Well this is probably going to be one of those you get it or you don't topics, but SO BE IT! [/King Arthur]
There are certain, thankfully many, musical instruments that have soul. I have played numerous different instruments over the past 18 years of being a musician, but haven't had a real focus on anything but bass. I've played hundreds, possible thousands of basses throughout my days, and can remember several distinct ones that truly have capital-S Soul. I don't know what causes it, but it's a wonderfully amazing thing that I'll probably never be able to explain, but will always be able to appreciate. Now for the rest of this thread I'm going to prattle on about goat knows what.
I guess I'll tell the story of the most soulful instrument I've ever laid my hands on, a 1996 Fender American Standard Precision 4-string, translucent candy apple red. I played this bass in 1997 and still regret not purchasing it. Momz took me to Guitar Center and was going to buy me a bass for my 18th birthday, up until this point I had my old beat up Arbor bass w/ tons of stickers on it. Picked up this sumbitch, fell completely in love, but thought "nah, I don't really need a new bass" so put it down after awhile and never saw it again. A few months later the new bass offer was made again, for high school graduation, and I ended up getting the same bass, but in sunburst color. I still have that P and I'll probably never grow attached to any other instrument like I have this one (I play her on a very regular basis still), but it didn't quite have the soul that candy apple red P did. I hope it went to a loving home.
Last year I played a 1977 Fender Jazz Bass, and it was one of the most liquid experiences of my life. It had a maple fretboard w/ big abolone block inlays and sort of a light baby poop green color. In essence, not a very pretty bass. But I picked it up anyhow, and played probably the best Fender of my life, of which there have been many seemings how Fender is my favorite guitar brand. But, the sumbitch was $2800 and I'm just not willing to pay that much for an old Fender when it probably cost $200 brand new, and it wasn't quite as good as my baby sunburst P, which only cost $600 brand new 8 years ago. But it was a damn fine instrument, who knows how many amazing gigs it may have seen.
The Tobias Growler 5-string I put on layaway last week had a lot of soul. I've never liked 5 and 6 string (or 7, 8, 12, whatever) basses, but picked this one off the wall anyhow because I've always admired Tobias basses, but never saw one in person. I immediately fell in love, to be completely honest it was the most magnificent instrument I've ever played. The sumbitch didn't have an incredible amount of soul, but definitely had great juju and I connected with it instantly. In about 3 weeks it'll be mine provided it wasn't stolen, hooray!
My Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling doesn't really have soul, but it's getting there. I love it to death and my playing has gone to different worlds I never thought it would because of it, but it's still the New Bass so it'll be awhile I guess. I never truly appreciated the beauty of my P until this one came along 2 years ago, so maybe when I bring home the Tobias it'll grow up a bit. Then again I have played several Sterlings since and before this one, and none have been nearly as good. Well, except maybe the first Sterling I played in 1995, a maple fretboard beauty in Guitar Center which by no coincidence at all was the exact same color as the one I bought (I bought the rosewood fretboard, maple Music Man basses are almost too harsh).
Yeah.
There are certain, thankfully many, musical instruments that have soul. I have played numerous different instruments over the past 18 years of being a musician, but haven't had a real focus on anything but bass. I've played hundreds, possible thousands of basses throughout my days, and can remember several distinct ones that truly have capital-S Soul. I don't know what causes it, but it's a wonderfully amazing thing that I'll probably never be able to explain, but will always be able to appreciate. Now for the rest of this thread I'm going to prattle on about goat knows what.
I guess I'll tell the story of the most soulful instrument I've ever laid my hands on, a 1996 Fender American Standard Precision 4-string, translucent candy apple red. I played this bass in 1997 and still regret not purchasing it. Momz took me to Guitar Center and was going to buy me a bass for my 18th birthday, up until this point I had my old beat up Arbor bass w/ tons of stickers on it. Picked up this sumbitch, fell completely in love, but thought "nah, I don't really need a new bass" so put it down after awhile and never saw it again. A few months later the new bass offer was made again, for high school graduation, and I ended up getting the same bass, but in sunburst color. I still have that P and I'll probably never grow attached to any other instrument like I have this one (I play her on a very regular basis still), but it didn't quite have the soul that candy apple red P did. I hope it went to a loving home.
Last year I played a 1977 Fender Jazz Bass, and it was one of the most liquid experiences of my life. It had a maple fretboard w/ big abolone block inlays and sort of a light baby poop green color. In essence, not a very pretty bass. But I picked it up anyhow, and played probably the best Fender of my life, of which there have been many seemings how Fender is my favorite guitar brand. But, the sumbitch was $2800 and I'm just not willing to pay that much for an old Fender when it probably cost $200 brand new, and it wasn't quite as good as my baby sunburst P, which only cost $600 brand new 8 years ago. But it was a damn fine instrument, who knows how many amazing gigs it may have seen.
The Tobias Growler 5-string I put on layaway last week had a lot of soul. I've never liked 5 and 6 string (or 7, 8, 12, whatever) basses, but picked this one off the wall anyhow because I've always admired Tobias basses, but never saw one in person. I immediately fell in love, to be completely honest it was the most magnificent instrument I've ever played. The sumbitch didn't have an incredible amount of soul, but definitely had great juju and I connected with it instantly. In about 3 weeks it'll be mine provided it wasn't stolen, hooray!
My Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling doesn't really have soul, but it's getting there. I love it to death and my playing has gone to different worlds I never thought it would because of it, but it's still the New Bass so it'll be awhile I guess. I never truly appreciated the beauty of my P until this one came along 2 years ago, so maybe when I bring home the Tobias it'll grow up a bit. Then again I have played several Sterlings since and before this one, and none have been nearly as good. Well, except maybe the first Sterling I played in 1995, a maple fretboard beauty in Guitar Center which by no coincidence at all was the exact same color as the one I bought (I bought the rosewood fretboard, maple Music Man basses are almost too harsh).
Yeah.
