What's a deal breaker for you?

[Fisheth]

So say you've just wandered into a store, played this beautiful bass but there's something about it that really puts you off it... What is that one thing?

[uncle psychosis]

Depends on the bass.

[CamdenRob]

Gold hardware...

[KingBollock]

Too many numbers before the decimal point. Beggars can't be choosers...

[Myke]

Finger prints.. I don't like basses that show up your finger prints all over the place!

Also price

[Adrenochrome]

Bad ergonomics. There's no excuse for a bass that doesn't balance well and feel comfortable to play - we're not in the 1950s anymore!

[Woodinblack]

Badly setup / straight out of the box unsetup. Action like a cheesegrater, loose or uneven knobs.

Thick necks.

[Fisheth]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1429478130' post='2751847']
Badly setup / straight out of the box unsetup. Action like a cheesegrater, loose or uneven knobs.

Thick necks.
[/quote]

Aside from thick necks, aren't all of those things you can sort?

[Subbeh]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1429477525' post='2751832']
Gold hardware...
[/quote]

Same, I can't think of anything that puts me off a bass more. Just can't stand the blingy gold look.

Edited April 19, 2015 by Subbeh

[Lozz196]

It`s not a Fender Precision.

[JapanAxe]

Exotic woods of the coffee table persuasion, especially when dressed away to show contrasting layers of other exotic woods. Bleargh!

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='Fisheth' timestamp='1429478424' post='2751850']
Aside from thick necks, aren't all of those things you can sort?
[/quote]

Yeh - note, I mean this on new guitars, on seconds or older yes, I can sort it. If it has a bad cheese-grater action, how can I actually tell what it is like to play, it could be covering other problems?
Knobs loose or out of line means noone really cared putting it together or out on the display, in which case, it could well be a dog.

[yorks5stringer]

"Musicman" written on the headstock....just kidding!

[Fisheth]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1429480280' post='2751873']
Yeh - note, I mean this on new guitars, on seconds or older yes, I can sort it. If it has a bad cheese-grater action, how can I actually tell what it is like to play, it could be covering other problems?
Knobs loose or out of line means noone really cared putting it together or out on the display, in which case, it could well be a dog.
[/quote]

Thanks for the clarification. This makes more sense now!

[ahpook]

[quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1429478088' post='2751846']
Bad ergonomics. There's no excuse for a bass that doesn't balance well and feel comfortable to play - we're not in the 1950s anymore!
[/quote]

Yep - neck dive is my bugbear.

Why design a bass that doesn't balance well ?

[chrismuzz]

Active electronics, nowhere to rest your thumb, and neck dive!

[chris_b]

Deal breakers?

In no particular order; sound, weight, manufacturer, string spacing, colour and price.

[alyctes]

Neck dive.
42mm nut width.
More than 5 strings.

[discreet]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1429481312' post='2751881']
...nowhere to rest your thumb...
[/quote]

This. Given that it has to have pickups, basses with nowhere to rest your thumb must be deliberately designed to be that way! Why??

[Roland Rock]

I'm easy on most things, but am developing an irrational dislike of non-angled headstocks and square neck heels

[Roland Rock]

Oh, and oval pickups!

[discreet]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1429482286' post='2751897']
...an irrational dislike of non-angled headstocks...
[/quote]

Having played Fenders for years this never bothered me. It was only when I played a few basses with angled headstocks I realised what a crappy design a non-angled headstock really is, and how it's basically a cost/mass-production issue. But I still love Fenders. *Sigh*

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1429482349' post='2751898']
...and oval pickups!
[/quote]

Blooargh!!

Edited April 19, 2015 by discreet

[discreet]

The main problem I have with otherwise perfect basses is colour.

[chris_b]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1429482441' post='2751900']
It was only when I played a few basses with angled headstocks I realised what a crappy design a non-angled headstock really is,
[/quote]

Tell that to the many Gibson owners who have suffered broken headstocks over the years.

[discreet]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1429482820' post='2751905']
Tell that to the many Gibson owners who have suffered broken headstocks over the years.
[/quote]

I really think that's a Gibson thing, not an angled headstock thing. Spectors aren't known for headstock breakage for example.
And anyway, isn't that more a Gibson g**t*r thing rather than a Gibson bass thing?