It annoys me too. So many aspiring players think that to sound like ??? they should get an identical rig together. When I was a kid I was looking for something I could afford on an IHOP paycheck. I tried to get that damn little Peavey to sound like Kirk Hammet for ages. Haha!

Finally, I learned it's not about getting some pro's tone, it's about finding what worked for ME with WHAT I HAD! It's still that way now. I think I've worked myself into a situation where I have MY sound but in my opinion, it's more about the little intricacies of my style that make it unique, not gear.

I suppose what I'm saying is that I will sound like me on Geddy Lee's rig and he'll sound like Geddy on Bo's gear. Mostly, it's about the little things that make each of us unique.

And don't let me get started on the TAB books. Developing the ear is more important, I think. A good ear will go a long way if I have to fake it through a gig. I did that just today.

2¢

Bo, exactly. I could not agree more. I could play
your bass through your rig, and I would sound like
me. I could play Mo's bass through his rig, and I
would sound like me. And so on. You, Mo, or anyone
else could play my bass through my rig, and not
only would you not sound like me, you wouldn't
even sound like each other.

Some time back I posted something to this effect
on another bass site, and was basically flamed by
the "big dogs" over there. No one at all agreed
with me, and apparently even the people who really
should know better (judging by their apparent
status on the site) were not sufficiently
experienced to realize I was simply telling them
the truth. Needless to say, I gave up on that
site.

To me the idea that all some newbie has to do is
buy exactly the same gear to get the same sound I
have been working at for years is quite insulting.

Kelly

....To me the idea that all some newbie has to
do is
buy exactly the same gear to get the same sound I
have been working at for years is quite
insulting...
Let's face it Kelly, there is a snowball's chance
in hell that any newbie will instantly sound just
like Xxxxxx.

But I agree with you, to sell the idea to the
unsuspecting ( what newbie wouldn't like to sound
just like his favourite xxxx instantly )is
insulting, not to mention just plain leading the
innocent right up the garden path.

yfmo