Hofners- they just look like a toy to me.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Which basses have you NEVER had gas for?
- Thread starter El Thumpo
- Start date
- Status
Beatle bass or violin bass. Blech. I’d love to find one for $10 in a yard sale but not to keep it.
Never more than 8 pounds, not more than 4 strings and never more than 2 points (in the right places).
For me the easiest basses to avoid GASsing for are Warwicks.
25 years ago my favorite music store got them in, and the owner was telling me they're the best ever. I went over, and tried out several.
Never had I played a bass on which so many different things just felt . . . "wrong." I know it's me, as the bass was clearly high end stuff.
And the other bass I must remind myself to avoid is Music Man Sting Rays. Here's the multi-step process that I have to fight every few years.
1. I start thinking that I should get a Sting Ray, because (a) it looks cool, (b) it's from Leo Fender, (c) it sounds great, and (d) so many players I like play one.
2. A great deal on one shows up locally.
3. I buy it and excitedly take it home.
4. After playing it for a bit I somewhat disappointedly put it aside.
5. I come back to it the next day and the day after that and the day after that, but just never feel good with it.
6. I put it up for sale, and strongly tell myself, "Okay. Absolutely no more Sting Rays! They're just not for me!"
7. Several years later I return to step 1, and repeat.
25 years ago my favorite music store got them in, and the owner was telling me they're the best ever. I went over, and tried out several.
Never had I played a bass on which so many different things just felt . . . "wrong." I know it's me, as the bass was clearly high end stuff.
And the other bass I must remind myself to avoid is Music Man Sting Rays. Here's the multi-step process that I have to fight every few years.
1. I start thinking that I should get a Sting Ray, because (a) it looks cool, (b) it's from Leo Fender, (c) it sounds great, and (d) so many players I like play one.
2. A great deal on one shows up locally.
3. I buy it and excitedly take it home.
4. After playing it for a bit I somewhat disappointedly put it aside.
5. I come back to it the next day and the day after that and the day after that, but just never feel good with it.
6. I put it up for sale, and strongly tell myself, "Okay. Absolutely no more Sting Rays! They're just not for me!"
7. Several years later I return to step 1, and repeat.
- Jan 26, 2014
- 768
- 1,555
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist;DNA Amplification, GHS strings
Anything Gibson. Though I do own a thunderbird, beautiful bass, but it would be the first one I sold if I needed to.
Excellent point that should've been made before.
Horrible name. Not quite as funny as Rascal, but still, pretty bad.
Seriously, so a client goes to an advertising firm and wants a killer idea. Larry Tate tells Darrin Stevens to get right on it. Darrin comes up with the name "Bongo" and shows it to Larry. Larry gives it the go ahead and they invite the client back for the presentation...and the client buys it?
Sorry, I just can't believe it!
Fender Precision or Jazz, Schecter, Dean, Ibanez, Warwick, Squier, Any and ALL signature basses, Sire, Brice. There are probably another 50 or 60 I could name off that I have never once gas'd for
ibanez talman basses - they just don't do it for me.
modern single cut basses - the ones that look like whales.
for most of my bass/guitar playing life, over 40 years total, i used to avoid fender, but it was reverse snobbery. once i played 'em, i discovered that i like many of them. heck, i own two of them.
modern single cut basses - the ones that look like whales.
for most of my bass/guitar playing life, over 40 years total, i used to avoid fender, but it was reverse snobbery. once i played 'em, i discovered that i like many of them. heck, i own two of them.
Rickenbacker, Thunderbird, anything pointy, vintage basses when the newer ones are just as good or better, anything in sunburst (except for a few particular basses I saw for sale that HAPPENED to be a sunburst).
Ibanez SGR
Reverse Thunderbird ( LOVE non-reverse! )
I'm open to trying just about anything else.
Reverse Thunderbird ( LOVE non-reverse! )
I'm open to trying just about anything else.
A lot. Anything with 5+ strings.
Number one - Ibanez of any kind.
Dean. Viola/Beatle bass. Thunderbirds. Spector (looks like pancake left on the sun to dry); Warwick (because of erected penis feature); single cut basses; basses with rotten wood appearance; Bongo (ha ha ha, agree with many here); white, pink and baby colors basses; artificially destroyed instruments;
Number one - Ibanez of any kind.
