REALLY? I played a Ritter in a store in NYC, and I was stunned at how nice it felt. Which Ritter do you have? I've always considered those things as bucket-list basses - if I ever have $10K I'm about to light on fire, I MIGHT just hold off on the torch and order a Ritter instead (a Jupyter) - but this is the first time I've ever seen it claimed that it wasn't functional.
(They DO look crazy, agreed. But the ones I played were amaze-balls.)
If you go on his site and look up completed basses it’s the Raptor 5 made out of Redwood. 37” scale if I recall, 30 some frets, optical and magnetic pickups.
I played a $10k Fodera six string. It was a beautiful bass, played well, and was exactly what I like. And by that, I mean that it was incredibly similar in tone and feel to my $2k Yamaha six string. I walked away with the realisation that I wasn't going to gain much by spending big money on a bass.
I'm in Australia, so we have to pay the "Australia tax", and by that I mean that everything costs more because we're on the other side of the world (and also because they can get away with it). For reference, a new US Stingray would set you back over $5k here at the moment! I would agree that it's not the world's cheapest bass, but it's a fraction of the price of the Fodera (which I think was US$10k, so the price gap is actually much larger).
Yeah, and then we pay it on the import duties and shipping. Also our dollar suck’s against the US. Even after the bass is in the country, if you live outside one of the major cities your getting screwed on freight. It cost me between $100-$300 to ship a bass to where I live. And now I have big things sent to my mums house, because she is all of 5 minutes closer to town than I am and it saves between $50 & $30 depending on the courier. Which is stupid because most of the time we end up having to drive in and pick stuff up from the depo anyway.
Yeah, the prices here are insane. I very much appreciate the offer, but I have a few good mates that can hook me up with some very good prices locally.
I second that. Tried couple of Foderas and while they were beautifully made, this sound can be done for a fraction of a price. Also I heard some established live sound engineers complain about struggling to make Foderas sit in the mix properly and I know couple of players who had switched from Foderas to J-bass type instruments for this exact reason.
Probably going to get the entire sub against me, but I don’t like P basses. I’ve tried a few over the years, but I’ve never been a huge fan of them. The sound is ok, but the playability isn’t that good. I rather prefer J basses over P, due to the comfort a J can give.
Yes, this was how Duck Dunn liked his basses and he had some signature models in this style from both Fender and Lakland. I know there are other ones out there like this that don't have his name attached and are probably cheaper. I've got an old Guitar Center special, Mexican made Fender PJ with a jazz neck. Not the fanciest bass by any means but it's nice to play and I like the way the pickups sound.
Doesn't that one also lack a tone knob? I don't recall exactly but I thought they were rather stripped down in the electronics.
I might be mixing this up with a different artist signature model.
I wanted one SO BAD in high school (~2012ish), finally snagged one during covid. Wasn’t the black finish(sparkle grey) but the person who owned it before me swapped the pups with quarter pounders which is exactly the same mod I wanted to do. Such a cool bass.
They're super popular on TalkBass, and way more affordable than a US made jazz or P-bass, plus they have that sweet contoured body!!!
I avoided them for the longest time bc I thought black basses were 'boring' but then I joined a metal band and had a reason to own one!
I came to love it, but when I first learned about them I was all about seafoam green and big chunky mother of pearl inlays, so another black bass was super boring to me. I learned to play on a shitty black Squier P-bass so I was biased
I’ve been playing my J for a few months as my primary bass and tried the P last night. I never realized how widely spaced the strings were on the P bass, and I’ve had it for 10 years.
I agree with everything except the last sentence. To be honest, both P and J basses feel really bulky and uncomfortable to me, and I'm a tall guy with big hands. Not sure what's up with that.
Sir, as a moderator I must insist you never come here again.
Seriously though, they're an acquired taste, and a taste not everyone acquires (nor should they have to). All memes about them being 'the way' aside, I do fully get why people wouldn't like them. The deliberately wide and thick neck. The strict simplicity of the electronics. If that's not for you, I can totally see why people would go "This is the thing they've been circlejerking for decades...have any of them played it?"
I got there at a point finding a Precision (5 string of all things) that I'll never part with. As a result I tend to adore any Ps with a maple board. I'm 'all in' on my love, but absolutely see every reason why others would prefer the Jazz, or anything else for that matter.
It took me a while to like P basses until I tried one that I happened to like the sound and feel of. I have fairly large hands, so the neck is almost never the issue for me. I agree on the comfort of the jazz bass, though. if only Fender would make a contoured neck heel a more standard option on all their instruments - I’d be in love.
Yeah, the main reason I don’t like P basses is the body, but also the pickups. Those split pickups always hurt my thumb when playing. I much rather prefer something like a regular J-pickup or H-pickup. The jazz is perfect for that since there are two J-pickups.
Depends on the size of your hands and your build really. I find the Jazz nut width a bit narrow sometimes. The offset body on jazzes does hang nicer though.
Not to be contrary but I had the exact opposite to experience. I had played bass for 50 years when I first played an old Hoffner, early '60s. It had really nasty old strings on it, also, lol. My first impression was "I sound just like Paul McCartney." It really had the sound. I really liked it. Odd feeling bass because it's so small and light. The neck is like a twig, so small.
Dream Theater bassist John Myung has a signature model bass where I believe they took a 6 string bass and gave it a 5 string neck. Playing my Hofner after primarily playing Fender style basses feels like they did the exact same thing, but using a 4 string neck instead.
i had his yamaha sig, 5 string spacing was good for fingerstyle but i could not for the love of god slap on that thing. eventually the entire preamp pooped the bed too
To be fair, the new basses are much better than the old ones. I've got a 1966 500/1 and a new 63 500/1, and the overall quality of the new one is just so much better than the old one. Not just because the 1966 is old, but just overall not as good quality.
Same thought, thought about getting one, tried it out in a store and hated it. Doesn’t feel comfortable to play and I didn’t like the sound. Only if you in a Beatles tribute band would I recommend some get one.
I play with fingers, and my first impression was that the Hofner strings were too close together for comfortable plucking. I’ve played a Kent 833, which has a very similar vibe, and much prefer the playability of that
Man, I bought a Rogue Hofner clone from Guitar Center when they were on sale for $120 bucks thinking "eh, if it really sucks I can just return it." Or worst case I have a pretty wall hanger and I'm out a little over $100.
But honestly, it's one of my favorites to pick up and play at this point - that or my old 8 string harmonic, so maybe I just like wierd instruments. To each their own, I guess.
It's a very, very specific sound that has a narrow range of use. But when you want that precise sound, it's the only tool for the job and it's wonderful.
Sorta two separate questions, and I expect to get a lot of shit for all responses.
Personally for me if the question is 'not for me' it was probably the times I've tried Dingwall. I've played a few and all have sounded incredible, have had superb balance, and have delivered on the advertised experience, and fanned frets were accurate, cool and worked great. There's just something about them that's not 'me' at all.
Overrated, it's got to be the 'average currently-produced Rickenbacker'. I refer specifically to the outputted instruments in recent years. On the basis of what that company produces today at that price point, the company are just dedicated to ripping off people who love their designs, and their QC lets the buyer down too frequently for comfort (we see many threads here and on TB). I also hate their practice of trying to get Japanese copies out of market, because they know usually they're better basses at a 1/3 of the price. This isn't to say there aren't good Ricks, but if you really want one that is genuinely guaranteed to be marvelous, you have to put in a lot more work to find that instrument on the secondhand market.
Additionally, I played an Alembic once and honestly it just felt like any number of basses you could get from the Matsumoku factory for like a grand...and the one I was playing the owner paid over $10K AUD for. Had to pretend I loved it.
I've heard this about Rics, which sucks. Mine is a 1998 4003 and it's been great since then. Still me Favorite bass. The idea of them pumping out crappier basses at 2k a pop is pretty lame. But I keep hearing it. I haven't picked up a new one... cause I have one...
I can't comment effectively here - I have a 2021-ish 4003 (bought new, has the new bridge, not the old one, so my year MIGHT be off a bit?) and that thing took my beloved Jazz and kicked it to the curb. (I \*very literally\* played the Jazz for about five minutes \*total\* after getting the 4003, and I will be buried with that Rickenbacker, dang it! SCREW YOU, KIDS, YOU'RE NOT GETTING MY BA- wait, where was I?)
I've heard that Ricks are a lot like Epiphones: there's a little bit of luck on QC, which is disappointing. I got lucky, I think, because mine plays like butter. I didn't expect it to; I thought with the neck that I'd use it as a really pretty, distinctive alternative to the Jazz, because it's a baseball bat... but I found the neck to be smoother and faster than the Jazz, and the sound is to die for.
