What's your "Beater" bass?

[Killing Floor]

This is my Beater bass for those times I don't want to take my alembic, for jam sessions etc. It's made in Vietnam and called Atlas Galaxy Shark bass. I upgraded the electronics post purchase to two sets of ACG EQ02 filter based preamps which gives me a low and high pass filter on each pickup plus a blend and master volume. I went for the filters so that it feels familiar to my alembics in the way I would use the bass. Pickups are two humbuckers with dual and single coil switch. Brass nut and thick slab of ebony on the fretboard and 35" scale length. I've only gigged once with it.
I'm not absolutely sure about the woods but the back I think is alder and the neck is maple and mahogany and the top is a laminate of Ebony, maple and mahogany.
These pictures are pre electronics upgrade. The bass now has 5 dual gang pots.
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I have to admit Galaxy Shark was s a pretty cool name. Pretty bass too.

 

[DogsNbeer]

2017 Chinese made Squier CV ‘70s precision w Duncan Steve Harris pickup. My “Drinking bass” is what I call it. If it falls off the stand I don’t sweat it because it’ll probably come away unscathed and because it didn’t cost very much. But it sounds great and plays amazingly well. I’d be sad if I ever really abused it as the build quality is actually quite good

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

In another thread, I saw this- "And oh yeah, no more beaters: Nothing says 'I'm not serious' than a crappy instrument. And it doesn't have to be expensive, but if it's noisy, won't stay in tune, and you're constantly nursing it along, it's REAL easy for a band to say 'what's that other guy's number?'."

Is this your beater? Mine was not expensive to me (but sure would be to replace), is well maintained, not noisy, stays in tune, has a lot of aftermarket under the pickguard and doesn't need nursing, but it's my beater because it's already been refinned and it's got scars and dents all over it. It looks a mess, but it's clean, plays great and sounds great too. I just don't mind too much if it gets another scratch.
Obviously, beaters vary.

What's your "beater" bass?

I beat all my basses. But, I guess my "beater" bass would now be McNash. Cause I'm probably going to be beating this guy more.

at least til the honeymoon's over

 

[alaskaleftybass]

 

[StereoPlayer]

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Now we’re talking!

 

[groovepump]

I have a Squier 5 string with absolute crapola tuners. I am either going to sell it, replace the neck, or smash it pete townsend style. It does work, but those tuners are aggravating.

it's not hard, nor expensive, to replace the tuners!

 

[dkelley]

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I think you missed the point of what a "beater" bass is.

 

[dkelley]

'68 Sivertone 1443 Hornet - not a crappy instrument

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Cool - looks like a high end danelectro that was a special order and rebadged. Not one of yer typical silvertone instruments!

 

[groovepump]

Anyone who brings a ‘beater’ to an audition is a fool. That is, unless your ‘beater’ stays in tune and sounds good.
And let’s remember that some bands won’t even give you an audition if you don’t bring a bass thatlooks like it has ‘mojo’ lol

I know... some guys care more about the look than the sound. I got push-back from a band for playing a Squier Jazz. The guitarist mentioned it EVERY time we rehearsed. I left them after a couple of months. As far as I know, they are still "looking good" playing in their garage. To me, a really beat-up bass shows battle scars that it's been used. It displays a badge of honour.

 

[dave64o]

Mine would be a Franken Jazz that started life as an SX SJB-62 5-string fretless. I modified it so much that the only remaining parts from the original bass are the unloaded body (I mean completely unloaded, just the wood) and the neck plate.

It looks like a crappy SX, but it plays OK and it sounds amazing now. The Nordstrand pickups and an Audere 4-band preamp made a big difference. It doesn't get the same amount of play as some of my others, but I do use it. But, to play in crappy conditions or in a situation where I might not want to bring my #1, this is the one that will get the call.

 

[Pauly 4001]

Kind of obvious, isn't it?

To adapt the bass to fit their personal needs?

How can that be wrong?

Obviously pulling out the frets of a bass with a butter knife like Jaco did is a bad idea, but not exactly a crime against humanity, and you say this was even nicely done, which logic dictates that you need to be as gifted and skilled as Jaco before you are allowed to customize your instrument to your specific needs?

Honestly not intending to be snide here, just genuinely curious, cause to me that doesn't make any sense.

It's mass produced goods (by definition a compromise one size fits all product), not works of art.

If you can't afford a custom bass as far as I am concerned customizing a bass you can afford would be the next best thing.

In this particular case they guy never did learn to play bass at all and sold it with a grimy unfinished neck cutout, no control plate but I get your point snide or otherwise.

 

[groovepump]

This below is my real beater bass. It's the one I take away on holidays or camping trips with a little Blackstar Fly amp for sound. The neck has been on and off more times than I can remember as I pull it apart to put in a travel bag for flights.
It actually plays quite well, sounds good and holds tune but I won't be upset if something happened to it. The paint job is a rattle can effort that never really cured properly so there's still a bit of stickiness to it. I just got back from a week's holiday and on one day it got left in the car in the sun all day. Black car, black upholstery, hot day. I had to basically peel it off the inside of the gig bag! There was no concern or cursing.... that's what I built it for.

As for actual gigs or backyard BBQ jams, I'll take any of my other basses. If I'm really concerned I might take the Jag Short Scale, but all my basses have some dings and more won't bother me.

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What kind of bass is this? Did you cut a normal bass down? Or is this a manufactured travel bass?

 

[DWBass]

 

[QweziRider]

What's your "beater" bass?

All of them! They all get to go to work at some point in time. Sure, I'm more careful with some of them...right up until they get their first ding/bang/chip.

 

[BarfanyShart]

The cheap Ibanez guitar scale ABG, that's the one I would shove into a packed car on vacations, or take to the campfire.

 

[higain617]

Epiphone Thunderbird IV Pro with repaired headstock.

 

[sotua]

OLP MM2. It's scuffed/scratched, has some rust on the pole pieces, and weighs a ton. And sounds awesome.

 

[Aidenn7]

just a bunch of 90's squiers

 

[embellisher]

This is my beater. I've got some other cheap and worn basses, but this one is the roughest. This is the one I would loan out if asked.

I did loan it out to my brother in law for about 10 years. He didn't take real good care of it. He did most of the damage to it. He was too poor to afford an instrument and I had several, so I let him use it to try and learn the bass.

It still plays good and sounds good. Peaveys are built like a tank. Pretty hard to kill one unless you really are determined to do so.

 

[commonplayer]

My Squier CV 60s P bass in Sonic Blue.