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Which basses have you NEVER had gas for?

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#224
Thought I had GAS for a PRS bass once - played one - GAS cured, never want one. No gas for Gibson basses nor Ric's and I tried one of them Hofner bass things once; definitely no GAS going on there. Steinberger basses are a definite anti-GAS bass and anything above 5 strings is just not doing it for me.
 
#225
Never has GAS for... pretty much all of them, actually. I really only ever wanted 3 particular basses - which, of course, I have - but as for the others that I own? I wouldn't say they were the result of GAS. They mostly just fill spots on a sort of Master List. The 3 that I really wanted?
1, Rickenbacker 4001/4003. I learned to play bass on a friend's blue, lefty '68 4001. I loved that bass... I finally bought a "used" 4003; but, since it was apparently never played, and because there's a good chance that lefty '01 COY 4003 is... unique, I sorta felt like I needed one I could really play. So, I have a very well used '73 4001, too. It gets played a lot.The 4003? Yeah, it does too; but not so much - and very gently...
2. Fender Precision Bass. When I was the sound man/roadie/substitute bass player in a band back in the '70s, I played the regular bass player's ...inexpensive.. Japanese P-Bass knock off. Despite it's origin, and being wrong handed for me, it was actually a surprisingly nice instrument; and perfectly suited to the music we played (and that I still do). Since I'm one of those people who prefers having the thing that other companies copy if I can, when the opportunity came along to buy a friend's lefty '78 A-necked Fender P-bass? It's been mine for a long time now...
3. Gibson Thunderbird. There's no way to explain the thing. You either "get" a T-Bird, or you don't. I do, and since Gibson is not a company that makes lefty basses often - especially T-Birds - I had to wait a LONG time for mine. And yes, it was worth the wait...

As for all the others? A few of them were brands I wanted - like Gretsch, or Danelectro - but I didn't particularly care what model they were. The rest are types - like "headless", "short scale semi-hollow", or "active". I didn't really care what brand or model they were; as long as they were worth what I paid for them, and they filled the spot, I'm happy. For instance; it could easily have been any active 4-stringed lefty that was for sale on-line at the moment I decided to fill that spot. The fact that it turned out to be an Alembic? Pure coincidence... As for GAS? I don't think I've had it for a long time now - assuming that I ever had it at all. I have the 3 basses I really wanted, and as for the rest of the herd? I have to admit; I got really lucky with them. They're all very nice basses, and they all get played. And, if and when I get the only one I'm still missing? I can die a happy man...:whistle:
 
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#226
El Thumpo said:
Interesting thing about G.A.S., at least for me. I can find myself lusting after basses, but not all basses. I seem to be, in some way, inoculated from certain makes and models.

To be clear: I don't distain those basses. I can admire them for their quality, their style, their playability, etc. But they don't make it onto my drool list. Not always sure why.

For instance:

  • Overly pointy basses. Even a gorgeous instrument like an Alembic Spyder just strikes me as too much extraneous wood. View attachment 3467962
  • Basses with more than five strings. Eh, I just wanna call 'em "guitars". View attachment 3467969
  • Rickenbackers. Oh, stow those audible gasps. I'm not committing heresy, I'm not dissing Rickys, and I'm not even mildly criticizing them. They make me smile when I see them, and I will happily root for the aficionados of the brand. I just don't, for some reason, find myself tempted to buy one.View attachment 3467974
Anyone else? Again, this is all in the spirit of examining one's own compulsions, not disparaging the makes/models themselves.
Click to expand...
5 strings (or more), Ibanez and short scale basses.
 
#227
GAS killers for me:

1. Skinny necks
2. On board preamp
3. a "ramp".
4. Big, big frets
5. More than 5 strings.
6. Headless basses.
7. Block inlays
8. Pointy headstocks
9. Massive bridge
10. Gold or black coloured hardware
11. Multiple "tonewoods"
12. Neckthrough construction.
13. Highly polished coffee table tops.
14. Acoustic style bridge saddles on fretless
15. Switches.
16. Relic basses.
17. Fingerboard binding.
18. "hot" pickups.
19. Narrow string spacing.
20. PJ configuration.

That's it for a start.
 
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#229
Most of the gibson designs. I like the design of most and some sound good to, but I don't find them comfortable. I'm not crazy about the rick or hofner either.
 
#233
There are some basses I like the look of, and some I don't. I've always had a thing for the look of Fender Ps and Js, Rickenbackers and Thunderbirds. The only basses I've ever bought were Fenders (and Ibanezes, for budgetary reasons). I've played someone else's Rick. Never even picked up a Thunderbird. ometimes I see other things I like, but they usually look a bit like Fenders. Never liked the look of Musicmans (Musicmen?), Warwicks, Les Paul or SG shapes, Hofner-style "violin" basses, probably quite a long list really. Nothing wrong with them, but just not my style. And things like this with too many points and curves and corners - the bass they couldn't stop designing.
LTD.png
 
#234
I haven't read through the entire thread yet, but it appears that all my basses are on the non-GAS list.

- One is an Ibanez with a skinny neck (I'm actually selling it, but for other reasons).
- One is headless.
- One has more than 4 strings AND a table top (walnut, but at least matte...) and is based on a Fender jazz bass.
- Two are Fenders with less than 21 frets. On top of that, one of the two is relic'd.
- The one in my avatar is based on a Fender guitar (!) design, also with less than 21 frets.

Am I dismissed now?
 
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#236
Where to start.

Ibanez. They look nice from a distance, but just simply feel like a cheap toy.

Just about anything with more than 4 strings. I still think about a 5 string bass at some point, but IMO 4 strings gets the job done nicely.
 
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