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Are Expensive Basses Necessary?

#281
It isn't a need for making music, but it can make the experience more enjoyable.

If you're enjoying yourself more, than the ability to concentrate on the music and not the balance of the instrument, or the spurious fret fret sprout, or whatever...

In the end, it probably also saves money. I went through a good 30 or 40 basses trying to find "the right one." I have 13 last year in order to find the one that fit my "mood at the moment."

I bought 1 Fodera and sold them all. (Seriously, the sale funded the Fodera...) also bought a Roscoe.

Very happy between the 2 of them... more happy than with the entire stable!
 
#282
Define expensive.... I think people are charging WAYYYYY TOO MUCH LATELY! CNC shops like dingwall, Warwick and Spector charge over 5k some Warwick models are 10k..... then you wait a year to get a bass that is turned out in no time on a machine... then you have this "holy guy" who prays for you when you buy a bass from him but gouges you for an instrument that is half assed and inconsistent.
You also have builders out there who make instruments that will last you a lifetime. I own a 1975 Carl Thompson bass and it plays perfectly still. Some people will say a bass like this is overpriced but at 42 years old and Carl still offering to maintain it I think the bass is worth the money.

I don't think expensive basses are "necessary" but if you are a serious musician you should have an instrument that will last a lifetime. Ever play one of these cheap basses and have the frets start piping out? I have.....
 
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#285
Of course they aren't a necessity but I can definitley tell a diffrence in my playing and confidence when I play on a well crafted bass. There is nothing like the feeling of a bass that you feel like was crafted specifically for your hands and is an extension of you. My Warriors make me feel that way everytime I take the stage with them. The combination of build, play ability and tone makes them worth every scent to me.
 
#286
Flaked Beans said:
cantrelleq2.jpg
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Ok, I know this was three weeks ago, but...Not getting the point of Maxwell's Equations?:thumbsdown:
 
#287
Couldn't make it all the way through the thread. I'll just offer these perspectives:

Instrument depends on the gig.

If you are auditioning for a pro orchestra; yes that $100k 18th century Italian Master bass might be just the thing; assuming your skill level is appropriate.

If you are auditioning for a CL weekend warrior cover band; then, most folks are familiar with one kind of bass guitar. Fender. I have been witness to some laughably extreme examples of this.

If you are auditioning for a pro Studio position or want to work in the pro Show circuit, learn to read. Really well. And, have a couple of quality instruments.

If you just like nice things; have at it. There are some amazing choices out there.

We have a free market capitalist system. More or less. Instrument prices reflect build cost and purchaser demand.

The player's skill and knowledge have zero relation to the cost of the instrument. However, the player's ability to succeed at auditions can depend on bringing the right tool for the job.
 
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#290
Depends on what your definition of "expensive" is. For a poor individual, $200 can be expensive.

The answer is, no.

Even a person with a rope, broomstick and wash tub and make pretty cool bass sounds and play in a band.
 
#291
Snaxster said:
Nothing is necessary, Brendon. Neither you nor I, nor the air we breathe is necessary.
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Dude, lay off my air. I paid top dollar for my air and it was worth every penny. You just can't get the same kind of lung feel and oxygen/nitrogen balance from MIK air. This air was totally necessary; you show up to any reputable dirigible club with with Squier air and you'll get laughed right out of the... uh, Blimp-port? I guess?
 
#293
Old thread, but I thought I'd chime in.

I agree that if you are a full-time professional player, you should have a bass that will last a lifetime.

For us weekend warriors, I think we tend to get bored with the basses we do have. We also fall into the trap that somehow a $3500 bass will make us sound so much better/be easier to play. Maybe, but you have to ask yourself if that is really worth the extra money. Right now, my primary instrument is a Geddy Lee Jazz Bass. Its solid, and I can get all the sounds I need out of it.
 
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#294
I have 2 expensive basses.... Rickenbacker 4003 and EBMM Stingray 5 HH. The rest are mid-grade sub-$1K basses or budget sub-$500 basses. I bought the Stingray and Rickenbacker because I WANTED them and could afford them. I admit though... I didn't NEED them.
 
#298
bjlevine said:
Old thread, but I thought I'd chime in.

I agree that if you are a full-time professional player, you should have a bass that will last a lifetime.

For us weekend warriors, I think we tend to get bored with the basses we do have. We also fall into the trap that somehow a $3500 bass will make us sound so much better/be easier to play. Maybe, but you have to ask yourself if that is really worth the extra money. Right now, my primary instrument is a Geddy Lee Jazz Bass. Its solid, and I can get all the sounds I need out of it.
Click to expand...
A Geddy is a lifetime bass to many folks, including many working pros, for the reasons you stated. I get why people like the more expensive stuff, but if the Geddy or even something less expensive does the trick for you, it's all good.
 
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#300
I think the more interesting discussion is at which point you start to seriously hit diminishing returns. Paid under 1.3k second hand for my original series ESP Amaze 5, Yamaha TRB-5PII etc. Those are built in their respective companies' custom shops. Not sure how to do better no matter how much I spend.

Don't even have to spend over a grand for top quality. 90s high model # Ibanez, USA Hamers and Carvins. Older MIJ BBs and TRBs. MIJ Tokais are dirt cheap also.

Sure, you can go for boutique/custom if you need something specific, but as far as general fit&finish goes, the sweet spot is slightly above a grand (or under 2k new) in my mind.
 
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