Same happened to me in the early 80s. Bought a used black/white Ric 4001 because I was a fan of Geddy Lee. Sold it in 6 month's time with no regrets.
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Severely Underwhelmed by New Bass
- Thread starter _HunterB_
- Start date
Same happened to me in the early 80s. Bought a used black/white Ric 4001 because I was a fan of Geddy Lee. Sold it in 6 month's time with no regrets.
So perhaps it's the combination of your speaker and room acoustics?
As some have mentioned, you may need to adjust either the instrument (strings, set up, etc) or YOU to the playing.
I went through the same thing, only backwards with a P-bass-
I had an early 90's P-bass, bought new, because it was supposed to be a great instrument. I tried everything I could to get it to work for me. No dice! i butchered it up, put in active PUPs/EQ and all sorts of bells and whistles. After a time, I didn't have a P-bass sound anymore. but I also didn't have an instrument that I was even remotely "in like", much less "in love" with. Out it went...
Cut to many years later- my ears and playing have developed big time. I know how to get most of the tones I want from various instruments now. I've built my own Warmoth/Mighty Mite/DiMarzio-based P-bass. You know what? Other than an EXTREMELY hot output level, its sound is EXACTLY what I wanted in a P-bass.
Why didn't I "get it" all those years ago?
I chalk it up to two things- Playing experience (or lack thereof way back then), and following the trends of other, more famous (okay, just plain FAMOUS) players out there who had tons of years more playing experience and ear training than I did then.
Do I know it all now? Heck no! There are still about three or four instruments' tones I lust after. Will I get them just by buying/building something right now? Maybe. Maybe not. That's where the ability to learn the ins and outs of any specific instrument come in.
Keep at it. Search. Learn. Pass it on!
I went through the same thing, only backwards with a P-bass-
I had an early 90's P-bass, bought new, because it was supposed to be a great instrument. I tried everything I could to get it to work for me. No dice! i butchered it up, put in active PUPs/EQ and all sorts of bells and whistles. After a time, I didn't have a P-bass sound anymore. but I also didn't have an instrument that I was even remotely "in like", much less "in love" with. Out it went...
Cut to many years later- my ears and playing have developed big time. I know how to get most of the tones I want from various instruments now. I've built my own Warmoth/Mighty Mite/DiMarzio-based P-bass. You know what? Other than an EXTREMELY hot output level, its sound is EXACTLY what I wanted in a P-bass.
Why didn't I "get it" all those years ago?
I chalk it up to two things- Playing experience (or lack thereof way back then), and following the trends of other, more famous (okay, just plain FAMOUS) players out there who had tons of years more playing experience and ear training than I did then.
Do I know it all now? Heck no! There are still about three or four instruments' tones I lust after. Will I get them just by buying/building something right now? Maybe. Maybe not. That's where the ability to learn the ins and outs of any specific instrument come in.
Keep at it. Search. Learn. Pass it on!
_HunterB_
Is this the first time this has happened to you. I have lost track of how many pieces of gear I have bought that didn't sound good a day later. It happens, let it go and happy hunting.
Is this the first time this has happened to you. I have lost track of how many pieces of gear I have bought that didn't sound good a day later. It happens, let it go and happy hunting.
If you need to change the pickups on a brand new bass to get the sound that you want, well that's not a good start. Personally, I feel that the most important piece of gear is the rig. If you can get an Ampeg V4B and enjoy your Stingray through that rig, I would rather go for that.
Also, as you mentioned, through time, tastes evolve. However, if you get yourself an Ampeg V4B, I don't see the day when you will get tired of that rig.
My $0.02.
Also, as you mentioned, through time, tastes evolve. However, if you get yourself an Ampeg V4B, I don't see the day when you will get tired of that rig.
My $0.02.
If you don’t love the feel of it .. how it plays .. if you don’t love the sound it gets ... time to say Sayonara IMHO
Good Luck whatever you decide
Good Luck whatever you decide
This is exactly what happened to me. I've always loved the look of Jaguars but every time I've played one or bought one, I've just ended up not liking it. I'm just not a jazz pickup fan no matter how hard I try. I know they're awesome but I guess just not for me. I switched back to my fat sounding Blacktop P after just a couple of tries.
Jaguar owner chiming in...
The Jag is (no pun intended) a different animal when it comes to jazz basses. It's a very hot and aggressive sounding bass that has a passive tone and active pre section. If a jazz bass could contend with the likes of a stingray or G&L MFD's, this would be it.
I would try a different amp and see if you get the tone you like. Change the strings and see if that helps too. It's also going to have that typical hum that jazz basses are known for.
