Are cheap bass expectations too high?

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I don't think they are too high. Especially when you use the word 1200 and cheap in the same sentence.

For 1200, you better believe I expect a near perfect instrument.

I can forgive some flaws in 200 to 300 dollar basses.
I can forgive some minor things in 400 to 500 dollar basses.
Frankly, after that, I expect a fine build, and at 1200, I expect a near perfect build.
Manufacturers who can't keep up with those lines these days won't have many happy owners.

At 1200 bucks, I'd expect to not have anything wrong with it. Do I expect it to be perfect? What is perfect? Its an instrument. I expect it to play, and sound good. More so, I expect it to last. Hell, I've had my 100 dollar gio for 20 years now, and it still sounds good. Frets are beat to hell, and hardwares got some rust on it, but I cleaned up the pickups twice, and its still a beast. 1200 bucks, I expect 40+

 

[ILIA]

There were a lot of real world examples. Heh. Sure, you can find examples of people that have cheap basses that can play really well and examples of people with cheap basses that can't. You can find examples of people with $10k instruments that can't play and examples of people that are going to slay with those instruments. If you look at the bulk of circumstances, quality players are going to show up with quality gear. Gear may help you get the initial gig, but playing will get the follow up gigs.

Strangely, we are in agreement on some basic things.

I remember when I first started studying electric bass formally with a good teacher that really knew what they were doing. He played a really nice bass, and I played my starter bass. When I first expressed, in a lesson, my frustration with my starter bass and expressed that I was looking forward to being able to buy a bass like his so I could sound like him (me, like an idiot, thinking that it was the bass and not me), he took my starter bass from me and proceeded to make it sound amazing. I shut the hell up about my bass, I stopped looking at more expensive electric basses, I did what the teacher told me, and I practiced. Fast forward several years, my gig calendar is full, and just the bow for my bow for my upright is worth more than most high-end electric basses . . . . . . but nobody looks at the headstock of my electric bass unless they are really bored. I remember doing a weeks-long run of a musical and nobody mentioned anything about my expensive gear that I had in the pit, until we were close to the end of the run when people almost had their books memorized and were looking around the pit out of boredom.

Circling back to your original post, whenever I pick up a relatively inexpensive bass today, I'm surprised at how much better they are than the inexpensive basses that were available to me when I first started. But I'm even more surprised at how awful these basses sound in the hands of a a bad player--and how many more of them exist today. Again, like I said earlier, I'm chalking that up to the lowering of the price barrier to become a bass player. That's not a bad thing. But when it comes time to truly evaluate an instrument, whether "cheap" or top-end, it's a mistake for anyone to evaluate the instrument separately from the player. Am I expecting too much of a cheap bass? Who cares. I recently hired a carpenter to make a new deck for my house. I didn't check to see what kind of power tools he used, nor did he tell me. He just better damn well make a good deck, and live up to what his references said about him. The same principle applies to me when people call me for a gig (when there still were gigs), whether I show up with a beater electric or I show up with an upright that is worth more than most new cars.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

It might also be that other companies are run by business people who hire engineers that are directed by a committee with a price point as a design target. I don't doubt that the large companies know what they're doing. The market is at the bottom. If they can reduce their costs while holding prices, they can make a larger profit.

Brought to you be SQUIRE!

 

[neurotictim]

When I first expressed, in a lesson, my frustration with my starter bass and expressed that I was looking forward to being able to buy a bass like his so I could sound like him (me, like an idiot, thinking that it was the bass and not me), he took my starter bass from me and proceeded to make it sound amazing.

I tell this story every year or two on here, as threads pop up.

Vic Wooten was doing a clinic here in Virginia Beach, hosted by Alpha Music, many many moons ago. He had Anthony Jackson with him, and there were at least 50 or 60 of us in attendance. They were both playing Foderas through some pretty amazing borrowed Bergantino gear (which was Alpha's high end gear at the time). After chatting for a bit, giving us all the advice that Vic is so well known for ("FEEL the music, music is a language, no bad notes, it's all groovy baby" type stuff) he opened it up to questions. Some kid said something about how he wished he could afford all the nice gear so he could sound as good. Vic asked him up to the stage, took the kid's Ibanez Gio (IIRC, could have been any cheapo bass) and proceeded to blow the DOORS off of the place. Amazing sound. Maybe not quite as good as the $10k Fodera, but close enough that you'd have a hard time believing you could literally buy 80 of the Ibanez basses for the cost of one Yin Yang.

