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WHEN YOU BUY A BASS (% question!)

#5
dan.ablett said:
describe what influences you...... using percentages!

aesthetics ...%
feel ...%
tone ...%
weight ...%


your 4 scores should total 100.
if this is a bit subjective, then just do it based on your most recent bass purchase, and tell us what it was.
Click to expand...

Aesthetics = 10%
Feel = 40%
Tone = 50%
Weight = 0%

Of course if it's uber ugly but feels and sounds great I'd still play it.
 
#6
EXAMPLE

marcus miller IV fender jazz

aesthetic 30%
feel 29%
tone 36%
weight 5%

ive always felt that it is heavier then i would have preferred, but the tone and feel make up for the weight. one of my main reasons for looking into another bass is to get something lighter. something that reads as 25 25 25 25.
 
#12
aesthetics: 50%
feel: 10%
tone 40%
weight: 0%

it may be a bit weird but, if a bass doesn't look appealing to me i won't even pick it up (headless basses, odd body shapes ala CB, etc). the reason feel accounts for so little is because i try to guess how a bass would feel based on how it looks and i'm rarely wrong (warwicks throw me off :p). Of course tone has to be a big factor becasue it's your sound. And weight doesn't matter to me. So basically i have to have a bass that sounds good and looks good.
 
#13
dan.ablett said:
describe what influences you...... using percentages!

aesthetics ...%
feel ...%
tone ...%
weight ...%


your 4 scores should total 100.
if this is a bit subjective, then just do it based on your most recent bass purchase, and tell us what it was.
Click to expand...

aesthetics 1% (if you're *not* counting balance/neckdive in there)
feel 50%
tone 19%
weight 30% (*if* you're counting balance/neckdive in there)

I use a Variax for recording, so tone isn't that important to me - live, nobody can hear the bass anyway, so feel & weight are much more significant in my book. And I *hate* neckdive. I usually sit down when I'm recording anyway, but my Variax doesn't have that problem, fortunately.

I don't give a rat's patoot about fancy tops or inlays - I've had quilted tops and I've had solid-finish Fenders and I have to say, I almost couldn't care less, and I certainly don't want to pay extra for it. The only reason I put even 1% is that I would not want a puke-green bass, but other than that... Hey, if ugliness really mattered, they wouldn't let me on stage in the first place! :smug:

I'd like to see this done again, but with price as a factor!

I'm not going to go with my most recent bass purchase because I'm having some regrets about it, but I will tell you about my favorite bass and why it's my favorite.

It's an MTD Artist 5, bought it for $425 or so used on eBay. It has a single MM-style humbucker and a 3-band active EQ, a very thin/asymmetrical neck profile, 24-frets, is very light-weight, a *little* bit of neck-dive, but not too bad, no inlays on the neck (side dots only), and a pretty plain, translucent-red gloss finish over basswood.

The reasons I like is are that it sounds decent, it's incredibly easy to play, it's light, and I don't have to worry if it gets stolen or damaged, since it was pretty cheap to begin with. I'm only talking about playing live, here - I use a Variax in the studio, recall. If I could have paid less and had it unfinished, that would be even better, but ~$400 is fine for me. It's a little beat up and I'm not worried about that, either (bought it used) - I'm not one of those guys who polishes his bass everytime he plays, although I do usually wipe down the strings.
 
#14
aesthetics 5%
feel 35%
tone 45%
weight 15%

It has to sound good first. Even though you can upgrade the pickups, pre, etc. But, if the basic, stock tone isn't good, then those upgrades might not turn out the way you hope for. Feel is important because it's unchangeable. If my hands can't make it through a 4-hour gig comfortably, then that bass probably won't last long with me. Weight is important, but I have lived with heavy basses when the tone and feel justified it. Asthetics do count for something, if it sounds great, feels great and is lightweight, I'll probably play it regardless of how it looks. I have played a few basses that were beautiful, but I would never buy them because of lack of tone/feel.
 
#15
OK. I bought mine as a total newbie. I like lots of different bass sounds, so I had no idea of what kind of tone I wanted. I'm an arthritic old man, so weight mattered. I didn't get either of the ones that sounded best to me because I didn't like the color on the Squier VM P-bass or the feel (balance) of the Epiphone Thunderbird. so I guess it would be:

Asthetics 75%
Feel 10%
Weight 10%
Tone 5%

However, once I reach a point where I can play and find out what my preferences are, these could all change.

For the record, I got a Peavey Grind 4 string. It looks and sounds good to me, but with my limited experience, I can not comment of "feel". I'd take anything I say about tone with a grain of salt, too.
 
#18
Dave Muscato said:
aesthetics 1% (if you're *not* counting balance/neckdive in there)
feel 50%
tone 19%
weight 30% (*if* you're counting balance/neckdive in there)

Hey, if ugliness really mattered, they wouldn't let me on stage in the first place! :smug:

I'd like to see this done again, but with price as a factor!
Click to expand...

lol

i left price out on purpose, as to not rob the %... atleast in my case, price would be 90%.....
 

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