Basses You've Owned and Hated

[WHUFC BASS]

Probably a controversial subject which will no doubt get some people's backs up, but what basses have you owned and really not liked at all to the point you got shot of them? My list:

1. Ibanez K5 - just insipid with no bottom end which was frustrating as it felt quite nice

2. Ibanez SR505 - See above

3. Musicman Stingray - various models for reasons outlined in another thread here

4. Spector NS2000 - I think I must have got a duff model. Output was weak, it weighed a ton and the input jack was faulty (a common problem back then so I was told)

5. Fender 1990s Jazz Bass - Japanese "crafted in Japan" model which I bought from a Japanese dealer. Really uninspiring bass for some reason which is unusual as at the time I was a big Jazz Bass fan. Very disappointed.

6. Epiphone Thunderbird - bought it in the naiieve thought that it'd be a bit like a Gibson Thunderbird. Absolutely terrible bass. Everything about it was just bad.

7. Tokai Thunderbird - early 2000s model. See above

 

[MoonBassAlpha]

Guild B301F. Had a terrible dead zone around 5th "fret", especially bad on the g string. I also felt the pickup was in the wrong place, the 302 was better suited for fretless, imho.

It was well enough made, but that dead zone spoiled the fun  of playing. The shape didn't do much for me either.

Chopped it in for a Hohner Jack Custom which was my main bass for years, and eventually I defretted that one.

[josie]

Warwick Thumb 6. Bought on BC - I was wanting a 6, and it's a legendary model and was a good price, but much too heavy for me and the shaping on the back of the body just didn't fit mine.

1992 Fender Jazz+V. Again too heavy, a slabby uncomfortable body, and a very floppy B string. This was a top-end bass with Kubicki electronics that Fender made briefly in small numbers, and this one unusually still has the original electronics, so a rare and high-quality beast, but not for me.

Both up for sale on commission in my local independent guitar shop. 

[Lozz196]

I’ve never hated any if my instruments, though every Jazz has been a let-down due to me making them sound rotten. Nothing wrong with any of them aside from my playing.

[Al Krow]

4 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

... Nothing wrong with any of them aside from my playing.

No wait, that can't be right? My basses have clearly all been shi*te (even the really good ones) 'cos it's obvious my playing would be brilliant otherwise. Just still waiting for that decent bass to turn up and all will be well...😂

Edited December 26, 2018 by Al Krow

[mr4stringz]

Wouldn’t say hated but I’d lusted after a Ricky for years. Bought a 4003 in around 2002. It felt lovely (other than the pain of fingerstyle with the stupid pickup and surround), looked stunning but tonally did nada for me. 

Played it occasionally, kept it 3 or 4 years and sold it on at a profit. I’ve still often thought I should give one another go for some reason though...

[Chris2112]

I wouldn't say I hated It, but I did have a Zoot fretless for a while that was pretty disapponting. It had a maple body and a carbon fibre neck, with a single Bartolini MM style humbucker in the sweet spot and a piezo circuit. 

It sounded like a dream recipe, but the total was rather less than the sum of it's parts. The body was really heavy (even for maple) and the tone was a bit flat and dead sounding. It played nicely enough but it just wasn't the bass for me and I didn't keep it that long. I think part of my disappointment was fuelled by the fact it replaced a really nice fretless Alembic Epic 5 string bass that had a really vibrant sound and was simply but beautifully made. I missed the Alembic. 

 

https://i.imgur.com/scfWRYT.jpg

Edited December 26, 2018 by Chris2112

[DrDrill]

Had a Wal i didn't get on with, bought it for £400 and sold it for £450! so can't complain and a Fender Sting signature pbass which I hated for no particular rational reason.

[Steve Browning]

I had a Hondo Rick copy which I pretty much couldn't play (fingerstyle) and later had a Rick 4000 with the same problem. The sound was wrong for the stuff I play in any case. I so wanted it to work!

[Bobthedog]

No hatred here at all, but the two basses I could never get a decent sound out of were my G&L M2000 and a Musicman Stingray 5HH. Great instruments in the right hands I am sure, but not in mine.

[Highfox]

I haven't really hated any, but a few have come and gone. Worst bass was definitely my starter bass a shortscale 4-kay from Wollies with an action a foot high..anything is ok after that.

[LeftyJ]

9 hours ago, mr4stringz said:

Wouldn’t say hated but I’d lusted after a Ricky for years. Bought a 4003 in around 2002. It felt lovely (other than the pain of fingerstyle with the stupid pickup and surround), looked stunning but tonally did nada for me. 

Played it occasionally, kept it 3 or 4 years and sold it on at a profit. I’ve still often thought I should give one another go for some reason though...

Same here. I bought a new lefty 4003 at Guitar Guitar in 2009 and it just wasn't for me. Worst ergonomics of all the basses I've owned. Wide, square neck with a totally flat back, uncomfortable angular body, that bridge pickup surround with nowhere to comfortably anchor my thumb. And that bridge design with a loose, wobbly bridge that just rests on two small screws on the tailpiece and would rock back and forth when tuning, rendering any attempt at properly adjusting the intonation useless. 

