Basses You've Owned and Hated

[Al Krow]

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

Sounds like I've had a narrow escape then! Not really noticed any significant neck dive on my SR1825, but that's maybe cos it's using a different wood combination to last year's 1805 model?Either that or it's down to the wide strap I'm using due to my less than perfect shoulder!

As you say it's then a beautifully crafted bass and sounds amazing thanks to the Nordstrand big singles. 

[ped]

I had a shell pink 1957 RI P bass that seemed really high tension no matter what strings I used on it. That was weird. 

[Crawford13]

5 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Sounds like I've had a narrow escape then! Not really noticed any significant neck dive on my SR1825, but that's maybe cos it's using a different wood combination to last year's 1805 model?Either that or it's down to the wide strap I'm using due to my less than perfect shoulder!

As you say it's then a beautifully crafted bass and sounds amazing thanks to the Nordstrand big singles. 

This one would have been a 2013 or 2014, I think it had a thin mahogany body (I could be wrong). It was pretty light. So it could just be down to the body wood mate. Lovely bass just not for me...

Edited December 27, 2018 by Crawford13

[Cat Burrito]

The only two that spring to my mind were a Burns Bison (it just sounded really *thin* in the mix) and an Epiphone Flying V, which again sounded weak. I've since bought a Flying V that sounds good but that's an Eastwood so better quality.

Hate could probably be substituted for disappointment when describing those two.

[ead]

On 26/12/2018 at 00:45, 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...

My exact experience too.  The forst expensive bass I bought and saved up for over 12 months for it.

[gazhowe]

There’s nothing I’ve hated but the following were spur of the moment buys that all disappointed.  In no particular order:

Esh Various - nice looking bass and neck but I thought it had a weak sound, no matter how I tried to set the eq.

Fender Geddy Lee Jazz - felt nice in the shop but the neck was a little too narrow for my taste. Sounded weak and bland compared to my Stingray and Status S2. The guitarist in my band threatened to burn it if I brought it to another gig. 

Overwater Aspiration Deluxe 5 - other than feeling as heavy as a boat anchor this was a really good bass that I thought sounded great. I quickly realised that I wasn’t comfortable with the weight, wide neck and extra string. 

Edited December 27, 2018 by gazhowe

[Woodinblack]

On 26/12/2018 at 17:42, 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. 

My 1605 was very neck heavy when i got it as the spalted poplar is pretty light (and they have the same neck on all of them). I got a set of ultralights as I had just got an Elwood with them on (as recommended by Maruszczyk) and it stopped the problem. Still have it, still my favourite.

The 5005 has the same sort of neck (almost), but luckily being made with a wenge top has a lot more gravity on the bottom!

 

Edited December 29, 2018 by Woodinblack

[Woodinblack]

No hate from any of my basses (guitars a different matter!), but the Dingwall got moved on quickly as although I loved the neck I couldn't get a sound I liked out of it, and the ACG got moved on as I loved the sound but didn't like the neck (it was actually a heavy necked one for the reason it was made). There have been a few others that moved on because they were fairly nothingy, Ibanez BTB, various fenders, and a few that moved on because I hated the neck. 

I think the current spector will get moved on because of the neck soon.

[project_c]

I’m ashamed to say I had a Sadowsky I didn’t like about 8 yrs ago. Sacrilege. It was a beautiful PJ, there was nothing wrong with it, I just couldn’t get the tone I was after from it.

On retrospect it was most likely because of my lack of playing ability and lack of knowledge about setups at the time. I’m fairly sure I could get it to do everything I need if I had it today, I probably just wasn’t ready for a Sadowsky yet. 

Classic case of ‘all the gear and no idea’. I can get a tone I like out of almost any Fender-style bass nowadays so I definitely blame my ignorance rather than any deficiency with the Sadowsky. I wonder how many basses get the blame when the culprit is bad technique or a bad setup? 

