Agree 100%. After I really learned how much I can change the tone in the DAW, tone is #3 for me, behind feel and looks. It’s still important, but it’s not the most important. As long as the bass is relatively bright I can generally make the tone do what I want.
You have simply found a different path for tone, one that historically was not available to the average person. Many have no interest in DAW etc. Works for you, not for others…
At the end of the day, tone is king, not how your bass looks.
Yes we all LIKE how they look, but it is not a need, it is a want.
No one can hear how your bass looks.
And, if you love how a bass looks, but hate how it sounds, how apt are you to keep it, no matter what a DAW or other devices can do?
Software effects in a DAW is just one way. Pedals can work here as well. The point is that the tone of the instrument can be modified and improved (and matters less in the mix than you might think).
The tone that you dial in and fall in love with is also unlikely to be the tone you use to sit better in a mix.
Tone is important, but like I said - for me it’s solidly #3, because I can make it #1 by other means. And what really matters to me is a bass I will play.
A bass that doesn’t motivate you to pick it up makes no tone at all
The Hofner is a great sounding bass, capable of many different genres (as demonstrated by my covers). Unfortunately, so many people are hung up on appearance, they refuse to play something that doesn’t look “cool”. Yes, I’ve actually seen that comment made in regards to the Hofner.
You are spot on though, you should play what feels good and sounds good, and to hell with public opinion.
I think it looks awesome and sounds awesome.
I gave it a whirl at GC a couple weeks ago.
It just feels too odd in my hands, the lightness of it all is just not for me, I like a big hunk of wood apparently. I wish I did like it more!
Yes, the lightness takes some getting used to, however once you do, it’s fun to play. Now I can switch between the 5.5 lb Hofner and the 9 lb ESP with ease.
Think of it as going from a Baritone Sax to a Tenor or Alto… (unless all you play are Baritones).
I actually am more comfortable on bari and tenor.
Alto (who’s tone is my least favorite) kinda flits around a lot.
Sopranos are different as they are straight and different altogether.
But yes, most comfy on bari.
I love my Paranormal. Looks great and plays better. The tone is the one thing that isn’t perfectly aligned with my tastes. With the Apollo pickups, it can be quite quacky, almost like an MM, and very like it dialed into the bridge pickup.
But it has character, and while a vintage sound is more to my liking, if I ever play with others, the quack will sit better in the mix. It will cut through.
Sterling by Musicman is great choice. Trust me theirs lowest in range Ray 4 SUB has better crafstmanship than my Mexican Fender. Yes I have Ray4 if you didnt get it from previous sentence.
Many people here can atest to that.
Have no worries get SBMM if you like stingray.
Only difference between model is this.
Ray4 - Jazz neck, 2 band eq, that old style generic MusicMan bridge, and its pickup is not that good if you play ot roughly cause of hot output, it can make distortions. You can just swap it out for another MM pickup and its awesome bass.
Ray24 - jazz neck, 2 band eq, modern smaller bridge, different pick up which seems better than Ray4. It comes connected in series mode but you can make it paraller like in proper stingray
Ray34 - standard chunckier neck, 3 band eq, better hardware, roasted maple neck.
For me honestly best option is getting Ray4 and swapping out the pickup.
I own both Ray4 and Squier CV 70s Jazz.
And its mostly about sound and feel.
Squier has a bit thicker neck.
Also I hear Affinity series is not that good.
But overall SBMM has much much better QC.
Every guitar assembled in Indonesia is shipped to their US center, where they spend time on proper QC to uphold the standard.
Thanks for sharing your experience @Growl . Some people say that every guitar/bass that are made in Indonesia is made by Cort Indonesia. It would be interesting if SBMM has better QC if both basses came out of the same factory as Squier.
They might be created by CorTek, both of them but difference is that Squiers QC is done in Indonesia, while SBMM, at least thats whats Sterling Ball says, after assembly is shipped to US for QC and setup.
I agree, entry level basses across the board seem to offer hot(ter) pickup because the thinking is most would be bought along with cheaper smaller amp. Hot pickups is much easier to to drive with smaller amps.