Product reviews in bass mags

[JAUQO III-X]

Have any of you guys ever read a bad product review on a bass or amp in a bass mag and the product that was being reviewed had a history of paid advertising in the mag?

[Mark Latimour]

Bass Player Ultimate 5 String Shootout in 97. The review of the Roscoe bass was pretty savage on construction.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Bass Player Ultimate 5 String Shootout in 97. The review of the Roscoe bass was pretty savage on construction.

I remember that. But one can say that the Roscoe model simply took one for the team(in that review)

Because for the most part that is a killer model from Fender.

[Calebmundy]

Bass Player once reveiwed a really cheap Alesis combo with built in effects. They were sort of negative-although they were clearly trying to put the best face on it. Reading between the lines was "it's crap".

[Mark Latimour]

That said, if this thread is a veiled attempt to point out that magazines generally don't give bad reviews to products that the manufacturers pay big dollars to advertise, I doubt you'll be blowing the lid of a super secret conspiracy theory that no one's ever realised before. This is no "magic bullet".

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by Calebmundy

Bass Player once reveiwed a really cheap Alesis combo with built in effects. They were sort of negative-although they were clearly trying to put the best face on it. Reading between the lines was "it's crap".

How many Alesis ads have you seen in BP?

[Hoover]

Not a bass mag, but the review I wrote of the Symetrix 606 for Recording Magazine was mostly unflattering. Dane Butcher (I think) wrote a letter to the editor defending the product, but they never pulled their advertising.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

That said, if this thread is a veiled attempt to point out that magazines generally don't give bad reviews to products that the manufacturers pay big dollars to advertise, I doubt you'll be blowing the lid of a super secret conspiracy theory that no one's ever realised before. This is no "magic bullet".

Mark I think the world knows that.

But the point is when does the potential consumer get a real review?

[Geddyfleaharris]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

But the point is when does the potential consumer get a real review?

Probably when you buy it and take it home. Unfortunately. Hard to bite the hand that feeds. Especially in this economic environment. But it is frustrating to say the least.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

But the point is when does the potential consumer get a real review?

As someone who's worked as a contributing writer for several pro audio magazines for 10 years and has done his fair share of product reviews, I think I can offer some insight.

If it makes it to print, there's a >90% chance you're getting a fair review. The crappy products, the real POS gear that a reviewer decimates (or would, if given the opportunity) rarely makes it to print. Most magazines won't release a completely negative review -- not because it might jeopardize their ad revenue, but because it's just not fun or productive for any of us/them (writers, editors, publishers, and even readers). I know the editors at the magazines I've written for won't hesitate to tell a manufacturer "this is garbage, we're not going to review it". And they'd rather tell the manufacturer that up front than have to subject one of their writers to the hell of putting a POS through its paces.

So if it makes it to print in a major publication, the writer probably meant what they wrote. The editor might temper the language so that it appears less of a total condemnation and more of a cautious warning, but they'll never take a review that asserts "this thing is crap!" and rewrite it to say "this thing is really nice!"

Again, I'm talking about major publications. All bets are off if we're talking about blogs, pamphlets, or other low-circulation riffraff.

[Mark Latimour]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

Mark I think the world knows that.

But the point is when does the potential consumer get a real review?

THere is no such thing as unbiased media. Its naive to think otherwise. Any review is always subjective unless its merely an statement of facts. Accordingly, IMO, there is no such thing as a "real review" and therefore the potential cnsumer can never get one. At best you can get a review that relfects the opinion (with all biases and prejudices included) of the reviewer and take that for what its worth (to you).

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by Hoover

As someone who's worked as a contributing writer for several pro audio magazines for 10 years and has done his fair share of product reviews, I think I can offer some insight.

If it makes it to print, there's a >90% chance you're getting a fair review. The crappy products, the real POS gear that a reviewer decimates (or would, if given the opportunity) rarely makes it to print. Most magazines won't release a completely negative review -- not because it might jeopardize their ad revenue, but because it's just not fun or productive for any of us/them (writers, editors, publishers, and even readers). I know the editors at the magazines I've written for won't hesitate to tell a manufacturer "this is garbage, we're not going to review it". And they'd rather tell the manufacturer that up front than have to subject one of their writers to the hell of putting a POS through its paces.

