Nope.
Took a left turn and punched it!
Never looked back!
Took a left turn and punched it!
Never looked back!
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Gravitating towards traditional basses as we get older. Is this a thing?
- Thread starter Dincrest
- Start date
Yes. When I was younger I never even looked at Fender or FSO's. Often said I would never own a Fender or why would I ever play one of those....
Then when I hit around 45 I bought a Fender PJ. Now, at 52 four of my five basses are Fenders.
I also find myself gassing only for Fenders of FSO's these days. Except for 5 strings, Ibanez all the way for 5'ers.
Then when I hit around 45 I bought a Fender PJ. Now, at 52 four of my five basses are Fenders.
I also find myself gassing only for Fenders of FSO's these days. Except for 5 strings, Ibanez all the way for 5'ers.
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Started on a Fender Jazz bass. Tried a few different brands way back in the day, but I always returned to a Jazz. They just feel right to me.
I started on a modern type bass and never imagined how could I play something as old and objectively worse as a FSO. Then I switched to MM type bass and while I love it's feel, it doesn't always sound as I want it to sound in a band setting. Then I bought a 6 string Jazz Bass... and was shocked how good it sounds. Next came a real Fender 4 string. I love it's sound, but I'm still looking for something more unique, more "me" with a feel closer to the MM type bass.
Later I bought an Ibanez SR and it can't even compare to the Fender sonically. And a Warwick Thumb, that sounds great in it's own way while being a little weird and unergonomic.
Later I bought an Ibanez SR and it can't even compare to the Fender sonically. And a Warwick Thumb, that sounds great in it's own way while being a little weird and unergonomic.
Sure did.
Hit my mid forties, got the chance to play a 50's style Telecaster bass then quickly found myself with £15k wrapped up in active basses I never played anymore
Not this little black duck. Didn't like them then, don't like them now.
Nope. I can never really hang onto Fender Shaped Objects.
I finally could afford this bass + guitar in 2020 . It's not really traditional but Frank Novak has been doing fan frets and patented it I think since early 80's. And he made hybrids when Charlie Hunter asked one to be made. At the same time I have been bowing my upright bass more but using it with effects as well. Traditional way of playing it but with a twist. So I have moved forward.
I've remained consistently traditional since the beginning. 
I've been a P bass guy since I was 15. It was the latest thing when I started.
No, it doesn't matter. When I was young I didn't like non trad basses. Now I'm open.
I think tastes change. I played Fenders 30 years ago. Then I joined TB. Haha.
I tried all sorts or nice instruments in all sorts of configurations.
Now, I'm back to more traditional type basses.
I'm glad I got to play all the basses I've played, even though I've gone back to FSOs. There were some really nice ones in there.
I tried all sorts or nice instruments in all sorts of configurations.
Now, I'm back to more traditional type basses.
I'm glad I got to play all the basses I've played, even though I've gone back to FSOs. There were some really nice ones in there.
I have to agree with the OP. When I started playing, the Fender Precision and the Jazz Bass were the two that were dominating the music world. Gibson was there with the EBO, EB2D etc, but only had a small share of the market. Nearly everything you heard on the radio had a Fender bass, until the British invasion, then everything started changing.
I mostly ignored the Fenders and ended up playing the EBO and EB2D. It wasn't until about 12 years ago that I caught on to the Precision and Jazz. I don't have Fenders but the configuration/sound is the same. I'm currently in 3 groups and nearly all of the material requires those two basses.
I was very late to the party but I'm here.
I mostly ignored the Fenders and ended up playing the EBO and EB2D. It wasn't until about 12 years ago that I caught on to the Precision and Jazz. I don't have Fenders but the configuration/sound is the same. I'm currently in 3 groups and nearly all of the material requires those two basses.
I was very late to the party but I'm here.
Nope, since I got my first Musicmaster in the mid 90's I've stuck pretty true to that style and never changed. Added a couple Mustangs but they're pretty much the same style. I've just never seen a reason to change from something I like. YMMV
Great stories, insights, and discussions so far. Thanks for indulging my little "conversation over a beer/coffee" thread about bass preferences as we progress through life.
Interesting thought I've seen throughout is folks saying how, as we get older we get a perspective on what's really important in life and strip away some of the bells and whistles in favor of what matters. Jeans and a T-shirt will always look good. It looked good 50 years ago and will look good 50 years later.
My main bass looks and feels modern, but I had a luthier take out the active EMGs in favor of passive Duncans and VVT controls. It sounds terrific. My backup bass has active electronics and sleek modern looks/feel and is a joy to play. I like that with the active preamp, I can get a little extra life out of dead/dying strings. But I am thinking stuff like "Do I really need 24 frets? The solos I was playing with my old punk band up at fret 21-22 still sound great around frets 12-14. Maybe even better." And I still prefer the no-muss-no-fuss nature of passive electronics. I love both my basses, though.
Interesting thought I've seen throughout is folks saying how, as we get older we get a perspective on what's really important in life and strip away some of the bells and whistles in favor of what matters. Jeans and a T-shirt will always look good. It looked good 50 years ago and will look good 50 years later.
My main bass looks and feels modern, but I had a luthier take out the active EMGs in favor of passive Duncans and VVT controls. It sounds terrific. My backup bass has active electronics and sleek modern looks/feel and is a joy to play. I like that with the active preamp, I can get a little extra life out of dead/dying strings. But I am thinking stuff like "Do I really need 24 frets? The solos I was playing with my old punk band up at fret 21-22 still sound great around frets 12-14. Maybe even better." And I still prefer the no-muss-no-fuss nature of passive electronics. I love both my basses, though.
Nice collection! Now I really understand your name!
My main electric when I started in the 80s was a stock 76 Fender P. Now my main electric is a 6-string fretless Ibanez. I think I may be going in the opposite direction.
At some point you just run out of headless multi-scale low-z double-filter-preamp titanium-monocoque basses to try.
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Not exactly, although I have been developing more interest in just going back to playing unamplified music in general. Just bought my first-ever acoustic guitar a few months ago and have rarely even touched any of my basses since then. Just can’t swing an acoustic upright at the moment, but it’s always been on my mind ever since I sold mine back in the late 70s.
I couldn’t afford a Fender bass when I was starting out and when I finally got one it was a pretty brief fling, FWIW. I’m sure I would have liked it a lot more if it had been a fretless, but that’s true of all BGs in my case.
