Bassist Are VERY Conservative in what they want from a bass

[soopercrip]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='461041' date='Apr 13 2009, 10:03 AM']Well, it's a clapped-out Astra in my case but I shall soon be in receipt of the Aston Martin of custom basses, hopefully.[/quote]

Been watching the build with great interest (and envy) learning a lot

[EdwardHimself]

What i really don't like is people who actually seem to criticize me for having a bass with more than 4 strings. Just because you never stray from the same old 18 notes on the top bit of your 4 string fretboard doesn't mean others aren't allowed to do something a bit more interesting.

[Spoombung]

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='461072' date='Apr 13 2009, 10:41 AM']What i really don't like is people who actually seem to criticize me for having a bass with more than 4 strings.[/quote]

I'm sure you're talking about a small minority of [i]noble savages[/i].

[ARGH]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='461080' date='Apr 13 2009, 10:57 AM']I'm sure you're talking about a small minority of [i]noble savages[/i].[/quote]
No,its from a bunch of f***ing morons...

Bass is moving on from just 'Bass'...understand that.

[Spoombung]

[quote name='ARGH' post='461125' date='Apr 13 2009, 12:03 PM']No,its from a bunch of f***ing morons...

Bass is moving on from just 'Bass'...understand that.[/quote]

I thought [i]Noble Savages[/i] were "a[i] bunch of f***ing morons...[/i]" as you put it, albeit with Rousseauian pretensions...

[ARGH]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='461146' date='Apr 13 2009, 12:28 PM']I thought [i]Noble Savages[/i] were "a[i] bunch of f***ing morons...[/i]" as you put it, albeit with Rousseauian pretensions...[/quote]
Whats 'Noble' about being a small minded backward assf***?

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='461049' date='Apr 13 2009, 10:14 AM']That's charming, but unfortunately reminds me of Flann OBrien's [i]The Poor Mouth[/i] with the Gaels complaining about how misunderstood they are and the sheer poverty of their lot.[/quote]


I don't know what you're talking about if I'm honest.

[umph]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='460529' date='Apr 12 2009, 01:07 PM']I think its the nature of the beast.

The reality is, to most peoples ears, the guitar is a more versatile instrument There are more things you can do with it, and more (acceptable) sounds you can get out of it.

How many non-dance/RnB songs have a guitar solo in them? Most of them.

How many have a bass solo in them? Very few. Whether we like it or not, most people prefer and are more receptive to the sound of a guitar doing something different than a bass. These means there is a greater market for a broad range of guitars. Also, more people play guitar: more popularity = more variation.

Let's face it, the UK's most famous bass soloist (MK) spends most of his time at the bottom of the bargain bucket in petrol stations! I think the bass is a fine instrument, but a bass solo to me isn't as expressive as a guitar solo.

To me, bass is about holding down the low end (my opinion only), and for that I don't want anything more than 4 strings and passive electronics.[/quote]
bass solos aren't that great ;p i think the real beauty of bass is when you lay an epic groove down which you hear on almost every pop track nowadays, where as you hear guitar doing hardly any backing since its a very obnoxius instrument when it comes to sonic space and mixing

[Kiwi]

I dunno about bassists being more conservative than guitarists. I think bass players on the whole have an aversion to lots of knobs but can be very discerning and demanding when it comes to tonal character. The bass occupies a number of roles in the context of a band, one minute a bassist can be playing melody, the next something harmonic, then something chordal and even play the occasional root note - all depending on what helps the song of course. But thats kind of why I like the instrument. Its about fitting in around other instruments as well as being the powerhouse with the drums.

I would agree with earlier posts about the manner in which the market that shop serves may have coloured the sales assistants viewpoints. When was the last time any of us saw a guitarist on stage with a headless instrument?

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='461064' date='Apr 13 2009, 10:35 AM'][b]you have to ring a bell on a closed door - like a sex shop[/b].[/quote]

I've heard that too.

[wesfinn]

Hello all.

As chief in charge of the bass department here at GAK, I feel I have to stand up for my humble little shop. Also, it may have been myself who started this all off with the slighty off-the-cuff "conservative" remark! Sorry to anyone who feels offended by the comment, I assure you that no harm was meant. Here are my thoughts on the situation:

Firstly, we stock what we stock here at GAK because we know what sells. We've been here 18 years and we'd like to think we've become fairly knowledgeable in terms our stocking profile. Yes, we have A LOT of Fender. This is because we sell A LOT of Fender. For example, we currently have 10 USA Standard Jazz Basses in stock. I can almost guarantee that we will have sold all of them before the month is over.

I also currently have two absolutely stunning secondhand Moon JJ-4s. Both are fantastic and I have them up for a reasonable price but no-one seems to be interested. This what I think was meant by the "conservative" remark. The Moons are a blinding bass but because they lack the magical Fender logo, they are incredibly hard to sell.

