What Puts You Off?

[Captain Bassman]

White pickups. Make a bass look cheap and tacky.

The SR5 30th Anniversary for example. What were they thinking with the stark white pup against aged white body? Ruins it completely for me.
 

[4000]

3 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Oh no 😂

😂

Actually, the warm tint of the Fender neck against that colour looks fine. Just the plate I can’t get with. The Sad needs a tinted neck to do the same....and a different plate, obviously.😂

[Woodinblack]

34 minutes ago, Captain Bassman said:

White pickups. Make a bass look cheap and tacky.

The SR5 30th Anniversary for example. What were they thinking with the stark white pup against aged white body? Ruins it completely for me.
 

They were thinking with that hideous scratchplate, noone would care if the pickup was the wrong colour!

[4000]

2 hours ago, Quilly said:

I really dislike the upper curve on those 4003 basses . Too much useless chrome . 

See I love ‘50s and ‘60s cars so I love em. As for curves, they’re one of the few that gets it right.😉

[Richard R]

I have fallen about laughing at this thread, absolutely wonderful. 

If you want to understand why Basschat is such a great place,  imagine the flame wars, foul language and trolling that would erupt if you asked this question on that other forum over in the US... 🙂

[AndyTravis]

53 minutes ago, 4000 said:

😂

Actually, the warm tint of the Fender neck against that colour looks fine. Just the plate I can’t get with. The Sad needs a tinted neck to do the same....and a different plate, obviously.😂

Wanted Tort for the sadowsky...but I’d still be on the naughty step for that 😂

[Paul S]

Tort scratchplate

Sunburst finishes.  Well, any burst finish, really.

Tort scratchplate

Modern single cuts where the upper bout looks like a cartoon whale.

Tort scratchplate

Red bases

Tort scratchplate

I think that's it. 

No, hang on, tort scratchplates.

I've owned sunburst basses, once owned a red bass ( I had it refinished in black), currently own a single cut bass (but not particularly cetacean).  But never ever a tort scratchplate. 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

[Ricky 4000]

6 minutes ago, Paul S said:

Red bases

Agree. The only bass I've got that isn't black, is C.A.R. And I hate it. 🤮

Having said that, fiesta red is nice.... maybe with maple... 😗

[Eldon Tyrell]

Would like to add this one to my previous "What puts you off" list 😎

[Quilly]

Vintage style semi solid basses with modern style tuning machines (the triangular type )

Edited August 13, 2020 by Quilly

[acidbass]

Dodgy alignment puts me right off. By that I mean the way the pickups and inlays are aligned with the strings. You mostly see poor examples of the latter, even on handmade basses costing thousands, whereas conversely the instruments at the cheaper end of the spectrum often have it nailed. I just couldn't bring myself to buy an instrument where the strings don't pass through the middle of the pole pieces on J or P pickups. To me, it's a sign of either bad design or bad manufacturing. Why would I want an instrument that's any less than perfect? Really grinds my gears.

[Quilly]

15 minutes ago, acidbass said:

Dodgy alignment puts me right off. By that I mean the way the pickups and inlays are aligned with the strings. You mostly see poor examples of the latter, even on handmade basses costing thousands, whereas conversely the instruments at the cheaper end of the spectrum often have it nailed. I just couldn't bring myself to buy an instrument where the strings don't pass through the middle of the pole pieces on J or P pickups. To me, it's a sign of either bad design or bad manufacturing. Why would I want an instrument that's any less than perfect? Really grinds my gears.

Just get hotrails or solid pickup covers , pickup unsightliness sorted. Can’t help you with crooked inlays however 

[acidbass]

51 minutes ago, Quilly said:

Just get hotrails or solid pickup covers , pickup unsightliness sorted. Can’t help you with crooked inlays however 

Yeah I get that there are fixes but it's the sort of design flaw that shouldn't exist in the first place! It's putting me off buying one of those new Ashdown/Lakin basses big time!

[Manwithvan]

I'm in agreement with many of the sentiments expressed here.

