Why your Bass opinions are important:

[Solarmist]

Nothing drives me crazy more than "Go try one out." Like that didn't occur to me. If I could walk into a store and try out every bass being made, don't you think I'd be spending every waking moment doing that instead of asking for opinions on TB?

There are a lot of people here that post "which is best bass, x, y or z", and would rather post questions than drive to their local music stores and test them out. A lot of the basses in question are sold at GC, and are in stock.

These are the people I suggest going to the music store, and "try one out".

 

[DrSpunkwater]

Years ago, Hollywood GC carried a lot more basses. They had nice U.S. Laklands hanging on the wall. Now their (overpriced) vintage section seems to have more basses than the new section.

That's a shame. I've found that new instruments, more often than not, perform far better than vintage ones.

 

[lpdeluxe]

Talkbass is a great resource for those of us in small towns (pop. 32000, where I live, and 100 miles to the closest GC). Nevertheless, my first two really good basses (a Tribute L2K and a Classic '50s P) came about because of what TBers had to say about them. In the case of the Fender, I was advised to install a Basslines Quarter Pound and Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats: I gigged steadily for several years with both of them (and still do jobs with the Classic '50s).

This is the web site I check out every day.

 

[BigBigGuy44]

I love reading reviews on this site but I also try to filter the flavor of the month or that special "bandwagon bargain bass" that everyone raves about. A key to me is comparisons. For example, I'll give more credibility to someone comparing a MIA Fender to a Lakland Skyline than I would the person comparing a Jay Turser to a Sadowsky.

There are a brands that I never knew existed that I learned about on this site. When I lived in the Philly area, it was fairly easy to try different ones. Living in the middle of the state, mail order is now my only option unless I'm wiling to drive. With the price of gas, it makes no sense to do that anymore. I'll do mail order every time. And most of the time, I'm completely happy with my purchase. Oh course, I'll do a great deal of research here on TB and the manufacturer forums before pulling the trigger.

 

[4OnTheFloor]

All my GC has are Ibanez. I went in today not even an MIA Precision. They did just get an '83 2band Stingray though. I play Warwicks, so I just use the classifieds. To answer the topic, it is simply good to know what's popular and what my fellow bass players are into. Keeps my up to date on gear, but mostly this site answers my day to day questions about practice routines, gigging, the entertainment business, etc.

 

[GIBrat51]

As a lefty, I'll probably never have the chance to buy a decent bass in a store. Seems like every shop that stocks any lefties has the same selection: a cheap Jazz bass (usually wine red, for some reason) and a couple of entry-level Soundgears.

I know exactly how you feel. As of last Saturday, there were exactly 5 new guitars, and 1 lefty bass for sale here in Las Vegas, and $1500 would have gotten you all of them. Crusty and obnoxious as he was, I Really miss Ed Roman!

 

[JSpradBass]

I was in GC & Sam Ash this past weekend and their selections were nearly identical. Local music shops stock beginner instruments and I get tired of them telling me "we can order that". Wow, I can do that to. Real world user opinions are useful even if it's just to broaden your tastes. I have never been a fan of Fender basses. I like the sound, but not the feel. I read several reviews and recommendations suggesting the Lakland DJ5. Based on those posts I purchased one blindly from Sweetwater and I couldn't be happier. It's the Jazz bass I always wanted, thanks TB.

 

[Munjibunga]

That's a shame. I've found that new instruments, more often than not, perform far better than vintage ones.

Me too. Now let's don our Nomex®​ suits together.

 

[georgestrings]

That's a shame. I've found that new instruments, more often than not, perform far better than vintage ones.

While that's often true these days, I still prefer to buy used for a couple of reasons: atleast 1/3-1/2 off new price, and IME a neck that's atleast a couple years old will pretty much stay as it is - a new neck will sometimes settle/change for the first year ot two...


- georgestrings

 

[MrLenny1]

TB rules for bass info. I found Chris Stambaugh through TB and now own a Stambaugh.
Also found Max Kay through Chris, Max is a professional guitar tech and does wonderful work. Love TB. Also went to a NE GTG where I tried axes & amps that I only see on ads.
Thanks to AJ Brown for being NE GTG host.

 

[SteveC]

I found Roscoe because of TB. I have had about 4 or 5 and own 2 now - one is the best fretless I've ever played/heard.

TB has cost me a lot of money. All the temptation, GAS, and exposure. But it's been fun and I've played almost every bass I've wanted to try and learned a lot.