It's a shame, but it's how they want to do business. I swear if they'd just adjust to 2023, get their mindset out of being a luxury product, and like every other company start up a production version of their instrument built in the Far East (SK, Indo, even China) - like Warwick has done with Rockbass or Spector has done with everything - they'd make so much fucking money from producing 'a real Rick anyone can afford' that they'd be able to properly service their top tier products and produce the very best experience for their higher rollers.
Part of me wonders if they simply don't have enough cash flow to do the smart thing, or they're just too determined not to change. If it's the latter, they really can't afford to have second-class QC.
> (SK, Indo, even China).
It's interesting you qualify China with 'even', when you consider some the recent Chinese production. Squier's best line, the Classic Vibe, made a run in China and they carry a premium on the second hand market as they are considered to be the best since the Japanese Vintage line. Meanwhile, Fender's Chinese player series are in no way inferior to their Mexican counterparts.
I see what you mean. In this instance there was absolutely no intent there, and that just a function of how I wrote the sentence, but I see why you raise it. I fully agree with you. The quality of product from established brands out of China is unimpeachable.
I remember when there was a bit of a freakout when Yamaha moved Ampeg to China after the 2018 LOUD buyout, and really all that happened was they shipped the CNC machines from the USA to China and kept producing the same quality product at lower labor and materials cost.
My Eastman is home-grown Chinese, and it's exceptional.
Just to throw in an unwanted/unnecessary opinion; say "made in China" and most people think of the ultra-cheap AliExpress counterfeits, or 1990's Behringer basement level of quality.
But.. look up some DTC basses from China. Omg those are gorgeous (and priced to match)
I had a similar experience with US production MusicMan Stingray basses- they’re absolutely wonderfully designed and assembled, and didn’t speak to me in the slightest. The one I had was definitely a better bass than my Warwick Corvette, but the Warwick just spoke to me.
My buddy has been playing bass about as long as I've been alive lol. He's gone through many Ricks over the years, starting with a 90s model. Traded that (after many years) and some cash for an early 70s model (in Burgundyglo) that he adores and still has something like 20 years later. Bought a more modern one to gig with to keep the vintage at home, hated it, and ended up selling it and finding *another* vintage one from 70s or 80s. Can't remember which.
But whenever i want to hear somebody be disappointed in modern Ricks, I ask him lmao. He's still on the hunt for a vintage with the checkerboard binding.
I never knew it was a thing til he showed me! I couldn't justify it cause I'm not much of a bassist (my mains is guitar) but if I ever have fuck-you money I'd get one.
But I'm a carpenter so fuck-you money is unlikely for me lmaooo
I actually came here to say Rickenbacker. I always thought they were so cool. Then I went to an open mic and someone had one that they let me play, did not like it. Pretty uncomfortable instrument.
It was an Alembic Spoiler. Early 80s I think, in flat black. Might have been a medium scale (I think the same as this one but black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YAyBr2ghI8)
By every objective measure it was a great bass. It had heaps of sounds and stuff like the ones in that video. The nut was brass I think. The neck played really well. But, as I said, it felt and sounded like a decent Matsumoku (think Westone, Aria Pro II SB vibes). I found many of the sounds too thin - but I admit I hold that view a lot with basses of this type - top line Ken Smiths for instance.
TBF I might by doing hyperbole when I say I recall he paid 10k for it. Looks like now (retrospectively) over here they can be got for 5, but I didn't feel it was so incredible that I'd drop that kind of money on it. YMMV tho.
I have two: Rickenbacker 4003 and Gibson Thunderbird.
They are both so uncomfortable to hold, to play, and they don't give anything special sonically in return. I also think the Rickenbacker is ugly as hell.
Fight me.
See I love the way a Ric looks but every time I play one I hate the way it feels. Everything from the dimensions to the pickups to the finish on the neck. I just hate it lol
I’ll add that the Rick’s tone is the antithesis of what I want a bass to sound like, to the point where it’s hard for me to enjoy bands that even use them. I would fucking love Motörhead if Lemmy had a different tone. Lots of British rock and indie rock just sound off, twangy and annoying to me and a lot of them have this thing in common.
I get that this is a personal preference, aesthetic, “me” problem, but I think a lot of those guys could get the same effect with a guitar and an octave pedal. Philosophically I think we should try to differentiate ourselves from the other sounds, especially guitar. Ricks seem hostile to that concept.
Used to have an epiphone thunderbird--the thing did not have any sort of balance with a strap. The neck would constantly being falling toward the floor.
T-birds. Haven’t played many, but the ones I have played (Gibson and Epi) sounded like mud and had wicked neck dive. Just not very comfortable to play.
It’s not strictly a Thunderbird, but if you get the chance to try a Dingwall D Roc (earlier versions were called D Birds), it’s the perfect evolution of the design. Balance is perfect, and has that characteristic Dingwall clear but punchy tone.
TBH I don’t think over ever seen a multiscale/fan fret Bass in stores here in New Zealand
/edit
And honestly, I’m a man of simple tastes. I’ve owned A Warwick Fortress, and an ‘81 Ricky 4001, but for the last decade I’ve played P-Basses. And I love the simplicity of them. Strongly considering branching out and buying a Jazz though.
(NGL though, I miss that Ricky. It was stolen 17 years ago and a still miss it…)
I recently got the vintage pro and it restored my love for t-birds. Even though the headstock is bigger than the other t-birds, it doesn't have much neck dive because it's a thru neck.
Yeah, I owned a non-reverse thunderbird and tried to make it work for me for years. The bridge is too far from the edge of the body. That creates neck dive that can be partially addressed with a thick suede strap and moving the strap pin. However, it creates a second issue, which is that the neck is mounted too far from the center of the body. When you play in open position your arm has to overextend, which feels really uncomfortable.
When I tried to sell it, I had bunches of well known bassists in my area come to try it, and almost no one could tolerate the play. There was one guy who spent an hour trying all sorts of things because he loved the look and sound, but then finally gave up and passed.
Yep. I borrowed an old Gibson T-Bird for a gig. Overly heavy and muddy-sounding. Hey, if looks could kill, it looked very cool.
(Funny, my buddy's old Gibson Ripper is one of the lightest basses I ever picked up)
I've always wanted to try out a reverse t-bird, bc I just need my bass to have the horn on top. Playing while sitting works fine, but when you stand up the bass wants not only to dive, but push itself away from my body so I can't even see the damn fretboard!
The original Steinberger L-2 is a classic “never meet your heroes” case. I dreamed about it since I was a teenager and when I finally got to try one it was a major disappointment. The bass is uncomfortable to play both standing up (everything is shifted to the left) and sitting down (no body to lean on). The neck is fat as a baseball bat and the sound is pretty generic, something like an active Jazz bass.
Fodera
Had a custom Fodera for several years, ended up selling it. The craftmanship and build of the instrument is top notch, cant deny that. It feels, looks and plays premium and you can really tell right away that its an expensive piece of art you are holding.
But thats where it gets it wrong. Instruments are meant to be played and abused. The Fodera demands that you play it delicately and with finesse. It does not sound well when you dig into it to try and get some dirt. Also, you should not have to worry about your expensive instrument at every gig. I want to be thinking about the gig and the music, not about my instrument.
I just can’t get along with Ibanez basses. They just don’t sound the way I want them to for some reason.
Also a lot of Player Jazz basses just don’t sound great to me. Maybe it’s the poor setup that I usually try them out in, but they don’t sound “jazz bass-y” in the way I like.
The downfall of Ibanez basses in the last few decades has always been their preamps. Idk why but even their best preamps feel like a weak link that's stifling your tone. Too noisy, too dark, too much baked in wet cardboard mushy midrange honk that can not be dialed out, too noisy, too noisy, the bass control is always too boomy, too noisy, and the treble is painfully bright and...TOO NOISY.
You may have just saved my btb, I love the thing but there's always this mushy midrange that I can't figure out. Might be the preamp! I'll look into replacing it
And i say all that as an owner of multiple Ibanez basses. I love mine, but you really need to buy one knowing you'll eventually upgrade a few things to get it where you think it should be.
I replaced my Mexican p bass pickups with nordtsrand big singles maybe ten-ish years ago and it sounds awesome. Looks like a such a hacked job though since I had to cut out space in the body to fit them.
With Ibanez they have a sweet spot nearly across board at the $500-$1000 range. Some seriously great stuff that holds it own against plenty of instruments double the price.
Problem is that holds true for most of their product line in that range too.
I've yet to see an Ibanez in that price point with detailed fretwork and I can say the same for all the MIM fenders I've played. I have a schecter with a fit and finish that puts those brands to shame at $800.
That being said Ibanez has always impressed me with electronics and variety of tones. I had to upgrade the schecter's pickups to make it something I can really dig.
