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A Non-Sadowsky Owner's Informed Opinion
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
Back OT tho, see, this is how it happens... someone who's not impressed by some more expensive basses creates a post that's critical of them, and then the lovers of those instruments get insulted, and pretty soon we have "give a damn" and "pissed me off", and pretty soon after that, a closed thread. Who the heck benefits from that???
I simply don't see the need to be critical of more expensive instruments any more than I would less expensive instruments.
If you love what you have, that's ALL that matters. You could be playing a Hondo II Wal-Mart special, or the most ridiculous gold plated 25,000 jewel encrusted beast. If you're inspired to play great music, IT'S FRIGGIN' WORTH IT for cryin' out loud.
It's about the MUSIC, not the MONEY!
I simply don't see the need to be critical of more expensive instruments any more than I would less expensive instruments.
If you love what you have, that's ALL that matters. You could be playing a Hondo II Wal-Mart special, or the most ridiculous gold plated 25,000 jewel encrusted beast. If you're inspired to play great music, IT'S FRIGGIN' WORTH IT for cryin' out loud.
It's about the MUSIC, not the MONEY!
T-Most, one other thing. I am a mature enough person that I have no need to make my bass the "equal" of Sadowsky. If the Sadowsky had blown away my Cort, fine. When I a/b'ed them, it just didn't happen that way. if you had a/b'ed them, you might have had an entirely different opinion. That would be cool with me too. What pissed me off is the notion that I am somehow wishing a result. I am not so hung up on my gear that I need to do something like that, and I am insulted that you suggested such a thing.
Well it's unfortunate that you feel insulted. I don't see where I insulted you so I won't offer an apology. However, thats not to say basses can definately be better OR worse than the price tag suggests. I know this to be true. So, being the mature person you are take my humble opinion with a grain of salt and leave it at that. I just wonder why you are so upset that I dissagree with your evaluation.
First of all, I wasn't seeking an apology, so if you don't feel a need for one, don't bring it up. Compare the tone of the post I have cited here and the one I initially reacted to. If you had used the reasonable tone above when you first posted, you wouldn't have gotten the response from me you got earlier.
Hi
LOL, Kevin. Hows the new crappy 5 string Sadowsky treatin' you? Cant wait for you to sell it to me for 10cents on the dollar!!!!
Rob
LOL, Kevin. Hows the new crappy 5 string Sadowsky treatin' you? Cant wait for you to sell it to me for 10cents on the dollar!!!!
Rob
Doesn't Cort use Warmoth parts?
That's the secret!
Seriously, in the OP, I clearly stated that I loved the feel of the Sadowsky neck, and even though I thought my Cort sounded very good in comparison to the Sadowsky Modern, I also said that I could see with a casual glance that the Sadowsky was an expensive, and well constructed instrument. Just because I didn't think the Modern blew the doors off of my Cort, doesn't mean that I put it down.
Cheese, I luv ya, but yeah, I was.
While you weren't abusive, the crux of your post read as if to say there's no significant additional value in the more expensive instruments, and the way you stated them seemed fairly absolute. This WILL be viewed as generally critical by those who would disagree and feel those instruments are a lot nicer and worth a lot more. Case in point:
Clearly you can see how this reads as if to say there's no reason to invest in an expensive instrument. That might be true for you and your personal tastes and requirements/needs, but obviously, not for everyone.
Also, IMHO, it's invalid to simply equate everything to dollars and cents and manufacturing cost like this:
There's a LOT more to it than that. It's simply not just about who can make the bass the cheapest or who can offer more finish colors and such. No mass production rig could ever ever compete with the small hand built shop for the "human" things that go in, and truly do matter to some folks in a very valid way, and as such hold real tangible value.
A mass production shop is focused on manufacturing cost first, and actually does not want individuality, but instead consistency and repeatability, and is only concerned about "acceptable" quality commensurate with the final selling price. A small custom shop is focused first on quality and individuality, and manufacturing cost (basses/month) second... maybe a distant second, which is inversely related to price, of course.
It's an opposite business case. Apples/oranges.
You also threw lots of disclaimers in your post here and there, but those really seemed (at least to me) more as insertions to potentially use in your defense if people were to go after you for what I think most perceive as the crux of the post... also indicating you knew the slant of the post was critical, and you'd get the push back you are getting (and should expect).
Don't get me wrong, I completely agree that, for a lot of players out there, the more expensive stuff just doesn't make sense. But to suggest that the less expensive basses are truly comparable to more expensive ones in a more general sense, I think is invalid.
Vic, I was honestly trying to give my assessment of Sadowskys, which is tricky for me since I am not in the position to own one. I waited until I had played several so I could give what I thought was an informed opinion.
I honestly wasn't trying to insult or putdown Sadowsky owners. If it weren't for $10,000 a year in daycare and some other long term expenses, I would have been one at least four years ago.
What I guess I was really trying to convey was the notion of diminishing returns. IMO, boutique basses are expensive because reaching the last 5-10% towards "perfection" really becomes disproportionately expensive. That is why a $1,300 bass can so often come super close to a boutique bass in sound and finish. My $600 Cort just came close in terms of sound.
Once again, I was not trying to put anyone down, and if that is the way this thread is being taken, I would be alright with it being deleted. I like my fellow TB'ers, and I don't want to be seen as someone who is out to be negative towards others choices.
