My regret: Not being more involved in it at a younger age. By the time I got serious about it, my life was already made, which prevented music from ever becoming a primary profession. On the other hand, one must be careful what one wishes for. 
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What is your biggest "bass mistake"?
- Thread starter FBS1996
- Start date
....waiting until last year to pick up a bass. Now I can't get enough, and I'm "no spring chicken". Could have had an easy 30 years of this under my belt by now, ack....
Chris
Chris
Dang. I had a drummer do that to me also. Although it was not as valuable as yours. He also sold my amp. Actually, he pawned them.
Got it back for me pretty quick once I found out about it and showed up at his door.
Most of my regrets are from making the wrong decision with bands. Passing up gigs that turned out to be good, putting too much faith in bands destined to fail, etc.
Bass wise, I think the only mistakes I made was ordering my MB2 5er in the sense that I should have ordered a 6 in the first place. I also tried 26 frets on my CB Rami 6, which just don't work for me.
Bass wise, I think the only mistakes I made was ordering my MB2 5er in the sense that I should have ordered a 6 in the first place. I also tried 26 frets on my CB Rami 6, which just don't work for me.
MikeBass
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- Nov 4, 2003
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1) Marrying my first wife... and consequently letting her talk me out of playing bass for 10+ years... Lesson learned: [DEL]don't get involved with women[/DEL] the support of one's spouse in music is paramount, thus choose wisely because you can't just trade it in like that squire P you bought on ebay...
2) Not doing more to push some of the earlier bands I played with. See issue 1. Lesson learned: If you've got some commited bandmates don't be the flake.
3) After getting a peavy T-40 and practice amp for my 14th birthday I sold the bass a year later because I wanted a "newer" bass and kept the amp. Shoulda done the opposite, kept the bass, sold the amp. Lesson learned: Newer doesn't equal better.
4) Buying any bass "new" and paying retail. Lesson learned: It's easier to find what you want used.
5) Ordering a bass online when never playing a similar model. Lesson learned: Anyone want to buy a TRB 1005?
6) Bought a mid 50's model Fender bassman head cheap at a pawn shop. Wasn't "loud or modern" enough for my use at the time and put it in a closet for 12 years. Got it out and gave it to a friend. He likes it. I wish I had cleaned it up and used it. Lesson learned: Research your gear for maximize potential. Which is still why I haven't sold that TRB 1005 yet...
7) I wish I had taken lessons earlier. Investing in yourself will always pay off in some way.
2) Not doing more to push some of the earlier bands I played with. See issue 1. Lesson learned: If you've got some commited bandmates don't be the flake.
3) After getting a peavy T-40 and practice amp for my 14th birthday I sold the bass a year later because I wanted a "newer" bass and kept the amp. Shoulda done the opposite, kept the bass, sold the amp. Lesson learned: Newer doesn't equal better.
4) Buying any bass "new" and paying retail. Lesson learned: It's easier to find what you want used.
5) Ordering a bass online when never playing a similar model. Lesson learned: Anyone want to buy a TRB 1005?
6) Bought a mid 50's model Fender bassman head cheap at a pawn shop. Wasn't "loud or modern" enough for my use at the time and put it in a closet for 12 years. Got it out and gave it to a friend. He likes it. I wish I had cleaned it up and used it. Lesson learned: Research your gear for maximize potential. Which is still why I haven't sold that TRB 1005 yet...
7) I wish I had taken lessons earlier. Investing in yourself will always pay off in some way.
Focusing on buying and selling gear to improve my tone rather than being happy with what I have and using that time to practice.
1. Trying to add chrome covers on a Squier Classic Vibe Jazz bass. NOTHING will f-cking fit on that POS stock.
2. Buying Squier when I should have bought a real Fender. I'm just one of those people that can't get it past my mind that the instrument I'm holding is not the "real deal".
3. Buying a pack of halfwounds after I converted to flats... $30 down the tube and I ended up giving them away to some random guy I saw playing the bass at Guitar Center.
4. Listening to other people and taking their preferences to heart when I should have just tried sh-t out first before buying it, which led me to a multi-part mistake:
4a. Buying Jazz basses. People love them, I [now] don't. I bought 5 of them before and now I have none of them left. Too thin of a neck, odd off-waist body, and the single coils do nothing for my ear.
4b. Buying combo amps. I must have bought over 10 different combo amps, each amp with more power than the last, before I decided to chunk those mother f-ckers' advice out the window and buy me an amp head and cab. If I were to tell someone that's [new, serious and loves] playing the bass to just buy one cheap practice amp with a headphone jack and then spend the rest on a stack that's 200-watts+. No point of a 100-watt combo IMHO.
