What are really unfashionable at the moment?

[grumble]

I bought the Curbow off Conan a couple of months back, my first 5er and my first active bass. I have been pleasantly surprised by the range of tones I can coax out of a single pup. Still struggling a little with 5 strings tho, there are times when the left and right hands seem to playing different things

[tauzero]

[quote name='muttley' timestamp='1341744048' post='1723373']
Fretless basses full stop, if the current output of the major manufacturers is anything to go by.
[/quote]

Possibly because the glut of fretlesses bought during the Paul Young/Pino Palladino years will keep the secondhand market fully stocked for decades to come.

[pst62]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned these Washburn/board B-20 monstrosities with their hideous triangular necks.
Very horrible indeed! [attachment=112852:cat_1980washburn_page09.jpg]

[Fat Rich]

Still playing Status and reliccy Fenders, can't get more unfashionable than that if this thread is to be believed.

Plus it looks like I got dressed in the dark, for the full effect.

[Muzz]

[quote name='pst62' timestamp='1342013243' post='1728047']
I'm surprised no one's mentioned these Washburn/board B-20 monstrosities with their hideous triangular necks.
Very horrible indeed! [attachment=112852:cat_1980washburn_page09.jpg]
[/quote]

I had an 8-string one of them back in the 80s, I loved it at the time, but it had the most vicious neck-dive of anything I've ever picked up. Keep thinking I'd like another, but I'm suspecting that's nostagia talking...

[pst62]

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1342014023' post='1728075']
I had an 8-string one of them back in the 80s, I loved it at the time, but it had the most vicious neck-dive of anything I've ever picked up. Keep thinking I'd like another, but I'm suspecting that's nostagia talking...
[/quote]
Aye I know where you're coming from there. I felt the same about my old Hondo II Precision.
it's like that "The sun was always shining when we were kids" analogy ....in reality we all know it wasn't!

[bubinga5]

this has got to be the stupidest thread to date...

[pst62]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1342016183' post='1728121']
this has got to be the stupidest thread to date...
[/quote]
Nah, I've seen worse!

[LukeFRC]

warwicks are still unfashionable right?

[jaydentaku]

I don't get it? My Warwick gets more positive attention than any of my other basses. People love it.

[LukeFRC]

lets divide the market into 4. (and not strictly by cost either )
[b]Beginner [/b]-cheaper starter basses, your squiers, staggs, westfields, SX and whatnot. Mass produced
[b]Standard [/b]- Fender, Musicman, Rick, Warwick, Yamaha etc, mass produced standard basses. Some of the cheaper or chinese built lines will blur into beginner and the top end up to the specialist but they make up a lot of what we play. Generally available on the high street. Mass produced
[b]Specialist [/b]- Limited production basses, Status, overwater, Fodera, Ken Smith, Sadowsky US etc generally basses made by people the rest of your band won't have heard of. Either high quality or specialist application instruments - bought from specialist bass shops or stock from the builders. Go to the bass direct website and look down the bass makes bar... most of that lot. Batch production.
[b]Custom- [/b]Massive overlap with the previous category. Made to order and to customers specs, often hand made by smaller independent builders to order, spec what woods you want etc and they build it. More expensive (often) one off building, bass to your spec, bugger all resale value. Often the specialist builders will offer this service. (I don't mean musicman or whatever letting you decide what colour paint job you have, it's a structural custom, not cosmetic)


if you have a look at the sale forum now.... I don't know if it says anything about fashion or not, but theres an awful lot of the kinda specialist bass makes, up for sale

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1342021479' post='1728266']
lets divide the market into 4. (and not strictly by cost either )
[b]Beginner [/b]-cheaper starter basses, your squiers, staggs, westfields, SX and whatnot. Mass produced
[b]Standard [/b]- Fender, Musicman, Rick, Warwick, Yamaha etc, mass produced standard basses. Some of the cheaper or chinese built lines will blur into beginner and the top end up to the specialist but they make up a lot of what we play. Generally available on the high street. Mass produced
[b]Specialist [/b]- Limited production basses, Status, overwater, Fodera, Ken Smith, Sadowsky US etc generally basses made by people the rest of your band won't have heard of. Either high quality or specialist application instruments - bought from specialist bass shops or stock from the builders. Go to the bass direct website and look down the bass makes bar... most of that lot. Batch production.
[b]Custom- [/b]Massive overlap with the previous category. Made to order and to customers specs, often hand made by smaller independent builders to order, spec what woods you want etc and they build it. More expensive (often) one off building, bass to your spec, bugger all resale value. Often the specialist builders will offer this service. (I don't mean musicman or whatever letting you decide what colour paint job you have, it's a structural custom, not cosmetic)


if you have a look at the sale forum now.... I don't know if it says anything about fashion or not, but theres an awful lot of the kinda specialist bass makes, up for sale
[/quote]

And a lot of pro players use a bass from the standard category, have been using the same gear for years and aren't interested in what else is out there.