This notion of "sounds coming close" is also subject to an individual's ears. It all comes down to what you want to hear. My Sterling sounds great. It does not sound like my Sadowsky and I like it for what it is. Neither is better. Same with my $400.00 GrassRoots bass. None of them "come close" to anything but their own sound.
Dr. Cheese, I just want to thank you for starting this thread. It's refreshing to hear a difference of opinion and I know that criticizing Sadowsky is like walking on egg shells no matter how fair, objective, and balanced your viewpoint is or how many IMHOs one inserts.
HI
Well, I see this thread is winding down.
One thing to remember about anything you buy is that a good deal is a state of mind. When I was in sales(16 Years) my happiest customers were the ones that paid full price and were elated with my customer service and the awesome Porsche they got. My most unhappy customers were the ones that negotiated for 2 weeks. They got the car at a big discount, I made a fraction of what I usually did, and they were forever calling and complaining about something.
The moral of the story is that one mans "deal" is not the next man's "deal". Cheese believes that his bass does everything that a "boutique" bass does. I dont disbelieve him for a moment. Im not a snob although many think I am. I just love what I play and have not a problem forking over the cash. They've never let me down, Roger kisses my behind like I'm Will Lee, and I consider half the shop my friends. The "relationship" part of my Sadowsky artist deal is everything to me. If they were different people, Id frankly search for another shop which treated me like a king. I strolll in there pretty much when I like. They drop what they are doing and help me out with whatever ails me. Im sure you've read my posts about such things. Frankly, many favors from them are so personal and meaningful I would never share in public. They go way beyond the place where i "get my gear"
As a pro who makes his living from live shows, this means everything to me. I dont want to think about my gear for 2 seconds. Setting it up, looking for a sound from venue to venue, etc. My basses and amps let me pretty much plug and play. Hassle free!! Turn up the volume knob and groove.
Ive owned other quality instruments. Always seemed I was adjusting a neck, fiddling at shows, etc. Dont have those worries anymore.
I couldnt be happier. Without sounding insane, you couldnt give me any other bass right now. I simply wouldnt use it. Im selling an Alembic as I right this and have sold off dozens of awesome pieces. Sadowsky isnt better, just perfect for my narrow ass!!! Im glad your Cort is perfect for you. Plus youve got about $2500 in your pocket. So maybe Im the idiot? LOL But again, a good deal is "a state of mind"
Ya know??!!
Rob
Well, I see this thread is winding down.
One thing to remember about anything you buy is that a good deal is a state of mind. When I was in sales(16 Years) my happiest customers were the ones that paid full price and were elated with my customer service and the awesome Porsche they got. My most unhappy customers were the ones that negotiated for 2 weeks. They got the car at a big discount, I made a fraction of what I usually did, and they were forever calling and complaining about something.
The moral of the story is that one mans "deal" is not the next man's "deal". Cheese believes that his bass does everything that a "boutique" bass does. I dont disbelieve him for a moment. Im not a snob although many think I am. I just love what I play and have not a problem forking over the cash. They've never let me down, Roger kisses my behind like I'm Will Lee, and I consider half the shop my friends. The "relationship" part of my Sadowsky artist deal is everything to me. If they were different people, Id frankly search for another shop which treated me like a king. I strolll in there pretty much when I like. They drop what they are doing and help me out with whatever ails me. Im sure you've read my posts about such things. Frankly, many favors from them are so personal and meaningful I would never share in public. They go way beyond the place where i "get my gear"
As a pro who makes his living from live shows, this means everything to me. I dont want to think about my gear for 2 seconds. Setting it up, looking for a sound from venue to venue, etc. My basses and amps let me pretty much plug and play. Hassle free!! Turn up the volume knob and groove.
Ive owned other quality instruments. Always seemed I was adjusting a neck, fiddling at shows, etc. Dont have those worries anymore.
I couldnt be happier. Without sounding insane, you couldnt give me any other bass right now. I simply wouldnt use it. Im selling an Alembic as I right this and have sold off dozens of awesome pieces. Sadowsky isnt better, just perfect for my narrow ass!!! Im glad your Cort is perfect for you. Plus youve got about $2500 in your pocket. So maybe Im the idiot? LOL But again, a good deal is "a state of mind"
Ya know??!!
Rob
Trust me, I understand.
But that's only true for you because:
Which makes that determination much more specific to you than your original post seems to read. That's really what this all boils down to.
To you, a lot of less expensive basses and much more expensive bass are truly comparable except for cost. That's fine. But to a lot of folks, they aren't even close. BOTH are actually correct, but I don't think your original post allowed for that, hence the opposition.
Hypothetical questions for you: I haven't had the chance to play a Sadowsky yet but let's say that day comes, I'm not bowled over by it, and I start a thread about how the Sadowsky was nice but didn't live up to the hype I'd heard on TB. Would you post a dissenting position? How would you react if I told you to move on if you didn't share my opinion?
Hypothetical question for you: How could anyone post a dissenting position in relation to your opinion that a Sadowsky was nice but didn't live up to the hype you'd heard on TB?
Viking, if you said something remotely negative about one of those basses, you would get a s***storm of flaming and righteous indignation from all sides.
The likes of which you've never seen
The likes of which you've never seen
