What Bass Was The Biggest DISAPPOINTMENT?

[thmsjordan]

Alembic Series bass circa 1981.

Neck heavy, too heavy in general, uncomfortable, hard to figure out, and I could never get a sound I really liked out of it. I remember getting nothing but complaints from the leaders i worked with. I have to say that I never really "got" that bass.

I remember after the third gig grabbing the Precision out of the car for the second or third set, and having everything suddenly feel "just right" I was thinking of selling it. After one leader told me never to bring it to another of his gigs and specifically to bring my P bass, I put it up for sale and lost a small fortune in the process.

BTW - the P bass still sounds great and pleases the people I work for EVERY time.

I am not saying the Alembic was an awful bass, but I never did warm to it.

 

[JMBassist]

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

I've had two.

One: The Fodera: That was going to be my dream bass. Everything built to my specifications. Cost me a bundle. I WANTED so much to love it. I just don't like the sound of it. Changed the pickups. I still don't like the sound of it.

And more recently...

The Marcus Miller Signature J Bass: Let me preface my remarks by saying I'm not the biggest MM fan so that wasn't the reason I got it. (He's great at what he does, but it's a little one dimensional for me). Be that as it may, his sound is KILLER. I always wanted a J and I thought this would be the perfect choice -- one that can be run in either passive or active modes.

Not so.

In the passive mode you don't have any control over the tone! And the active mode isn't so much of an "active " sound, or even a pre-amp volume boost -- it's more like an EQ, with extreme highs and lows. I can get THE SAME EXACT sound from a heavily EQ'd Classic Vibe. And it plays better.

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.

Very nice this post!

Actually Fodera is in my GAS list, but reading this I'm just thinking twice..!!!!

Who else has this experience? Is it Fodera a bass too much expensive just for have a "nice picture" and the sound is not we should expect?

I'm asking for your help and opinions since I'm really making all efforts to save some money to buy one.

i've never tried one..that's the reason for my question.

 

[jcburn]

Zon Sonus 4.
Spector Euro 5
Both neck heavy. Always thought they would be great basses for me.
Fender '82 P Bass Special. Sounded great. Great setup but heavy and just damn uncomfortable to play.

 

[Just Thumpin']

I would not be overly worried about this being an experience that you would share. We are very interested in finding out more from the OP (I posted a bunch of key questions several posts prior to this one) about his build and instrument. It is exceedingly rare that a bass that has been built cannot be dialed in to get the tone the person that commissioned us to build it wants...

That said, this process involves great communication in both directions. If we EVER deliver a bass to a customer that they do not think is working for them and they share that with us, we will work incredibly hard to do right by them. The only time that I have been involved here where we could not make it work was with a customer that had us build a 35" scale bass for them and then deciding that they really preferred 34"...that is something that we cannot fix.

Very nice this post!

Actually Fodera is in my GAS list, but reading this I'm just thinking twice..!!!!

Who else has this experience? Is it Fodera a bass too much expensive just for have a "nice picture" and the sound is not we should expect?

I'm asking for your help and opinions since I'm really making all efforts to save some money to buy one.

i've never tried one..that's the reason for my question.

 

[ronlitz]

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).

I have the *exact* same relationship with my MM Sterling! I love everything about the bass - except the tone. The neck is small, and the oil finish is butter. The bridge, the tuners, the truss rod adjustment wheel - everything is perfect. But you're right - harsh, bright, scooped tone that doesn't sit in a mix. I'm not going to give up on it yet though - I'm going to try a pickup swap, maybe even preamp - everything else is just too perfect. It does sound nice acoustically - so I think there is hope.

 

[megadan]

Man, I understand all the basses in this thread, even the Stingray (which I owned) and definitely the Ric (which I own).

But the G&L L-2000?? How can you not like that bass? Plays like a P, sounds like a jazz on steroids (if you want it to), great necks and frets, versatile... I'm thinking maybe it's for the same reason as I always disliked Ps - never heard it in the mix.

You gotta hear it in the mix!!

 

[thmsjordan]

Ditto, man! I'm surprised to see such a lack of Fender bashing, lol. The P-Basses I've tried recently have quite the pleasant surprise to me despite the fact that I don't get along well with pick-up basses. I picked up a Fender Road-Worn Precision recently and it sounded awesome.

This comes as no surprise to me. I am sure you can find players who don't like P basses but the ones who do outnumber them by quite a wide margin. Just look at all the players who chose this bass. They must like something.

I am a big fan of the P bass after playing just about everything else for years. IMHO it is the nicest sounding bass in a mix. It has a warmth to it that just feels great. I LOVE Jazz basses too, but I couldn't go a week without my trusty P and I play a lot of different types of music. It just works. Truly the industry workhorse.

 

[MD Stingray]

Stingray 5, fantastic bass-guitar, but a fiver just does not work for me.
Alembic Spoiler, best-in-class, but the body was too uncomfortable for me.
G&L2000, zillion sounds, but it drove me crazy to find the right one for me.

All basses where once in my top-5 GAS list.

 

[mark roberts]

Roscoe SKB 7-string

 

[Ed Goode]

Pretty interesting thread, nice to finally see some honest comments about basses instead of the usual " XXXX is a piece of junk" stuff.

Everyone has differing tastes in basses. Things like tone, body style, appearance and construction are all quite personal ... for example, even though I mostly play ERB's I love Fender basses and have never had a bad one. Yet I don't understand the love for the supercharged Fender clones that so many here express. Except for Valenti and LowEnd, I see no appeal in any of them, yet this board is loaded with really good players that speak highly of the non-Fenders .... different strokes etc.

To the OP topic, the only bass I have ever really been disappointed with was an Ibanez SRX-505. The bass only had one tone and one style .... loud and harsh. And the neck was far too thin for my tastes

 

[BassInUrFace]

when ever i have a little gas, ill look to this thread to tame it.