Dean. Viola/Beatle bass. Thunderbirds. Spector (looks like pancake left on the sun to dry); Warwick (because of erected penis feature); single cut basses; basses with rotten wood appearance; Bongo (ha ha ha, agree with many here); white, pink and baby colors basses; artificially destroyed instruments;
Nobody actually has GAS for the Mothbass, it takes as its owner who it will.
Never got into the 5 string craze. I remember during the 80’s those Steinbergers popped up. Aria basses too. Thank goodness I was too young to buy any of those. I have had my Fender J and P basses for years.
Fodera. One reason for that is because Anthony Jackson's dismissive and arrogant article in Bass Player magazine in the early/mid 1990s turned me off (I was strong willed teen back then), and made me associate Fodera with snooty elitism. I once played a Fodera bass, and while it was one of the best instruments I ever put my hands on... it felt soulless and sterile to me. I much preferred the bass I had at home. And I still don't like Fodera or Anthony Jackson.
That's also why I'll never GAS for a Jeff Berlin sig 5-string, despite it having the kind of specs I like. The man is a monster player, but his dismissive arrogance and snooty elitism disgust me and I don't want to play a bass that gives me that kind of negative mental association.
I'll also never GAS for a Spector MK-5 Pro, despite it having the kind of specs I like. I'm sure Mike Kroger is a nice enough dude, but I think Nickelback is an absolute garbage band and I don't want to play a bass associated with something I dislike.
Fender. There are so many amazing builders out there doing Fender better than Fender, that the supposed "real McCoy" holds no sway for me. Plus, they're ubiquitous and I like to have instruments that are unique. Something that not everyone and their dog is playing.
Anything with a spalted maple top. Those look like wood rot to me and that's ugly.
Any active bass that does not have an easy access battery compartment. The ashtray-style ones on Japanese ESP basses are really slick. Also, any active bass that doesn't have full passive bypass. Because nothing's worse than your battery dying on a gig and either you not having a spare or having to unscrew cavity plates, wasting precious time.
Headless basses. The look broken to me and their design limits my string choices. I especially dislike Steinbergers. Where's the body? I want a bass with a body that has curves and horns.
Extended scale basses (e.g. Dingwall.) Praise that 37" scale low B all you want, but I don't like basses that limit my available string options.
Rickenbacker. Fine basses that have killed on may classic songs and killed in the classic anime FLCL, but never really did anything for me. I've played one, but it wasn't a meh experience. Nothing magical.
Any bass with less than 21 frets.
That's also why I'll never GAS for a Jeff Berlin sig 5-string, despite it having the kind of specs I like. The man is a monster player, but his dismissive arrogance and snooty elitism disgust me and I don't want to play a bass that gives me that kind of negative mental association.
I'll also never GAS for a Spector MK-5 Pro, despite it having the kind of specs I like. I'm sure Mike Kroger is a nice enough dude, but I think Nickelback is an absolute garbage band and I don't want to play a bass associated with something I dislike.
Fender. There are so many amazing builders out there doing Fender better than Fender, that the supposed "real McCoy" holds no sway for me. Plus, they're ubiquitous and I like to have instruments that are unique. Something that not everyone and their dog is playing.
Anything with a spalted maple top. Those look like wood rot to me and that's ugly.
Any active bass that does not have an easy access battery compartment. The ashtray-style ones on Japanese ESP basses are really slick. Also, any active bass that doesn't have full passive bypass. Because nothing's worse than your battery dying on a gig and either you not having a spare or having to unscrew cavity plates, wasting precious time.
Headless basses. The look broken to me and their design limits my string choices. I especially dislike Steinbergers. Where's the body? I want a bass with a body that has curves and horns.
Extended scale basses (e.g. Dingwall.) Praise that 37" scale low B all you want, but I don't like basses that limit my available string options.
Rickenbacker. Fine basses that have killed on may classic songs and killed in the classic anime FLCL, but never really did anything for me. I've played one, but it wasn't a meh experience. Nothing magical.
Any bass with less than 21 frets.
Last edited:
- Status
