Great basses you don't click with

[ead]

Interesting comment re the Precision. I used to be in that camp until I stumbled across a Farida P bass (shameful copy - just in case he's reading this). Skinny neck like a jazz and a slightly odd shaped lower horn but really nice to play, I now 'get' the whole P bass thing.

[stu_g]

for me its jazz basses, love the look of them but could never get a sound i liked, although i now have a sire v7 and a bass centre stadium (MTD Grendel) that have jazz looks but they both have different sounds that work for me.
also had a G&L 2000 which looked amazing but just not my cup of tea

[colgraff]

Fender P and J: The scale feels too short and/or I like 24 frets so always run out.
Warwick Thumb and similar. The weighting is wrong for me.

[Cameronj279]

I had a Warwick Streamer Jazzman 5 that fits perfectly into this category. I just couldn't get on with it (despite really liking Warwick basses). Bandmates even still talk about it as one of the nicest sounding basses I've owned but I just didn't like it. Annoying as when I hear someone else play them, I think they sound incredible.

[martin8708]

I love the look of a Ric , but I just find the neck difficult to get to grips with .

Stingray's , as previously said , just too much , quite powerful active pre-amps .
The pick- up is quite close to the bridge , which I use as a thumb rest for finger style playing , the strings seem to shred my finger tips .

[JohnFitzgerald]

I can't play a P bass to save my life. I hear someone else playing one and it sounds fantastic.
Then I pick it up and it's just rubbish.

Or rather, I am.

Probably defines me as a failure if I can't get a decent noise out of a P bass.

[gjones]

Charvel Jackson basses sound fantastic! I bought one from a friend, back in the 90s, as an 'emergency bass' when my own bass got stolen.

It sounded fantastic but I got rid of it, merely because of the pointy headstock (which frankly, at the time, just wasn't my style).

The other day (20 years later) I saw exactly the same model going for sale, down the road from me, at the measly price of £160.

Such a great sounding bass at a bargain price. But did I buy it?

Nooooooo! I couldn't bring myself to do it because of that pointy headstock.

I'm so shallow.....

This is it. If you aren't put off by pointy headstocks this is a total bargain https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/charvel-bass-guitar-made-in-japan-1986/1157634743

[silverfoxnik]

Having owned and played so many different basses over the last 40 years, I've come to the conclusion that there's no rhyme or reason to this at all...

Twenty years ago, I had a '66 Jazz, but I never really got on with it.. Had an 80s Tokai Jazz that I loved.

Apart from playing a great sounding Warwick Streamer 5 string at the first South East Bash in 2007, I've never got on with the feel of the 3 Warwick's that I've owned. I also had 3 Stingrays over the years and never got on with the sound when playing them.

Had 2 or 3 Wal Custom Mach 1s, including a 5 string, but didn't like them at all, yet loved the Wal Pro models that I've owned..

I've had a few budget Yamahas too - BB300, BB400 models - and really enjoyed them,but last year I quickly moved on a beautiful TRB5P that I bought here that I was absolutely convinced I was going to bond with when I bought it.

Like I say, no rhyme or reason!

It's been a real blast trying out so many different basses though..

[Pinball]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' timestamp='1457259994' post='2996719']
no rhyme or reason!
It's been a real blast trying out so many different basses though..
[/quote]

On that last point, I'm right with you. There are a whole bunch that I really enjoyed and moved on for no real reason other than I had too many basses. These included: an Esh Various, Yamaha TRB1005, Spector Legend Classic, Sandberg Umbo and Panther and USA 95 Fretless P bass.

Others that I did more on for a reason but were still great basses included: Sandberg TM4s, ESP/LTD, Spector Legends and Bass Collections. All were great basses but weren't doing it for me sound wise in my current projects.

Note: at the moment Stingrays and a G&L SB2 cover all my needs.

