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What makes a very good bass ?

What makes a very good bass ?

  • Attention to small details(fretwork,comfort,ergonomics)

    Votes: 116 75.8%

  • Sound only, even though it doesn't feels good at first I'll adapt

    Votes: 39 25.5%

  • Finish and look(including "coffeetableness") , if it looks good then it's good.

    Votes: 9 5.9%

  • There isn't such thing as a good bass guitar, just good players

    Votes: 22 14.4%

  • Price, the cheaper the worse

    Votes: 1 0.7%

  • Electronics only , plywood can sound good

    Votes: 12 7.8%
  • Total voters
    153
  • Poll closed .
#23
NecroticImbecil said:
For myself personally I would to this rarity, since the OP added "one you will never sell." If I have to sell a bass that's a favorite, I'd rather it be one I can replace from a retailer or CL/Ebay easily. This strategy has had the unfortunate side effect over the years that I now have a herd of irreplaceable basses.
Click to expand...

As far as "I'd never sell this bass" I think it comes down to either it's a bass you use regularly enough that selling it wouldn't make sense, or it's a bass you've had long enough/has enough nostalgic/sentimental value to you that selling it is something you'd definitely regret. In those situations the bass is worth more to you than you'd ever get for it financially.

Of the three in my signature, these days I play the Stingray by far the least, and I can get pretty close to any tone the Stingray does with the Reflex, but I've had the Stingray for a decade, it's the bass I largely "grew up on" as a player, and so even if purely practically it would maybe make sense to sell it, I never will.
 
#25
  1. Attention to small details(fretwork,comfort,ergonomics) - well maybe
  2. Sound only, even though it doesn't feels good at first I'll adapt - Sound is very important
  3. Finish and look(including "coffeetableness") , if it looks good then it's good. - Looks are important
  4. There isn't such thing as a good bass guitar, just good players - I disagree
  5. Price, the cheaper the worse - I love cheap basses
  6. Electronics only , plywood can sound good - Electronics and wood are important, and by the way plywood sounds a lot like maple
 
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#26
I could care less about the finish on a bass. If the neck fits me, and there's reasonable tonal variation I'm usually sold.

I'm still looking for that bass that looks like it had made it through some kind of natural disaster, that has a perfect neck, just to have fun with my band mates.

Not a relic... more like a freak of nature.
 
#27
pasco jacorius said:
So in your opinion what makes a very good bass (the one you will never sell)?
Click to expand...

Ergonomics is not a small detail. It is everything. A bass may be beautiful, it may produce heavenly sounds, but if you play a lot, why would you choose an instrument that is uncomfortable to play? Masochists need not reply. :D
 
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#28
Phlipper said:
I vote none of the above. When I find a 'good bass' for me, it generally means it feels very comfortable right off the bat. Like an old, familiar pair of tennis shoes.

Of course, it has to look good to me, too. Make me want to pick it up.
Click to expand...
Exactly this! There are too many basses to choose from to go with one that doesn't feel like an old friend right off the rack. (I can get past an obvious need for a setup tweak.) I know within seconds of picking up a bass if I care to even play it.

- John
 
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#32
I picked the first choice because I think those details enhance the playing experience. But, I would also include sound/tone as a major factor. At one point I had 10 basses, all high quality, but whittled it down to 6 based on the palette of tones I was looking for. Haven't had GAS for quite some time.
 
#38
Has to be comfortable to play or why would I? Has to sound good or what's the point? I think I could do without looks, but I haven't had to so far. Even asking for all three isn't too awfully hard to do - I've managed to find 3 without trying too hard. Fender MIM P, Carvin LB70 Anniversary Edition, and my favorite, Stingray 5HH. All bought used, total less than $2200. I'm a happy boy!
 
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#39
I had a T40, white, rosewood, 9/10 condition. Said I would never let it go. And it’s appreciating in $$$. A quality bass, kind of a cool novelty, and it sounds awesome.
So, looks and tone were covered, and value.
It was my “move up” after my first, a decent Squier PJ. I still have the Squier as a travel/practice ax when I’m on the road for work.
But of all the sounds I could manipulate out of it, I just couldn’t get that coveted P Bass thump. And the neck, though wide enough, was a bit flat for my tastes. But it is a beautiful, unique instrument, one I would be hard-pressed to find later in the same shape.
So when I saw the 78 Fender in similar condition for a more than reasonable asking price, I was hoping to close the gap on a trade with other gear, but I came up short. So I reluctantly gave up the Peavey and paid nothing out of pocket for the P.
After the first 30 minutes playing the Fender, I forgot about the T40. The neck felt like striking up a conversation with an old high school friend. A growling, purring, thumping friend.
Slapped some Labella’s on it, got a fresh setup with a little lift on the action, and oh mama mia....
It’s pretty pristine for a 40-year old P Bass, and I intend to wear her slam out playing her everyday from now until whenever.
 

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