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Where Does the Magic Happen for You? Neck, Body, or Guts (electronics)
- Thread starter Bass Ape
- Start date
The set-up. A great bass with poor set-up plays bad and sounds bad. A cheap bass with a great set-up can always become playable, and will probably sound ok in the mix.
Then the look. I would never play an ugly instrument.
Then the look. I would never play an ugly instrument.
Basvarken
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I always go for the neck first, the body for balance and comfortability second. And then I put the electronics, hardware and pickup in that I like.
Body and neck and electronics and especially aesthetics. Something like this.................
electronic placement is it's own category.
then electronics themselves and neck would have to be tied. can't get a great result if either is funny.
then electronics themselves and neck would have to be tied. can't get a great result if either is funny.
Brain first, then carrots.
But seriously:
I've owned and gigged many. Fender Jazzes, Precisions, Gibsons, Rickenbackers, custom-builds, home-mades, knock-offs and others. I've put some time into thinking about musical/magical aspects of low-toned instrumentation. For the last few years, I've found myself gigging Ibanezs.
Not too long ago I got to play a friend's Rickenbacker 4001 bass. I hadn't had a Rick in my hand for years. It was kinda like putting on an old shoe. I knew almost instantly how I had come to like the shoe/bass and also almost instantly why I had decided to set the shoe/bass aside. Some might call this experience.
I think the magic is likely to happen for me in the neck profile. Or, probably even more likely, on stage in front of hundreds/thousands of people enjoying the magic that flows through.
Q: Through? Through what?
A:
YMMV
But seriously:
I've owned and gigged many. Fender Jazzes, Precisions, Gibsons, Rickenbackers, custom-builds, home-mades, knock-offs and others. I've put some time into thinking about musical/magical aspects of low-toned instrumentation. For the last few years, I've found myself gigging Ibanezs.
Not too long ago I got to play a friend's Rickenbacker 4001 bass. I hadn't had a Rick in my hand for years. It was kinda like putting on an old shoe. I knew almost instantly how I had come to like the shoe/bass and also almost instantly why I had decided to set the shoe/bass aside. Some might call this experience.
I think the magic is likely to happen for me in the neck profile. Or, probably even more likely, on stage in front of hundreds/thousands of people enjoying the magic that flows through.
Q: Through? Through what?
A:
YMMV
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I'll be a pain in the neck — I'm wired that way — go out on a limb, join the throng, and say it's primarily craftsmanship, using the word as an inclusive, connected, open-circuit-ous term. Truth be told, it's neck and neck. That is to say, it's all important, it's a kind of brew, palatable, only when they get the formula right.
Ergonomics.
As Ron Burgundy says, "If it's comfortable to play, it rules the day."
By the way, notice the Aguilar DB751 sitting behind him. He's keeping it classy no doubt.
As Ron Burgundy says, "If it's comfortable to play, it rules the day."
By the way, notice the Aguilar DB751 sitting behind him. He's keeping it classy no doubt.
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For me it is 1) Neck, 2) guts, and 3) weight. I don't really care what the body looks like as long as it isn't neck heavy or feels weird when you try to play it while sitting down.
There are so many instruments available that I wouldn't own one that doesn't have all 3 and more. Everything has to be right or I would pass. But, in order to (kind of) answer the question, I think that the perfect neck is the hardest to find.
Neck, all the way. I know within 5 seconds whether I like a neck and if I don’t like it within those 5 seconds I never will.
Body is a preference too. I’m not a huge guy and I think large bodied basses look even larger with me playing them.
Electronics are a flavor. Pizza or cheeseburger. They’re both good.
Body is a preference too. I’m not a huge guy and I think large bodied basses look even larger with me playing them.
Electronics are a flavor. Pizza or cheeseburger. They’re both good.
The overall feel - neck, body, ergonomics, dive (or not), etc. That is the first thing I search when checking out possible new basses.
I'm with EZ, it's got to work as a whole. Looks right, feels right, sounds right, and will set up just like I like.
Doesn't do much good with GREAT pickups and a way-too-heavy axe, a real gorgeous axe with a Louisville Slugger neck, etc. I don't like the ,'yeah, but . . . . ' axes.
Doesn't do much good with GREAT pickups and a way-too-heavy axe, a real gorgeous axe with a Louisville Slugger neck, etc. I don't like the ,'yeah, but . . . . ' axes.
The neck for me, the feel needs to be there in order for me to enjoy the playing experience
Electronics need to be solid, but I sound like me whatever I play plain and simple.
Electronics need to be solid, but I sound like me whatever I play plain and simple.