 

[rojo412]

This comes as no surprise to me. I am sure you can find players who don't like P basses but the ones who do outnumber them by quite a wide margin. Just look at all the players who chose this bass. They must like something.

As a P Bass hater, I'd like to think that a lot of people who want these so bad don't end up disappointed, and thus why it lacks in this thread.
And while I appreciate their simplicity, reliability, and place in bass history, I've never picked one up that made me buy it (well, my first bass was a P, but I didn't know better and I bought it from Dale Peters from the James Gang, so it had a cool story).
I never expected a P to sound like anything but a P bass and for that, they all deliver just fine. Never will disappoint the P fans.

 

[Aspidites]

As a P Bass hater, I'd like to think that a lot of people who want these so bad don't end up disappointed, and thus why it lacks in this thread.
And while I appreciate their simplicity, reliability, and place in bass history, I've never picked one up that made me buy it (well, my first bass was a P, but I didn't know better and I bought it from Dale Peters from the James Gang, so it had a cool story).
I never expected a P to sound like anything but a P bass and for that, they all deliver just fine. Never will disappoint the P fans.

My first bass was also a P a 76 to be exact and while I have a sentimental attachment to it that is as far as it goes. I will probably never buy another P and the one I have gets zero play time so I guess in 20 years it will be one of those closet classics.

 

[plangentmusic]

This is based on my experience (No Offense Please),

Bought a CT no frills 4 for $3400 Brand new..and with shipping + tax to Indonesia, the total price was close to $4200.

Can't adjust the string action low, dead spot on 11 th fret, Buzzing everywhere, bass neck wasn't installed properly (need shimming). REALLY HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT
the bass feels and made like a $300 - 400 bass

My $299 CV Jazz has no dead spots or fret noise at all!


j/k bro. I actually feel for you. I've been there.

 

[nato101010]

So, any 34" scale bass with single-coil or hum-bucking pickups? At least give credit where due.

Did Leo Fender design every 34'' scale bass with single coils or humbuckers?

Nope.
I'm talking about Jazz, P, Stringray, etc.

 

[plangentmusic]

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).
QUOTE]

I have the *exact* same relationship with my MM Sterling! I love everything about the bass - except the tone. The neck is small, and the oil finish is butter. The bridge, the tuners, the truss rod adjustment wheel - everything is perfect. But you're right - harsh, bright, scooped tone that doesn't sit in a mix. I'm not going to give up on it yet though - I'm going to try a pickup swap, maybe even preamp - everything else is just too perfect. It does sound nice acoustically - so I think there is hope.

Put the toggle in the front position (rear pu) and roll off the treble and pump the low end. MASSIVE bass.

I think the big problem with MM is that they can be so bright it overwhelms the overall sound. But there's plenty of bottom on those babies so just ease up on the highs and mids and you'll have plenty of bottom.

 

[scowboy]

Status Kingbass - just sold it at a considerable loss.

Thought it would a nice smaller'ish bass but it ended up being to big for me in every way.

Sounded amazing though.

 

[Aspidites]

Put the toggle in the front position (rear pu) and roll off the treble and pump the low end. MASSIVE bass.

I think the big problem with MM is that they can be so bright it overwhelms the overall sound. But there's plenty of bottom on those babies so just ease up on the highs and mids and you'll have plenty of bottom.

Or have Kim Kardashian play it.

 

[plangentmusic]

Very nice this post!

Actually Fodera is in my GAS list, but reading this I'm just thinking twice..!!!!

Who else has this experience? Is it Fodera a bass too much expensive just for have a "nice picture" and the sound is not we should expect?

I'm asking for your help and opinions since I'm really making all efforts to save some money to buy one.

i've never tried one..that's the reason for my question.

Here's the thing with Fodera. They're more pieces of handmade furniture than instruments. The craftmanship is superb. So what.

The combination of exotic woods doesn't translate to a pleasing sound. It doesn't resonate -- maybe BECAUSE it mixes too many woods of varying resonance. The thought I'd get the warmth of mahogany and the brightness of maple. I got neither. It was almost iike they cancelled each other out.

The neck-though design adds too much sustain for me, taking away the punch -- especially in the upper register.

With a built in pre-amp that requires 2 batteries, you'd think it would howl. Instead, it sputters. Sounds nice at a low volume in my living room. No guts live. On recordings it comes off like a cheap toneless toy.

Yeah, Victor sounds good on it. He'd sound good on anything. (Though I don't love his tone)

I can see loving the feel -- it's very solid. But once you get used to it, you realize it doesn't make you play any better.

Is that enough?


There...I just saved you four thousand dollars. Treat yourself to a nice dinner and a new set of strings.

 

[spade2you]

Here's the thing with Fodera. They're more pieces of handmade furniture than instruments. The craftmanship is superb. So what.

The combination of exotic woods doesn't translate to a pleasing sound. It doesn't resonate -- maybe BECAUSE it mixes too many woods of varying resonance. The thought I'd get the warmth of mahogany and the brightness of maple. I got neither. It was almost iike they cancelled each other out.

The neck-though design adds too much sustain for me, taking away the punch -- especially in the upper register.

With a built in pre-amp that requires 2 batteries, you'd think it would howl. Instead, it sputters. Sounds nice at a low volume in my living room. No guts live. On recordings it comes off like a cheap toneless toy.

Yeah, Victor sounds good on it. He'd sound good on anything. (Though I don't love his tone)

I can see loving the feel -- it's very solid. But once you get used to it, you realize it doesn't make you play any better.

Is that enough?


There...I just saved you four thousand dollars. Treat yourself to a nice dinner and a new set of strings.

You are officially the most opinionated guy on TB. Congrats.