I really wanted to like that bass. It was a thing of beauty, and I had lusted after one for years. I sold it at a profit to buy a new car and haven't missed it one bit. 

[chris_b]

You buy a bass and it either works for you or it doesn't. If you bought the wrong thing, don't bother to hate it, sell it and make a better choice next time.

The last mistake I made was to buy a Gibson EBO when I was 18. The sound didn't work for me at all. It was replaced by a Fender Precision which I still own.

[Pea Turgh]

I had a stingray copy that a local luthier made a neck for, and my dad shaped the body.

The neck had mis-drilled holes for the tuner screws and a plug where he’d also mis-drilled a damn tuner shaft!  You could also feel where the truss rod route was quite close to the back of the neck.

I was a 15 yr old introvert when the neck was made - obvs would just bop him on the noggin for trying to charge for such a pigs diner these days!

Broken for parts and forgotten about.

[Defo]

Another for the SR505, just totally lacked everything

mexican jazz, poorly built and clunky, never understood why I bought it

[bertbass]

1972 Precision.  Absolute rubbish.  Wish I still had it though, it would certainly be worth more than the £220 I paid for it new.

[police squad]

I've had a couple of wonderful basses that I could not get a great sound from.

I had a JayDee Mark King. Too complicated but played beautifully and amazing build quality.

I then had a Hamer Scarab.  Great bass, didn't like the sound.

Various others along the way but I discovered that a P bass was THE sound I was looking for, I had a 62 and a 73 at the same time. Sold the 62 as my 73 was better.

I still have the 73, 28 years later and I'm still gigging it

[TheGreek]

Those that disappointed are those whose reputation should have meant they didn't. Maybe, in my mind, I was expecting too much and to live up to somebody else's recommendation.

• Two Wals - a Pro and a Custom - couldn't get on with the neck profile and both weighed far too much to be used regularly.
• 2006 Musicman - bought shortly after I sold my 1996 Ray which I loved and shouldn't have sold.
• Fender P S1 - thought that the active circuitry would improve on the norm - I don't get on with P basses.
• Warwick Vettes - I've never found one which I didn't feel was "ordinary". Strange really as I really liked the Dolphin I had.

[Paul S]

7 minutes ago, police squad said:

I've had a couple of wonderful basses that I could not get a great sound from.

I had a JayDee Mark King. Too complicated but played beautifully and amazing build quality.

I then had a Hamer Scarab.  Great bass, didn't like the sound.

Various others along the way but I discovered that a P bass was THE sound I was looking for, I had a 62 and a 73 at the same time. Sold the 62 as my 73 was better.

I still have the 73, 28 years later and I'm still gigging it

Kind of similar thing for me.  I spent a lot of money importing a Yamaha BB5000 from Japan, only to not 'bond' with it in any way.  Similar story a few years ago with a Westone Pantera Deluxe X790 - first time I saw a picture of one I was smitten.  Eventually found one for sale in Holland, happened to be going to Holland so I picked it up.  Didn't ever bond with that either.

The main issue with both was that they didn't sound like P basses.  I've come to terms with this now.

[Crawford13]

The only bass I have ever bought then let go because I really didn’t get on with was an Ibanez SR1805. I really didn’t like how much neck dive it had, and I didn’t gel with the neck. 

It was really a shame because it was a beautifully crafted bass and it sounded amazing thanks to the Nordstrand pups in it!

Edited December 26, 2018 by Crawford13

[Bassislife16]

4 minutes ago, Crawford13 said:

The only bass I have ever bought then let go because I really didn’t get on with was an Ibanez SR1805. I really didn’t like how much neck dive it had, and I didn’t gel with the neck. 

It was a really shame because it was a beautifully crafted bass and it sounded amazing thanks to the Nordstrand pups in it!

Lucky the Alphers DONT have that issue eh

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

The only real lemon I bought was a Harley Benton uke bass which I really wanted to like and tried to get on with, but compared to the ubass I have now it was a piece of junk. Thomann exchanged it twice due to manufacturing defects but the third one wasn't much better than the others; it was difficult to get a decent tone and it was not much fun to play so I sold it on and upgraded to a Kala.

[Crawford13]

1 hour ago, Bassislife16 said:

Lucky the Alphers DONT have that issue eh

Sounds like sarcasm? My Mako 5 has excellent balance.

[Bassislife16]

36 minutes ago, Crawford13 said:

Sounds like sarcasm? My Mako 5 has excellent balance.

Nope just emphasis on the DONT. All the Alphers I have played have been excellent balance and otherwise.

[Wilco]

Only one that I’ve owned that I really hated - a 1999 MiM Fender Jazz 5 string.

It was an incredibly dull & flat sounding instrument tonally when I got it. I thought i’d could cure that by putting a couple of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders in it. It then turned into a louder but equally dull & flat tonal instrument!!

Possibly poor quality wood both body & neck? Electrics worked fine & I changed the cap too.

It was just a dog of a bass though.

Edited December 27, 2018 by Wilco