Graham I believe the short answer to your question is no. I for one am attracted to the similarities rather than the differences between bases. Onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, oil, spices, salt, water. The rest is personalising of recipes and you'll of course have noticed that peppers, carrots, potatoes, even cucumber recently all can have their part to play. Unlike some others I do not believe their is a holy grail or secret recipe that has, by conspirational means, eluded us so far.
Is it the base you think is not right, or is it your finished curries you are struggling with?