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What Bass Was The Biggest DISAPPOINTMENT?

#381
atheos said:
On the top of that I got too many comments about the upper horn reminding people of a certain human male reproductive organ... :D Sheesh, why everything has to be automatically dirty nowadays...
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There is a broad grouping of basses my wife calls "penis basses"; it's kind of hilarious, that's one thing I ask her when I'm looking to buy. "Hey hon is this a penis bass? Because I know how you hate those."

To her, most of the newer designs are penis basses. I have shown her pictures of big-dollar boutique models and she starts to retch!
 
#385
cassius987 said:
There is a broad grouping of basses my wife calls "penis basses"; it's kind of hilarious, that's one thing I ask her when I'm looking to buy. "Hey hon is this a penis bass? Because I know how you hate those."

To her, most of the newer designs are penis basses. I have shown her pictures of big-dollar boutique models and she starts to retch!
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My son refers to these as "vagina basses"

Roger

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#386
'97 Fender American Deluxe Jazz V. It was freakin gorgeous. It had a really cool "red burst" finish I've only seen one other time. Kind of a candy apple around the edges and beautiful red stain over ash in the middle. White pearl pick guard. I couldn't stop looking at it when I got it.

Played like crap and sounded even worse.
 
#387
cassius987 said:
There is a broad grouping of basses my wife calls "penis basses"; it's kind of hilarious, that's one thing I ask her when I'm looking to buy. "Hey hon is this a penis bass? Because I know how you hate those."

To her, most of the newer designs are penis basses. I have shown her pictures of big-dollar boutique models and she starts to retch!
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If the thought of a penis makes her retch, you've got bigger problems than which bass to buy..or not buy!
 
#388
As a kid, I owned a bunch of crap basses but I don't count those as I was COMPLETELY clueless.
As a much younger adult, I'd have to say one of my biggest disappointments was my Lakland 55-94. I think I just got a bad one. I had been going to NAMM and started drooling over the 55-94s. I came back the next year and got an artist price for one at the show. I should really have listened to the Lakland guys at the booth and read between the lines as they asked me "are you sure you want THAT bass?". I stupidly said yes as I thought to myself, "why would they bring a bad bass to the show?" Naive. Thankfully, I made a profit selling that bass. What a dead piece of wood with a nebulous sound. Neither here or there.
The other nasty I got into many years ago was an Alembic either Epic or Essence?? I think an Essence. It was a cheaper model.
In all fairness, I think it's a little unfair to judge a manufacturer based on one bad experience. Almost every manufacturer makes a dud so I'm taking this thread with a grain of salt and a smile. :-)
 
#390
Bijoux said:
For instance I love Jazz Basses, and I have never once in over twenty years played a Jazz Bass at a store that I liked!
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+1

Funny how, with a design as basic as a P or J, they vary so widely. IME basing an opinion on them from only trying them in a store (or, god forbid, many of the late '70s examples as mentioned here) is really limiting. The necks went through a lot of period specific profiles so while some Ps are baseball bats, they aren't all that way. Even the pre-CBS ones were really variable - I've played quite a few that were 'meh' and some that were killer and just worked in every way. I worked in a vintage/used shop and repair shop back when there were more of them coming through and have played many - so there is some context.

Same thing with the t-birds which some have mentioned. The '60s ones are an entirely different animal than the later ones. I have a '64 that, for me, is the best electric I've owned (and I had another '64 that was good but still not close to this one)- it can sound warm and articulate (could work on a jazz gig if one could tolerate the look - or reggae/dub, blues, etc.) to really aggressive in a very distinct way. Not a bass for slap... The later ones seem bland and without personality by comparison. It's all subjective, of course; and if an SX or a Fodera works and inspires a specific player, cool.

I've felt disappointed with most of the coffee table basses I've tried to like (with the exceptions of a Dingwall and F-basses have worked for me where I needed a 5-string) - no point in naming names as they were not bad or poorly made instruments but just didn't really do 'it' for me specifically.
 
#391
'72 jazz bass. Really wanted to like it for alot of reasons, and played it for several years.

