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What makes a bass great?

#82
Every time I see a post like this i think that most of my basses really ought to be sold and gone because I have that great bass and some really special number two and utility basses covered. Not that I have anything expensive or all that choice or collectible being a frugal bastard but still it could complicate things and make the old lady happy. Sorry.
 
#83
Pirate Captain said:
Sting? Really? I mean, I like The Police and all...but Sting's main instrument is his voice. He's not exactly Tracy Wormworth when it comes to the bass.
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No he's not. What Sting has is a talent that most bass players don't - he can really write good songs. I can come up with tasty sounding lines and cool riffs but I'm nothing when it comes to writing songs. Bass players typically don't write songs. Sting just sounds GOOD, and fills the bass player support role perfectly.
 
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#87
what makes a bass great? the feel of the neck, and if it's pleasing to your ears

what make a bass be/do those things? who knows?

controlling and experimenting is a good thing to help identify potential and identify what is doing what....like, trying flats and a string wrap

of course, we all know what makes a bass great here on TB are the following: body wood, neck wood, top wood, P pickup in classic P position, fb wood, fret material, pickguard color, passive only, and if it sounds great for metal

:)
 
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#89
A bass that you feel confortable with when playing it and that allows you to get easily the kind of sound you want it to make... and that is reliable, of course. Something that is not going to let you down in the mid of a show or rehearsal or home practice.
 
#92
FingerDub said:
No he's not. What Sting has is a talent that most bass players don't - he can really write good songs. I can come up with tasty sounding lines and cool riffs but I'm nothing when it comes to writing songs. Bass players typically don't write songs. Sting just sounds GOOD, and fills the bass player support role perfectly.
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sure...but we were talking about what makes a "bass" great...Sting would sound the same on just about anything with four strings. So, maybe it does come down to the player (like others are saying)
 
#94
A perfect bass for me is one I want to play and feel good in my hands. As a lefty, i tried many, many basses (and by "tried" I mean bought and sold -about 50- since lefties are not readily available in stores) including Fender Mex + US, Ibanez, Squier, Sire, Stingray (Ray 4, Ray 34 and US), MM US Sterling and Schecter.
The only one I kept and love is a Schecter Omen Extreme that i bought used - but in perfect condition - for $200.00...
 
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#96
The latest electric bass that struck me as great is the Supro Huntington I that I play most of the time. The one that has been home base for me for the last 10 years is a Jerry Jones Longhorn that I can make sound almost exactly like an upright. Finally, the other great bass is an Anton Schroetter-branded upright, built by Hofner in the 60's or 70's, the exact same bass as used by the great Major Holley. I've planed the fingerboard, adjusted the bridge to fit perfectly, reset the soundpost, put on Corelli strings...ahhh, beautiful!
 

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