JoeEvans

(Kris Novoselic + Mark King) / 2

That's the very start of a beautiful natural aging process that people pay a fortune to imitate...

As Beedster says, a good set-up would be a solid start. Even tiny things like a slight adjustment to nut height can make a big difference to playability and sound. Then maybe do a bit of research on strings to see which ones might suit your usage, and buy some secondhand strings on here to experiment with. If you're genuinely looking at other basses, the Double Bass Room is probably the best place in the UK to try a room full of basses of all shapes, sizes and ages at the lower end of the price spectrum (ie £1k to £6k).

My problem is that I can't really stand doing anything creative that I don't love, and which doesn't include lots of actual creativity. Alongside that, my tastes are not exactly mainstream. If I was technically amazing I guess I might have scraped a career as a jazz musician but I'm really not. But that's ok - if I don't depend on it for income I can play purely for pleasure, and it's a constant source of pleasure for me.

I think I might be inclined to get it planed into shape and see how it fares - it might move more, in which case a new fingerboard will be needed, or you might get away with it. If it was mine I'd probably plane it myself, which might well turn out to be a bad idea...

Is the warping only in the fingerboard, in the unsupported section that runs clear of the neck? Or is the neck itself bent or twisted?

For bass especially, playing with other people is incredibly important. It's like the bass part doesn't hold meaning on its own. So I'd recommend finding someone or more than one person to play with, as the best way to make progress.

Based on my recent experience of buying a used one, I think anyone with a good budget should at least consider commissioning a custom ACG. $4k will get you anything you want built, popped in a really good case and shipped to the US, with change for a party when it arrives.

Fender have got themselves into a weird situation where there most desirable products are the ones they made 50+ years ago, or ones made now that are as similar as possible. If I ran the company I think I'd set up a team of weirdos somewhere to make short-run limited edition instruments with really experimental styles and hardware, then focus on quality control, new finishes, and general perfection in the core range.

You made a good point though, lots of people use compression on bass. I just like a very short, clean, simple signal chain straight into a good PA for double bass.

The trouble is, the Spiros sound so good for pizz! And I'm not sure if I can face going down a vastly expensive string research rabbit hole...

Thinking about it, strings are a possible cause. I use Spirocore and I'm not about to change because with them and my other current bits and bobs I get the pizz sound of my dreams. But I don't find them the easiest to initiate a note - there were some strings on the bass when I bought it that were way easier, just a gentle stroke needed. The Spirocores seem to need a good bit of pressure and the bow nearer the bridge, andi get a rich but loud and slightly harsh tone. My arco technique is very basic which doesn't help...

I don't use any compression so no the case for me... Presumably some combination of technique, strings, bass and pickup/mic...

That's interesting - I find that my arco sound is louder than my pizz...

They look great but that's the strangest name for a bass model.... What's the Precision model called, Geoffrey?

Ah ok - I was wondering what the point of acclimatising was, but I get it now, if the bass was packed somewhere very dry and it comes into high humidity while it's cold, it will get condensation all over. So leave it to warm up first, then open it at room temperature.

The original use of the word 'vintage' was in wine-making - a vintage wine is made from grapes all grown in one year; also for port and maybe some other wines, sometimes a year is a particularly good one and is formally recognised as a 'vintage' year. So I feel like the word doesn't just mean 'old', it also carries a sense of authenticity and of quality.

The thing I love about his playing is that so many of his lines sound simple until you try to play them note for note, and only then do you realise how much is going on.

I think there are three different instruments here - double bass, electric upright bass, and electric bass guitar. Find a nice one of whichever type you like and accept its character, limitations and possibilities.

I think your fingers do go soft at the tips and that does affect tone. It's like riding a bike - if you want a super-lightweight bike, just ride your current bike a lot and somehow it gets lighter. If you want great bass tone, just play your bass a lot and it will start sounding better and better.

Basses are the shape they for ergonomic reasons. That one would slide off your lap.

Buy the Mustang, play them both for a while then sell the one you like the least. Or if you end up deciding that they're different but equal, keep both while promising yourself that you'll sell one of them soon.

Ibanez make great basses.

I use Spirocore Weich for jazz-type music and they're perfect for me. But I don't bow a lot. Switching to them helped a bit with high up fingering but I'd say it made more difference in the middle of the fingerboard.