When I got my G&L L2500, I had some serious concerns running it through a SVT II pre amp. It could not get the mid growl I liked. Then I tried it with a SVT II pro pre and got a while different feel. I whole heartedly believe the Jag is designed for modern aggressive rock and needs a rig built around it. Good luck.
The Jag is (no pun intended) a different animal when it comes to jazz basses. It's a very hot and aggressive sounding bass that has a passive tone and active pre section. If a jazz bass could contend with the likes of a stingray or G&L MFD's, this would be it.
I would try a different amp and see if you get the tone you like. Change the strings and see if that helps too. It's also going to have that typical hum that jazz basses are known for.
When I got my G&L L2500, I had some serious concerns running it through a SVT II pre amp. It could not get the mid growl I liked. Then I tried it with a SVT II pro pre and got a while different feel. I whole heartedly believe the Jag is designed for modern aggressive rock and needs a rig built around it. Good luck.
I also want to add that many folks on here are downplaying trading a MIJ Jag for a G&L.
Think of it as a tool box. The Jaguar is a sledgehammer of a bass, playing one through a single 210 would be very bright and mid-rangy I believe. I've owned my Jag for almost 10 years and like my G&L's, I will never get rid of it.
The Jag is kinda branded as a vintage hotrod bass but, is more of a modern rock bass. I would take it to GC and play it through different rigs to get a better feel.
Think of it as a tool box. The Jaguar is a sledgehammer of a bass, playing one through a single 210 would be very bright and mid-rangy I believe. I've owned my Jag for almost 10 years and like my G&L's, I will never get rid of it.
The Jag is kinda branded as a vintage hotrod bass but, is more of a modern rock bass. I would take it to GC and play it through different rigs to get a better feel.
Happened to me when I bought an RD Artist. It was my holy grail bass for a really long time, but when I got it it was heavy, hard to play, sounded buried in the band, and I couldn't find a tone I liked. Even cranking mids didn't make it cut. Happens, dude. Advice is try to recoup what you spent on it, but if you bought it new that might be tough.
I was seduced by the Rickenbacker 4003 on three different occasions only to move back to my trusty P-Bass each time. Yes, I feel your pain
With bass pickups I find it's two factors; the intended design tone qualities, and the manufacturer's take on the design. I have a MIM Fender Deluxe P, with a jazz in the bridge. The jazz is nice because it's an upper mid-heavy pickup that compliments the P's whack. That's the good. But it hums and it doesn't sound quite right, just like the Fender P (I know I'll catch flack for insulting Big F) has a good whack because what makes it sound balanced is a scoop but it sounds a little clumsy.
When I went with my "dream", it took a lot of reading about stupid dreams. I went with my magazine (I think I've mentioned the manufacturer enough) bass because after years of seeing a catalog come in the mail, you start thinking "well they've had to stay in business for some reason". I could've went with a hi-fi active setup but that wasn't what I wanted. I like passive in general unless I'm trying to coax tones I normally can't amplify. So I went switchable active preamp.
I knew I had a Jones against jazz pickups but always liked passive MM style pickups. They sound jazzy and roll off the highs that normally are annoying. I read good reviews of the P I was looking at, hearing it was mid-heavy and modern. The two together gave me as expected results and I plugged in the first time saying "I hardly even have to begin cranking on the preamp!"
So I guess what I'm trying to say is in this day and age, read, read, read, then watch a youtube video or 3,then read some more. Because for me that worked.
Been There. I bought a EBMM Sterling 5HS and I hated it. Noisy Clanky. Changed strings and everything I could think of. It just didnt get along with me. I gave it a solid month before I moved it. Worked out ok in the end, I made a little on it and bought a G&L L2500 which suits me much better. Unless you can get your money back, I'd give it a little time to be certain.
G&L's and Fenders are such different animals. Leo Fender designed the G&L's to be an evolution of his original designs. So that's probably why you like them so well. You should not have to heavily modify a bass to like the sound right after you buy it. The G&L evidently sounds great to your ears right out of the box. That should be a big clue to you.
Have you thought about returning the bass to the store? You have 30 days window for return. Whatever you do, DON'T ALTER IT if you aren't sure you like it, which it sounds like you don't. Better to trade it back rather than lose the money you spent on it. If you trade with a store, you RARELY get your value back, it's like playing cards in Vegas. Dealer almost always wins.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Have you thought about returning the bass to the store? You have 30 days window for return. Whatever you do, DON'T ALTER IT if you aren't sure you like it, which it sounds like you don't. Better to trade it back rather than lose the money you spent on it. If you trade with a store, you RARELY get your value back, it's like playing cards in Vegas. Dealer almost always wins.
Good luck and keep us posted.
