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Why are bass amps so ugly?

#201
agedhorse said:
While you are at it, let's require the amp to contact the mother ship for software or operating system updates that then crash the system at the worst possible moment, and after a few years you have to pay for any software updates or the amp will stop functioning.

Don't laugh too hard, this is getting closer to where the software industry is going... subscription based software that you lease not own, and the software developer has the right to shut down the software for non-payment of renewal fees. Not my cup of tea, just the thought makes me grumble ;)
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And don't forget, make it illegal to figure out how your amp works, if you want to repair it yourself.
 
#203
Loved the way my Kilo looked too ;)

kilo.jpg
 
#206
Jeff Scott said:
Um, er, ah, eh................I was using my Sennheiser HD28PROs to listen to it....................................
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Well, never mind, then. Also the sound at that gig was totally unbalanced because for whatever reason, the soundguy had the guitars turn down (they were fine before) and me turn up (I was already worried about being too loud, even for a doom metal band).
 
#211
IMHO, for the same reason I want my energy drinks to taste like nasty cough medicine: it gives me the feeling of "substance over style." As a guitarist turned bassist, I have found that substance over style is the bedrock of a competent bass player.

As I cross over to the latter half of my 30's I've increasingly notices that most real quality items--from chainsaws, to "real" off-road vehicles, to pro-recording equipment-have more stripped-down/utilitarian designs (think about stereos/boom-boxes beginning with the 80s...the more hideous and garish the design, the crappier the product.)

Of course this is not always the case. The internet, including these forums, are clogged with stunning exotic basses with insane finishes, and I'm sure most of them sound divine, but if you are looking for straight up quality, a lot of the finest basses and amps look surprisingly pedestrian.

I also think that guitar gear is "prettier" because most guitarists crave the limelight, and are very conscious of their image, whereas bassists are more about "structural integrity," so to speak...

BTW, I acknowledge that these are generalizations (and very much subjective, at that). :unsure:
 
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#212
agedhorse said:
While you are at it, let's require the amp to contact the mother ship for software or operating system updates that then crash the system at the worst possible moment, and after a few years you have to pay for any software updates or the amp will stop functioning.

Don't laugh too hard, this is getting closer to where the software industry is going... subscription based software that you lease not own, and the software developer has the right to shut down the software for non-payment of renewal fees. Not my cup of tea, just the thought makes me grumble ;)
Click to expand...

Grumpy, your supposed to welcome this with open arms! As the new ages of technology help and develop every facet of your life!
 
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#215
If you're worried about looks. Stick with guitar. Cracks me up. Bass is one of the coolest Instruments in the world and it's being infiltrated with wanna bees :-). I'm just joking. Bassists are all about substance over form. It can be ugly as hell but if it sounds great, looks do not bother us that much :-). Kinda like the ugly girl with the great body. She'll get a pass every time :-)
 
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#216
Slight derail here, but does the premise of the thread hint a bit towards the Steampunk mentality? Form over function.... And has anyone got a good example of an amp, (guitar or bass) combo or otherwise, that is actually Steampunk inspired? Seems like a logical direction for someone to take. Tubes lend themselves well to the common theme; marrying glass, metal and wood is all about the feel of that style. Wrap it in leather, done. Pics? Examples? This is only a few decades removed from the era, but I'd call it more Deco than Steampunk...

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