• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Past & Present: Your dream bass at age 15 & your dream bass today...

#41
Dream bass at age 15:

DV016_Jpg_Large_620049.011_see_thru_black.jpg


I don't have a dream bass now. I've learned that tone is in the fingers more than in the gear, and as I get better my taste in gear is naturally going to change. Having said that, I would love to own a Jamerson-style early 60s sunburst P-bass with tort guard, rosewood neck, chrome pickup cover, etc. I'd also like to have a U-bass to play around with.
 
#43
At 15 (1985) would have been a Washburn Rudy Sarzo model (black and white). I saw one in a local shop a few weeks ago and I am so glad I never got one. What a beast!

At 41 (2012) I really don't know. My tastes change monthly.:hmm:
 
#44
Didn't pick up a bass until I was 50. Interestingly, I remember lusting for some bright red bass in the Montgomery Ward catalog when I was about 15. I've had about 30 basses in the 10 years I've played, and am happy with my passive Jazzes and G&Ls. I suppose now as a dream bass, I wouldn't turn away a fretless Franklin.
 
#45
15 (1995) I wanted a Warwick Dolphin Pro 4 string (Stefan Lessard played one)

31 (2012) I own my dream bass. Pedulla Rapture RB4 single Pickup. I own 2 of them.


If I had to pick another, I would say a Status King or S2. I was in NYC yesterday, and played a series II King at 30th street Guitars and feel in love. I played everything I could touch yesterday. Ritter, Status, Fender, Sadowsky, Gibson Grabber/Gripper, Dan Armstrong, Vox, Rick, Old Fender Jazz/Precision (I played the 1953 Fender P at Manhattan GC) and many many others.

The Status King was the most balanced, versatile bass I touched all day. While some of the older Jazz basses were sweet, it did not measure up in the tone department. I am just not a fender guy.
 
#46
I didn't start playing until I was 16, but at the time (1978 or 79) my dream bass was a black Rickenbacker 4001. It was just about the coolest thing I'd ever seen.

Today, I don't have any one single dream bass anymore. I've had the privilege of playing and owning some absolutely amazing basses (Curbow, MTD, Wal, Sadowsky, Nordstrand, and ACG top the list) but the minute I get it in my head that this or that one would be "perfect", something completely different catches my eye or my imagination. :)
 
#50
Age 15: Warwick Thumb 5 string

Age 29: Owned fretted and fretless 'Wick thumb 6ers and LOVED them

Age 30: Life came along and had to sell my dream basses

Age 33 (now): If I could have only one bass, it it would still be a Thumb- fretless 5 string...it is my ultimate bass. Again some day... :bassist:
 
#51
At 15 my dream bass would have been a Spector similar to the ones that Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue was playing and Rachel Bolan of Skid Row. I was a little metal head and really liked those basses but couldn't ever see myself playing a bass that was over $1,000.00. Funny how times change though because I now play Music Man basses and often ask myself how I could have played lesser quality basses before. Back then I also really liked a Tobias bass being sold at my local music store. It was very expensive though but I wanted it so bad. Another one I wanted was 2 Kubicki basses. A black one and a red one. One of my all time favorite bass players played one and I loved it. His name is Ronnie Cates. At the time he was playing for Petra but that guy had some amazing skills on bass. Actually, he still does. I actually use a lot of his style and Duff McKagen's style to compliment my own.

As far as my dream bass now, it doesn't exist or at least not yet. I love my Music Man basses and what I would love to see is an all Roasted Bongo. The body and the neck. I would do a birdeye maple neck, but maybe change up the wood on the body to a koa wood. I would then add the Game Changer to it and maybe gold hardware. That is my dream bass. I had a dream a few months back that I owned that bass and then a few days later, BP posted a picture on the EBMM forum of an all roasted Bongo he had made which only proceeded to give me even more G.A.S. for the bass to be made.

There is also one other Bongo I would love to own but I doubt it will ever happen. One of the members on that site owns a buttercream Bongo with an all Rosewood neck that used to belong to someone famous but the name escapes me at the moment. I love that freaking bass and if the member over there ever puts it up for sale, I will sell whatever I have to sell to buy that bass off of him.
 
#54
I'm 15 in 9 days, I've been playing for 5 years now and my dream bass is and always has been a Rickenbacker.
But as I am now, my higher end basses are a Musicman SUB bass and a German Warwick Corvette Fretless...but I'm really happy with what I have atm, just need that Rick!!
 
#56
AT 15:

Warwick Streamer Stage II. I was a HUGE Incubus and Dirk Lance fan and loved his SSIIs

dirklance12kv.jpg


TODAY

I'm pretty happy with my current setup but I know that at some point I'll need to part with my Thumb. When that happens I'll be giving Cliff Bordwell a call. Imagine this with 4 strings and a walnut or camphor top:

x-dfp.jpg
 
#59
It had not yet been invented. The main market for "pro" basses was fender and gibson. And while better then the basses sold by Kmart and Sears catalog. Peavey was better in some ways back then, but still lacking. That was about it. Ricks where a no go due to overly trebly with no aftermarket pups available, poorly thought out bridges, and pesky truss rod system. The companies who listened to musicians and made basses with the improvements fender and gibson where lacking where just barely starting to surface. itd be a few yrs before BC Rich, Jackson, Ibanez, etc developed to what they later became. Best thing going back then was the mediocre offerings and the emerging market for upgrade parts and pups that mainly catered to fender peeps wanting better stuff on their basses. It wouldnt be untill the latter 70's that better basses by new mfg started emerging.

Today one can get their dream bass so long as it focuses on sound and playability rather then exotic pretty but lackluster tone wood eye candy. For relatively cheap. Under $1,000 in most cases to include hard case and upgrade pups and electronics if desired.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back