[Crawford13]

5 minutes ago, project_c said:

I’m ashamed to say I had a Sadowsky I didn’t like about 8 yrs ago. Sacrilege. It was a beautiful PJ, there was nothing wrong with it, I just couldn’t get the tone I was after from it.

On retrospect it was most likely because of my lack of playing ability and lack of knowledge about setups at the time. I’m fairly sure I could get it to do everything I need if I had it today, I probably just wasn’t ready for a Sadowsky yet. 

Classic case of ‘all the gear and no idea’. I can get a tone I like out of almost any Fender-style bass nowadays so I definitely blame my ignorance rather than any deficiency with the Sadowsky. I wonder how many basses get the blame when the culprit is bad technique or a bad setup? 

This is probably quite a common story. Some one buys a high end bass thinking it will make them sound like the pro’s that play them. They don’t sound like the pro, so the bass must go...

[lownote]

Yamahas... never had a good un.

 

[lownote]

6 minutes ago, Crawford13 said:

This is probably quite a common story. Some one buys a high end bass thinking it will make them sound like the pro’s that play them. They don’t sound like the pro, so the bass must go...

My entire bass experience for seven years is founded on this most excellent philosophy.  I buy basses to locate the one that will find the pro musician I know lurks within me. None has succeeded yet but I'm an optimist and will keep on buying trying.

[Hellzero]

I won't make friends...

A brand new Fodera Richard Bona that was such a bad instrument that I was sure it was a cheap Chinese copy : nope it was the real deal (urm, not really at a mere £10.000 GBP price tag). Awful sounding bass and not that terrific craftsmanship, I would say it was worth 1/100th of the asking price. I was simply gutted and hated it so much that I decided that I will never ever play a Fodera again.

The reason is certainly that I've been playing high end and high quality luthier basses for over 30 years, so I was just amazed how common it was.

And of course all the Japanese deep sh*tty basses from the 60's and early 70's and the nowadays Chinese crap.

[gary mac]

Wouldn't go as far as saying that I hated it but after lusting after an Alembic for years, I finally purchased one at the Bass Centre in Wapping. Within a few days I knew that it wasn't for me, persevered with it for a few weeks and finally phoned the Bass Centre, who were very understanding and said they would be happy to exchange it. A few days later I was back up there and a couple of hours later left with a very lovely P Deluxe, which I still have. Still miss that shop

[TheGreek]

2 minutes ago, gary mac said:

Wouldn't go as far as saying that I hated it but after lusting after an Alembic for years, I finally purchased one at the Bass Centre in Wapping. 

Please don't destroy my dreams!!! I've been lusting after an Alembic Stanley Clarke forever - I've only seen two in the flesh (timber??) and they've looked beautiful - I've been too over-awed to actually try one...

[gary mac]

Just now, TheGreek said:

Please don't destroy my dreams!!! I've been lusting after an Alembic Stanley Clarke forever - I've only seen two in the flesh (timber??) and they've looked beautiful - I've been too over-awed to actually try one...

No it was a different model Mick.

[Painy]

I had a Korean Spector Legend 5 string once that just sounded utterly insipid - literally the most MEH sound ever. It also felt really flimsy like it was made of balsa wood even though it wasn't especially light. 

I also recently bought a Gibson EB13 5 string - one of the stupidly cheap end of line ones from GAK. I really liked the quirky looks and it felt really comfortable to me. It also sounded great - right up until I tried actually playing it with the rest of my band. No matter what I did it just seemed to disappear almost completely in the mix - just hopeless! Fortunately it sold on ebay for more than I'd payed new and I was able to use the money towards getting my Sterling Ray 25CA which I'm now enjoying much more.  😊

[Billy Apple]

In no particular order..

Ric 4001. One of the best necks I've known, which was inversely proportional to the body. My right forearm still thanks me.

Westone Thunder 1A. This was my first bass, so when one came up a few years ago I thought I'd re-live past glory, but as Lemmy said, the sight of a well turned ankle can send a 12 year old into paroxysms of joy. A neck-diving boat anchor.