Having said that, one brand that has sold extremely well for us is Mark Bass. As I'm sure you're aware, they were fairly unknown in the UK 5 years ago but have now become one of our most successful lines. Proof that with the right support from the manufacturer, the UK distributor and the customer, new brands certainly can find their place in the larger retail stores.

I think what I am trying to say is, yes, bigger independant shops and chain stores have to be very careful about what they stock. Fender, Ibanez, Yamaha, Warwick and MusicMan are always going to be great sellers and they are obviously going to remain in the list of brands we stock, but we are open to ideas and suggestions. If there is something you want me to try and get in, come and talk to me about it. We aren't a supermarket. We are still an independent shop with knowledgeable employees and control over our own ordering.

Thanks for listening. I hope to speak to you guys a lot more in future and I hope we can try and accommodate some more of the basses that you want to see on the shop floor.


Many thanks,

Mark Packham
GAK Bass Dept.

[mark_random]

Also, I have realised that I posted that under Wes' login. I really need to check who is signed in next time!

Sorry folk!


Mark

[BigRedX]

Mark, thanks for taking the time to reply. Two things about your Moon basses that no-one seems to be interested in.

1. They don't show up on the GAK web site unless you specifically type "Moon" into the search box or do a view all in the second hand section they're not in the bass guitar section under second hand, so unless you know to look for them on-line you wouldn't find them just by browsing.

2. I'm sure that they're are really nice instruments, but essentially it's a Jazz bass in a posh frock, and not a particularly well known one at that. Looking for a Japanese-made super jazz? You're more likely to think of Bacchus or Sadowsky Metro before Moon.

What it boils down to is that the non-conservative bassist (like myself) is unlikely to come into GAK these days. We're simply not your customers unless it's for a last-minute set of strings or similar. That's not a criticism just a observation of the way things are now.

[mark_random]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='461252' date='Apr 13 2009, 02:39 PM']Mark, thanks for taking the time to reply. Two things about your Moon basses that no-one seems to be interested in.

1. They don't show up on the GAK web site unless you specifically type "Moon" into the search box or do a view all in the second hand section they're not in the bass guitar section under second hand, so unless you know to look for them on-line you wouldn't find them just by browsing.

2. I'm sure that they're are really nice instruments, but essentially it's a Jazz bass in a posh frock, and not a particularly well known one at that. Looking for a Japanese-made super jazz? You're more likely to think of Bacchus or Sadowsky Metro before Moon.

What it boils down to is that the non-conservative bassist (like myself) is unlikely to come into GAK these days. We're simply not your customers unless it's for a last-minute set of strings or similar. That's not a criticism just a observation of the way things are now.[/quote]

Thanks for the input BRX. I've now rectified the problem with site and will be adding much more of our secondhand stock in the next couple of days. With regards to not coming in to the shop, I would urge you to pop your head in now and then. For the reasons I've outlined above, a lot of our stock won't be to your taste but I am really trying to increase the variety of our high end basses and interesting new stuff is arriving all of the time.

Like I said, pop in when you can and feel free to introduce yourself!

M

[MacDaddy]

my custom build is due to what I want not being out there. So a monkey grip, bendwell, extra frets for drop D tuning, pulsating pink LED's, and an all in one ramp/pup cover/thumb rest, all on one bass.

Conservative?

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9022"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9022[/url]

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='wesfinn' post='461209' date='Apr 13 2009, 01:52 PM']Hello all.

As chief in charge of the bass department here at GAK, I feel I have to stand up for my humble little shop. Also, it may have been myself who started this all off with the slighty off-the-cuff "conservative" remark! Sorry to anyone who feels offended by the comment, I assure you that no harm was meant. Here are my thoughts on the situation:

Firstly, we stock what we stock here at GAK because we know what sells. We've been here 18 years and we'd like to think we've become fairly knowledgeable in terms our stocking profile. Yes, we have A LOT of Fender. This is because we sell A LOT of Fender. For example, we currently have 10 USA Standard Jazz Basses in stock. I can almost guarantee that we will have sold all of them before the month is over.

I also currently have two absolutely stunning secondhand Moon JJ-4s. Both are fantastic and I have them up for a reasonable price but no-one seems to be interested. This what I think was meant by the "conservative" remark. The Moons are a blinding bass but because they lack the magical Fender logo, they are incredibly hard to sell.

Having said that, one brand that has sold extremely well for us is Mark Bass. As I'm sure you're aware, they were fairly unknown in the UK 5 years ago but have now become one of our most successful lines. Proof that with the right support from the manufacturer, the UK distributor and the customer, new brands certainly can find their place in the larger retail stores.

I think what I am trying to say is, yes, bigger independant shops and chain stores have to be very careful about what they stock. Fender, Ibanez, Yamaha, Warwick and MusicMan are always going to be great sellers and they are obviously going to remain in the list of brands we stock, but we are open to ideas and suggestions. If there is something you want me to try and get in, come and talk to me about it. We aren't a supermarket. We are still an independent shop with knowledgeable employees and control over our own ordering.