There is indeed a lot of very nice specialist basses up for sale on Basschat, there's quite a lot of people on Basschat who are proud and quite vocal about playing a Precision (with little or no music theory in some cases) because it's a bit primitive and turn their nose up at expensive gear. However, I'm not convinced that Basschat is actually that representative, a lot of busy musicians don't hang around on forums talking about the sonic differences between a Badass II or a standard Fender item, they're out there playing music.

I'm not knocking Basschat, it's a great forum and I enjoy the discussion we have about the minutiae of gear. But ultimately it's all a bit pointless and we probably should be spending more time in the Theory and Technique section.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Fat Rich

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1342022362' post='1728292']
And a lot of pro players use a bass from the standard category, have been using the same gear for years and aren't interested in what else is out there.

There is indeed a lot of very nice specialist basses up for sale on Basschat, there's quite a lot of people on Basschat who are proud and quite vocal about playing a Precision (with little or no music theory in some cases) because it's a bit primitive and turn their nose up at expensive gear. However, I'm not convinced that Basschat is actually that representative, a lot of busy musicians don't hang around on forums talking about the sonic differences between a Badass II or a standard Fender item, they're out there playing music.

I'm not knocking Basschat, it's a great forum and I enjoy the discussion we have about the minutiae of gear. But ultimately it's all a bit pointless and we probably should be spending more time in the Theory and Technique section.
[/quote]

I had to come up with the definitions to make what I was saying make sense. I was trying not to engender a value system in it, I don't think one is better than the other.

My friend worked in the LA recording studio scene for a bit, he said there were 3 types of music gear. The beginner stuff, the pro stuff and the top end stuff. The beginner stuff was aimed at beginners, the pro stuff -standard fender, musicman, overwater etc was aimed at the pros - and all the extra stuff- AAA maple, high end electronic gizmos, added features were aimed at hobbyists who could be convinced that something with those features would be "better" than the pro stuff.

[ThomBassmonkey]

There's a big difference between a pro and an entheusiast. They're not mutually exclusive, but they're definitely not inclusive.

[muttley]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1342021479' post='1728266']
if you have a look at the sale forum now.... I don't know if it says anything about fashion or not, but theres an awful lot of the kinda specialist bass makes, up for sale
[/quote]

That may just be that BC-ers are more likely to be customers for this type of bass. If you have something more generic you're more likely to get a better price on eBay.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' timestamp='1342023530' post='1728318']
There's a big difference between a pro and an entheusiast. They're not mutually exclusive, but they're definitely not inclusive.
[/quote]
[quote name='muttley' timestamp='1342024026' post='1728329']
That may just be that BC-ers are more likely to be customers for this type of bass. If you have something more generic you're more likely to get a better price on eBay.
[/quote] hmm combine the two posts... might tell us something about ourselves!

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='pst62' timestamp='1342013243' post='1728047']
I'm surprised no one's mentioned these Washburn/board B-20 monstrosities with their hideous triangular necks.
Very horrible indeed! [attachment=112852:cat_1980washburn_page09.jpg]
[/quote]

Doh! I think they are cool!

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1342020574' post='1728243']
warwicks are still unfashionable right?
[/quote]

Yes... and they will stay thus until such time as I have bought back all of the Warwick basses that I foolishly sold (and maybe one or two I haven't owned yet); THEN they will regain the reputation they justly deserve!

[icastle]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1342016183' post='1728121']
this has got to be the stupidest thread to date...
[/quote]

Not yet, but I'm here now...

[lojo]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1342022362' post='1728292']
there's quite a lot of people on Basschat who are proud and quite vocal about playing a Precision (with little or no music theory in some cases)
[/quote]

What has music theory got to do with it?

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1342025647' post='1728370']
What has music theory got to do with it?
[/quote]

Seems like it's also quite fashionable to say music theory isn't necessary to play bass, seems to often be the same people who say expensive gear isn't necessary. Maybe I'm imagining it

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1342027109' post='1728410']
Seems like it's also quite fashionable to say music theory isn't necessary to play bass, seems to often be the same people who say expensive gear isn't necessary. Maybe I'm imagining it
[/quote]

It's called "punk" rich

[mancunianfox]

I bought an Epiphone Goth Xtreme from Ebay the other day for £70 which is about as horrifically unfashionable as it gets. Lovely bass though and cheap as chips!

[lojo]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1342027109' post='1728410']
Seems like it's also quite fashionable to say music theory isn't necessary to play bass
[/quote]

It's been done for years, I don't get this, the only thing it rules out are reading gigs, everthing else is doable, from weddings to festivals and stadium concerts. So it's not nessessary is it.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='pst62' timestamp='1342013243' post='1728047']
I'm surprised no one's mentioned these Washburn/board B-20 monstrosities with their hideous triangular necks.
Very horrible indeed! [attachment=112852:cat_1980washburn_page09.jpg]
[/quote]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Buffalo Bill is modelling it

[overdriver]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1304458608' post='1219300']
I think Steinberger headless basses will soon be making a comeback
[/quote]

This much of it is correct.