Fender Coronado. Another boat-anchor.

Burns Bison. An enormous stupid bass, with an enormously stupid sound.

Danelectro 62. Long scale, shortest time out of the box. Straight back to GAK. What was I thinking?!

 

[WHUFC BASS]

6 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

I think the current spector will get moved on because of the neck soon. 

Out of interest, what model Spector are you referring to?

[Woodinblack]

17 minutes ago, WHUFC BASS said:

Out of interest, what model Spector are you referring to?

Oh its one I bought on here a few months ago that noone seemed to know the model of, possibly a Q5 Pro 5 string. I like the sound and the look but the string spacing is not right for me in a way I am not sure why.

[Grahambythesea]

A Washburn AB35 (I think that was the model number). Electro acoustic fretless 5 string on which I think the neck was made out of spares for a double bass! Bearing in mind it was a 5 string, it had loads of spare fingerboard either side of the strings and absolutely killed my hand to play it and I have pretty big hands! 

I was disappointed with the vintage Gibson EB2D I treated myself to as I had always wanted one from way back. (Loved Chas Chandler’s playing). The neck was clumpy and the difference between the mud bucker and the bridge pickup ludicrously unbalanced. However deep inside there lurks a desire to have another semi in that vein, but I try to ignore it as it will probably be a disappointment.

Edited December 29, 2018 by Grahambythesea
Spelling mistake

[LITTLEWING]

OLP passive Stingray - great neck but a very bland and sleep inducing sound.

Westone Thunder 1 - same as above.

Yamaha RBX's  - embarrassing looks and sound.

Squier VM 5 string Jazz - a definitive case of try before you buy. (Bought it new blind online) Buzzy frets and horrid rubber band elephant fart B string.

LTD B series of some description - let's just say I nearly cried, quietly rocking in a corner.

 

[Woodinblack]

On 27/12/2018 at 21:02, Painy said:

I also recently bought a Gibson EB13 5 string - one of the stupidly cheap end of line ones from GAK. I really liked the quirky looks and it felt really comfortable to me. It also sounded great - right up until I tried actually playing it with the rest of my band. No matter what I did it just seemed to disappear almost completely in the mix - just hopeless! Fortunately it sold on ebay for more than I'd payed new and I was able to use the money towards getting my Sterling Ray 25CA which I'm now enjoying much more.  😊

 

I had one of those too, I didn't really like the quirky looks. It was comfortable to hold but the neck was too big for me. The sound however was perfect in the mix, I got compliments on the sound (actually the same as i get from the thunderbird) but sadly I really couldn't get on with the neck so it had to go.

Also like you, I got more than I paid so it was about the only bass that has paid me back!

[NikNik]

• My first ever Rick 4001, a second-hand one. Hated it simply because it sounded so weak. Lasted about four months and  flogged it for what I paid for it to Rush fan.
• Washburn B-20 8-string. Buzzed like a hornet's nest and broke three octave G strings in a row. Went back to the shop.
• Alembic Series I Point. Truly, I hated it. Traded it for a Status Series II.
• Though I didn't quite hate it, a Chapman Stick 10-string, bought with the above on a deal. Figured it would be easy to play, having been a piano player but I could barely get a note out of it. Gave myself 6 months to master it and failed. Traded for a Yamaha DX7 !!
• Though not a bass, a Rick 360. Bought on a whim and sold real quick.
• Another guitar. An SRV Partscaster bought from OZ. Seller withheld a serious mis-match between neck and neck pocket which I had to personally rectify. The only good thing about it was the set of Slider Strat pups on an aged 'plate. Got it playable but the damage was done and I parted it out, losing money.
  
  But the only bass I bought that was  POS on arrival was an Alden Beatbacker. Again, bought over the 'net on a whim. Poorly made, poorly finished and impossible to play. That got sent back same day!

 

 

Edited December 30, 2018 by NikNik

[NikNik]

On 26/12/2018 at 08:37, DrDrill said:

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.

Maybe the 'Stinglay'?