What Matters Most?

[allexcosta]

I hate carrotless polls...

 

[Skarekrough]

Sound and then feel.

Looks I can ignore most times.

But if I plug in and it doesn't give me that tone I'm looking for then I can't think of a single reason why the next move shouldn't be to put it back on the wall and walk away.

 

[MNAirHead]

Feel.. I can commonly make a $40 Craigslist play much better than a typical custom shop bass.. it's all in the setup if it has good bones.

Tone etc can all be changed...

If you like your current bass and do not like how it plays.. a good shop can fix it for about $50.. if you want it refined you can take it from there.

 

[JTE]

I don't think you can really change the inherent sound of an instrument. If the sound of the bass is all attack and sustain without bloom or cushion to the note, it's going to sound like that no matter what you do to the guts or the bridge and strings. You can play with some aspects of the sound but you can't fundementally alter the way the strings vibrate and interact with the body- and that's all the PUPs react to. I wasted too much of my own money and time trying to make those changes, and I took a lot of customers' money to make the same ultimately ineffectual changes.

Here's a quote from Ricky Minor where he was discussing what he as a musical director looks for in a bassist. In November 2004, Bass Player published the following qoute "Also, players should have a good sound. I always say I can get used to a big neck or a heavy bass, but I can’t get used to a bad sound."

That's where I'm coming from. My rule now is it's gotta sound good unamplified first or it goes back on the wall. Then it's gotta feel good (that is, within my limits for comfort). Then the ultimate test- does it say "Hi, honey- I'm home!!". Without that it's not a sale.

jte

 

[mongo2]

My rule now is it's gotta sound good unamplified first or it goes back on the wall.

I used to think that too but I've tried more than a few that sound good unamplified and then sound very disappointing through an amp. I no longer bother listening to an instrument unplugged. For me, if it doesn't feel right it goes back on the wall.

 

[fullrangebass]

If the bass does not feel right (after a proper set up), there is no need to proceed.

If you have to fight for right tone, then you are definitely holding the wrong bass

Looks never sounded good on their own.

So "Feel" gets my vote, but I've found great basses that offer feel, tone and looks at a very high level

 

[Clammy]

All 3 are equal to me. I won't buy a bass that sounds good, plays well, but looks like crap, same as I won't buy a bass that sounds good, looks good, but plays like crap, or a bass that plays well, looks good, but sounds like crap.

Cheers!

 

[rad87gn]

I look for all three. If all three isn't there I won't buy it.

 

[6Steve6Harris6]

Doesn't matter how pretty it looks, or how good it sounds. If it plays badly, you'll never pick it up.