Anyone else becoming a bass snob?

GodPlayedBass

GodPlayedBass

Mar 23, 2020
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#1
Im starting to be specific in what I want in a bass. I don't like maple fretboards. I specifically like rosewood, I really notice the difference. Big time.

Also I like P basses and PJ basses exclusively. Not a fan of the jazz bass or the double humbucker thing. They sound cool when other people play them but not me.
When I hear bass in my head it sounds like a p bass.

Only bothers me because I look at a lot of basses and dont even want to try them much anymore purely based on minor specs. I love rics but they have maple fretboards so im not sure the 4003 is my dream bass anymore. Like wow.
 
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#2
GodPlayedBass said:
II love rics but they have maple fretboards so im not sure the 4003 is my dream bass anymore. Like wow.
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A vast majority of Rickenbackers don't have maple fretboards.

As for everything else, if you found what works for you there's nothing wrong in sticking with it. If you ever decide to venture outside of the P-Bass world, there's still going to be a zillion instruments waiting for you to try them out.
 
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#4
Yes, kinda. I won't even look at a bass without stainless steel frets or if it has a zero fret, active electronics or a split coil P bass pickup.

However, this isn't really a case of 'snobbery', it's just finally realising what works best for you -for now.

It can, and most probably will also change over time, as us human beings are nothing but incredibly fickle! :laugh:
 
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#5
GodPlayedBass said:
Im starting to be specific in what I want in a bass. I don't like maple fretboards. I specifically like rosewood, I really notice the difference. Big time.

Also I like P basses and PJ basses exclusively. Not a fan of the jazz bass or the double humbucker thing. They sound cool when other people play them but not me.
When I hear bass in my head it sounds like a p bass.

Only bothers me because I look at a lot of basses and dont even want to try them much anymore purely based on minor specs. I love rics but they have maple fretboards so im not sure the 4003 is my dream bass anymore. Like wow.
Click to expand...

I don't think you are a Bass snob. You just know what you like, I think that's a good thing.

To me a Bass snob is person who puts down other players for their choice of instrument, to me that's a bad thing.

Although I have and play 4, 5 and 6 string basses, I find that I won't even consider buying another Bass unless it has at least 6 strings. I look at it like, I know I can play 6, why should I spend money to lessen my range, if I choose to buy another instrument it has to have equivalent range or more than my biggest range instrument.

With the exception of an acoustic bass guitar, that I did not like or keep. That is how my instrument progress has been over the last 20+ years, 21 fret 4>24 fret 4>24 fret 5>24 fret 6.
 
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#9
What does it mean to be a “bass snob”? Is that like, when you become one of those old men that insists that anything that isn’t a Precision Bass is crap?

If I’m a “bass snob”, then is it because I insist on only playing professional grade US/JP/DE made instruments? As if a $1000 used bass or a $1600 new bass (what I paid in 2002-2003 for my current two instruments) is somehow extravagant?

Am I a “bass snob” because, after over 25 years of playing bass, I will not buy another instrument unless it has *exactly* the specs I want?
 
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#10
HalfManHalfBass said:
Yes, kinda. I won't even look at a bass without stainless steel frets or if it has a zero fret, active electronics or a split coil P bass pickup.

However, this isn't really a case of 'snobbery', it's just finally realising what works best for you -for now.

It can, and most probably will also change over time, as us human beings are nothing but incredibly fickle! :laugh:
Click to expand...

The thing that gets me to keep scrolling is shape. Used to be just the Fender & copies, now it's become anything remotely fender-ish.
I like the more "odd" shapes best, I guess.

There are other, more minor things I prefer, but I won't even look at that, if the shape isn't interesting to me.
 
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#11
GodPlayedBass said:
Im starting to be specific in what I want in a bass.
Click to expand...
So am I. 24 frets + a zero fret, preferably NT, no one piece necks (5 piece +), slimmer Ibanez SR style necks, no PGs and no FSOs. And I much prefer headless over headed basses and 5 strings a minimum. If a bass has a headstock it can't have old style F open gear tuners that weigh about 3x what a modern tuner does and I don't like inline headstocks; 4+1, 3+2, 3+3 etc.
 
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#12
At 63, I’m settled on the style of basses I like and want to play. I’m even settled on the maker of the basses I want to play, as my sig indicates. And not look at anything else.

Snobbery or otherwise, that’s perfectly fine with me.

I do enjoy checking out my bass buddies’ basses very much. There are some very nice basses among them. They have their favorites, I have mine…:D
 
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#13
I think an unwillingness to even try a particular instrument because of your preferences is completely ridiculous. I despise how Rics and Jazz basses feel and play but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t pick one up in a store to wank on it for a few minutes. I own 4 basses and all of them have multiple pickups/switches to achieve different tonal characteristic but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t rock a bass that only has one pickup.

I don’t agree with you at all dude.
 
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#14
GodPlayedBass said:
Im starting to be specific in what I want in a bass. I don't like maple fretboards. I specifically like rosewood, I really notice the difference. Big time.

Also I like P basses and PJ basses exclusively. Not a fan of the jazz bass or the double humbucker thing. They sound cool when other people play them but not me.
When I hear bass in my head it sounds like a p bass.

Only bothers me because I look at a lot of basses and dont even want to try them much anymore purely based on minor specs. I love rics but they have maple fretboards so im not sure the 4003 is my dream bass anymore. Like wow.
Click to expand...

You know what you like in a bass and what you do not like - and what works for you and what does not.
That's not snobbery, that's experience.

I'd say snobbery starts when you play only Fender CS basses, Sadowsky NYC models and their likes, and look down your nose on everyone playing what you'd call inferior instruments (regular MiA, MiM, MiJ).
 
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#15
Element Zero said:
I think an unwillingness to even try a particular instrument because of your preferences is completely ridiculous.
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If there was one in the local store or I knew someone with one I'd certainly try it out. But would I travel a decent distance to a store to try it, or buy it to try then return (not available where I live), then no. That's a perfectly reasonable take if you've already tried lots and worked out what you like.
That said, I'm going to buy a Harley Benton fretless 5 from Germany to Australia to see if I like fretless, but it's cheaper even with shipping than many second hand fretless 4s here, Even though it's not what I'd get if I could afford a custom, I'm prepared to write off the losses for the experience. Worst case with resale locally should only be a couple of hundred.
 
#20
30 odd years ago I wanted a 5 string bass, now the 5’s in the stable don’t see as much action as the fours.

Snobbery? I don’t think so, it’s more a realisation of what works for you and that’s a good thing.

I like the diversity I have in my current collection, we have a function on Saturday, first actual gig for the year and I’m thinking I might take the StingRay for a spin...
 
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