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What Bass Was The Biggest DISAPPOINTMENT?

#561
lucas vigor said:
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).
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Same here. I got a KILLER deal on a brand new Sterling from GC, $800, due to a bad pickup. I shipped it to EB and they changed it free of charge, so it was all brand new.

I just could not dig it. Part of it was because I really wanted a Stingray at the time and settled, part was the size of it (too small) and lastly I just didn't dig the tone. I sold it after 2 weeeks. I actually made a little profit, so for that I liked it :)
 
#562
essentre said:
Same here. I got a KILLER deal on a brand new Sterling from GC, $800, due to a bad pickup. I shipped it to EB and they changed it free of charge, so it was all brand new.

I just could not dig it. Part of it was because I really wanted a Stingray at the time and settled, part was the size of it (too small) and lastly I just didn't dig the tone. I sold it after 2 weeeks. I actually made a little profit, so for that I liked it :)
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i agree, i had an older mm5. just couldn't get the thing to sound good. to me it never really sounded like a good bass. i don't know what people see in these basses, but then again a lot of people like them and not the ones i like.
 
#563
The honors would have to go to my Gibson Bicentennial Thunderbird reissue, bought in a momentary lapse of reason precipitated by hero worship of John Entwhistle.
To add salt on the wounds, I sold a 1963 P-Bass to finance this folly!:bawl:
 
#565
My biggest disappointments were the g&l 2500 I had and the NS Bolin 5 string. I loved everything about the g&l but the neck was to thick for me and the spacing was a little tight. I love the g&l sound. Wish they had more neck options. The Bolin was sweet , very light and sounded great but the spacing was ridiculous. I guess you could say they both helped me figure out what type necks I like and that I prefer 19mm spacing.
 
#567
Billy Low said:
Oh, just remembered another one! My Conklin Groove Tools 5....just wasn't working for me! I tried one that I liked quite a bit, but when I had returned to the store to purchase it, the darn thing was sold. They had another one available, and I played it for 5 mins and was out the door with it. Never could get the feel of it, unlike the first one I tried.
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My Conklin GT 5 is one of my favorite basses of all time, even above the three custom Conklins I owned. Not in overall quality, per se, but tonally. The sound I get from my GT with an OBP-3 and USA Barts is just amazing to my ears.
 
#571
I had the opportunity to try out a Rickenbacker 4003 in a music store about a month back, and found myself sorely disappointed. It wasn't really particularly bad in any way, really, but everything single aspect of it could be described as "alright, I guess". I dunno. I guess I was just expecting it to feel and sound like hot chocolate and unicorns and summertime romances.
 
#572
Yup mine was the Marcus Miller 5, i actually played one of my buddies and loved it, it was heavy and just had a thick tone. Got mine it was light and just sounded thin.
I personally like heavy basses, i personally have noticed that the tone i get from a heavy bass i prefer to a light bass, i am 24 so i am sure my opinion will change when my back starts to get tired.

And I agree with the Godin basses as well, i have owned a passive p/j and also the 5 string thing they make...terrible terrible tone, not versatile at all, i played each on one gig only and ditched them the next day.

On another note, my ibanez atk 305 was probably one of the most suprising basses i have ever owned. I bought it as a back up, and then when money got tight I had to sell my Fender P, and i just played the ATK for a while and it killed it in the band i was playing with, big fat tone on that thing and a very useable EQ. It fell to the wayside because of alot of the groups I play with are image conscious and want to see a fender in my hands.
 
#573
I read many people are not liking the sound of their bass however doesn't the amp have more to do with that? I tried my Sterling in many different amps and it sounded bad, however through a 1x15 it sounded much better, then I picked the right 1x15 and all is good. Strings should play a part in sound as well.
 
#574
The Hofner Beatle bass; I am a big fan of Paul McCartney, most guys my age are. A friend of my owned an Hofner just like his, which he let me try since he was dying to try my Rick 4001; it was hate at first touch! Maybe it's because I am a hardcore Rickenbacker guy, but that Hofner just felt awful. Okay, sure it sounded nice, but it the neck felt like a broomstick.....ugh!!!!
 
#576
Warwicks, sounded like dead fish to me.
Musicman Stingray, I wanted one so badly, finally played one, most uncomfortable neck I have EVER played and it sounded so digital. Reminded me why I prefer passive over active, and honestly didnt think it was worth the extra money over a sterling
 
#577
HMZ said:
Sadowsky metro wanted to love it but it just didn't work for me.
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+1.
Maybe it was the woods, but I played one years ago that was super nice but sounded quite trebly and artificial.

I also have hate relationship with Precisions. I know they`re great but I can`t dig their neck profile and depending on the situation, their tone.
 
#578
I really wanted to like my old Fender Classic Series 70s Jazz reissue but the neck was nothing like what I was looking for. I didn't get a chance to play one in stores before buying. I learned my lesson with that one.

At the time, I was used to active electronics so the passive shock was upsetting. I installed an Audere, which was fantastic, but that bass and preamp are long gone. I'm now very pleased with my passive basses. I don't feel any compulsion to go back to active. :)

I really liked how the bass looked and sounded (after adding the Audere) but the feel was just not working. The neck was too chunky. The neck on my Classic Vibe 60s Jazz was vastly superior. The passive tone was better, in my opinion, as well. Of course, I was never very fair to the 70s RI as a passive instrument.

The MIM 70s RI is a nice bass but it's the most disappointed I've been in a bass, only because of the cost. I've had worse feeling basses but none have been priced at over $700.
 

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