Instruments you'd buy, but wouldn't...

[oldslapper]

9 minutes ago, rasher80 said:

Harley Benton PB50.

For under a ton it's prob a no brainer and I really want to try it but I know it would do my head in.

- Slab body 

- Baseball bat neck

- Weight

Ooh just had a look at those.

Not slabbed body from the pics?

I like chunky necks, and weight not an issue for home use. Ideal for “modding” too. 

[rasher80]

32 minutes ago, oldslapper said:

Ooh just had a look at those.

Not slabbed body from the pics?

I like chunky necks, and weight not an issue for home use. Ideal for “modding” too. 

Ahhh now that's interesting - assumed they would have been, I hold my hands up and admit I didn't look too closely.

Worth a punt @oldslapper ?

[NancyJohnson]

33 minutes ago, T-Bay said:

I don’t think we are the target market for signature models. They are mostly aimed at the fan market- have ‘the bass your idol plays’ and you will surely sound exactly like them, or perhaps not........ I bet most end up sat in a corner or on a wall hanger.

I'd concur and I'd also maintain that we, bassists, are in general a bit smarter than our six string bretheren and can generally see through the sales and marketing guff that alludes to support Signature models, whichever manufacturer is producing them. 

I saw an interview with Geddy Lee one time and he was extolling the virtues of the Jaco fretless the Fender custom shop had made for him' he was saying something along the lines of how perfect it was and how he wouldn't change anything on it because, '...it's Jaco's bass.'  Frankly, I almost did a little bit of sick.  It's no more Jaco's bass than the guy over there who's playing Flea's 60s Jazz is playing Flea's 60s Jazz.  It's a copy. 

 

[Happy Jack]

Am I allowed to turn this into a "why I hate relic'd instruments" Topic?

No?

Thought not.

As you were.

 

[Mykesbass]

Shallow I know, but when I was looking for my main bass two in the running were G&L and Lakland. Headstock and Bridge meant I went no further down either route (although I see G&L have now improved).

[T-Bay]

6 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

I'd concur and I'd also maintain that we, bassists, are in general a bit smarter than our six string bretheren and can generally see through the sales and marketing guff that alludes to support Signature models, whichever manufacturer is producing them. 

I saw an interview with Geddy Lee one time and he was extolling the virtues of the Jaco fretless the Fender custom shop had made for him' he was saying something along the lines of how perfect it was and how he wouldn't change anything on it because, '...it's Jaco's bass.'  Frankly, I almost did a little bit of sick.  It's no more Jaco's bass than the guy over there who's playing Flea's 60s Jazz is playing Flea's 60s Jazz.  It's a copy. 

 

It can also have a negative effect, I like the Geddy Lee signature Jazz but would be reluctant to own one as I am not a fan of his. Similar with the Nikki Sixx thunderbird on page one, stick normal Gibson livery on that and it’s a hell yes! But the Nikki Sixx stuff puts me off.

[Newfoundfreedom]

Pretty much all Fenders. The headstock makes me want to barf. 

The whole Ibanez Soundgear range. Lovely basses, but the SDGR logo makes them look like a child's toy. 

Single cut high end basses like Fodera. I'd love to try one, but there's absolutely no need for the top of the body to go half way up the neck. It just looks crap. 

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Newfoundfreedom

[oldslapper]

47 minutes ago, rasher80 said:

 

Worth a punt @oldslapper ?

Just put one in my “shopping basket”. Can’t do any harm there can it? It’s not like I’ve bought one or anything? Just in the basket, sitting there safe and sound from slappy’s grasp 😌

[ezbass]

2 minutes ago, oldslapper said:

Just put one in my “shopping basket”. Can’t do any harm there can it? It’s not like I’ve bought one or anything? Just in the basket, sitting there safe and sound from slappy’s grasp 😌

Mwah, ha, ha! One of the harsh mistress that is GAS's many ingenious and seemingly innocuous ploys. It is too late for you I fear. 😂 

[ubit]

46 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

I saw an interview with Geddy Lee one time and he was extolling the virtues of the Jaco fretless the Fender custom shop had made for him' he was saying something along the lines of how perfect it was and how he wouldn't change anything on it because, '...it's Jaco's bass.'  Frankly, I almost did a little bit of sick.  It's no more Jaco's bass than the guy over there who's playing Flea's 60s Jazz is playing Flea's 60s Jazz.  It's a copy. 

Yes but good copies are more or less the same as the original. If a company is true to the artist in question, they will use exactly the same hardware, neck profile, pickups etc as the original, so I think Geddy was meaning this "is" Jacos bass, as in it's exactly like the original. Geddy isn't stupid enough to think it's the original.

[Cuzzie]

43 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Am I allowed to turn this into a "why I hate relic'd instruments" Topic?

No?

Thought not.

As you were.

 

Of interest, is that all relics either from years of use or mimicking years of use?

[ubit]

I would love a real relic, aged instrument from the 60's but unfortunately for a man of my means I can't afford thousands of pounds, plus modern lacquers don't age in the same way as the old nitro. That is why I will have to live with relic'ed copies.

[Happy Jack]

1 minute ago, Cuzzie said:

Of interest, is that all relics either from years of use or mimicking years of use?

Real wear = absolutely fine.

Fake wear done well = pretty much pointless, but can work under some circumstances.

