Maude Posted May 11, 2015 Posted May 11, 2015 I have probably completely missed the point to this saying, but what the hell does 'plays like butter' mean? Surely butter is the last thing you'd want a bass to play like, soft and claggy and leaves your hands in a right mess. I've never played a bass and thought, I wish this felt more like a big lump of butter. Enlighten me Quote
discreet Posted May 11, 2015 Posted May 11, 2015 (edited) I think it means easy to play, as in smooth and slick with a low action, a great neck and possibly shiny flats... mmm, butter. My 76P plays like butter. It also [i]looks [/i]like butter... In fact, I can't believe it's NOT butter. Edited May 11, 2015 by discreet Quote
yorks5stringer Posted May 11, 2015 Posted May 11, 2015 It means your Bass sounds like its in a Punk Band... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mSE-Iy_tFY"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mSE-Iy_tFY[/url] Quote
Guest MoJo Posted May 11, 2015 Posted May 11, 2015 I don't have any basses that play like butter. I do have one that plays like a low cholesterol, low fat spread. Quote
Maude Posted May 11, 2015 Author Posted May 11, 2015 What if it plays like 'I can't believe it's not butter'? Is that good or bad? Quote
seashell Posted May 12, 2015 Posted May 12, 2015 I wonder if this saying started out as 'Cuts through like a knife through butter' and then gradually got shortened. Just a thought. Quote
Roland Rock Posted May 12, 2015 Posted May 12, 2015 I've always assumed that it meant that the bass was very playable; as if it was lubricated and offering no resistance, your fingers able to glide over the fretboard with the finesse and artistry of a champion ice skater. Doused in KY jelly. In space. Quote
ras52 Posted May 12, 2015 Posted May 12, 2015 Starts smelling funny if you leave it out of the fridge for too long? Quote
discreet Posted May 12, 2015 Posted May 12, 2015 [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1431410939' post='2770907'] ...a champion ice skater. Doused in KY jelly. In space. [/quote] Now you're talking. Quote
chriswareham Posted May 12, 2015 Posted May 12, 2015 It's one of those annoying phrases the permeate eBay listings. My pet hate is "minty", which seems to originate with [url="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Septic"]Septics[/url] that don't know why it's supposed to be "mint" and assume it's a contraction of "minty fresh". Quote
tauzero Posted May 12, 2015 Posted May 12, 2015 Anyone using "plays like butter" to mean "plays smoothly" has obviously never tried to spread cold butter. Quote
paul_5 Posted May 12, 2015 Posted May 12, 2015 [quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1431470570' post='2771798'] Anyone using "plays like butter" to mean "plays smoothly" has obviously never tried to spread cold butter. [/quote] This. The single, most frustrating thing about modern life. Well, that and a lack of Proportional Representation... Quote
Mykesbass Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1431386532' post='2770853'] I want a bass that plays like lard... [/quote] Lard played bass in the Fall for a while. Quote
pfretrock Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1431410939' post='2770907'] ..Doused in KY jelly.... [/quote] This saved me from identity theft once - I used it to free up a jam in a paper shredder. I usually use olive oil - err for the paper shredded. Quote
Dood Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 It's one of those phrases like 'the proof is in the pudding' that I seem to hear every now and then. Rather, 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating'. Similarly things that are described as being as 'smooth as a hot knife through butter' maybe wrongly worded as 'plays like butter'. The first of each doesn't really make sense! Quote
FinnDave Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 These sayings aren't supposed to make sense, they are accepted idioms that we all understand (or most of us do) and help to bind us into cohesive social groups. It is why older people feel alienated by the younger generation as they will also define themselves by adapting and adopting idioms to their own use. Quote
No lust in Jazz Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 And there was I thinking that 'plays like butter' was simile - lol. Either way, language is organic and doesn't stand too much scutiny Quote
FinnDave Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 It's moved beyond simile by dropping its reference to the original to the point that it makes no logical sense, but has a non-logical meaning that is widely accepted. This sort of thing is a right bugger to teach foreign students! Anyway, I prefer my basses to fight back a little, I can't get any feeling into a butter-smooth low action Quote
discreet Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 (edited) [quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1431609893' post='2773167'] I prefer my basses to fight back a little, I can't get any feeling into a butter-smooth low action [/quote] +1 Quite, I like to have to work at it. If the action is too low the strings have no room to breathe and it's too tempting to fly around the fretboard like an arse.. Edited May 14, 2015 by discreet Quote
MacDaddy Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 [quote name='Grassie' timestamp='1431504059' post='2771900'] My bass plays like batter. [/quote] This reminds me of something from Viz, which would be entirely inappropriate to post. [size=4] [/size] Quote
discreet Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1431610278' post='2773179'] This reminds me of something from Viz, which would be entirely inappropriate to post. [/quote] Are you referring to Viz's showbiz correspondent Ms Fanny Batter? I think we should be told. Quote
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