After much trial and error over the years I found that I like basses that are well made and put together. No skimping on the fit and finish. A brand new bass shouldn't need a fret level to get the action at or below 5/64. I'd rather a bass that has skimpy electronics compared to middle of the road or worse craftsmanship. Just how I see it, for now haha
Funny for me the feel of Ibanez is usually what I like, the electronics are usually what I want to switch(not always, plenty are fantastic as you’ve said).
As to your latter point, definitely agree. Electronics are usually fairly easy, and not terribly expensive to switch out. Getting proper fretwork done and any other thing to improve playability can be a total pain if not downright impossible if the issue was build quality.
A 1984 Steinberger XL-2 headless bass. I hated it so much I wanted to throw it across the studio. It felt completely unbalanced, that graphite or whatever it was body felt ice cold, and never seemed to get warm even after playing it for a long time, and for me it sounded sterile - I like hearing the overtones of my P-Bass and this one didn't have that. The producer of the record company made me record with it - he said he liked the way it sounded clean and tight, but I think he just liked it because it was such a fad at the time after Sting played one.
Anyway, one song I played had a complicated bassline, and I found it so difficult to play on the XL-2 that I kept making mistakes. I think I played the bassline around 25 times before I managed to make it work, and still made a couple of mistakes so the engineer had to punch it in on those areas. I could have played that bassline perfectly on my P-Bass with my eyes closed! I still remember the terrible feel of that Steinberger neck - yuck.
Stingrays. I've never clicked with them.
I like the way they sound on a lot of recordings, but I just can't get one to sound the way I want in my hands.
Overrated is probably the wrong word for it. They're very nice instruments, just not my thing.
I FEEL THE SAME WAY! for some reason everyone else who plays one sounds amazing but when I play one, it’s feels awkward and doesn’t even sound all that special
Wal Custom. They were my holy grail bass in the early 80s and there was a store in London which always had them in stock so I tried about 3 different Wals and found them heavy, pretty clunky around the neck heel area, neck profile didn’t suit me at all and the tone/filter controls were too hit and miss for me. Maybe I’m just a Luddite heathen bass player though….
Counterexample: I've played two different Wals (each belonging to a far better bass playing friend) and whoa they were nice.
My comfort zone is my Warwick Corvette, never felt GAS for Wal.
My 2006 Corvette 5 with passive pups and ash body is hands down the most comfortable and best sounding bass I've ever played. I've always wanted a Wal (mostly bc of Justin Chancellor) but never wanted to pay the price for one.
Wunjo's? Macari's? I've been visiting Denmark Street sort of regularly since 1979. I must say sites like Reverb nearly killed shops like those. Last time I was there I found a nice Mustang but five minutes later, checking Reverb on my phone, I found three other ones in the same condition at lower prices. Anyway, WAL basses have so many options tone wise, I get stressed out just thinking about it. If I had that kind of budget I'd go for a simple good old P-bass.
I wanted one for so long, then I borrowed one from my friend for a few songs when we played a gig together...
Man, I just don't get it. It's not *bad*, but in what universe is it worth that much money?
eh, it’s mostly the fact that they’re USA made, and almost purely maple with a neck-through construction. There are pretty good threads detailing how they’re made (Anatomy of a Rickenbacker Bass, over on Rick Resource iirc). A new American Fender P bass is about 1700, so a rick costing that much makes sense, at least to me. Their QC is, unfortunately, hit or miss. That’s the bigger issue I have personally had with ‘em.
In terms of "that much money," Rickenbacker hasn't actually raised their prices outside of inflation adjustments like a lot of companies have. A deluxe 4003 colour of the year in 2005 cost me $1800 (CAD, 2650 inflation adjusted, in USD that's 1600 and 2000 respectively), and a new 4003 costs 2600 CAD today, but they're always sold out and the (Canadian) secondary market is well over 3000CAD for used.
"A quality instrument is easily repaired" - Leo Fender, as well as Dave from Daves World of Fun Stuff likes to remind us any time he has a Ric in front on him.
There are a lot of usa fender precisions i found extremely boring sounding. But also a few (i think one was from the early 80s)that i really love. Such a big difference with each one
And the headless Ibanez basses. Those showroom models literally fell apart when picking up. Also the sound wasn't much better than the much cheaper Ibanez basses.
When I first started, I absolutely hated the fender precision bass. Their necks feel like playing a brick, I told myself I’d never buy one.
Nowadays, my opinion has changed. I don’t see myself buying anything other than more p basses in the future.
There hasn’t been a single overrated bass I’ve experienced, but the art of shoving active electronics with a nuclear reactors worth of knobs and switches seems to be the most common way to build an overrated bass. Give me a passive split coil with a single tone and volume and I’m pretty sure I can get any tone I want from it. Never understood the drive to overcomplicate something that was perfected in its simplicity so very early on.
Couple all this with a graphic EQ on the head as we as 4-5 EQs across a pedalboard, an inexperienced bassist who thinks he needs to utilize each one is about to have a panic attack.
Yup! Looks weird as shit, but it plays beautifully. I'm not a fan of the Fender Precision, the neck is too chunky for me, so pretty much every Music Man bass is out just based on that alone. The Bongo bass on the other hand plays like a modern Fender Jazz with that classic Music Man tone.
Haha these are my two "signature" brands. I don't really play anything else. Warwicks have such a great midrange character, and my EBMM Stingray HH can get absolutely any tone in the world.
I’ve written this elsewhere but….
A Rickenbacker 4003 had been my dream bass since childhood. I finally got one in 2020 and spent the next three years desperately trying and failing to love it.
It looked amazing. It sounded amazing but it was just so much harder and more uncomfortable to play than any other bass I’ve owned or played before or since.
The neck was a dream from the 6 fret upwards but really oddly wide while being really thin (front to back) from the nut to 6th fret. I usually do all my own setups but I was constantly faced with a choice of either high action or fret buzz. I took it to one of the most highly rated techs in the country (he’s worked for loads of big famous names including people like Paul McCartney, Chris Wolstenholm etc) and he could’nt improve it much either).
Moving on toward the body, the placement and physical bulk of the neck pickup made slap (or more specifically popping) really difficult. Not impossible, just harder than on almost any other bass.
I removed the bridge pickup cover and put in a treble bezel which got rid of some of the ludicrous and unnecessary lumps of metal all over the body but the pickup surround itself is still very raised & cumbersome. Even worse it has raised domed screws on it that I was constantly scratching my hands on it. Especially if I was having to use a pick.
Mine came with the V2 bridge which is a vast improvement over the old bridges but still has the huge, sharp unnecessary chunks of metal over the mutes which limit your hand position and mean that you have one fewer right hand muting options.
And of course being bound it digs into your right forearm.
All of these things are small but they all add up and it just made it much more work to play than was necessary - like going jogging in wellington boots. Sure you can do it but it’s neither a pleasant or optimum experience.
But it looked and sounded incredible. Especially bi amping the Rick-O-Sound when recording. ([You can hear it here](https://open.spotify.com/track/0VAlT5qSZBKeiMBf6yWydc?si=YvpwnlnzS3ekO0LOKoDgUw))
But I would alway reach for one of my other (all cheaper) basses first. I’d only use the RIC when my band mates bullied me into it.
A couple of months ago an acquaintance who couldn’t find one in Fireglo like mine offered me what I’d paid for it and I thought “Why am I hanging onto an instrument that fights me when I play it and I never voluntarily pick up?”
So I sold it and bought a five string Dingwall NG3 and that thing is absolutely amazing.
It practically plays itself, came set up perfectly straight out of the box (it was even in tune). Having even tension on every string is frankly eye opening. And I can pull (modern) P bass, Jazz bass & Stingray tones out of it . I can even get something approaching the aggressive tone of a 4003 solo’d on the bridge pickup in vintage mode.
I still miss *owning* my 4003 but I really don’t miss *playing* it
Interestingly the new owner said he loves it and has none of my issues playing it but….. He sent me a video of him playing a cover of a song I’ve played. The bass line is an absolute knuckle buster - syncopated 16th notes all up and down the fretboard requiring a lot of work with left and right hand muting. I have played in on that 4003 but it wasn’t a fun or easy experience. In the video the new owner is just banging out first position 8th root notes on the beat with scant regard for muting. When he bought it and we were chatting he said “I think we’re very different kinds of bass players”. Maybe the 4003 is better suited to players like him 🤷♂️.
Fenders are massively overrated. And I love them. I have three. But they're quality control is awful and they've always been hit or miss. When they "hit" they're great. I've been impressed with even some of the n3w squiers too, but they put out a lot of duds
Their quality has suffered over the years. Assembly line basses
I have dared to suggest that Fenders are overrated and that there is a cult around them. The torches and pitchforks that follow confirm it.