In the end I just couldnt take the midrangy growliness anymore, and the neck was just too uncomfortable.
 
#392
Warwich Thumb bass.

-Bought it used in '89 when they were relatively unknown, but seemed the the next big thing.
Couldn't get a decent sound out of it.

Tobias Basic pre-Gibson.

-Love-hate relationship. Loved the playability, the looks and the feel, but the sound didn't have any treble or natural brilliance.
Sold it, bought it back a few years after. Changed the pickups to Morch's which helped a bit. Sold it again, and now 7 years later kinda misses it :rollno:
 
#394
Fender Marcus Miller V... I tried the MM IV and loved it. But I primarily play 5-strings, and the MM V is even US made, so I thought it would be a safe buy. I was wrong.

Mainly, a weak B-string caused my disappointment, but also, the bass didn't cut through the mix as effectively as I expected it to.

Now, I have an Alleva Coppolo LM5 that can make that signature Marcus sound (plus a whole lot of other tones). Mission accomplished.
 
#395
An Alembic Distalite, that was custom ordered w/ series one electronics.

First, they got the order wrong (wrong top).

Second, the bass arrived three months after it was promised. The dealer was so frustrated he took twenty percent off the invoice and I took it anyway not wanting to wait another eight months for them to maybe get it right.

Third, I got rid of it within the year, and lost my shirt on it. It sounded incredible in the store, great at home, but terrible ( weak and punchless) on the gig.
 
#396
A Ken Smith 6 string that I purchased in 1990. What a canoe paddle! It was so neck heavy that I had to spend all of my playing energy to keep the neck from hitting the floor. The sound was just just OK and considering that it looked really nice and was expensive I was dissapointed. :crying:
 
#397
burk48237 said:
An Alembic Distalite, that was custom ordered w/ series one electronics.

First, they got the order wrong (wrong top).
....
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Steve,

Just curious....when you ordered that, was GC still dealing Alembics or did you have to go through an out-of-state dealer? When I ordered mine GC had gotten out of the Alembic line and there were no dealers left in Michigan, so I ordered from Giampietro Guitars (now G-Guitars) in Connecticut.
 
#398
BC Rich; American made Ironbird. My brother was friends with a guy who worked at the factory in El Monte (I think it was El Monte) back in the 80's. Some kind of shady deal went down but I got the thing for way below cost.

I picked it up from my brother, took it home, plugged it in, put my hands on the fretboard and hated it instantly. My Aria Pro II felt and sounded better. Not just by a little bit, but by a wide margin. I kept trying to play it, to get a feel for it, but the thing just sucked. I don't even know what ever became of it and I've never considered a BC Rich since then.
 
#400
Sadowsky said:
Although I understand that bass preferences are subjective and personal, it is always upsetting to hear that anyone has been disappointed by a Sadowsky.

Roger
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I can most certainly understand your feelings. It would have to be excruciatingly difficult to hear negative thoughts about an instrument you have dedicated your life and soul into "perfecting".
Shoot, I get disappointed when folks name my favorite basses as their personal disappointments.:hmm:

Not just saying this to make you feel better, Roger.... but I had an early Metro MV4 for nearly 6 years and, even though I no longer own it, still adore that bass and WILL own another Sadowsky someday(my biggest bass GAS is a NYC Jazz). I never understood the Fender "clone" concept until I played my first Sadowsky;)

Back on topic.... I really haven't been too terribly disappointed by too many basses i've owned. I was a bit bummed about a beautiful Fender MIA Deluxe P I bought new online. Construction was great, but was never happy with that pre.
My buddy had a Gibson Grabber that was pretty terrible, and the heaviest bass i've ever held in my arms.

I also have an '82 Ric 4001 that I love to hate. It's so fricken uncomfortable, the previous owner had it wired up all wrong, so the Tone knobs control the volume and vice/versa, the pu selector is set up backwards, etc. But damn I love the sound that bass makes. Looks cool too. As much as it irritates me, I doubt i'll ever get rid of it.
Its charm lies in its faults.
 

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