What Bass Was The Biggest DISAPPOINTMENT?

[plangentmusic]

The Fender Jaguar. I just can't seem to part with it though...

I'm with you. I wanted to love it -- but the love didn't come.

Ultra cool -- but no real vibe. I thought the Squier jag would be a nice cheap alternative but even that wasn't worth it.

It's not quite a P, not quite a J, and doesn't have anything unique about it. No surprise -- it's based off of an old guitar design that also didn't really take off. Nice try though.

 

[82Daion]

Of the basses I've owned, the biggest disappointment was probably a Ken Smith BT5-EG. I received it with one of the circuit boards in the preamp broken off the pots, and figured it wouldn't work at all, but for some reason, with the bass in passive mode and the pickups in series, it sounded like the voice of God. I got the parts to fix it (after a rather condescending exchange with KS), and after the repair, it sounded much worse-very thin, compressed, and dull. Perhaps it was just the voicing of the preamp, but it definitely wasn't my thing.

Second biggest disappointment was a '75 Alembic Series I. While it was well-built and played fantastically well, the bridge was a crude design when it was new, and after 30 years of wear, the saddles rattled on their adjustment screws and were constantly shifting, and there wasn't enough break angle over the saddles to keep the strings firmly anchored in the slots. Worst of all, the adjustment screws for the saddles were permanently attached (the nuts holding them in the bridge were peened on), so there was no way to take it apart without destroying it. My luthier fixed it well enough, but I got tired of it and traded it not long after. While modern Alembics are wonderful, you could tell that they were still learning when mine was built.

 

[SaucyJackBass]

Schecter Stiletto Custom-5. Wicked high action that just couldn't be dropped no matter what was tried, or who tried it. The sound was weak and just plain bland, even with real EMG's and a Bartolini pre. Bought it for a heavy project, used it in the studio for the recording, then sold it.

Exactly my story. Wanted so bad to like this Bass. Just couldn't get the sound I wanted.

 

[Hoover]

Have you ever gotten something that you thought would be just perfect -- and then the more you played it, the more you hated it?

"Just perfect"? No. But I once bought a Hohner fretless PJ that I thought would be "just adequate" and it wasn't even that! It was adequate when I played it in the store for 10 minutes, but after I got it home and played it for about an hour I realized it was a complete POS. No. Redeeming. Qualities. Whatsoever. I took it back less than 24 hours later. Took a bath on the price, too; fortunately I'd only paid about $190 in teh first place, so it was worth the $100 loss for the valuable learning experience. DON'T BUY CRAP!

 

[BassNoob1]

I've only owned one bass in my life: 2010 Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass. Love it to death.

 

[plangentmusic]

I've only owned one bass in my life: 2010 Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass. Love it to death.

But like most first loves -- it won't last forever.

 

[Bobby B]

MM Stingray and a 90's Thunderbird. The Ray is a very nice bass, played great, I just couldn't dig the tone, it wasn't for me.

I had a '76 Thunderbird years ago and loved it. Bought a 90's one and I thought it was a piece of junk. Shoddy workmanship and poor tone. It was a total disappointment.

My Jag, I like it a lot. Most of the buttons and switches I never use, but it has a great tone and plays really well. Plus, it looks great, which is down the list for me in what I expect out of a bass, but it's still ON the list.

 

[krustwell]

Rickenbacker 4003.

uncomfortable (to me), fragile finish, terrible bridge design...

but hey, they look great.

 

[SJan3]

Musicman Sterling. I really wanted to love this bass, but it had a hollow and sharp sound that could never be tamed. The construction and build were top notch, of course...but that tone..to bright and trebly. Absolutely wrong choice for any roots style music (or blues).





Link Removed

+1 I thought the Sterling would be everything my trusty Stingray was and more. Not so! I could never coax a sound out of it that I liked. GONE fast..!!

 

[rockstarbassist]

Both Wal's I had- well, take that back the Mach I 4 string was pretty awesome, especially at the price I purchased it at. Not life changing like it is for some folks, tho.

The Mk II 5'er was pretty meh.

 

[SJan3]

Sadowsky Metro 5... it was like MIM Fender build quality for $1800 used. Sold it in a week.

+1 again! I got a Metro 4 string NEW and thought it had NOTHING on my American Jazz Bass. In fact, I truly preferred the Jazz and still have it but the Sadowsky is LONG GONE..

 

[pbasswil]

Spector Euro 5. Great bass. Well made. Super comfortable to wear. Hated every sound that came out of it, regardless of what strings I used. Big baseball bat neck.

Did that by any chance have their "Tone Pump" preamp? I sure didn't like that circuit -- overblown, tubby lows even when flat.

 

[Scatterblak]

H
How about you? What bass have you gotten that was like that hot girl you always wanted...but then after dating her a while , you couldn't wait to break up with her.

John Myung signature Yamaha: RBX-JM2. I'm a pretty big fan of John's style - so much so that JD at corner music called me when they got this thing in, and asked me if I wanted it before it hit the floor -- I bought it that day. The only good thing about it was the neck - very manageable for a 6 string. other than that, it was a complete letdown. I couldn't get a good sound out of that thing to save my life, it wasn't comfy to play, and the electronics were tragic. When I changed the battery, I could see that things we kind of sloppy in the cavity - stuff all in a wad inside some sort of black tape. I've talked to some guys on TB who've had better experiences later on with cleaner electronics, but mine was very early on, and it was awful. Traded it away towards a MMSRHS - never looked back.

 

[ddbassGA]

c1966 Ampeg Devil bass with the mystery pickup. Coolest looking bass ever made. Worst sounding.

 

[Funk Factor]

Stingray. Black, rosewood board two band eq. Beautiful bass, I so wanted to love it. Probably one of the best instruments I've owned in terms of quality fit and finish. Awesome neck but it was SOOO active sounding. It was just so harsh sounding. I just kept turning knobs looking for a good sound, couldn't find one. Sold it very reluctantly.

just about verbatim
Stingray. Natural, maple board two band eq. Beautiful bass, I so wanted to love it. Probably one of the best instruments I've owned in terms of quality fit and finish. Awesome neck but it was SOOO active sounding. It was just so harsh sounding. I just kept turning knobs looking for a good sound, couldn't find one. Couldn't sell it fast enough

 

[mongo2]

Fender Geddy Lee Sig

 

[lkngro]

Biggest disappointment to me? MTD Kingston Heir 5.

I got one about 4 or 5 months ago and thought I would never need another bass again. Now I'm selling it because I hate it. Not that it's a bad bass, it's great, in fact. It just doesn't give me anything I want out of it. The tones I want are definitely not achievable with that bass.

 

[ExaltBass]

Gibson EBO - could NOT bond with it. Returned it to the store after a couple of weeks. Thanks goodness there was a return policy!

 

[Travis_Bass]

Ibanez Soundgear 5-string.

I discovered that the neck was so thin, and whatever wood it was made of was so soft, that with just a little pressure from my left hand I could pull it back far enough that the strings would lay flat against the frets. Or, with a little push, I could double the height of the action.

This is literally the only thing that turns me off from Ibanez Sound Gear basses. That, and the neck wood needs to be adjusted weekly where I live, or everything is messed up.

 

[Bongofour]

Parker Hornet 4.

Great deal in Montreal, brought it home= HATED IT
Actually did an international return on it !