[kevvo66]

G&l basses just can't get on with them regardless of the model

[gillento]

[quote name='guybrush threepwood' timestamp='1457044608' post='2994890']
I always love the sound of a Stingray. But when I play one, I just find them too unruly; far too much presence in the mix.
[/quote]

+1

[therealting]

I don't get, and have never gotten, the fuss about Warwicks. I know some people love them, but TO ME they're ugly, heavy, feel terrible, don't sound good... and you pay a considerable amount of money for the very dubious privilege of owning one.

[ezbass]

[quote name='therealting' timestamp='1457271055' post='2996873']
I don't get, and have never gotten, the fuss about Warwicks. I know some people love them, but TO ME they're ugly, heavy, feel terrible, don't sound good... and you pay a considerable amount of money for the very dubious privilege of owning one.
[/quote]Me too and I really want to like them, but to no avail. I've also owned 3 Ibanez SRs and while I got on with them well enough, I never really bonded with them. Maybe those 50s designs were right the first time.

[Black Coffee]

I've never got on with fodera basses.

I don't earn enough money to be able to afford one would be my biggest gripe. Alembic too.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' timestamp='1457259994' post='2996719']
Having owned and played so many different basses over the last 40 years, I've come to the conclusion that there's no rhyme or reason to this at all...

Twenty years ago, I had a '66 Jazz, but I never really got on with it.. Had an 80s Tokai Jazz that I loved.

Apart from playing a great sounding Warwick Streamer 5 string at the first South East Bash in 2007, I've never got on with the feel of the 3 Warwick's that I've owned. I also had 3 Stingrays over the years and never got on with the sound when playing them.

Had 2 or 3 Wal Custom Mach 1s, including a 5 string, but didn't like them at all, yet loved the Wal Pro models that I've owned..

I've had a few budget Yamahas too - BB300, BB400 models - and really enjoyed them,but last year I quickly moved on a beautiful TRB5P that I bought here that I was absolutely convinced I was going to bond with when I bought it.

Like I say, no rhyme or reason!

It's been a real blast trying out so many different basses though..
[/quote] I think that's the nub of it - no rhyme or reason. One of the nicest basses I should never have sold was a japanese jazz copy that cost me £45. Back then (all of 7 years ago) £45 was a lot of money so I justified it by buying it to do up "for a friend". The friend still loves it.

The bass for me that started this thread is my very old BB1200 - utterly amazing instrument. Lightweight, smooth and even sounding across the fretboard... yet doesn't click with my playing style at all. I picked up the Stingray I built after playing it (Bart and my own DIYcopy of the 2 band preamp) - utter dog to play not fun at all - but the tone is there with my fingers.
Not really sure what to do, maybe move the BB on - but it seems a shame as it really is such a nice instrument. Just not for my playing style... but then in a year or two my playing style and tone goals might have changed and it fits?
Anyway I'll take it to practice tonight and see how we get on - it really really didn't work well the last time I tried it out so could go horribly wrong!

[ead]

[quote name='JohnFitzgerald' timestamp='1457215382' post='2996520']
I can't play a P bass to save my life. I hear someone else playing one and it sounds fantastic.
Then I pick it up and it's just rubbish.
[/quote]

This happens with all my basses.

[EmmettC]

[quote name='Black Coffee' timestamp='1457275105' post='2996919']
I've never got on with fodera basses.

I don't earn enough money to be able to afford one would be my biggest gripe. Alembic too.
[/quote]
Add Sadowsky and Lull to that list for me, I can't seem to afford them, so I never end up with one.

[Black Coffee]

[quote name='EmmettC' timestamp='1457341940' post='2997427']

Add Sadowsky and Lull to that list for me, I can't seem to afford them, so I never end up with one.
[/quote]

I scraped across the line of affording a Mike Lull and of all the £1500+ basses ive played or owned the Lull was the shabbiest. I understand that for others its bass heaven, but i was really disappointed. Just IMHO.