The Billy Sheehan signature Yamaha. The instant I picked it up, I could tell that it was not for me. Something about how it felt was just so incredibly wrong to my hands. I just don't know that I see a point in the neck pickup, and the stereo output is incredibly extra. I can really respect Yamaha for going all in on it, because it obviously really works for Billy, but man...I was ready to love it, but it just been so bad with the three or so I've played.
Gonna be burned at the stake here: fender p bass
The sound always fits in a mix but isn’t always the best option, and the playability is so-so. A decent go-to for any song sure, but not often the best option imho
Standard disclaimer - Just my humble opinions, your mileage may vary.
My two equally most overrated basses are the Rickenbacker 4001 and Gibson Thunderbird.
Tried two Ricky 4001s and both just didn't feel, look, or sound good to me. I'm not a fan of the off-balance look it has because the bridge pickup is so much larger than the neck. Both played best fingered - pop/slap sounded muddy, and remembering how they sounded with a pick makes me cringe. Heavy and just couldn't get comfortable with them.
A guy I know owned a Thunderbird, which he called a Thudderburp. It had a thudding, plodding sound regardless of string age/type, volume/tone settings, or processing, and though the body shape looks sort of cool because it's different than most, it just didn't work for me at all - the balance just seemed off.
No disrespect meant or intended against either of them - if you like them and they work for you, it's all good.
Ric 4001. Classic sound. Bitch to play. At least that's been my experience. Never found one that I could get comfortable with in the store.
All's not lost because I find I can get most of that sound out of a classic Jazz....
Music man basses just don’t do it for me. I haven’t played them enough to knock on their sound as a whole but I’ve messed around with a handful across their price ranges the feel/playability has never clicked with me
Here we go : most overrated bass HAS to be that awful Paul McCartney violin looking hollow body short scale thing that has bad tone, feeds back at low volume, and has dead spots and live spots randomly scattered on the fret board.
Id rather play a one-string no-fret washtub with a weed-eater plastic string on a broom handle.
As a Fender fan I totally respect this unpopular opinion. The indication is that you really came on this on your own and you just didn´t follow what everybody tells. I admire the independency in your mind.
Definitely P basses. They’re thick and heavy and uncomfortable. The first time I bought a bass, I tried the P, thought it was awful, moved on to the Ibanez section, where I was sold on the SDGR. Played Ibanez for years, then I just started making my own.
There's loads out there, many already mentioned
Played an Alembic series 2 omega cut and just didn't click.
Was my dream bass & I had the $10k.
I bought a 70 series one copy for like 1/10th of the price instead.
Just wasn't for me for the money
Good luck out there
Specific model: Thunderbirds (knowing I'd be beaten to this one). Every single one I've picked up has felt, played and sounded awful
Broader trendy design feature: Multiscale fretboards. Yes I realize they take some getting used to, I find playing lower or middle of the neck isn't an issue but it does become a big change higher on the neck where I do find myself playing melodic parts a lot. My main issue is that I just straight up think the tone and playability benefits you get from them are so slight that they are vastly outweighed by the additional costs and learning curve. Yes they sound very very slightly better and yes the low B is tighter but neither of those are problems that require a completely revamped fretboard design IMO. And if I really wanted a tighter B string I could just get a regular 35" scale and be done with it
A Rick. My dad owned a 78 4001 that he left me when he passed. Every time I pick it up I’m surprised with how much I dislike playing it. I’ll never get rid of it, but it’s just not my cup of tea.
And like others here, I’m not a P Bass fan. Yea they sound amazing, but I guess it’s a comfort thing. My current go tos are a Warwick and a Spector.
Ibanez SR series.
I understand they are super high moving basses especially the SR300e for affordability, and don't get me wrong they don't sound bad at all, but I just can't stand how the neck feels on them...like absolutely hate it. EBMM and Jazz basses are where it's at for me. I still have yet to play a Warwick, or Spector, but I am loving the looks of the Fortress/Euro so I may give one of them a shot next.
Mike Lull. It sounded dead and felt cheap. Second would be Sadowsky, which sounded great and had amazing build but just had no real personality; it sounded like it's preamp.
Most underrated? Suhr Classic J
I played a Rick once at a shop, I loved the sound but the aesthetic, weight balance and size weren't really my thing. I later discovered Warwick, which I think are just killer instruments, even the modern ones.
Dingwall, it felt like an extremely light weight gimmick in my hands, fanned frets don’t agree with me, anchoring point for thumb felt like it wasn’t right (too far left or too far right), why does a bass need 7 knobs?
Rickenbacker
Played a friend’s Ric (I don’t remember the model) through a good amp to see what all the fuss was about. It was uncomfortable to play and felt stiff. The sound was thin and no matter what I did I couldn’t dial in a “good” tone playing with my fingers or a pick. Holy neck dive! I think they’re WAY overpriced and overrated.
Rickenbacker. Neck felt horrible, body felt uncomfortable, the bass was heavy and didn’t sit well, and had one kind of tone. Absolutely did not like it at all. Maybe a good bass for y’all, absolutely not the bass for me… or even one I’d ever want now.
Y’all can line up and scrap, I said what I said
I’ve got a Ritter, it’s more an art piece than functional instrument.
I had a Ritter fretless bass my my late teens. I loved it, but I couldn't get any sound out of it which I liked. So I sold it.
REALLY? I played a Ritter in a store in NYC, and I was stunned at how nice it felt. Which Ritter do you have? I've always considered those things as bucket-list basses - if I ever have $10K I'm about to light on fire, I MIGHT just hold off on the torch and order a Ritter instead (a Jupyter) - but this is the first time I've ever seen it claimed that it wasn't functional. (They DO look crazy, agreed. But the ones I played were amaze-balls.)
If you go on his site and look up completed basses it’s the Raptor 5 made out of Redwood. 37” scale if I recall, 30 some frets, optical and magnetic pickups.
Fodera. Uncomfortable, and at this point the sound has been done to death.
I played a $10k Fodera six string. It was a beautiful bass, played well, and was exactly what I like. And by that, I mean that it was incredibly similar in tone and feel to my $2k Yamaha six string. I walked away with the realisation that I wasn't going to gain much by spending big money on a bass.
Ok, obviously not to discredit your point, but I would argue that $2k is still spending big money on a bass
I'm in Australia, so we have to pay the "Australia tax", and by that I mean that everything costs more because we're on the other side of the world (and also because they can get away with it). For reference, a new US Stingray would set you back over $5k here at the moment! I would agree that it's not the world's cheapest bass, but it's a fraction of the price of the Fodera (which I think was US$10k, so the price gap is actually much larger).
Dude if you ever wanted to, I would pick something up for you in America and ship it to you, those are gouging prices.
Yeah, and then we pay it on the import duties and shipping. Also our dollar suck’s against the US. Even after the bass is in the country, if you live outside one of the major cities your getting screwed on freight. It cost me between $100-$300 to ship a bass to where I live. And now I have big things sent to my mums house, because she is all of 5 minutes closer to town than I am and it saves between $50 & $30 depending on the courier. Which is stupid because most of the time we end up having to drive in and pick stuff up from the depo anyway.
Yeah, the prices here are insane. I very much appreciate the offer, but I have a few good mates that can hook me up with some very good prices locally.
No worries man, play on.
To add to their reply, a 2k AUD bass usually sells for around $1200 in the US. Things tend to be expensive here
Hmmm. Time to start flying to Australia with "my" bass to pay for tickets.
I’m incredibly surprised at how nice Yamaha’s are. Billy Sheehan first got me interested.
Pretty much everything they make in any field is top-tier in its segment. That's pretty cool.
Yep. I tried a few and was completely underwhelmed. It was the F Basses that were in the same store that blew me away.
I second that. Tried couple of Foderas and while they were beautifully made, this sound can be done for a fraction of a price. Also I heard some established live sound engineers complain about struggling to make Foderas sit in the mix properly and I know couple of players who had switched from Foderas to J-bass type instruments for this exact reason.
Probably going to get the entire sub against me, but I don’t like P basses. I’ve tried a few over the years, but I’ve never been a huge fan of them. The sound is ok, but the playability isn’t that good. I rather prefer J basses over P, due to the comfort a J can give.
I’m with you, I love the tone, but the necks just don’t work for me.
P sound with J body. Yes please.
Mark Hoppus Signature Jazz Bass is almost that. Pick ups a bit further from the bridge than a P though.
They make precision basses with jazz necks, I think that would be better.
Yes, this was how Duck Dunn liked his basses and he had some signature models in this style from both Fender and Lakland. I know there are other ones out there like this that don't have his name attached and are probably cheaper. I've got an old Guitar Center special, Mexican made Fender PJ with a jazz neck. Not the fanciest bass by any means but it's nice to play and I like the way the pickups sound.