4c. "You need rounds, man." If I had a bullet for every Guitar Center employee that said that too me, there would at least be a small mound of dead bodies out in the parking lot. I was on rounds for nearly 2 years until the end of 2010 when I discovered and made the switch to flats when I stumbled on this Holier-than-holy site on a Google search for better strings (thank you TB forums!).
5. Buying brand-new. I can get cheaper used, not only that I've become one of "those" fanatics that love rusted, broken-in, beaten, and used basses; but most importantly, it must be functional to the point that it needs nothing but a string replacement (and that's only if the bass doesn't come with flats when I buy it).
6. Being pedal obsessed. I use pedals strictly for guitar playing only unless it calls for a bit of chorus or overdrive, but most of the time, the bass plugs right into my amp. I spent well over $600 experimenting with pedals JUST for the bass and in the end, nothing is more pure than a simple roll of the tone dial.
(Sorry for some "F" bombs thrown in there. None of what I said is meant to offend, it's just personal trial and error that I wish had less... "errors". Peace.)
2. Buying Squier when I should have bought a real Fender. I'm just one of those people that can't get it past my mind that the instrument I'm holding is not the "real deal".
3. Buying a pack of halfwounds after I converted to flats... $30 down the tube and I ended up giving them away to some random guy I saw playing the bass at Guitar Center.
4. Listening to other people and taking their preferences to heart when I should have just tried sh-t out first before buying it, which led me to a multi-part mistake:
4a. Buying Jazz basses. People love them, I [now] don't. I bought 5 of them before and now I have none of them left. Too thin of a neck, odd off-waist body, and the single coils do nothing for my ear.
4b. Buying combo amps. I must have bought over 10 different combo amps, each amp with more power than the last, before I decided to chunk those mother f-ckers' advice out the window and buy me an amp head and cab. If I were to tell someone that's [new, serious and loves] playing the bass to just buy one cheap practice amp with a headphone jack and then spend the rest on a stack that's 200-watts+. No point of a 100-watt combo IMHO.
4c. "You need rounds, man." If I had a bullet for every Guitar Center employee that said that too me, there would at least be a small mound of dead bodies out in the parking lot. I was on rounds for nearly 2 years until the end of 2010 when I discovered and made the switch to flats when I stumbled on this Holier-than-holy site on a Google search for better strings (thank you TB forums!).
5. Buying brand-new. I can get cheaper used, not only that I've become one of "those" fanatics that love rusted, broken-in, beaten, and used basses; but most importantly, it must be functional to the point that it needs nothing but a string replacement (and that's only if the bass doesn't come with flats when I buy it).
6. Being pedal obsessed. I use pedals strictly for guitar playing only unless it calls for a bit of chorus or overdrive, but most of the time, the bass plugs right into my amp. I spent well over $600 experimenting with pedals JUST for the bass and in the end, nothing is more pure than a simple roll of the tone dial.
(Sorry for some "F" bombs thrown in there. None of what I said is meant to offend, it's just personal trial and error that I wish had less... "errors". Peace.)
mistake number 1.leaving my bass rig and 8 string viellette-citron in a rented practice room in a dicey Memphis neighborhood. of course they and all our band's pa equipment got stolen. mistake number 2-of course it was not insured. lesson learned-my stuff stays with me all the time since that happened,and now that i am a homeowner,it is insured.
I wouldn't call it a "mistake" because I learned a lot from it, but I built a P/J from rock maple a couple years ago.
It was a bit on the heavy side, and since the body was so thick, it didn't resonate like the maple in my Ric or Ripper. But it has a nice solid tone w/ good attack...if you can pick it up.
It was a bit on the heavy side, and since the body was so thick, it didn't resonate like the maple in my Ric or Ripper. But it has a nice solid tone w/ good attack...if you can pick it up.
I sold a great bolt-on Fodera emperor to fund a Fodera six string. When the bass was out of the house and the money in the bank the seller changed his mind about the six string.
Very good post, and heartfelt....I hear you brother.
That decision probably had more impact on my life and career than I care to contemplate or regret. I could have went to Berkley but instead went to technical school and got married.
I chose more wisely this time around...
That's kinda your fault, not the bass's, anybody who owns a CV 60's jazz will tell you a cover won't fit over the high mass bridge. A cover won't fit over a Fender MIA hgh mass bridge, either.
Hifiguy said:
Hey!!!!!! That's MY mistake!!!!!!!!
Made up for it by buying another Ric a couple of years ago. The accountant in me screamed "NOOOO!!!!!" but I didn't listen
. Rics aren't for everybody but for me they are the one.