A good usa five string fender jazz i owned was the best passive fiver i ever played, the Lull was just - mmmhh :-( - cant really say i got the warm fuzzy feeling when playing it.

Id like to believe id drool when playing a £5,000 fodera but i will likely never know this side of retirement.

[oldbass]

Only great thing about a Jazz for me is the bridge PU burp. Tried many different variations over the years but I cannot get past the body shape and skinny neck....though the RW one I had recently was wonderfully light and resonant but I couldn't keep it.

Edited March 7, 2016 by ians

[Guinness21]

There are a couple of bass that I loved the sound of, just didn't click with them in terms of playability. Fender p bass and ric 4003 - with the p bass, I didn't like that the top of the pickup was angled into the body as I couldn't rest my thumb there, and I hated the pickup cover on the ric. If I were to own either one, I know there are ways I could get round these issues.

[uk_lefty]

[quote name='therealting' timestamp='1457271055' post='2996873']
I don't get, and have never gotten, the fuss about Warwicks. I know some people love them, but TO ME they're ugly, heavy, feel terrible, don't sound good... and you pay a considerable amount of money for the very dubious privilege of owning one.
[/quote]

I had a streamer LX, most beautiful bass I've owned. Gorgeous maple body, Wenge neck, active Pj, the works, gold plated hardware, bell brass frets... A very high spec bass. In my hands it just sounded plain and ordinary no matter what. I went to a music shop and used an MIM Jazz for a noodle and though it felt cheap and plastic-like compared to my Warwick I could coax out the sounds I wanted. I always regret selling the Warwick but then remember it was nothing more than pretty, to me at least

[EmmettC]

[quote name='Black Coffee' timestamp='1457342773' post='2997436']
I scraped across the line of affording a Mike Lull and of all the £1500+ basses ive played or owned the Lull was the shabbiest. I understand that for others its bass heaven, but i was really disappointed. Just IMHO.

A good usa five string fender jazz i owned was the best passive fiver i ever played, the Lull was just - mmmhh :-( - cant really say i got the warm fuzzy feeling when playing it.
[/quote]

I have to admit I didn't like the Sadowsky I tried either, I'm holding out hope that I find one I like (and can afford) at some stage, but I tried a lot of Jazz fives and the Sandberg was the only one I really liked, the Marcus Miller was the nicest Fender and the Sadowsky felt like a Fender with a nicer preamp (and a bigger price tag).

[ped]

I'm pretty convinced I could get comfortable with most instruments given time to tweak and adjust. For me it's more about the amount of relief on the neck and the action (arrow straight and super low) which is a deal breaker for me. Several basses I've loved the sound of just haven't been capable of a setup which suits me.

Having said that, I did have to play a Gibson EBo once. It was fun and changed my style and what I played to suit the 'feel' of the bass but it's not something I'd be able to use very often!

[GrammeFriday]

Stingray 5 for me. Loved everything about it except for the G string, which was too close to the edge of the fretboard for me. I struggled for nearly a year to adjust to it, but in the end had to admit defeat and flogged it, tears in eyes.

[Black Coffee]

[quote name='EmmettC' timestamp='1457345440' post='2997473']


I have to admit I didn't like the Sadowsky I tried either, I'm holding out hope that I find one I like (and can afford) at some stage, but I tried a lot of Jazz fives and the Sandberg was the only one I really liked, the Marcus Miller was the nicest Fender and the Sadowsky felt like a Fender with a nicer preamp (and a bigger price tag).
[/quote]

Ive always wanted to try a sadowsky, i like the looks and finish in pics etc but i e never seen one in the flesh/wood - whatever.
Sandberg nearly is too good to be true. Never played one but may in the near future pull the trigger on a secondhand one.

Recently i bought a sire and loved the electrics, weight , finish but the fretboard radius was the undoing over time of what id hoped would be a happy partnership.

Maybe we are too fickle with too much choice available and too much easy to borrow money to buy.