love/hate relationship with my bass
Every once in a while I become so frustrated with the sound of my bass that I want to tear the strings off and smash it. That usually happens when I play by myself and can hear the instrument more clearly than with a band. This time I'm more annoyed after going to Wally's the other night. The two bassists had great tone: good low-end with a hearty growl. It probably helps to pay a couple thousand dollars for your instrument.
Anyway, the pickup in my 6er is pretty much in the worst place -- it's too far from the bridge to give a growly sound and too far from the neck to give enough thump. It sounds very artificial (it should considering it's made out of fake stuff). The music I like playing was and is mostly played with regular Precision and Jazz basses. You've got P-basses on all the Motown tunes and the Meters' songs (well, a telecaster bass or whatever it was -- close enough) and the Jazz basses almost everywhere else. Even Aston "Family Man" Barrett plays a Jazz bass for The Wailers. So, I think it's time for a change.
I'll probably get a sunburst or semi flame-top standard J-bass in the next few days. But I have to sell something. I keep buying junk without getting rid of anything. Maybe I'll sell my liver and splurge for an American made J-bass.
I'm fickle about this bass. After trying a few Jazz basses and almost buying one, I came home and really dug the sound of my 6string. One minute I hate it; the next minute I think it's great.
Whatever...I'm still going to get that Jazz bass. I have to do something with my copious amounts of money (not).