What do you dislike/hate about playing our beloved instrument?

[cassanova]

Seems every thread here at TB is giving praise to our instrument of choice. I wanted to put a different spin on it. I'd like to know what it is we hate or dislike about playing the bass, and please don't expect me to believe that we don't hate at least one aspect of the instrument, no matter how little it may be.

For me its when I'm practicing a new technique, I finally get it up to speed & sounding good, then out of nowhere I lose it & it falls apart on me as if I didn't know what I was doing.

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

I don't like bad defret jobs. My Shergold is horrendous.

 

[Baryonyx]

The GAS. If I didn't have such a tight watch on my bank account I could make myself flat broke buying basses.

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

The GAS. If I didn't have such a tight watch on my bank account I could make myself flat broke buying basses.

Welcome to my world....I would give a lot of money for another Shergold.

 

[alexhickel]

the ignorant people who don't know anything about bass, but act like they do.

 

[Andrew.Glose]

The instrument itself.

Think about it.

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

Expensive strings......

 

[steve66]

The fact that no matter what bass you put strap locks on they always loosen up.

 

[bassaficionado6]

Expensive strings......

+1

 

[KsToaDangr]

I have a hard time finding 5 string sets around here. Just about every bassist here in town plays a 4 string, so none of the stores generally carry 5 sets. Also, I don't like that some auto tuners can not pickup the low b string.

 

[Thunderscreech]

As Rodney Dangerfield (RIP) said:

"No Respect!"

 

[christmetal]

probably the fact that bass players are not appreciated
my bass teacher always told me that bass and drums are the backbone of the band
yet people dont seem to realize that
oh well

 

[bassaficionado6]

probably the fact that bass players are not appreciated
my bass teacher always told me that bass and drums are the backbone of the band
yet people dont seem to realize that
oh well

Perhaps musicians are the last people who should be asked which intrument is most important.

 

[Matt Till]

The bass has been wrecking my hands for years. I have something wrong with my hands where they break open all the time, I need to go to a doctor but can't afford it. But smacking them against strings and sliding them across metal really isn't doing them any good. I've bled on my bass a few times for sure, which is a nice deterrent if anyone bugs me about playing my bass.

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

I have a hard time finding 5 string sets around here. Just about every bassist here in town plays a 4 string, so none of the stores generally carry 5 sets. Also, I don't like that some auto tuners can not pickup the low b string.

This is especially true of my tuner, which works on vibrations.

 

[the evil]

probably the fact that bass players are not appreciated
my bass teacher always told me that bass and drums are the backbone of the band
yet people dont seem to realize that
oh well

well let's look at this one:

1) your teacher is a professional player who probably plays with older local pros who actually use his talents. plus dont forget hes probably at least in his 40's so hes used to playing classic rock with steady bass and drum lines.

2) HE"S A FRIGGIN BASS TEACHER!!!!! of course hes gonna tell you that he wants your money. if he was a guitar teacher he would tell you some line about guitar to keep you interested. let me ask you, how often do you do stupid things to impress people without thinking about breaking YOUR back bone lol.

 

[rarbass]

I'd say the more expensive strings and those tuners that don't pick up the lower frequencies.
That's quite minimal, but I love everything about playing bass LOL so those are the things that irritate me.

 

[Jeff K]

The load in/load out of the gear.

 

[Tony G]

My dislike of bass is along the same lines of the "respect" thing, with people thinking that bass is an "inferior" instrument. I love playing bass, and get great enjoyment from it. But it is hard not to get a little hurt when some random person makes an ignorant or rude comment about something I love so dearly, such as bass being easy, boring, for failed guitarists, etc. I try to just brush it off, but the lack of respect for bass and bass players is the one thing I hate the most about playing bass. It is important to note that it doesn't keep me from playing bass, and I've never been talked to that way by any respectable musicians.

 

[Fretless1!]

probably the fact that bass players are not appreciated
my bass teacher always told me that bass and drums are the backbone of the band
yet people dont seem to realize that
oh well

The odd thing about that is that guitarists will be the first to tell you good bassists are hard to find yet, somehow, still manage to treat you either as if you were an idiot or have absolutely no respect for your musicianship.