Your best (and worst!) bass gear purchases of 2020?

[Woodinblack]

6 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

This one for sure and just about any fretless, surely?

That is the prevailing logic yes, but when I had mine I flipped between flats and rounds. Probably was better with flats but I have never really been a fan.

I guess probably old short scales like Hofners suit flats as they are fairly dead anyway. 

[Clarky]

Best: my two Serek short-scales, Alembic Spoiler and Handbox 400 amp.

Worst: continually thinking I can comfortably play long-scale basses and buying a Jazz, a Precision and a Shergold - all beautiful basses in their own right but unsuited to me and hence sold on (to happy buyers), each time at a loss!

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by Clarky

[horrorshowbass]

4 hours ago, 12stringbassist said:

I was pleased to get this Deluxe Jazz.
Bad purchase - none.

That is lovely, I cant afford one but might buy the body this year and the neck in 2022!!!

 

[Kev]

Best: without doubt my Masterbuilt Warwick Thumb NT.  Most expensive bass I’ve  bought in years but it’s a masterpiece of an instrument and worth every penny.

Worst? Well it was a very quiet year for new purchases really, so wouldn’t really be fair to give the worst title to anything.

Edited December 27, 2020 by Kev

[AndyTravis]

Most fulfilling is this one...been a really long journey. Hope it lives up to a 20 year wait.

Best has been the Sadowsky HPJ. Just feels better than any other bass I’ve owned - and can cover everything.

Worst...gawd, erm. I’ve wasted swathes of money this year on gear - boredom has had a huge part to play in it.

 

 

[Bassman Sam]

I bought these two in February. The best basses I've ever bought.

 

The worst. A well known pedal from a twunt from Leicester. Just kidding.

[skb558]

If the definition of ‘worst’ includes ‘unwise’ then best and worst, respectively are:-

Stingray Special - lighter, more headroom and, to my neophyte ears, having only owned a couple of Stingrays prior to this one, more than capable of that ‘tone’.

 On to the ‘unwise’; Roscoe Century Standard Fretless; beautiful instrument, lovely fretless sound but an impulse purchase that I know is not getting or going to get the use it deserves. 

‘A fool and his money...’ 🙄

Edited December 27, 2020 by skb558

[bassbooty]

5 hours ago, Al Krow said:

So in keeping with the spirit of the  thread, do have a favorite of the three 😊

Currently it’s the Streamer $$ because it’s the newest acquisition, but previously it was the Bubinga Streamer LX, which was the prior favorite of the three LOL. To be honest, I am really happy with all three and it’s difficult to choose a favorite. 😊

[gjones]

I couldn't resist the lure of a Markbass CMD 121P combo for £400. It's the brand new  version, with the leather handle.

I've been wanting one for a while but couldn't justify buying one (as I have plenty of amps and cabs).

But at £400 I couldn't resist. I just need gigs to start, so I can hear what it sounds like at a decent volume (sounds good in my living room but that's not why I bought it).

[gjones]

5 hours ago, 12stringbassist said:

I was pleased to get this Deluxe Jazz.
Bad purchase - none.

Really great basses. I played one at my local GuitarGuitar and it was an excellent sounding and playing bass. Nice jazz neck if remember correctly.

[Al Krow]

@bassbooty So you're basically fickle, right? (And I hope you noticed my attempt to be US friendly by deliberately mis-spelling favourite?) 😁

I had a Corvette $$ 5'er - and loved the Warwick growl. I couldn't hack the neck dive though...but I think I'd probably take that in my stride now with a decent Minotaur strap, and am much more used to 5ers. Am mulling getting a Thumb NT5, but nothing as posh as @Kev's - which is seriously lush!

Edited December 27, 2020 by Al Krow

[Al Krow]

6 minutes ago, gjones said:

I couldn't resist the lure of a Markbass CMD 121P combo for £400. It's the brand new  version, with the leather handle.

I've been wanting one for a while but couldn't justify buying one (as I have plenty of amps and cabs).

But at £400 I couldn't resist. I just need gigs to start, so I can hear what it sounds like at a decent volume (sounds good in my living room but that's not why I bought it).

That's a great price for a CMD 121P, particularly if it was practically brand new!

[Spewy]

Without doubt the best things I got this year was the upgrades to a cheepo LTD bass I use for a couple of songs. A set of Gezzer Butler EMGS which had to go in derrière about face coupled with a set of 50-115 Boomers. The down side was the action had to be raised slightly (it’s in Drop C) but it’s transformed a mushy, messy sounding bass into a really precise pleasure to play.

 

The worst is a pair of Darkglass 410’s which cost a feckin fortune, sound absolutely amazing but I’ve got to play with about four times all year due to you know what. 
 

Sometimes it’s the simpler things!

[Chris2112]

15 hours ago, Kev said:

Best: without doubt my Masterbuilt Warwick Thumb NT.  

 

That is really cool. 

[binky_bass]

@Spewy - What is that 'thing' on the wall in the top left of the picture??

[Al Krow]

@Spewy "worst is a pair of Darkglass 410’s which...sound absolutely amazing."

Blimey you're a harsh task master! 😁

[Stub Mandrel]

13 minutes ago, binky_bass said:

@Spewy - What is that 'thing' on the wall in the top left of the picture??

[triplebass]

MM special 5, Shuker Singlecut 5 and Fender fretless 78 P, all bought here, they fit the “best buy”.

worst was a disappointment in form of a bass book that turned out to be not so full of valuable information. 15% original material and  85% transposed stuff and tablatures.

[Al Krow]

@triplebass - but of the three which would "save from the fire" if you could only keep one?

Although I guess you are called "triple" bass for a reason 😁

And we definitely need a pic of the winning bass  

[triplebass]

scuse me...

[Spewy]

1 hour ago, binky_bass said:

@Spewy - What is that 'thing' on the wall in the top left of the picture??

Ha ha, it’s the mural on the wall at Mushroom studios! A very unfortunate angle🤣🤣

[Al Krow]

12 minutes ago, triplebass said:

scuse me...

Hah! - I was going to put my money on the Shuker and low and behold 😁

[triplebass]

8 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Hah! - I was going to put my money on the Shuker and low and behold 😁

well, it is really hard to decide, but shuker seems to be under pressure more than others...

[binky_bass]

1 hour ago, Spewy said:

Ha ha, it’s the mural on the wall at Mushroom studios! A very unfortunate angle🤣🤣

As in Mushroom Studios at Lubbards farm? Used to be our practice area till COVID came into the picture! Hopefully we'll return soon! 

[Spewy]

That’s the one👍 Yeah hopefully only a few more months