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What Bass Was The Biggest DISAPPOINTMENT?

#801
I have just gotten to the disappointment stage with my USA MTD 535. Everything about it is absolutely perfect. I just can't get used to the 35" scale. I am so bummed....
 

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#804
My Fender P-Deluxe. Actually every Fender I ever owned. Just do not like them. However, I think it is the neck I just can't get the feel of. The other bass that I had a real problem with was my EBMM Sterling. The pick up placement just was very bad for my wrist and arm postotopm for how I play.
 
#808
stinger ray said:
I have just gotten to the disappointment stage with my USA MTD 535. Everything about it is absolutely perfect. I just can't get used to the 35" scale. I am so bummed....
Click to expand...

I loved my MTD 535 as well, but the scale length and 19mm spacing got to me. As soon as I tried a Fender AMDV, it was all over and I've been hooked on 18mm 34" scale ever since.

Every Sadowsky Metro I had stayed less than 4 months. 19 spacing is too wide for me, nice basses though Rodger does good work.

If Michael Tobias made a 34" scale 18 mm version of the 535 I'd be all over it.
 
#810
the bass in my icon which is made in California its called a a spalt terminator a $3-4000 bass , with an aluminum frame with wood blocks fashioned to it , ergonomically perfect ,it has a wooden neck ,extremely comfortable to play with bart mm and j pickups and an active pre amp .HANDS DOWN ONE OF THE WORST SOUNDING BASSES IVE EVER OWNED due to the aluminum body frame and aluminum headstock ,it sounded like a flagpole in heavy wind , all overtones ,no clear notes ,ive played $200 yamaha's that sounded better
 
#811
I had a 4 string Warwick Dolphin Pro I.

Looked great, played great, smelled better. Sounded soooo thin despite my tweaking of any and all EQ.

I thought about upgrading the electronics but there's only 2 pots, I didn't want to drill the body for more. Plus I easily sold it for what I paid for it, so no big deal.

Honorable mention to a Modulus Flea 5. Just sounded sterile and uninspiring.
 
#814
Seems like the take-home message of this thread is that if you don't play an instrument for more than five minutes before you buy it, you may find that it doesn't suit you. The corollary to that is if that if you spec a custom instrument there's always a chance that you won't like it.

Regarding the Rick bashing... I'm on my second, so obviously I don't find them disappointing. But they're legendary for being love-them-or-hate-them. If you buy one because you think they look cool but you don't like the sound or the feel, then you're a bit of a fool.

No instrument is going to please everyone. Certainly not a $500 mass-produced one, not a $2000 hand-made one, not even a $10,000 custom made one.
 
#817
I probably havent played nearly as many basses as some of you guys, but one bass that comes to mind a disappointment is the BC Rich Mockingbird (A recent one, trans red with natural finish in the middle, 2 P style pickups). Im not usually one for BC Rich, they always seem to have glaring problems and many of them look.. rediculous. But when i saw this mockingbird, i really wanted to like it. The finish and colour was very striking, had neat cloud inlays, a 2 P-style pickups seemed like an excellent idea! I thought, finally BC Rich may have something i like!

So i tried, and i was so sad and disappointed. Massive neckdive, awkward feel, and the worst part was the pickups. They were so incredibly lifeless and dull. No matter what i tried i couldnt spice it up. It was also somewhat quiet, not like "almost out of batteries" quiet, but other basses i had played through the same amp were much louder.

I thought maybe with a pickup change and maybe a good preamp it would be a good bass, but the shape of the body is just not workable.
 
#818
bassman_al said:
Kind of surprised that there are not more votes for Fender Precisions, given that this thread is practically begging for all of the Fender MIA P and J haters to come vent their respective spleens.

As a Fender fan, I am smugly pleased that P-basses are not mentioned here as much as I predicted they would be when I opened the thread.

That is all.
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Sorry I was asleep. P with flats continually disappoint. But then maybe it's just the people who play them. They even made Pino sound bad after his fretless Ray
 
#819
eban3 said:
the bass in my icon which is made in California its called a a spalt terminator a $3-4000 bass , with an aluminum frame with wood blocks fashioned to it , ergonomically perfect ,it has a wooden neck ,extremely comfortable to play with bart mm and j pickups and an active pre amp .HANDS DOWN ONE OF THE WORST SOUNDING BASSES IVE EVER OWNED due to the aluminum body frame and aluminum headstock ,it sounded like a flagpole in heavy wind , all overtones ,no clear notes ,ive played $200 yamaha's that sounded better
Click to expand...

I fell in love with Spalt basses back in 1999 when I got to go to NAMM! These basses are amazing. I wish I had the money to own one. They are spectacular. Never heard it plugged in though.
 
#820
I have had around 40 basses over last 20 years. Here is the best and worst

Best
2011 Rickenbacker 4003 - nice and light one at a little under 9 lbs. one of the best growls live tones of any bass. One that gets constant raves on tone from audience
1985 Rickenbacker 4003 - 8.2 lbs. got raves from bands I played with. Should have never sold it.
2009 Lakland USA Bob Golub - amazing with flats 8.5lbs
2007 Modulus Q6 fhole. Very light at 9lbs even, great smooth modern tone and perfect balance for a 6
Sadowsky RV4

Just Ok

Nordstrand VJ5 Classic. One of the best looking basses. Ebony board on a jazz didn't work for me sounding to modern.
90 Rickenbacker 4003s. Near 10lbs to heavy sounded thin.
American Standard P
Spector coda 4. Great tone a little to heavy. Aguilar op2 not a good pre or a jazz IMO.
Lakland USA JO4. Was great in every way except weight. 9.75 lbs
Warwick Stremer II 5 string. Unique tone not very versatile Ime. To focused and mid range heavy.
Warwick Corvette std ash. Nice sounding lightweight jazz like bass

Bad

09 Rickenbacker 4001c64. Heavy and sounded thin.
2008 Ken Smith BSR 5GN. Amazing build and feel. Tone just didn't work for anything. Worst bass sitting in mix. Even worse slap tone. The thinnest bland tone.
2009 Fender Custom Shop. Near 10lbs heavy, bad neck dive, sticky neck finish.
1994 Music Man. Boring tone. Thin and bright
 

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