Very helpful and I think you are absolutely correct on all the topics in your video. Most of my gear was bought on impulse and urge. Pretty sure half of my gear could have been prevented.
Fantastic vid @JoshFossgreen
There is nothing you said that isn’t 100% spot on.
Being someone who collects probably way too many things, including basses, I agree with all your points, but for me, I like the tech-y, nerdy, maintenance part, learning what each bass does/ doesn’t do etc as well as playing so for me there is a balance in there. Having bought and sold a lot of other musical instruments over the years I’ve learned to buy things that will make me money in the other end generally, so risk is lower or none, but this isn’t true for everyone for sure. And I don’t always get it right.
Pretty much every bass I’ve bought the sold to date fits into one of your categories, generally the “compromise” one. Luckily, I’ve only sold 4, and still love the 24 I have.
@kristine - you’ve got your homework cut out for you on this one.
Ok, so, my only critique of this video is as follows:
Dammit, @JoshFossgreen, why did you wait so long to put it together? Why wasn’t this video available a year and a half ago when I first signed up for BassBuzz? I would have saved SO MUCH money.
I kid, I kid. I think I would have taken my “from Ibanez to Carvin to Fender to Kiesel to Schecter” trip regardless. Although it would have been slower and not so impulsive, especially after the “ok, I’ll get that new bass, but not until I learn these 3 songs” bit. That’s great advice.
Another great video. The cast of characters that Josh continues to expand upon is increasingly entertaining (I’m looking at you, GAS-guy, and the Doctor of Bassology), and the prop websites were great.
Loved the video as always! As someone suffering from a relatively mild case of GAS (I currently own only four basses ), I would just like to say this: to find out what you like and what you don’t like, you have to try many different things. And by that, I don’t mean “sit in a music store and try a bass for ten minutes” (not as if music stores have a lot of different basses in stock anyway).
By buying used gear, the cost stays within reasonable limits, especially if you are able to sell it again at (almost) the same price. And even if that doesn’t work out: playing bass is a hobby for me, and a hobby costs money!
The only major (to me) aspects you didn’t hit on was bass ergonomics.
Some people prefer short scales over longer-scale basses.
Some people prefer narrower/wider nut widths and/or thin/thinner/thinnest or thick/thicker/CHONKY necks.
Unfortunately, there is no Swiss Army Bass that checks every box.
So landing on the “bass that makes you play” is not a simple matter of buying the One that has the perfect sound, number of knobs, shiny/relic-ed, weird body-shaped, funky head stocked, way-too-many-stringed, online-butthead-endorsed bass.
It has to feel good in the hands. It has to make you want to pick it up and play. Or you won’t learn three songs first. Or even just one.
Sound is shapeable, by and large. Feel is way more personal and experiential to find. At least it was for me.
But as a beginner, who I think the video was created for, is that stuff you’d know? Or would that come much later, after you’ve learned a bit?
To me, this video was created for beginners who maybe have a bass or two, maybe just started taking lessons, and is inundated by the amazing amount of awesome and flashy looking basses that all the forums rave about, and dealing with GAS Guy’s inevitable arrival and his harassment of the beginning bass player.
I would think that if you’re at a position to know if you prefer short or long scale, narrower or wider nuts, thinner or thicker necks, that you probably already know how to deal with GAS Guy’s pressure.
Not to be argumentative of course. Your points are valid, I just wonder if they’re a bit beyond the target audience of this video.
My comments sprang from my personal experience as a B2B student.
Feel in playing an instrument is fundamental in wanting/continuing to play that instrument. It is an essential component that is far more important a factor than how cool, or not, it looks. But most newbies (and many not-so-newbies) buy with their eyes.
Josh made it a point to stress the value of trying out basses in a store that has a good return policy.
Check.
But he didn’t mention how critical the ergos of a neck/body combo are to playing.
Everyone has a unique set of fingers, hand size, limb lengths, torso, overall musculature, etc.
How basses feel is essential to playing them. Or not.
I got lucky they didn’t mention my number. The list only gone up to 21. I don’t have the disease. @AnotherJosh I sure hope you recover from your disorder, lol.
That’s my Eastwood EUB-1, got it at a music store in Santa Cruz CA when I was like 18? I think I’ve played it on… one gig. It’s REALLY good at taking up space in my closet.
Yeah that’s cool you’re getting some learning experience out of every bass John! Most people (including me) don’t have the skills/knowledge base (bass?) to do that. Wish I did!
), I would just like to say this: to find out what you like and what you don’t like, you have to try many different things. And by that, I don’t mean “sit in a music store and try a bass for ten minutes” (not as if music stores have a lot of different basses in stock anyway).