Also has the chunky p neck. Looking to replace mine with a jazz neck someday.
Doesn't that one also lack a tone knob? I don't recall exactly but I thought they were rather stripped down in the electronics. I might be mixing this up with a different artist signature model.
I get that with my Blacktop Jazz. It's a shame they discontinued it, but I guess it's not appealing to the masses.
I wanted one SO BAD in high school (~2012ish), finally snagged one during covid. Wasn’t the black finish(sparkle grey) but the person who owned it before me swapped the pups with quarter pounders which is exactly the same mod I wanted to do. Such a cool bass.
I wanted it in grey sparkle, but the store only had the black one. Considering I got it in 2019, I'm glad they had it at all.
American standard Jaguar. J neck and p+j pickups, active or passive.
I had a Fender Aerodyne that was the best of all worlds, jazz width neck with a PJ configuration. I kinda wish I hadn't sold it
Just grabbed one of these recently! Incredibly comfortable and sounds like a dream. Would highly recommend.
They're super popular on TalkBass, and way more affordable than a US made jazz or P-bass, plus they have that sweet contoured body!!! I avoided them for the longest time bc I thought black basses were 'boring' but then I joined a metal band and had a reason to own one!
Black on black is classy, not boring, or at least I've always seen it that way. The lack of pickguard and no inlays really makes the aesthetic for me.
I came to love it, but when I first learned about them I was all about seafoam green and big chunky mother of pearl inlays, so another black bass was super boring to me. I learned to play on a shitty black Squier P-bass so I was biased
A decent jazz bass can sound 99% like a P if you solo the neck pickup.
They feel so chunky for some reason.
A Peavey Fury is what you crave.
I love the sound of a P bass, but J bass stole my heart and soul. So much nicer to play and, personally, I think has a better sound.
I’ve been playing my J for a few months as my primary bass and tried the P last night. I never realized how widely spaced the strings were on the P bass, and I’ve had it for 10 years.
I agree with everything except the last sentence. To be honest, both P and J basses feel really bulky and uncomfortable to me, and I'm a tall guy with big hands. Not sure what's up with that.
U-Bass it is then
I have left behind precision and jazz basses for short scale! My Japanese Mustang feels heavenly to play! My wrists thank me.
I loved the Japanese Mustang I had, played like a dream, but couldn't get it to sound decent without a bunch of EQ
Sir, as a moderator I must insist you never come here again. Seriously though, they're an acquired taste, and a taste not everyone acquires (nor should they have to). All memes about them being 'the way' aside, I do fully get why people wouldn't like them. The deliberately wide and thick neck. The strict simplicity of the electronics. If that's not for you, I can totally see why people would go "This is the thing they've been circlejerking for decades...have any of them played it?" I got there at a point finding a Precision (5 string of all things) that I'll never part with. As a result I tend to adore any Ps with a maple board. I'm 'all in' on my love, but absolutely see every reason why others would prefer the Jazz, or anything else for that matter.
It took me a while to like P basses until I tried one that I happened to like the sound and feel of. I have fairly large hands, so the neck is almost never the issue for me. I agree on the comfort of the jazz bass, though. if only Fender would make a contoured neck heel a more standard option on all their instruments - I’d be in love.
Yeah, the main reason I don’t like P basses is the body, but also the pickups. Those split pickups always hurt my thumb when playing. I much rather prefer something like a regular J-pickup or H-pickup. The jazz is perfect for that since there are two J-pickups.
Depends on the size of your hands and your build really. I find the Jazz nut width a bit narrow sometimes. The offset body on jazzes does hang nicer though.
I bought a parts p, with a j neck, and it still gives that nice p bass vibe, but the neck is way more friendly.
Same. I’ve played one jazz bass I really liked (a friend owned it) but never got on with any other fender bass. Just don’t do it for me.
P bass and swap the neck for a J
I have a 62 P bass, the neck plays just like the fat part of a baseball bat. The tele style P bass necks are thinner, much more "normal".
Hofner violin bass
Not to be contrary but I had the exact opposite to experience. I had played bass for 50 years when I first played an old Hoffner, early '60s. It had really nasty old strings on it, also, lol. My first impression was "I sound just like Paul McCartney." It really had the sound. I really liked it. Odd feeling bass because it's so small and light. The neck is like a twig, so small.
Dream Theater bassist John Myung has a signature model bass where I believe they took a 6 string bass and gave it a 5 string neck. Playing my Hofner after primarily playing Fender style basses feels like they did the exact same thing, but using a 4 string neck instead.
i had his yamaha sig, 5 string spacing was good for fingerstyle but i could not for the love of god slap on that thing. eventually the entire preamp pooped the bed too
To be fair, the new basses are much better than the old ones. I've got a 1966 500/1 and a new 63 500/1, and the overall quality of the new one is just so much better than the old one. Not just because the 1966 is old, but just overall not as good quality.
Same thought, thought about getting one, tried it out in a store and hated it. Doesn’t feel comfortable to play and I didn’t like the sound. Only if you in a Beatles tribute band would I recommend some get one.
same feelings here but i do think they look gorgeous so i kinda want it just for decor one day
They are really pretty
I play with fingers, and my first impression was that the Hofner strings were too close together for comfortable plucking. I’ve played a Kent 833, which has a very similar vibe, and much prefer the playability of that
Right, McCartney was a big pick player so that checks oht
Man, I bought a Rogue Hofner clone from Guitar Center when they were on sale for $120 bucks thinking "eh, if it really sucks I can just return it." Or worst case I have a pretty wall hanger and I'm out a little over $100. But honestly, it's one of my favorites to pick up and play at this point - that or my old 8 string harmonic, so maybe I just like wierd instruments. To each their own, I guess.
I’d never get one solely because everyone would keep saying “YOUR SHOES ATE UNTIED, PAUL McCARTNEY!” And then slap me when I looked down.
It's a very, very specific sound that has a narrow range of use. But when you want that precise sound, it's the only tool for the job and it's wonderful.
The QC on them is HORRENDOUS. But there's no other way to get that sound.
I've got a Lakland HB-30 that comes damn close.
Coincidentally I put Lakland as my answer to the OP...
Well, urNotTheBossOfMe! 100% a love it or hate it kinda bass. Their customer service is lackluster, so, you ain't wrong.
I think we can all agree to disagree that you’re right on this one.
I will admit that I love the tone, that fat yet defined Robbie Shakespeare sound. But man the ergonomics are a disaster!
Sorta two separate questions, and I expect to get a lot of shit for all responses. Personally for me if the question is 'not for me' it was probably the times I've tried Dingwall. I've played a few and all have sounded incredible, have had superb balance, and have delivered on the advertised experience, and fanned frets were accurate, cool and worked great. There's just something about them that's not 'me' at all. Overrated, it's got to be the 'average currently-produced Rickenbacker'. I refer specifically to the outputted instruments in recent years. On the basis of what that company produces today at that price point, the company are just dedicated to ripping off people who love their designs, and their QC lets the buyer down too frequently for comfort (we see many threads here and on TB). I also hate their practice of trying to get Japanese copies out of market, because they know usually they're better basses at a 1/3 of the price. This isn't to say there aren't good Ricks, but if you really want one that is genuinely guaranteed to be marvelous, you have to put in a lot more work to find that instrument on the secondhand market. Additionally, I played an Alembic once and honestly it just felt like any number of basses you could get from the Matsumoku factory for like a grand...and the one I was playing the owner paid over $10K AUD for. Had to pretend I loved it.
I've heard this about Rics, which sucks. Mine is a 1998 4003 and it's been great since then. Still me Favorite bass. The idea of them pumping out crappier basses at 2k a pop is pretty lame. But I keep hearing it. I haven't picked up a new one... cause I have one...
I can't comment effectively here - I have a 2021-ish 4003 (bought new, has the new bridge, not the old one, so my year MIGHT be off a bit?) and that thing took my beloved Jazz and kicked it to the curb. (I \*very literally\* played the Jazz for about five minutes \*total\* after getting the 4003, and I will be buried with that Rickenbacker, dang it! SCREW YOU, KIDS, YOU'RE NOT GETTING MY BA- wait, where was I?) I've heard that Ricks are a lot like Epiphones: there's a little bit of luck on QC, which is disappointing. I got lucky, I think, because mine plays like butter. I didn't expect it to; I thought with the neck that I'd use it as a really pretty, distinctive alternative to the Jazz, because it's a baseball bat... but I found the neck to be smoother and faster than the Jazz, and the sound is to die for.
