I never really thought of the Yamaha bass headstock as ugly, but I can see how one would think so.

It is, however, the best value bass I’ve ever owned.

Yamaha RBs and Ibanez Soundgears are the best playing basses out there. I prefer the original ATK pickup and preamp, so I play ATKs when I play bass, but feel? There’s nothing better.

They do have a very 90s wind tunnel shape about them, which I find more boring than ugly unless you get them in some exotic wood finish. You’re in PRS town if you do, though.

I actually don’t mind a painted PRS, for that matter.

Hate: piezo pickups on a solid body. Was more of a thing in the 90s I guess.

jfv wrote: Sat Nov 05, 2022 11:57 am I never really thought of the Yamaha bass headstock as ugly, but I can see how one would think so.

It is, however, the best value bass I’ve ever owned.

Not the headstock, the top cutaway. There's just something about it I hate.

biscuitdough wrote: Sat Nov 05, 2022 1:05 pm Hate: piezo pickups on a solid body. Was more of a thing in the 90s I guess.

I refer you back to the Acoustasonic, which is as close to a 'gateway guitar' as we're getting at the moment.

I hate the swoosh headstock of those old Ibanez Roadstar guitars. Beyond that, they're the equal of their Fender counterparts.

biscuitdough wrote: Sat Nov 05, 2022 1:05 pm ...Ibanez Soundgears are the best playing basses out there.

I'm sorry but no. No fucking way. I handled a lot of Soundgears when I worked in a music store, and while they play better than they look (faint praise), there are a multitude of instruments that play with greater agility and comfort.

I think Rics (and their old Japanese copies) are the best sounding and playing basses, but I seem to be in the minority.

Got to thinking, and "Man, is there gear that I could actually hate?..."

Kinda did come around to hating some of those "Snarling Dogs..." pedals that were in a "Wah..." enclosure.

A couple of actually interesting designs that would break faster than a "Current Production..." EHX pedal.

numberthirty wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 6:23 pm Got to thinking, and "Man, is there gear that I could actually hate?..."

This is kinda where I'm at. I hate certain aspects of specific pieces of gear. Like the stupid switches on old AKG C414s. But I can't think of a single piece of gear that I refuse to use or anything like that. The stuff I've purchased and promptly resold or returned have been more in the "too complicated" or "doesn't do exactly what I need" or "uncomfortable to use" camp.

Krev wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 2:21 pm I think Rics (and their old Japanese copies) are the best sounding and playing basses, but I seem to be in the minority.

I’ve played some gnarly high action, tall fret ric basses and find they don’t have much sustain but if you need their plonk it’s one of the best plonks going. They definitely look the best