Fake wear badly done (i.e. what we're normally offered) = utterly pointless and frankly a bit embarrassing all round. Spending five minutes with an orbital sander does absolutely nothing to improve any instrument, and will only fool a passing 9-year-old.

 

[ubit]

1 minute ago, Happy Jack said:

Real wear = absolutely fine.

Fake wear done well = pretty much pointless, but can work under some circumstances.

I have a Sandberg California and the relic job on it is faultless. When I first set eyes on it, I never knew about them and I was convinced it was a real relic.

[Cuzzie]

4 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Real wear = absolutely fine.

Fake wear done well = pretty much pointless, but can work under some circumstances.

Fake wear badly done (i.e. what we're normally offered) = utterly pointless and frankly a bit embarrassing all round. Spending five minutes with an orbital sander does absolutely nothing to improve any instrument, and will only fool a passing 9-year-old.

 

Only asking because if someone has pulled off something looking genuinely the same, but that one is not liked then it puzzles me.

In some respects for me it’s the same as for example a masterpiece painting, do you only like the original and not the copy or print if it’s a decent one?

I understand completely not liking various finishes, I like a relic - hate the crap belt sander ones, but if it’s tastefully done.....

Edited July 2, 2020 by Cuzzie

[police squad]

I had the Sting signature bass. It was a lovely instrument. No one ever commented on it being the Sting bass. Most people dont care.

I also had the Steve Harris WHUFC bass. I'm a  hammers fan and I was a big Maiden fan when I was younger. I used the WHUFC bass on 3 gigs. It was too heavy for my poor old shoulders/neck and back. It sounded wonderful and had a fantastic neck on it, again no one seemed to care.

I then read, on here, that I might get grief from some pi55ed up football fans, which I hadn't thought of and it made me not really want to gig it.

I sold it, I wish I had kept the neck and made a parts bass, maybe a PJ of some description.

[rasher80]

17 minutes ago, oldslapper said:

Just put one in my “shopping basket”. Can’t do any harm there can it? It’s not like I’ve bought one or anything? Just in the basket, sitting there safe and sound from slappy’s grasp 😌

Go on do it!! Do it NOW! 😁

[Ed_S]

Just because of the way a lot of people seem to be wired up to think these days, I keep clear of signature models. I rarely know anything at all about the artist behind a signature bass I like the look of, so that'd probably just result in awkward conversations with people at gigs who do. But if your chosen celebrity misbehaves in some way or is shown to have done so in the past, depending on the severity you could be left with more than a few songs to cut out of the covers set; you could have a few grand tied up in an instrument you're uncomfortable to play and can't sell.

On-topic, this is one I'd really like if it weren't for the inlay and headstock scribble:

As for relic jobs, the more genuinely it looks like a bass has had a hard life, the more genuinely I want to treat it to a refinish.

[TRBboy]

16 minutes ago, ubit said:

I have a Sandberg California and the relic job on it is faultless. When I first set eyes on it, I never knew about them and I was convinced it was a real relic.

I wouldn't buy a relic myself, but IMHO sandberg are one of the only companies to do it REALLY well. The Hardcore aged masterpiece basses have thermal and vibration treatment too, which makes them respond and sounds much more like an old bass too. I played one at Birmingham guitar show and it was lovely!

[Lozz196]

12 hours ago, SH73 said:

Lovely bass though, lighter than the sparkly royal blue, more comfortable neck. Nice colour but that badge....

That’s it, the bass itself on paper ticks many boxes, it’s only the badge that puts me off.

[Rich]

23 minutes ago, ubit said:

I would love a real relic, aged instrument from the 60's but unfortunately for a man of my means I can't afford thousands of pounds, plus modern lacquers don't age in the same way as the old nitro. That is why I will have to live with relic'ed copies.

Yes, absolutely the same here. I would love to have a real YOB '65 Jazz but that will never happen unless I win the lottery that I never enter  so a good repro is the closest I'll get, and given that a real YOB is highly unlikely to be mint, then a light relic would be the way to go. For me, that is. YMMV. It'd be terrible if we all liked the same thing... partly because it would mean that I'd have to like trad jazz 🤢 

[Owen]

I would buy one of everything and have spent the last 30 years trying to.

[Hobbayne]

39 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Only asking because if someone has pulled off something looking genuinely the same, but that one is not liked then it puzzles me.

In some respects for me it’s the same as for example a masterpiece painting, do you only like the original and not the copy or print if it’s a decent one?

I understand completely not liking various finishes, I like a relic - hate the crap belt sander ones, but if it’s tastefully done.....

The best relics I have seen are made by Nash and Limelight.

[Rich]

As far as signature basses are concerned... I would definitely consider one (even if I wasn't a fan of the player in question), IF the bass had unique design or features that particularly appealed to me. Three that spring to mind are the original Fender Urge (the 32" with the J-P-J pickups), the Fender Roscoe Beck (IMO the best bass Fender have ever produced), and the Ibanez Gary Willis fretless 5. I would never consider one purely because I liked the signature-player -- e.g. I do like and admire Mark King, but you will never find a Kingbass in my house.

[kodiakblair]

2 hours ago, rasher80 said:

Harley Benton PB50.

For under a ton it's prob a no brainer and I really want to try it but I know it would do my head in.

- Slab body 

- Baseball bat neck

- Weight

Not a slab body nor particularly heavy.

 

Owned 6 of them, none over 9.5 lb. 

 

Sorry @oldslapper  never saw your post 👍

Edited July 2, 2020 by kodiakblair