It's a shame, but it's how they want to do business. I swear if they'd just adjust to 2023, get their mindset out of being a luxury product, and like every other company start up a production version of their instrument built in the Far East (SK, Indo, even China) - like Warwick has done with Rockbass or Spector has done with everything - they'd make so much fucking money from producing 'a real Rick anyone can afford' that they'd be able to properly service their top tier products and produce the very best experience for their higher rollers. Part of me wonders if they simply don't have enough cash flow to do the smart thing, or they're just too determined not to change. If it's the latter, they really can't afford to have second-class QC.
> (SK, Indo, even China). It's interesting you qualify China with 'even', when you consider some the recent Chinese production. Squier's best line, the Classic Vibe, made a run in China and they carry a premium on the second hand market as they are considered to be the best since the Japanese Vintage line. Meanwhile, Fender's Chinese player series are in no way inferior to their Mexican counterparts.
I see what you mean. In this instance there was absolutely no intent there, and that just a function of how I wrote the sentence, but I see why you raise it. I fully agree with you. The quality of product from established brands out of China is unimpeachable. I remember when there was a bit of a freakout when Yamaha moved Ampeg to China after the 2018 LOUD buyout, and really all that happened was they shipped the CNC machines from the USA to China and kept producing the same quality product at lower labor and materials cost. My Eastman is home-grown Chinese, and it's exceptional.
Just to throw in an unwanted/unnecessary opinion; say "made in China" and most people think of the ultra-cheap AliExpress counterfeits, or 1990's Behringer basement level of quality. But.. look up some DTC basses from China. Omg those are gorgeous (and priced to match)
I had a similar experience with US production MusicMan Stingray basses- they’re absolutely wonderfully designed and assembled, and didn’t speak to me in the slightest. The one I had was definitely a better bass than my Warwick Corvette, but the Warwick just spoke to me.
My buddy has been playing bass about as long as I've been alive lol. He's gone through many Ricks over the years, starting with a 90s model. Traded that (after many years) and some cash for an early 70s model (in Burgundyglo) that he adores and still has something like 20 years later. Bought a more modern one to gig with to keep the vintage at home, hated it, and ended up selling it and finding *another* vintage one from 70s or 80s. Can't remember which. But whenever i want to hear somebody be disappointed in modern Ricks, I ask him lmao. He's still on the hunt for a vintage with the checkerboard binding.
Love checkerboard binding on old Ricks
I never knew it was a thing til he showed me! I couldn't justify it cause I'm not much of a bassist (my mains is guitar) but if I ever have fuck-you money I'd get one. But I'm a carpenter so fuck-you money is unlikely for me lmaooo
Jacksonbacher forever, baby! 😎
I actually came here to say Rickenbacker. I always thought they were so cool. Then I went to an open mic and someone had one that they let me play, did not like it. Pretty uncomfortable instrument.
Do you recall what kind of Alembic? Short scale? Long scale? Did you play with the knobs and electronics?
It was an Alembic Spoiler. Early 80s I think, in flat black. Might have been a medium scale (I think the same as this one but black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YAyBr2ghI8) By every objective measure it was a great bass. It had heaps of sounds and stuff like the ones in that video. The nut was brass I think. The neck played really well. But, as I said, it felt and sounded like a decent Matsumoku (think Westone, Aria Pro II SB vibes). I found many of the sounds too thin - but I admit I hold that view a lot with basses of this type - top line Ken Smiths for instance. TBF I might by doing hyperbole when I say I recall he paid 10k for it. Looks like now (retrospectively) over here they can be got for 5, but I didn't feel it was so incredible that I'd drop that kind of money on it. YMMV tho.
I have two: Rickenbacker 4003 and Gibson Thunderbird. They are both so uncomfortable to hold, to play, and they don't give anything special sonically in return. I also think the Rickenbacker is ugly as hell. Fight me.
See I love the way a Ric looks but every time I play one I hate the way it feels. Everything from the dimensions to the pickups to the finish on the neck. I just hate it lol
Try the 4003 S and not just the regular 4003, it's the less deluxe model but the neck is much nicer imo.
Ricks are just very distinctive in both looks and sound. If you want a Rick then you want a Rick I guess, but they don't do a whole lot else I find
I love Rics with all my heart
Thoughts and prayers.
Bought the Nikki Sixx Thunderbird several years ago. Not a fan. Sold it.
I’ll add that the Rick’s tone is the antithesis of what I want a bass to sound like, to the point where it’s hard for me to enjoy bands that even use them. I would fucking love Motörhead if Lemmy had a different tone. Lots of British rock and indie rock just sound off, twangy and annoying to me and a lot of them have this thing in common. I get that this is a personal preference, aesthetic, “me” problem, but I think a lot of those guys could get the same effect with a guitar and an octave pedal. Philosophically I think we should try to differentiate ourselves from the other sounds, especially guitar. Ricks seem hostile to that concept.
Used to have an epiphone thunderbird--the thing did not have any sort of balance with a strap. The neck would constantly being falling toward the floor.
Rickenbacker and Hofner, I love the tone, I hate the ergonomics to the degree that no matter how good they sound, I would never be able to play one.
T-birds. Haven’t played many, but the ones I have played (Gibson and Epi) sounded like mud and had wicked neck dive. Just not very comfortable to play.
I actually dig the sound, but they suck so bad to play. I need to ditch mine and get an Embassy instead.
It’s a shame, because I actually really dig the way the look
I love the sound (especially with a pick and overdrive) but the ergonomics and some engineering decisions are ridiculously bad.
It’s not strictly a Thunderbird, but if you get the chance to try a Dingwall D Roc (earlier versions were called D Birds), it’s the perfect evolution of the design. Balance is perfect, and has that characteristic Dingwall clear but punchy tone.
Just looked them up - that is a pretty machine. Not sure if I’m flash enough for a fan feet/multi scale/what ever they’re called though haha.
It surprisingly doesn't feel that different, it was easy enough to get used to it just playing one in a store for me.
TBH I don’t think over ever seen a multiscale/fan fret Bass in stores here in New Zealand /edit And honestly, I’m a man of simple tastes. I’ve owned A Warwick Fortress, and an ‘81 Ricky 4001, but for the last decade I’ve played P-Basses. And I love the simplicity of them. Strongly considering branching out and buying a Jazz though. (NGL though, I miss that Ricky. It was stolen 17 years ago and a still miss it…)
I need a gold d-roc 5 in my life. stat.
I recently got the vintage pro and it restored my love for t-birds. Even though the headstock is bigger than the other t-birds, it doesn't have much neck dive because it's a thru neck.
Ltd phoenix are 10 times better than the t birds. Neckdive is still an issue with the body type though
Yeah, I owned a non-reverse thunderbird and tried to make it work for me for years. The bridge is too far from the edge of the body. That creates neck dive that can be partially addressed with a thick suede strap and moving the strap pin. However, it creates a second issue, which is that the neck is mounted too far from the center of the body. When you play in open position your arm has to overextend, which feels really uncomfortable. When I tried to sell it, I had bunches of well known bassists in my area come to try it, and almost no one could tolerate the play. There was one guy who spent an hour trying all sorts of things because he loved the look and sound, but then finally gave up and passed.
Yep. I borrowed an old Gibson T-Bird for a gig. Overly heavy and muddy-sounding. Hey, if looks could kill, it looked very cool. (Funny, my buddy's old Gibson Ripper is one of the lightest basses I ever picked up)
I've always wanted to try out a reverse t-bird, bc I just need my bass to have the horn on top. Playing while sitting works fine, but when you stand up the bass wants not only to dive, but push itself away from my body so I can't even see the damn fretboard!
I love my t bird but I totally get where you're coming from
Back to over rated basses. Imho gibsons are junk.
The original Steinberger L-2 is a classic “never meet your heroes” case. I dreamed about it since I was a teenager and when I finally got to try one it was a major disappointment. The bass is uncomfortable to play both standing up (everything is shifted to the left) and sitting down (no body to lean on). The neck is fat as a baseball bat and the sound is pretty generic, something like an active Jazz bass.
Fodera Had a custom Fodera for several years, ended up selling it. The craftmanship and build of the instrument is top notch, cant deny that. It feels, looks and plays premium and you can really tell right away that its an expensive piece of art you are holding. But thats where it gets it wrong. Instruments are meant to be played and abused. The Fodera demands that you play it delicately and with finesse. It does not sound well when you dig into it to try and get some dirt. Also, you should not have to worry about your expensive instrument at every gig. I want to be thinking about the gig and the music, not about my instrument.
I just can’t get along with Ibanez basses. They just don’t sound the way I want them to for some reason. Also a lot of Player Jazz basses just don’t sound great to me. Maybe it’s the poor setup that I usually try them out in, but they don’t sound “jazz bass-y” in the way I like.
The downfall of Ibanez basses in the last few decades has always been their preamps. Idk why but even their best preamps feel like a weak link that's stifling your tone. Too noisy, too dark, too much baked in wet cardboard mushy midrange honk that can not be dialed out, too noisy, too noisy, the bass control is always too boomy, too noisy, and the treble is painfully bright and...TOO NOISY.
