Maybe $10k for a Fodera ain't so bad?

**lowfreqgeek** · #1 04-01-2011, 01:07 PM

For all those of you who love to complain about Fodera's pricing, take this:

Mandolin Builder News - The Collings Fretless Bass Mandolin

There you go.

ffutterman · #2 04-01-2011, 01:13 PM

$10,000 is a still a bit much for a hat.

groooooove · #3 04-01-2011, 01:16 PM

that thing better sound wonderfull.

i mean, nice double basses cost $25k or more, so i dont think $10k for an instrument is absurd. but for that.. i mean.. yeah.. no..

tdub0199 · #4 04-01-2011, 01:21 PM

I don't care who you are, to pay 10K on any bass just tells me you are trying to compensate for something????? lmao

Angus · #5 04-02-2011, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdub0199

I don't care who you are, to pay 10K on any bass just tells me you are trying to compensate for something????? lmao

Clever- I've never heard that argument for anything before. Not once. Ever.

Anyone who is sure that every other man does everything to "compensate" is surely trying to compensate for something.

slaps76 · #6 04-02-2011, 10:31 AM

Yea...people who have the means to buy expensive things are compensating for those who can't, haha.

frankie5string · #7 04-02-2011, 10:33 AM

Oh please... Sadly, those extremely expensive basses are often bought by people who aren't very good players but are looking for inspiration... For some, inspiration is buried deep within their bank-accounts.

gjbassist · #8 04-02-2011, 10:35 AM

Doesn't surprise me. Collings makes some very nice high end instruments. I used to play with a guy who had a Collings acoustic guitar. He would never say how much it cost but I knew it was a lot.

jdthebassman · #9 04-02-2011, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankie5string

Oh please... Sadly, those extremely expensive basses are often bought by people who aren't very good players but are looking for inspiration... For some, inspiration is buried deep within their bank-accounts.

+1

metalstorm · #10 04-02-2011, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankie5string

Oh please... Sadly, those extremely expensive basses are often bought by people who aren't very good players but are looking for inspiration... For some, inspiration is buried deep within their bank-accounts.

And everyone who owns a cheap bass is a smokin' player

JumboJack · #11 04-02-2011, 05:20 PM

You guy's happen to notice the day that was posted?

xjeremiahx · #12 04-02-2011, 08:48 PM

^ sure did. i lol'd

frankie5string · #13 04-03-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metalstorm

And everyone who owns a cheap bass is a smokin' player

Lol... I didn't say that... but most really good players don't bother with those instruments. Heck, even the guys who endorse those things tend to get skittish when asked "how many do you have?"...

Look at something relatively cheap like the Steve Bailey fretless 6... a Fender 6 string fretless for nearly 5k? That's asinine when you consider what the custom guys are making for that price... then you've got guys like Clement who make custom basses for practically a song and the guys I've spoken to who have Clements all love their basses.

Even Anthony Jackson, in a recent interview, essentially said that this latest version of his custom Emperor bass was likely the last thing he'd do with them - it gets a wee bit expensive and the ROI on them isn't all that great.

Not to mention the resale value!

That aside, happy belated April Fools day... ;-)

Angus · #14 04-03-2011, 05:48 PM

Yeah, tell that to all the big name "meh" Fodera players.

Resale on Fodera is the best in the business- it's beyond insane. An Alembic might have been a better choice, as an AJ bass could sell for ~original price.

The cost of the instrument is completely irrelevant to the quality of the playing, especially in professional players. Your argument is silly.

AcidFripp · #15 04-03-2011, 06:11 PM

Paying 10,000 dollars for a piece of wood with metal strung tightly over it is ridiculous.
ALWAYS.
No exceptions.
EVER.

frankie5string · #16 04-03-2011, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angus

Yeah, tell that to all the big name "meh" Fodera players.

I would never do that because I'm not a dickhead about it. Most bass players I know are really nice people too - and way too humble to have one of those basses. Besides, it's not the big-name players I'm talking about... It's the dudes who show up to a 12 bar blues jam with an Emperor... It happens more often than you think ;-)

However I do know a few Fodera players who are NOT good - they admit it, but just had to have a $8500 bass... why? it looks cool and sounds cool. They can't even get beyond 12 bars of music without getting sticky fingers.

Last I checked, there were way more amazing players that played stuff that was cheaper than there are playing those basses that cost a fortune...

Angus · #17 04-03-2011, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankie5string

Last I checked, there were way more amazing players that played stuff that was cheaper than there are playing those basses that cost a fortune...

Yeah, but that's a function of the accessibility due to cost and market share, not any correlation to their ability to play. Availability bias. There are even MORE people with junk instruments who suck.

Quote:

However I do know a few Fodera players who are NOT good - they admit it, but just had to have a $8500 bass... why? it looks cool and sounds cool. They can't even get beyond 12 bars of music without getting sticky fingers.

Yeah, I know them too. I know even more people with cheap instruments who suck- so by your logic, sucky players are much more likely to own sucky instruments! No, there are all types around, who buy the instrument who makes them happy. Who cares? Lots of people drive Porsches and Ferrari's with ceramic brakes (which have ZERO benefit to road use- and are in fact worse than steel for street use) and have absolutely zero driving ability. In fact, about 100% of them have absolutely zero driving ability. Does that mean they're a douche for owning a Ferrari? No, it just means they could afford it and it makes them happy.

But of course, there are even more terrible drivers driving Hondas. Does that mean we shouldn't be selling Hondas to bad drivers? No...there are just more Hondas.

Who cares. Let people own what they enjoy.

Chrisk-K · #18 04-04-2011, 12:07 AM

Even boutique basses are not too expensive compared to classical instruments.

anonymous122511 · #19 04-04-2011, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AcidFripp

Paying 10,000 dollars for a piece of wood with metal strung tightly over it is ridiculous.
ALWAYS.
No exceptions.
EVER.

Oh please....
How many $10+ instruments have you actually played? I suspect the answer is NONE and if so you are plain and simple talking out yer ass....you have no idea of the "value" of a truly great instrument. $10K isn't even that much. It buys you a very commonplace double bass for orchestral work. It will buy you a pretty nice archtop guitar from a less well known builder but if you want a Ribbecke or a Benedetto or a Manzer or a Parker expect to pay double to triple that and wait a couple of years....if you can even get on the waiting list.

Some have suggested the people spending that kind of money are only wanker collectors. I'm sure those idiots do buy some of them but many go to great players who've blown off diving a nice car or a down payment on a house to have such an instrument.

Kwesi · #20 04-04-2011, 12:58 AM

You know, I've never seen nor heard a person with a $5000+ bass that truly sucked. Not to say that they don't exist but I just haven't seen them. That said, I've seen plenty of people with "instruments above their skill level" in the sub $2000 range.