tegs07 Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 I don’t like headless basses. it’s probably not the instruments but a pavlovian response. Flashbacks to shiny suits and horrendous ‘80s music. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 13 hours ago, TheGreek said: Basses that look like the colours were chosen by a 3 year old child - especially Tort scratchplates which don't match - black bass with red tort. You’ll love this then 😆 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 (edited) TBF it's possible to get away with tort and white/black. IMO sunburst and tort are the worst offenders, followed by non matching colours. Edited December 10, 2023 by TheGreek 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 22 minutes ago, TheGreek said: TBF it's possible to get away with tort and white/black. IMO sunburst and tort are the worst offenders, followed by non matching colours. Sunburst and tort for me is so predictable. It’s been done to death for decades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pst62 Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 I like Fender & Squier Precisions and Gibson & Epiphone Reverse Thunderbirds. But I don't like bastardised versions of those classic basses, with their aesthetically displeasing headstocks. Eg. Lulls, G&L's, Sire etc. No matter how good they're cracked up to be. Oh and let's not forget those hideous things with the names Ibanez, Yamaha, Dingwall and Fodera. 🤮 1 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 1 hour ago, pst62 said: Oh and let's not forget those hideous things with the names Ibanez, Yamaha, Dingwall and Fodera. Don't know what you mean.... 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dclaassen Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 I’ll admit that Ibanez, Sandburg, and G&L make cracking basses…I just don’t get on with the necks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 1 hour ago, Lfalex v1.1 said: Don't know what you mean.... If the first ever version of an AI program was asked to design a “cool bass guitar”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted December 9, 2023 Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 On 07/12/2023 at 19:34, Wolverinebass said: This is going to be a long list. Singlecuts that look like a melted plastic toy whale. 38mm nut width. Satin finishes. The fact that virtually all basses have 40mm nuts nowadays as so many are made in the same factory. Cort, Schecter, ESP to name but a few. 3 point bridge. Headless basses. Basswood bodies. Humbuckers in the Musicman positions rather than the normal ones. Fender custom shop (You're not making a Wal. Cut the crap eh?). Warwicks. Mainly for pricing structure and plagiarism. Block markers that are a weird colour or just not white/pearloid/black. Foderas. Sorry, how much for a bass that's more polite and free of personality than my aunt? Dingwalls for the fact that every Nolly wannabe has to have one. Ashdown basses. They're really not great. Cheap tuning pegs. Just why? Oil finishes. It's not a deck chair, get it finished properly. Inaccessible truss rods. Figured necks. Planning on playing with your back to the audience the whole time? No? Well, you've just wasted your money on that roasted flamed maple neck. Logos on the body. If I wanted my bass to look like an advert, I'd put a Marlboro sticker on it just to be difficult. Candy Apple Red. Has anyone ever bought a bass this colour? I certainly don't want to go onstage looking like I'm about to play a stale Braeburn apple. Sparkle finishes. Good luck fixing that when it gets chipped. Racing stripes. Does a Mustang bass go faster? No, it just looks cheap because of it. So much to agree with and so much to disagree with. For a start, is Welling REALLY London? Headless basses? I was like you, but we now have a regular spot at a bar that is a real squeeze. Fender 4 in a line bass is a no no. Logos on bodies? Where else on a headless? I would agree about Candy Apple Red, but my first bass was a Squire Candy Apple Red, and it was great, wish I had it now. Cheap Tuners? With you 100%. First upgrade on most basses (even some Fenders) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted December 9, 2023 Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 I remember a "secret report" done for Leo Fender on how to alleviate the "dead spot". The report, I think it was done by George, concluded that two in line machine heads would improve it but only a headless bass would cure it under all conditions. Of course that was not a possibility for Fender, so we are stuck with it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 17 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said: I remember a "secret report" done for Leo Fender on how to alleviate the "dead spot". The report, I think it was done by George, concluded that two in line machine heads would improve it but only a headless bass would cure it under all conditions. Of course that was not a possibility for Fender, so we are stuck with it. I have mentioned Leo's idiot son Stan before, who decided that basses needed an enormous billboard at the end of the neck to put the Fender logo on, so the originally planned headless bass never came into being. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 1 hour ago, Lord Summerisle said: If the first ever version of an AI program was asked to design a “cool bass guitar”. 🤣 But the Ergonomics are (oddly) excellent. And I think a guy called Rolf Spuler is to blame... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverinebass Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 35 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said: So much to agree with and so much to disagree with. For a start, is Welling REALLY London? Headless basses? I was like you, but we now have a regular spot at a bar that is a real squeeze. Fender 4 in a line bass is a no no. Logos on bodies? Where else on a headless? I would agree about Candy Apple Red, but my first bass was a Squire Candy Apple Red, and it was great, wish I had it now. Cheap Tuners? With you 100%. First upgrade on most basses (even some Fenders) Well, I joined Basschat many moons ago, when the options for geographical accuracy was a bit more limited. I just haven't changed it. Welling is in Zone 4 actually, so yes, it's in London. London Borough of Bexley. As it borders Greenwich, Woolwich and Plumstead are they not in London or does it only apply to the square mile? Ha! There should be no logos on a headless. Mainly so the manufacturers have "plausible deniability" of having built them after they're sold. It's funny you say that about your Squier. An old friend bought one in CAR and it sounded fantastic, but I did have a laugh about the possible reason it was so cheap was because it looked horrible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 (edited) I'm sure there's more to pick on than just the CAR... Edited December 9, 2023 by Lfalex v1.1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snorkie635 Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 2 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said: I'm sure there's more to pick on than just the CAR... If my memory serves me correctly (rarely), the CAR in question was a BMW? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 It was some sort of co-operation between BMW's US design bureau and Musicman. Apparently they tried "alternative" materials for the body, but ended up back at Basswood 😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 (edited) A bit of a list, I'm afraid...🥴 Scratchplates - especially plastic Maple or any other light coloured fretboards Opaque paint finishes (the wood-grain must be visible) Sunburst or any other 'burst finishes Bent-bit-of-metal bridges String trees on headstocks Strings that splay out too much above the nut, due to the headstock design Visible pole pieces on pickups 3+1 or 4+1 tuner arrangement on headstocks Headless basses Relic'd basses I've found this list helpful when GASing or choosing a new bass as, unsurprisingly, it quickly thins out the field of possible contenders.😂 Edited December 11, 2023 by Krysbass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman68 Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 Purely personal opinions but…. Black basses with white scratchplates (mostly Fender style) - Just look too ‘Cheap catalogue’ to me? Green coloured basses - Would never choose green out of choice & even some of those blue stains over maple/ash, seem to turn green if the wood is too yellow? Bad headstock designs, be it poorly located machine head position or string splay.. Bass collection springs to mind, where they’d reverse certain tuners to keep the string splay straight…And the winner of most obvious bad ergonomics go to… 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clauster Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 If it needs a battery, I'm not interested. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 (edited) 17 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said: I'm sure there's more to pick on than just the CAR... The legend go that the designer of the bongo got the idea when he was taking a poo on the toilet. 23 hours ago, Lord Summerisle said: You’ll love this then 😆 Well, purple and black actually mix really well, not quite as well with that redish/light brown fretboard though, as well as a darker purple shade would have looked much better. If the fretboard had not been so redish brown a plain (non pearl/sparkle) deep dark metallic purple pickguard would have looked awesome. Edited December 10, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegs07 Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said: The legend go the designer for the bongo got the idea when he was taking a poo on the toilet. I heard it was after he looked into the bowl just before flushing. Edited December 10, 2023 by tegs07 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 3 minutes ago, tegs07 said: I heard it was after he looked into the bowl just before flushing. That would be correct, yes. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 12 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said: The legend go that the designer of the bongo got the idea when he was taking a poo on the toilet. Well, purple and black actually mix really well, not quite as well with that brown fretboard though, as well as a darker purple shade would have looked much better. If the fretboard had not been so redish brown a plain (non pearl/sparkle) deep dark metallic purple pickguard would have looked awesome. I did consider a darker purple pick guard, it probably would’ve looked artistically better but the lighter one I got stands out like a sore thumb, and that was the aim. Agreed about the fretboard, I hope it will darken down a bit over time with lemon oil applications and general use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Bolton Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 Bodies with transparent finishes and very badly matched pieces. I've been looking at quite a few sunburst basses recently with very obvious joins 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackroadkill Posted December 10, 2023 Share Posted December 10, 2023 (edited) Soapbars Block markers Bound necks** Black hardware*+ Cheap tort* Active circuitry*+ Five strings*+ Headless basses Sunbursts (although this is okay on guitars for some reason)** Short scales (although I really want to like them) Pointy / melty / just plain stupid body shapes*+ Figured woods Wax / oil finishes Mirror scratchplates Thin necks*+ Narrow necks* Jumbo frets*+ Angled pickups Jazz Basses with Strat knobs* Jazz Basses with one-piece scratchplates Basswood bodies** Paulownia bodies Plywood bodies* Tidepool / LBP bodies** Pau ferro fretboards Laurel fretboards Volutes (just use a bloody scarff joint!) Barrel jack sockets*+ Skinny wee tuning machines*+ '70s style Fender Logos and block lettering Brass nuts Satin finishes on Fender basses Curved-section bodies I think that's probably enough to be going on with. *=I have owned basses with these features **= I have owned guitars with these features *+= I owned one bass with all of these features I am the most anorakky (is that a word?), sad, pedantic, lonliest bass player in the world and I claim my five pounds. Edited December 10, 2023 by Jackroadkill 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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