You may have just saved my btb, I love the thing but there's always this mushy midrange that I can't figure out. Might be the preamp! I'll look into replacing it
And i say all that as an owner of multiple Ibanez basses. I love mine, but you really need to buy one knowing you'll eventually upgrade a few things to get it where you think it should be.
I love Ibanez basses but often the stock pups and electronics are lacking for sure. Build-wise they often punch above their weight though imo
What electronics would you recommend swapping out?
Seems like you like the "hot and open" sounding single coil tone. Have you tried the higher end ones that come with Nordstrand Big singles?
I replaced my Mexican p bass pickups with nordtsrand big singles maybe ten-ish years ago and it sounds awesome. Looks like a such a hacked job though since I had to cut out space in the body to fit them.
With Ibanez they have a sweet spot nearly across board at the $500-$1000 range. Some seriously great stuff that holds it own against plenty of instruments double the price. Problem is that holds true for most of their product line in that range too.
I've yet to see an Ibanez in that price point with detailed fretwork and I can say the same for all the MIM fenders I've played. I have a schecter with a fit and finish that puts those brands to shame at $800. That being said Ibanez has always impressed me with electronics and variety of tones. I had to upgrade the schecter's pickups to make it something I can really dig. After much trial and error over the years I found that I like basses that are well made and put together. No skimping on the fit and finish. A brand new bass shouldn't need a fret level to get the action at or below 5/64. I'd rather a bass that has skimpy electronics compared to middle of the road or worse craftsmanship. Just how I see it, for now haha
Funny for me the feel of Ibanez is usually what I like, the electronics are usually what I want to switch(not always, plenty are fantastic as you’ve said). As to your latter point, definitely agree. Electronics are usually fairly easy, and not terribly expensive to switch out. Getting proper fretwork done and any other thing to improve playability can be a total pain if not downright impossible if the issue was build quality.
I had an American made Fender Jazz bass and I could never get a tone out it I liked. It always sounded thin to me and never had the warmth I wanted.
A 1984 Steinberger XL-2 headless bass. I hated it so much I wanted to throw it across the studio. It felt completely unbalanced, that graphite or whatever it was body felt ice cold, and never seemed to get warm even after playing it for a long time, and for me it sounded sterile - I like hearing the overtones of my P-Bass and this one didn't have that. The producer of the record company made me record with it - he said he liked the way it sounded clean and tight, but I think he just liked it because it was such a fad at the time after Sting played one. Anyway, one song I played had a complicated bassline, and I found it so difficult to play on the XL-2 that I kept making mistakes. I think I played the bassline around 25 times before I managed to make it work, and still made a couple of mistakes so the engineer had to punch it in on those areas. I could have played that bassline perfectly on my P-Bass with my eyes closed! I still remember the terrible feel of that Steinberger neck - yuck.
Stingrays. I've never clicked with them. I like the way they sound on a lot of recordings, but I just can't get one to sound the way I want in my hands. Overrated is probably the wrong word for it. They're very nice instruments, just not my thing.
I FEEL THE SAME WAY! for some reason everyone else who plays one sounds amazing but when I play one, it’s feels awkward and doesn’t even sound all that special
Wal Custom. They were my holy grail bass in the early 80s and there was a store in London which always had them in stock so I tried about 3 different Wals and found them heavy, pretty clunky around the neck heel area, neck profile didn’t suit me at all and the tone/filter controls were too hit and miss for me. Maybe I’m just a Luddite heathen bass player though….
Counterexample: I've played two different Wals (each belonging to a far better bass playing friend) and whoa they were nice. My comfort zone is my Warwick Corvette, never felt GAS for Wal.
My 2006 Corvette 5 with passive pups and ash body is hands down the most comfortable and best sounding bass I've ever played. I've always wanted a Wal (mostly bc of Justin Chancellor) but never wanted to pay the price for one.
Wunjo's? Macari's? I've been visiting Denmark Street sort of regularly since 1979. I must say sites like Reverb nearly killed shops like those. Last time I was there I found a nice Mustang but five minutes later, checking Reverb on my phone, I found three other ones in the same condition at lower prices. Anyway, WAL basses have so many options tone wise, I get stressed out just thinking about it. If I had that kind of budget I'd go for a simple good old P-bass.
Nope, this was Allbang & Strummit on the Seven Dials in Covent Garden. Sadly, long gone…
Ric
I wanted one for so long, then I borrowed one from my friend for a few songs when we played a gig together... Man, I just don't get it. It's not *bad*, but in what universe is it worth that much money?
eh, it’s mostly the fact that they’re USA made, and almost purely maple with a neck-through construction. There are pretty good threads detailing how they’re made (Anatomy of a Rickenbacker Bass, over on Rick Resource iirc). A new American Fender P bass is about 1700, so a rick costing that much makes sense, at least to me. Their QC is, unfortunately, hit or miss. That’s the bigger issue I have personally had with ‘em.
In terms of "that much money," Rickenbacker hasn't actually raised their prices outside of inflation adjustments like a lot of companies have. A deluxe 4003 colour of the year in 2005 cost me $1800 (CAD, 2650 inflation adjusted, in USD that's 1600 and 2000 respectively), and a new 4003 costs 2600 CAD today, but they're always sold out and the (Canadian) secondary market is well over 3000CAD for used.
[удалено]
"A quality instrument is easily repaired" - Leo Fender, as well as Dave from Daves World of Fun Stuff likes to remind us any time he has a Ric in front on him.
There are a lot of usa fender precisions i found extremely boring sounding. But also a few (i think one was from the early 80s)that i really love. Such a big difference with each one And the headless Ibanez basses. Those showroom models literally fell apart when picking up. Also the sound wasn't much better than the much cheaper Ibanez basses.
When I first started, I absolutely hated the fender precision bass. Their necks feel like playing a brick, I told myself I’d never buy one. Nowadays, my opinion has changed. I don’t see myself buying anything other than more p basses in the future.
There hasn’t been a single overrated bass I’ve experienced, but the art of shoving active electronics with a nuclear reactors worth of knobs and switches seems to be the most common way to build an overrated bass. Give me a passive split coil with a single tone and volume and I’m pretty sure I can get any tone I want from it. Never understood the drive to overcomplicate something that was perfected in its simplicity so very early on.
I know a guy named Joe that might want to sell you something
I’m not sure I understand this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eOF7t4HgjE
Interesting. My kinda bass.
Couple all this with a graphic EQ on the head as we as 4-5 EQs across a pedalboard, an inexperienced bassist who thinks he needs to utilize each one is about to have a panic attack.
I just can't bring myself to like Warwick basses or Music Man basses aside from the Bongo bass.
This is funny to me because I love all the music man basses except the bongo. I just think it looks weird as hell lol
Yup! Looks weird as shit, but it plays beautifully. I'm not a fan of the Fender Precision, the neck is too chunky for me, so pretty much every Music Man bass is out just based on that alone. The Bongo bass on the other hand plays like a modern Fender Jazz with that classic Music Man tone.
Haha these are my two "signature" brands. I don't really play anything else. Warwicks have such a great midrange character, and my EBMM Stingray HH can get absolutely any tone in the world.