His whole point was that trope "tone is in the fingers" but the additional truth here is that expectations are often unrealistic. We may expect too much from inexpensive basses, but many of us also have unspoken expectations about boutique instruments, namely that they'll make us worthy of them.

In either case, the instrument is just the tool. Or, as Gin Blossoms once said, "If you don't expect too much from me, you might not be let down."

Lol.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

So, I'm following up on my prior post in this thread saying that pound for pound in a traditional bolt-on neck 4/5 string Bass that you cannot beat Warmoth...

Again, I have worked for them 19 years ago on 9/11 so I really know the company. I have also worked with Mark Erlewine, Dan Erlewine's cousin in Austin, Texas.

This is where I am @ for $1200 =

1/4 sawn Maple neck with steel rods, Black Ebony fingerboard, binding and clear gloss finish.

Roasted Alder body with all of the routing, Liquid Black gloss finish with the new weight releaved 2TEK 19mm spacing bridge.

Add +/÷ $340 for two custom EMG X pickups and BTS with a set of Hipshot HB-1 JO long stem reverse Clover tuners with these custom knobs and it's basicly done when the pickups are ready.

The setup will be $260 for the Plek and Brass nut installation for AEAD tuning.

$1800.00 just the way I want it and completely dialed in @ +/- 8.75 lbs.

That's not CHEAP...but it is a whole lot less, than paying for the exact same thing from a name brand everyone knows. I just use my own brand and will play it to death!

 

[moderatelyfunky]

So, I'm following up on my prior post in this thread saying that pound for pound in a traditional bolt-on neck 4/5 string Bass that you cannot beat Warmoth...

Again, I have worked for them 19 years ago on 9/11 so I really know the company. I have also worked with Mark Erlewine, Dan Erlewine's cousin in Austin, Texas.

This is where I am @ for $1200 =

1/4 sawn Maple neck with steel rods, Black Ebony fingerboard, binding and clear gloss finish.

Roasted Alder body with all of the routing, Liquid Black gloss finish with the new weight releaved 2TEK 19mm spacing bridge.

Add +/÷ $340 for two custom EMG X pickups and BTS with a set of Hipshot HB-1 JO long stem reverse Clover tuners with these custom knobs and it's basicly done when the pickups are ready.

The setup will be $260 for the Plek and Brass nut installation for AEAD tuning.

$1800.00 just the way I want it and completely dialed in @ +/- 8.75 lbs.

That's not CHEAP...but it is a whole lot less, than paying for the exact same thing from a name brand everyone knows. I just use my own brand and will play it to death!
View attachment 3979044

I love that neck. Great looking bass!

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

I love that neck. Great looking bass!

Much appreciated, it is going to be a MONSTER when it's finished!

 

[Frank Vozak]

As someone w/ little mechanical or math ability I am continuously impressed by the amazing custom made basses and then really impressive mods on already manufactured basses. You guys really are creative with creating very special basses. I just sort of lucked out early in my bass life when I had a 67 Mustang and an EB-O that played well for me and now that I am back playing at retirement with the Mini P strictly out of the box and my CB60 are again returning the favor

 

[Frank Vozak]

I had a great story about great luthiers and Volvo mechanics but the computer ate my homework. That is to say, its amazing what a great craftsman can do for a car , a fiddle or a bass, regardless of the pri

Hell.......15 to 20 yrs ago a 4k High definition 55 inch Flat screen Television like I have in my bedroom and paid under $300 for (I dont think 4k even existed then and the tv would of been plasma with poor viewing angles) would of cost $15,000 to $20,000!!!!!!
That's INSANE
But as stuff like that has gone down in price, consider that I bought a brand spanking new Gibson Thunderbird bass in the mid 90s for $750 at Loria music in Rahway NJ.
Now they are pushing $2000 for a new Tbird!
No wonder people buy imports, the construction methods are so good now, you tell me what the difference is between the Epiphone Thunderbird (the thru neck ones) and the Gibson?

I sold bought my 67 new in 67 Mustang Bass and Gibson EB-O for $300======now my EB-O in the pristine condition I sold it years ago goes for $1400=1600 and that Mustang would fetch $1600 to $2000 (and lets not talk about that '67 Jazz bass I bought on floor clearance for $300--------the prices for new of any of these things or in fact the price to buy them used would make your eyes bug out (oh by the way I PASSED ON A $350 Gibson Thunderbird at the same time) We look at sky high bass prices yet my new Squier Mini for $149 outplays them all. Sometimes price makes a difference but sometimes you can really get a pretty good bass for a modest price if you are willing to playa bass made in China or Indonesia