So if it makes it to print in a major publication, the writer probably meant what they wrote. The editor might temper the language so that it appears less of a total condemnation and more of a cautious warning, but they'll never take a review that asserts "this thing is crap!" and rewrite it to say "this thing is really nice!"

Again, I'm talking about major publications. All bets are off if we're talking about blogs, pamphlets, or other low-circulation riffraff.

Thank you Hoover.


The companies that were indeed told that their product was garbage. What type of ad paying history did they have with the mags that you were with?

[Mark Latimour]

There is some interesting insight from a publisher in this thread which is on the same topic as this one: Industry Magazine Amp Reviews: Ever read one that was, like, totally negative?

[Yvon]

To answer your question Jauqo, I will tell you that I would really love a bass mag with no products review.
I really don't care about them. The reason you state here is one, also I don't need new gear. How many people here buy a bass based on the look alone? 50%?
I would like a bass mag with lessons and article about bands and bass player that's it.

[COOL AND DEADLY]

Recently BP did a review of the Tregan affordable pro basses. Despite their history of advertising in the mag, the review pretty much said the bass was ugly, had neck dive and generic pickups.
Here in Philly there is a mag called Philadelphia. They do a "Best of Philly" issue, which is pretty much just who advertises in their magazine. It's a joke, but people read and believe the reviews.

[JTE]

Not that I recall, but what does it matter. There's enough good stuff out there that there's no reason to waste ink and paper on stuff that's just plain bad. I just want them to tell me about construction, some stuff about feel, and how it works without value judgements.

It's a lot better to read that ABC amp has excellent interior construction, but the number of screws required to change the tube is a PIA, the amp sounded good through a Brand E 2x12 cabinet in a loud funk band, than to read what passes for reviews on line.

John

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by JTE

Not that I recall, but what does it matter.

well it matters to some because for the most part it's bs.




I'm personally not affected by reviews in any way at all(good or bad).


The best reviews are coming from TB.

[Double Agent]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

I remember that. But one can say that the Roscoe model simply took one for the team(in that review)

Because for the most part that is a killer model from Fender.

IIRC, I think the bass being referenced was the Roscoe as in Keith Roscoe, not the Roscoe Beck model from Fender. I don't remember Fender having a model reviewed in the 5-string shootout from '97, though I could be wrong on that one.

More to the point, I think BP could afford to lose advertising revenue from a company like Roscoe (who I had not heard of prior to the 5-string reviews in that issue) more than they could afford to lose advertising revenue from Fender, which may be why they were omitted from the shootout...if you can't say something nice .

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by Double Agent

IIRC, I think the bass being referenced was the Roscoe as in Keith Roscoe, not the Roscoe Beck model from Fender. I don't remember Fender having a model reviewed in the 5-string shootout from '97, though I could be wrong on that one.

More to the point, I think BP could afford to lose advertising revenue from a company like Roscoe (who I had not heard of prior to the 5-string reviews in that issue) more than they could afford to lose advertising revenue from Fender, which may be why they were omitted from the shootout...if you can't say something nice .

I think you're correct.

But again Fender can afford to take a hit and not even know it.

[Double Agent]

As far as the OP, I temper my expectations when reading a review in a bass mag. However, it is very common to see a mag mention cons of a bass model and not just pros. I don't think they ever slag a piece of gear altogether, but unless the bass in question is a masterpiece, they usually do have one or two minor complaints to bring up.

I just read a BP review yesterday of the Elrick Expat series NJS basses, the reviewer mentioned that the knobs felt cheap for a bass in that price range and that, while they liked the tone, an aggressive style J-bass tone would be hard to achieve with the stock pickups and pre. They still praised the instrument as being great overall. But, it gave me idea of what it sounds like and whether or not I would consider getting one down the road. So, they can still be useful, even if they are not the most objective pieces of journalism all the time.