Anyone ever owned an expensive bass, only to go back to a Stingray/P or Jazz bass?

[Jared Lash]

I'm not sure where I fit in to this question. My first electric was a very used Guild B-301 that was older than me by a few years. It was my main player for 7 years through high school and college. It sounded and played phenomenally. In that time I played in 9 or 10 bands with my two most successful ones opening for bands like Cake, No Doubt, Primus, Green Day and others. I recorded four full albums with that bass and played on several others.

When we started getting attention from labels I started to hear that I should either switch completely to a Fender or that I should have one in my stable. Never from my band, or sound men or even engineers, but usually from A&R reps or people in the crowd after shows. So I got a P and a Jazz. And I dug them - such classic sounds. But they weren't MY bass.

So I played that Guild until it finally gave out and then I went the custom route, having Chris Stambaugh build me a pair of basses (fretted and fretless) as modern versions of my old Guild and they came out phenomenally.

The fretted one is currently for sale (with the Fat Stacks and Audere it came out too much like a "modern" jazz for my tastes) but I got hooked on custom basses.

I have two more Stambaughs coming (more vintage sounding) and a six string fan fret ACG on the way as well.

I love the sound of Fenders, Rics, Stingrays, Thunderbirds and others, but for me, a handbuilt custom is just infinitely more appealing. I get an instrument that looks, sounds and plays exactly the way I want it to and I get to support a very small business rather than a large, multinational corporation.

[pedroims]

the expensivest basses I have owned ( Sadowsky, Valenti and Lakland) have been J, actually all my basses have been either J, P or EBMM

[AMJBASS]

Originally Posted by Mayers

Do you all play rock type of music ??? Or some of you play jazz, R&B or extrem type of metal, because in those type of music there is a lot of expensive gear.

Almost all of my work is in Jazz and R&B. With some theatre work, and Gospel.

[makkE]

Originally Posted by Marty Forrer

Improvements in recent times have narrowed the gap between cheap and expensive. My 2011 Squier CV 51P is as good quaility, setup, sound and playability as any of the expensive basses I have owned in the past including the Wal and the Pedulla. Maybe I struck lucky with a great one, I dont know, but I do know the Squier is the last bass I'll buy.

I wish I could go +1 on this one, but my Squier CV 51P doesn't really convince me anymore - whatever I do, I can't get the action as low as I'd like it, and the chunky neck is starting to hold me back... still, the sound is just to die for Maybe you have a real gem at hand there, and mine's a little sketchy.

On topic:
I never had a botique, but I can't see myself getting one either, even if I had the money. They sure can look gorgeous, but I'd simply be too paranoid of it getting stolen - and somehow, these basses always seem to say "awesome player with really big chops" - and I'd be unsure I could live up to that. I also like simplicity, can't ever see myself really use an active bass with all those knobs, and most botiques are active...

I think I'll never go much above 1k for a bass.
It would feel awkward to spend so much on an instrument too.

[Marial]

I've owned custom-made USA Spectors, a Modulus, and other high-end basses, but to date I'm happiest with my Hwy One Jazz. It just does the job and I'm able to get the widest variety of usable tones out of it. It just works with the minimum of fiddling around. The longer I play and the older I get the simpler and cheaper I like things to be. So get off my lawn.

[bassteban]

I have a Stambaugh fretted six & MIM/Allparts P, as well as a few others. Variety is the spice of GAS.

[RaginRog]

Originally Posted by makkE

On topic:
I never had a botique, but I can't see myself getting one either, even if I had the money. They sure can look gorgeous, but I'd simply be too paranoid of it getting stolen - and somehow, these basses always seem to say "awesome player with really big chops" - and I'd be unsure I could live up to that. I also like simplicity, can't ever see myself really use an active bass with all those knobs, and most botiques are active...

I think I'll never go much above 1k for a bass.
It would feel awkward to spend so much on an instrument too.

Ha, I'm in your camp with a big +1

The most expensive bass I owned and gigged was a Dargie Stingray that I had for about a year. I was always a bit paranoid of having a casual patron of the bar knocking it off it's stand when we weren't playing. Especially after seeing what some dumb drunk did to my old guitarist's $3500 PRS. Some random guy just walked up, picked it up and pretended to play it, all the while letting the back end rub all over his monster sized belt buckle. It was dinged and scratched to hell by the time my guitarist pryed it from him. He was so dissapointed.

Now that I'm in an original punk band, I woiuldn't dare bring an expensive bass to the gigs/venues we play at...I primarily use my 99 American Std Jazz bass that has a few battle scars.