My local stores are doing the best they can but there are only a few "serious" gear hounds around. They have to go for the average joe. I get it. It's just hard to try/buy gear when it mostly low end stuff - not that there's anything wrong with it, it's just not for me.

 

[tigerfire]

I understand the pain that the other lefties mentioned. I wish devoutly that I could go and try out a bunch of basses, but in my town's half dozen or so music stores there is one left handed squier bass. Total. Reviews are very helpful, even if they are limited. At least it can help identify prominent quality issues & etc. First-hand evaluation is certainly preferable, but not always practical, unfortunately.

 

[IncX]

tb has been a great help so far ... i am from the philippines, and decent gear is impossible to find, so everything i have now - basses, amps and even pedals - were bought blindly off ebay or TB.

of course the reviews helped a lot. i do notice that there are flavor of the month and TB fave basses though ... and i did buy some of them and wasn't completely satisfied, but still ... the TB reviews helped more, and i am really thankful for a site like this, and the many opinionated TB-ers.

 

[Robdrone]

Maybe to a beginner, but I've been playing for 15 years and have a nice stable of instruments. Frankly it may even be for the best, since if I were right handed I would have likely blown a bunch of money on lesser gear simply due to sheer availability.

I hear you man. I've always been perhaps misguidedly proud of my left handedness. I wear it as a badge of honor that I can thrive in a decidedly right handed world. I made the decision to take the road less travelled and learn to play lefty. The funny thing is that the lead guitar player for my band is left handed, but he plays right handed and he rips.

I've got a handful of nice lefty instruments. No doubt i'd have tons of mediocre instruments if I were right handed

If you ever are in the Houston Texas area there is a store that specializes in lefty guitars and basses called Southpaw. I went there a few years ago and spent about 3 hours sampling instruments. It was really cool.

 

[Robdrone]

I know exactly how you feel. As of last Saturday, there were exactly 5 new guitars, and 1 lefty bass for sale here in Las Vegas, and $1500 would have gotten you all of them. Crusty and obnoxious as he was, I Really miss Ed Roman!

HAHA! I remember Ed Roman. I've even bought a few things from him over the years. I do have to admit that I've learned a lot about guitars reading his rants.

 

[ma4rk]

My Nirvana would be a 3 story building with nothing but bass equipment in it; basses, amps, pedals, strings, all of it. There would be a setup shop right there and every bass would have fresh strings on it. [drool][/QUOTE]


I have been to your Nirvana - it's in a suburb of Tokyo called Ochanomizu - there is about 8 shops in a row! Most of them 3 levels, mostly guitars but you can find any bass in any colour left or right handed. One chain of stores called Big Boss has a dedicated pedal & amp store.

 

[WoodyG3]

I agree that TB is a great resource for reviews. I will add, though, that it's important to take things with a grain of salt. Rants are often triggered by trivial things, "wisdom" that is passed along can sometimes be simply repeating what someone has read, and not through personal experience. People tend to be charged up about a new purchase and overrate it. The key is to read reviews carefully and to read as much as possible from as many sources as possible. And, of course, there is no reliable way to relate how a bass sounds or feels through words alone. We can only hope to get a general idea.

I'm not trying to be negative, and I really do think that the opinions on TB are the best resource we have as bass players. We all know nothing replaces having the bass in question in our hot little hands, but careful reading of threads here at TB are a great way to gain knowledge, and also learn a lot about human psychology.

 

[nukes_da_bass]

My opinions are only important as they apply to me. What one person thinks is awesome, another may think is awful. Opinions are important to have as they establish a baseline of what you like vs don't like, but my opinions are probably not good for any other human being on the planet.


Just saying......

Your humor is important- you have made me laugh many times- i lead a brutal and stressful life, you just might have saved my @ss with those wisecracks!

 

[edpal]

My Nirvana would be a 3 story building with nothing but bass equipment in it; basses, amps, pedals, strings, all of it. There would be a setup shop right there and every bass would have fresh strings on it. [drool]

I live slightly in the sticks and have a GC and a place that is almost your Nirvana each within 30 minutes - it IS your Nirvana for guitarists. Former movie theatre turned into a music stores. 3 isles with guitars down each side, 2 high. Another 4' X 40' wall of guitars above the pedal counter. And a separate acoustics guitar room. Bass: one side of one short isle and another short wall of useless, cheap, used crap. So, $500 and under or $2000 and up. I never feel guilty about buying my basses online because of that.
I feel about the same way about most GCs - cheap stuff and higher end stuff, nothing in the middle. Albeit they at least carry a reasonable array of amps.

Yeah, keep the reviews coming!!