Thanks for listening. I hope to speak to you guys a lot more in future and I hope we can try and accommodate some more of the basses that you want to see on the shop floor.


Many thanks,

Mark Packham
GAK Bass Dept.[/quote]

Good reply but too be honest i think one of the problems with GAK which has made me slightly weary about buying there is the fact that just because it says on the site that an item is in stock, there is no guarantee that it actually is in stock.

[Eight]

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='461360' date='Apr 13 2009, 05:48 PM']Good reply but too be honest i think one of the problems with GAK which has made me slightly weary about buying there is the fact that just because it says on the site that an item is in stock, there is no guarantee that it actually is in stock.[/quote]
I hate that - but I've had very recent experience with three other fairly large/popular companies who do the same.

[Spoombung]

[quote name='wesfinn' post='461209' date='Apr 13 2009, 01:52 PM']Hello all.

As chief in charge of the bass department here at GAK, I feel I have to stand up for my humble little shop. Also, it may have been myself who started this all off with the slighty off-the-cuff "conservative" remark! Sorry to anyone who feels offended by the comment, I assure you that no harm was meant.
Mark Packham
GAK Bass Dept.[/quote]


Thanks for the reply! Well I thought you were extremely polite and informative, which (let's be honest) is not always the case in guitar shops - so no offense!

As BigRedX says; a jazz bass in a posh frock does not an unusual bass make - so I welcome any deviation from the Fender and Warwick model even if you could get one-offs from Japan, Europe or the US. I'm sure your mighty wall of Fenders will remain impregnable.

[Spoombung]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='461151' date='Apr 13 2009, 12:38 PM']I don't know what you're talking about if I'm honest.[/quote]

On second thoughts that was a bit obscure and vaguely ridiculous.

[Beer of the Bass]

I dunno - it made sense to me, but I like Flann O'Brien. I presume you're suggesting that bassists rather enjoy moaning about our lot, and wouldn't dream of doing anything to change it.

[skankdelvar]

I'd imagine that the majority of bass players (and Mfr's and reviewers) are pretty conservative.

Why?

Well, our job is mostly to put low-end notes under a song.

Since the 1950's our tool of choice has been a guitar-like stringed, tuned instrument with magnetic pick-ups. The main innovations have been adding a couple of strings, more pick-ups and active circuitry, taking the headstock off, changing the construction materials from wood to metal or carbon-fibre.

But it's still a guitar-like stringed, tuned instrument with magnetic pick-ups.

To put those low-end notes in we could have been using bass instruments derived from, say, tubas, theremins, tubular bells, harmonicas, wobble-boards or hammers on steel.

And our idea of being radical is buying a guitar-like stringed, tuned instrument with magnetic pick-ups that isn't a Fender?

Edited April 13, 2009 by skankdelvar

[dlloyd]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='461750' date='Apr 14 2009, 12:55 AM']Since the 1950's our tool of choice has been a guitar-like stringed, tuned instrument with magnetic pick-ups. The main innovations have been adding a couple of strings, more pick-ups and active circuitry, taking the headstock off, changing the construction materials from wood to metal or carbon-fibre.[/quote]

And in most cases, changing back again because we didn't like/need it.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='461764' date='Apr 14 2009, 07:24 AM']And in most cases, changing back again because we didn't like/need it.[/quote]
and the rest of it...

...then changed to a valve amp, then changed their speaker from a 4x10 to a pair of 2x10s, then tried a compressor, then changed to a solid state amp and then changed back to a radical design again because they were bored with a traditional design, then changed their speaker to a lightweight 2x12, then sold the compressor for a sonic maximiser, then changed back to a traditional design because their band preferred it and then changed their speakers to a pair of 1x12's...

[51m0n]

I've played one of those Moon basses, and posted about it here.

Its one of the best sounding slap jazz basses I've ever played. Beautiful (if slightly too low ) action too.

Someone who wants to play slap like a mofo do themselves a favour and go get themselves a really nice bass to do that on....

[mark_random]

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='461360' date='Apr 13 2009, 05:48 PM']Good reply but too be honest i think one of the problems with GAK which has made me slightly weary about buying there is the fact that just because it says on the site that an item is in stock, there is no guarantee that it actually is in stock.[/quote]

Hi there. I understand the problem with not knowing stock levels on the GAK site and, believe me, it is something that our web guys are working to improve. However, bear in mind that the shop here in Brighton is a completely separate entity and I can always inform you of correct stock levels and take orders over the phone. As I said in my previous post, we have knowledgeable staff here who are in direct control of what we stock and we like to think that we can offer a service that you cannot get from online shopping alone. Feel free to give me a call if you need anything and if we have it in stock, I can nearly always have it for you the next day.

Thanks again,

Mark