no bad basses?

[lojo]

I am on the look out for a classic looking sunburst P bass, considering anything vintage, nearly new, new

I have searched to see what is around hoping to narrow down my criteria,

What I have found is that every 2nd hand bass for sale is always "best we've ever seen"

"this MIM is better than any MIA i've ever owned", etc etc

Not really intended as a wanted post, but also just an observation from shops and private sellers (ebay etc), forum sales on here seem more honest

Not wishing to travel the country to look, if anyone does know of anything hanging anywhere, please let me know

[budget bassist]

Haha you're right. Go to some music shops and try them out, you're the only person that will know what's right for you.

[Mr. Foxen]

With cheap imported stuff, CNC routing etc it is a challenge to find a really bad bass that isn't fairly old. The old Jedsons and such are sometimes properly bad, but essentially a plank with the right dimensions and some mass produced hardware will play fine if it is set up well.

[SteveO]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='795043' date='Apr 3 2010, 02:36 PM']With cheap imported stuff, CNC routing etc it is a challenge to find a really bad bass that isn't fairly old. The old Jedsons and such are sometimes properly bad, but essentially a plank with the right dimensions and some mass produced hardware will play fine if it is set up well.[/quote]
Plus its in the nature of advertising to try to sell the product. Its rare to find an ad saying please buy this useless piece of crap (although not unknown)

[Ancient Mariner]

It seems that very often the difference between a bad instrument and one that's perfectly OK is just a good setup. I spent a couple of hours yesterday on an Encore P type (hey - it's an authentic looking sunburst too!) levelling frets, shimming the neck and generally setting it up following the G&L specifications. It's transformed a bass that was difficult (high action - lots of uneven frets) into one that's really easy to play. Because of the lower action chords sound happier and it doesn't rattle anymore.

But sometimes one does come across an exceptional instrument regardless of price point: I bought my MIJ strat after trying more than 25 strats in a single afternoon, it's taken 6 years of looking to find a Les Paul I want to play (it's made by Tokai ).

Edited April 3, 2010 by Ancient Mariner

[Annoying Twit]

I played a bit of bass in the late 70s as a schoolboy.

My first bass was an unbranded Precision Bass copy which I bought from a pawn shop with my paper round money.

In an attempt to get the action down, I took the neck off, and put a spacer of about a 1/4" piece of wood in the neck pocket, having drilled holes through it.

It still had high action.

It also died during a public performance with the school orchestra.

More recently I tried out a unmemorably branded precision bass that was on sale in a shop for £100 or so. Not that I'd claim to know, but it seemed to play all right. But, it was so light that I have a vague suspicion that the body was a sandwich with balsawood in the middle. I could hold it with two fingers and swing it around no problem, and this was a full sized PB with a maple (seemingly) neck.

Edited April 3, 2010 by Annoying Twit

[alanbass1]

[quote name='lojo' post='795036' date='Apr 3 2010, 01:23 PM']I am on the look out for a classic looking sunburst P bass, considering anything vintage, nearly new, new

I have searched to see what is around hoping to narrow down my criteria,

What I have found is that every 2nd hand bass for sale is always "best we've ever seen"

"this MIM is better than any MIA i've ever owned", etc etc

Not really intended as a wanted post, but also just an observation from shops and private sellers (ebay etc), forum sales on here seem more honest

Not wishing to travel the country to look, if anyone does know of anything hanging anywhere, please let me know[/quote]


I have to say that my '62 P Bass is the best I have ever played - it just suits me and I have owned her since '75 so she has become a 'friend' to me. But then that's why she will never be for sale! At the end of the day people are going to 'big up' their items for sale. Some may well be excellent basses but the other thing to consider is that what one person likes in a bass is not necessarily what another player will rave over. I'm sure there are people that will pick up my '62 and feel they have played a lot better, but for me it's the one.

[4 Strings]

My first bass was given to me and, ungrateful wretch that I am, I found it so horrible I broke it. It was an Avon EBO copy. Sounded horrible, played horribly and had a horrible dodgy jack. Better things could have been done with the materials. It was a bad bass.

On the other hand I bought a 'J and D Brothers' Precision of the dreaded ebay. It was £50 including a really good quality gig bag, a 20W combo and a book. Chap never used any of it much and it was all as new. The bass is Chinese and has a J pickup near the bridge as well as the P pickup. Neck is great (except for 1 high fret) the body is in two pieces (Fenders are in three) of alder, maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard and finished to look like the Funk Machine (well, sunburst and tortoise guard).

I bought it as a gift but kept it (eventually gone to a youngster learning jazz now). It plays very nicely and, to my ears, sounds great too - if a little thin on the J pickup. A veritable bargain, no problem to me having the 'wrong' name on the end.

[xilddx]

Think I'd go Fender Japan.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='lojo' post='795036' date='Apr 3 2010, 05:23 AM']What I have found is that every 2nd hand bass for sale is always "best we've ever seen"[/quote]
I'm so cynical that even a little hyperbole will turn me off an ad for a bass. Too many !!!!!!!!'s, ALL CAPS, and the word wow all raise red flags for me. Also I don't want to know about their religion or family's medical expenses.

I like a good matter of fact sale that just lists facts. Tell me the specs, what damage you know about and stuff like that. When I hear this is the best I've ever played and I'm going to regret selling it I've learned to be wary. I may still buy it but I'm a lot more suspicious.

As to how to pick one amongst the masses, as bad as this may sound, I often buy what looks best. If it's somewhat decent and looks cool I'll play it I find I quickly get used to the little things that annoy perfectionists and I enjoy the relationship. And even bad relationships are cool for a while if they look good.

[Ancient Mariner]

[quote name='4 Strings' post='798511' date='Apr 7 2010, 11:12 AM']My first bass was given to me and, ungrateful wretch that I am, I found it so horrible I broke it. It was an Avon EBO copy. Sounded horrible, played horribly and had a horrible dodgy jack. Better things could have been done with the materials. It was a bad bass.[/quote]

My first bass too (when I was 17). Fortunately they don't make 'em like they used to. Mostly.

[JTUK]

Alway always always my mantra..

if I can feel that it is playable as far as I am concerned..or I can get it to be playable.
And by that, I mean, it needs to be fast and slick to me, then that is a good bass.

But I don't care who makes them, I have to feel this way first. And then it has to sound good.

I can recall poor basses, by my defintion, from all sorts of reknown makers, but they don't work for the way I play.

So, no... no really interested in how it plays for someone else... that is the criteria they bought it for, not me.

Somethings are relevant, like a low action of so many mm, etc etc .. but you never know yourself until you see it, hear it and play it.

[Low End Bee]

[quote name='4 Strings' post='798511' date='Apr 7 2010, 11:12 AM']My first bass was given to me and, ungrateful wretch that I am, I found it so horrible I broke it. It was an Avon EBO copy. Sounded horrible, played horribly and had a horrible dodgy jack. Better things could have been done with the materials. It was a bad bass.[/quote]

My first bass too. I had to save up and pay for the rotten, nasty thing myself though.
Even when I was learning on it I knew it wasn't any good. It had an action high enough to afford no challenge to a competent limbo dancer.

My precision was the best one for me out of the half dozen or so I tried. But not by much. I could have got on with any of them. They seem to be very consistent these days.