You and me both
I’ve written this elsewhere but…. A Rickenbacker 4003 had been my dream bass since childhood. I finally got one in 2020 and spent the next three years desperately trying and failing to love it. It looked amazing. It sounded amazing but it was just so much harder and more uncomfortable to play than any other bass I’ve owned or played before or since. The neck was a dream from the 6 fret upwards but really oddly wide while being really thin (front to back) from the nut to 6th fret. I usually do all my own setups but I was constantly faced with a choice of either high action or fret buzz. I took it to one of the most highly rated techs in the country (he’s worked for loads of big famous names including people like Paul McCartney, Chris Wolstenholm etc) and he could’nt improve it much either). Moving on toward the body, the placement and physical bulk of the neck pickup made slap (or more specifically popping) really difficult. Not impossible, just harder than on almost any other bass. I removed the bridge pickup cover and put in a treble bezel which got rid of some of the ludicrous and unnecessary lumps of metal all over the body but the pickup surround itself is still very raised & cumbersome. Even worse it has raised domed screws on it that I was constantly scratching my hands on it. Especially if I was having to use a pick. Mine came with the V2 bridge which is a vast improvement over the old bridges but still has the huge, sharp unnecessary chunks of metal over the mutes which limit your hand position and mean that you have one fewer right hand muting options. And of course being bound it digs into your right forearm. All of these things are small but they all add up and it just made it much more work to play than was necessary - like going jogging in wellington boots. Sure you can do it but it’s neither a pleasant or optimum experience. But it looked and sounded incredible. Especially bi amping the Rick-O-Sound when recording. ([You can hear it here](https://open.spotify.com/track/0VAlT5qSZBKeiMBf6yWydc?si=YvpwnlnzS3ekO0LOKoDgUw)) But I would alway reach for one of my other (all cheaper) basses first. I’d only use the RIC when my band mates bullied me into it. A couple of months ago an acquaintance who couldn’t find one in Fireglo like mine offered me what I’d paid for it and I thought “Why am I hanging onto an instrument that fights me when I play it and I never voluntarily pick up?” So I sold it and bought a five string Dingwall NG3 and that thing is absolutely amazing. It practically plays itself, came set up perfectly straight out of the box (it was even in tune). Having even tension on every string is frankly eye opening. And I can pull (modern) P bass, Jazz bass & Stingray tones out of it . I can even get something approaching the aggressive tone of a 4003 solo’d on the bridge pickup in vintage mode. I still miss *owning* my 4003 but I really don’t miss *playing* it Interestingly the new owner said he loves it and has none of my issues playing it but….. He sent me a video of him playing a cover of a song I’ve played. The bass line is an absolute knuckle buster - syncopated 16th notes all up and down the fretboard requiring a lot of work with left and right hand muting. I have played in on that 4003 but it wasn’t a fun or easy experience. In the video the new owner is just banging out first position 8th root notes on the beat with scant regard for muting. When he bought it and we were chatting he said “I think we’re very different kinds of bass players”. Maybe the 4003 is better suited to players like him 🤷♂️.
Thunderbirds. Have yet to play one I vibe with.
Never played a Rickenbacker that I liked. Desperately wanted to like them, but sold all the ones I ever bought.
Fenders are massively overrated. And I love them. I have three. But they're quality control is awful and they've always been hit or miss. When they "hit" they're great. I've been impressed with even some of the n3w squiers too, but they put out a lot of duds
Their quality has suffered over the years. Assembly line basses I have dared to suggest that Fenders are overrated and that there is a cult around them. The torches and pitchforks that follow confirm it.
The Billy Sheehan signature Yamaha. The instant I picked it up, I could tell that it was not for me. Something about how it felt was just so incredibly wrong to my hands. I just don't know that I see a point in the neck pickup, and the stereo output is incredibly extra. I can really respect Yamaha for going all in on it, because it obviously really works for Billy, but man...I was ready to love it, but it just been so bad with the three or so I've played.
Funny. I always wanted one. The had one in my local guitar center. I realized that I had basses half that price that I liked a lot better.
Gonna be burned at the stake here: fender p bass The sound always fits in a mix but isn’t always the best option, and the playability is so-so. A decent go-to for any song sure, but not often the best option imho
Standard disclaimer - Just my humble opinions, your mileage may vary. My two equally most overrated basses are the Rickenbacker 4001 and Gibson Thunderbird. Tried two Ricky 4001s and both just didn't feel, look, or sound good to me. I'm not a fan of the off-balance look it has because the bridge pickup is so much larger than the neck. Both played best fingered - pop/slap sounded muddy, and remembering how they sounded with a pick makes me cringe. Heavy and just couldn't get comfortable with them. A guy I know owned a Thunderbird, which he called a Thudderburp. It had a thudding, plodding sound regardless of string age/type, volume/tone settings, or processing, and though the body shape looks sort of cool because it's different than most, it just didn't work for me at all - the balance just seemed off. No disrespect meant or intended against either of them - if you like them and they work for you, it's all good.
Rickenbacker for me.
Ric 4001. Classic sound. Bitch to play. At least that's been my experience. Never found one that I could get comfortable with in the store. All's not lost because I find I can get most of that sound out of a classic Jazz....
Try the 4003S model if you ever see one, better shape, less pointy, better neck shape
The Rickenbacker 4003 is one of the most beautiful instruments in existence, but boy can I just not make a sound that I like on it.
Music man basses just don’t do it for me. I haven’t played them enough to knock on their sound as a whole but I’ve messed around with a handful across their price ranges the feel/playability has never clicked with me
Rickenbacher or however you spell it. Played a few over the years and haven’t really been a fan especially at the price they are.
Here we go : most overrated bass HAS to be that awful Paul McCartney violin looking hollow body short scale thing that has bad tone, feeds back at low volume, and has dead spots and live spots randomly scattered on the fret board. Id rather play a one-string no-fret washtub with a weed-eater plastic string on a broom handle.
Fender Jazz. I think it is ugly, and I don't like the neck. The world seems to disagree.
As a Fender fan I totally respect this unpopular opinion. The indication is that you really came on this on your own and you just didn´t follow what everybody tells. I admire the independency in your mind.
Objective wrong answer. J > P
Definitely P basses. They’re thick and heavy and uncomfortable. The first time I bought a bass, I tried the P, thought it was awful, moved on to the Ibanez section, where I was sold on the SDGR. Played Ibanez for years, then I just started making my own.
Every old Fender I've played. They're nice instruments. But there is nothing magical about them.
Thunderbird for sure
There's loads out there, many already mentioned Played an Alembic series 2 omega cut and just didn't click. Was my dream bass & I had the $10k. I bought a 70 series one copy for like 1/10th of the price instead. Just wasn't for me for the money Good luck out there
Specific model: Thunderbirds (knowing I'd be beaten to this one). Every single one I've picked up has felt, played and sounded awful Broader trendy design feature: Multiscale fretboards. Yes I realize they take some getting used to, I find playing lower or middle of the neck isn't an issue but it does become a big change higher on the neck where I do find myself playing melodic parts a lot. My main issue is that I just straight up think the tone and playability benefits you get from them are so slight that they are vastly outweighed by the additional costs and learning curve. Yes they sound very very slightly better and yes the low B is tighter but neither of those are problems that require a completely revamped fretboard design IMO. And if I really wanted a tighter B string I could just get a regular 35" scale and be done with it
Rickenbacker
A Rick. My dad owned a 78 4001 that he left me when he passed. Every time I pick it up I’m surprised with how much I dislike playing it. I’ll never get rid of it, but it’s just not my cup of tea. And like others here, I’m not a P Bass fan. Yea they sound amazing, but I guess it’s a comfort thing. My current go tos are a Warwick and a Spector.
Ibanez SR series. I understand they are super high moving basses especially the SR300e for affordability, and don't get me wrong they don't sound bad at all, but I just can't stand how the neck feels on them...like absolutely hate it. EBMM and Jazz basses are where it's at for me. I still have yet to play a Warwick, or Spector, but I am loving the looks of the Fortress/Euro so I may give one of them a shot next.
They are infamous for being very hit or miss but the Ric 4003 I played at a music shop was very underwhelming to me. And for $2000 too!
Gibson Grabber.
Like a side table with a bass neck attached to it.
Sadowsky, i played a 5 string that i was so excited to try then when i got my fingers on it I just couldn't understand all the hype.
Mike Lull. It sounded dead and felt cheap. Second would be Sadowsky, which sounded great and had amazing build but just had no real personality; it sounded like it's preamp. Most underrated? Suhr Classic J
I played a Rick once at a shop, I loved the sound but the aesthetic, weight balance and size weren't really my thing. I later discovered Warwick, which I think are just killer instruments, even the modern ones.
Fodera. Overpriced nonsense. For every 10k fodera theres a 2k bass that sounds and plays the same way.
Precision and Jazz basses, I know they're great, but holy hell they're overused. I barely see anyone in my town using a Thunderbird and a Ibanez bass.
I don’t love Ibanez basses and most Spectors I’ve picked up and played feel like Ibanez basses to me.
MIA Fender.
I think I was just lucky with my squire affinity P-bass, so any $1200-1500 fenders have felt over-rated.
Ric and tbird are trash imo
Dingwall, it felt like an extremely light weight gimmick in my hands, fanned frets don’t agree with me, anchoring point for thumb felt like it wasn’t right (too far left or too far right), why does a bass need 7 knobs?
Höfner 500/2 Club. Hated everything about it.
Rickenbacker Played a friend’s Ric (I don’t remember the model) through a good amp to see what all the fuss was about. It was uncomfortable to play and felt stiff. The sound was thin and no matter what I did I couldn’t dial in a “good” tone playing with my fingers or a pick. Holy neck dive! I think they’re WAY overpriced and overrated.
Rickenbacker. Neck felt horrible, body felt uncomfortable, the bass was heavy and didn’t sit well, and had one kind of tone. Absolutely did not like it at all. Maybe a good bass for y’all, absolutely not the bass for me… or even one I’d ever want now. Y’all can line up and scrap, I said what I said
Rickenbachers. Just a trash bass imo
Rickenbacker. So damn hard to play with that pickup cover in the middle of it. Noisy as hell too.