amps are SVT-7 Pro and Mesa D800. Cabs are newer Genzler and Ampeg. Basses are all from no later than 5 years ago. I made a classic parts Jazz, but it has active EMG pickups in it. Oldest thing on the pedalboard is a BDDI v2, but that is not vintage. I guess more modern stuff for me. Some of it I guess may evoke an vintage thing, but its all newer.