[RaginRog]

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

So I played that Guild until it finally gave out and then I went the custom route, having Chris Stambaugh build me a pair of basses (fretted and fretless) as modern versions of my old Guild and they came out phenomenally.

The fretted one is currently for sale (with the Fat Stacks and Audere it came out too much like a "modern" jazz for my tastes) but I got hooked on custom basses.

I have two more Stambaughs coming (more vintage sounding) and a six string fan fret ACG on the way as well.

I love the sound of Fenders, Rics, Stingrays, Thunderbirds and others, but for me, a handbuilt custom is just infinitely more appealing. I get an instrument that looks, sounds and plays exactly the way I want it to and I get to support a very small business rather than a large, multinational corporation.

I saw your bass in the classifieds...very nice. I also watched a video someone posted of Chris's workshop...he appears to be a great guy, and luthier.

[Kwesi]

Nope, don't think anyone has ever gone through that. Ever. Once you get a multi-billion dollar bass you just don't go back. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar and cannot be trusted.

[autodidact]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Nope, don't think anyone has ever gone through that. Ever. Once you get a multi-billion dollar bass you just don't go back. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar and cannot be trusted.

Ha!

./sarcasm appreciated

[Munjibunga]

I own lots of boutique basses (all but two are bolt-on), but I still keep four Fenders and play them regularly. To be honest, I have no tone-related reasons to play anything but the Fenders. The others are "vanity basses" more than anything. But I have to say I derive a lot of pleasure from playing the boutique basses.

[RaginRog]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Nope, don't think anyone has ever gone through that. Ever. Once you get a multi-billion dollar bass you just don't go back. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar and cannot be trusted.

I traded my old Ritter for my house!!

[Kwesi]

I'd say you got ripped off pretty bad, man. I don't think I would've accepted anything less than an entire continent. The inhabitants could find a new place to hang.

[autodidact]

Originally Posted by RaginRog

I traded my old Ritter for my house!!

WHAT?! YOU MEAN I CAN JUST TRADE MY HOUSE FOR A RITTER?! Homeless Funk Jazz Fusion here I come

[FlemptonBass]

I had mostly used Ibanez up until I got into a car accident and used the money to buy myself an EB/MM Bongo 5. Haven't regretted a single second of it, but I definitely still play my Ibanez and my Warwick RockBass every now and again.

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by Bibby

My progression went Fender/ Alembic / Lakland / Elrick / Fender.

I would say that many have gone through the same cycle and , like me, ended right back up where they started.

Me too.... (raises hand).
Someone here once wrote "from P bass we come, and to P bass we shall return."

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by dmusic148

Me too.... (raises hand).
Someone here once wrote "from dinosaurs we come, and to dinosaurs shall return."

Fix'd for truth. Humanity actually evolved from the giant reptiles we know as dinosaurs.

[RaginRog]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

I'd say you got ripped off pretty bad, man. I don't think I would've accepted anything less than an entire continent. The inhabitants could find a new place to hang.

Originally Posted by autodidact

WHAT?! YOU MEAN I CAN JUST TRADE MY HOUSE FOR A RITTER?! Homeless Funk Jazz Fusion here I come

I'm married...I was forced into taking the trade...So if you happen to be married, make sure you go home with flowers before telling your wife she has to move out because of your GAS.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by RaginRog

I saw your bass in the classifieds...very nice. I also watched a video someone posted of Chris's workshop...he appears to be a great guy, and luthier.

Yeah, Chris is an awesome dude, and always up for a challenge. And while I can't say what will or won't work for someone else, his basses feel absolutely perfect in my hands.

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I own lots of boutique basses (all but two are bolt-on), but I still keep four Fenders and play them regularly. To be honest, I have no tone-related reasons to play anything but the Fenders. The others are "vanity basses" more than anything. But I have to say I derive a lot of pleasure from playing the boutique basses.

I can see that. In terms of tone I could almost agree since I lean towards more vintage sounds. But for me custom/boutique basses are as much about playability as they are about tone or aesthetics.

At one point I had the idea of a long term project for Chris Stambaugh where I'd get one bass a year and have him do each with the same shape and playability, but otherwise try to to cop a classic bass.

An alder/rosewood P, an ash/maple 70's jazz, a pre EB Stingray, a maple, neck through Ric etc. Best of both worlds IMO.

[Refonbass]

Basses I used to play:
Fodera (x3)
Ritter
Ken Smith
Roscoe
Elrick (x2)
Benavente
Claude Nunez
Spector
etc.. (more I can't think of at the moment)

Basses I play now:
Fender Precision