Red basses. Urgh. (Yet I have two of them)

Sunburst. Not classy. (My no. 1 bass has this finish)

Gold hardware looks cheap (as it does on my Yamaha 1500A).

Pointy headstocks (Fernandes PJ!)

Fake relics. This seems to be the only real deal breaker for me. 

.....and, dare I say this, I don't like the Fender jazz body shape, and don't currently own one.

[merello]

Schecter bass headstocks.....

[Quilly]

Even though they received a great review from Ed Friedland, the bass whisperer, and I nearly bought one, I just couldn't get over that head stock. Unlike others on this thread I kinda like telebass headstocks, at least they're a classic design but that below is just ugh!  

I think they've since been discontinued, I mean who wants to buy a copy of a fender bass for the same price as a fender but with an ugly headstock? 🤷‍♂️

Edited August 14, 2020 by Quilly

[Baloney Balderdash]

I saw a few "whale hump" basses that actually looked good, but by far far the most I have ever seen looked absolutely awful to me, and will generally always avoid any single cut basses or guitars.

I am not too fond of white basses and guitars either, though that didn't stop me for having a white bass as my main bass for about 10 tears or so, an Aria Pro II Laser Electric Classic to be exact, which I still own.

Also not fond of basses and guitars with all the tuners in one row and generally prefer 2+2 headstocks for basses and 3+3 for guitars.

No hard turnoffs really I guess beside the thing about "whale humps" and it would have to otherwise be irresistible if single cut.

 

Edit!!!:

Now, that's a lie actually, I totally hate tortoise pickguards and would never ever have one on my bass or guitar.

 

 

Edited August 14, 2020 by Baloney Balderdash

[Greg Edwards69]

14 hours ago, Quilly said:

The Jury is out on those Billy Sheehan Yamaha basses for me .

Oi, I resemble that remark.

[Greg Edwards69]

13 hours ago, Richard R said:

I have fallen about laughing at this thread, absolutely wonderful. 

If you want to understand why Basschat is such a great place,  imagine the flame wars, foul language and trolling that would erupt if you asked this question on that other forum over in the US... 🙂

I was thinking the same. This thread would have been locked and deleted days ago for breaching their rules.  They literally have a "no insulting ugly bass" rule (which even includes artificial relicing).

Edited August 14, 2020 by Greg Edwards69

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

1 minute ago, Greg Edwards69 said:

I was thinking the same. This thread would have been locked and deleted days ago for breaching their rules.  They literally have a rule in place banning "ugly bass" discussion.

I di don't know that. In the land of the free as well. Doesn't that breach a Constitution of some kind 😂

[Quilly]

5 minutes ago, Greg Edwards69 said:

Oi, I resemble that remark.

As I said...the jury is still out, I cant decide whether they're cool or just goofy with those scallop frets and weird pickup placement. No doubt they're great basses. 

[Lfalex v1.1]

17 minutes ago, Quilly said:

As I said...the jury is still out, I cant decide whether they're cool or just goofy with those scallop frets and weird pickup placement. No doubt they're great basses. 

Brilliantly well made (My MIJ 10th Anniversary BS Sig was)

The scalloped frets don't affect playability,  and that neck pickup is quite something. The "P" pickup is quite bright to offset the depth of the neck humbucker, but I never got on with the overall package tonally. Suits Mr Sheehan's playing style and equipment set-up, but not necessarily everyone else's. 

[mattbass6]

Headstock shape.

Sunburst.

Block inlays.

Overly fussy, and fancy tops.

Tortoise shell scratch-plates.

Singlecuts.

Offset bodies.

Slab bodies.

Basses with ‘51 style pickups.

Rosewood fingerboards.

Gold hardware.

Bloody hell i’m picky 😂 I know what I like though, and having been through so many different makes over the years, it has made the process of knowing what I like, so much easier. Good topic ☺️ 

[Lfalex v1.1]

The Attitude. Generally polarises opinion..