Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
There surely is a point of diminishing returns with bass prices.
A solid, luthier made bass does not come under 1.500,-
Once that luthier is booked 12 months in advance with more people on his doorstep, he'll increase prices until the whole thing balances.
I own several basses that were in the 1000-2000 range. I consider these absolutely worth their money.
There are no parts that you could easily swap with something way better to make the whole instrument jump up a couple of notches. They already came with top of the line pickups, electronics, bridges and tuners. The tonewoods are solid, properly aged and the craftsmanship leaves nothing to be desired.
It is a complex symbiosis, the bass and you. What does it give back to you? Everybody is different. So are the expectations. For one guy, a '66 P is the holy grail. All that mojo, all that vibe. For another guy, a '66 P is a horrendously overpriced and overglorified piece of old wood that was introduced to the market so people can have a cheap bass.
There are bassists that spent around 400 bucks for an instrument that comes with a straight neck made out of proper wood and correct intonation and a good playability. They don't want what they consider fancy bling. They want a tool, like a screwdriver where they don't see the need to have the handle plated in 24k gold.
Others revel in the superior craftsmanship of a Dingwall, Fodera or Carl Thompson - so much that they coughed up more than ten times of what a solid, working Squier costs. I dare say that a really good player, while he's able to sound good on any working bass, is able to coax out a little more from a super expensive bass.
You see whatever super-tight-bass-player-you-fancy-a-lot playing an Alembic and Mesa combination and are blown away by how solid he sits in the pocket and how all of his notes ring clear and true.
But keep in mind, you saw that mediocre guy with the same equipment, being mediocre, maybe imagining how you would sound so much better than him if you had that kind of stuff on stage.
The same goes for the number of basses you need or want.
I myself have three basses that basically cover the same ground. I play them in rotation. There are differences.
I can make all these sound good enough to sit well in the mix and my bandmates do not have any preferences to what bass i bring to rehearsal. Apart from the differences in sound, all these basses play differently. I pick whatever style fits my mood for the day. I could easily sell off two of them and be left with a bass that covers all my needs, but i'd feel that i was missing out on something, so i don't.
What i'm trying to say is that only the OP himself can answer the initial question, as every bass player has to answer that for himself. Do you like those expensive basses? Do you like them so much that you not only want one, but also start saving up to get one? Then yes, they are necessary.
A solid, luthier made bass does not come under 1.500,-
Once that luthier is booked 12 months in advance with more people on his doorstep, he'll increase prices until the whole thing balances.
I own several basses that were in the 1000-2000 range. I consider these absolutely worth their money.
There are no parts that you could easily swap with something way better to make the whole instrument jump up a couple of notches. They already came with top of the line pickups, electronics, bridges and tuners. The tonewoods are solid, properly aged and the craftsmanship leaves nothing to be desired.
It is a complex symbiosis, the bass and you. What does it give back to you? Everybody is different. So are the expectations. For one guy, a '66 P is the holy grail. All that mojo, all that vibe. For another guy, a '66 P is a horrendously overpriced and overglorified piece of old wood that was introduced to the market so people can have a cheap bass.
There are bassists that spent around 400 bucks for an instrument that comes with a straight neck made out of proper wood and correct intonation and a good playability. They don't want what they consider fancy bling. They want a tool, like a screwdriver where they don't see the need to have the handle plated in 24k gold.
Others revel in the superior craftsmanship of a Dingwall, Fodera or Carl Thompson - so much that they coughed up more than ten times of what a solid, working Squier costs. I dare say that a really good player, while he's able to sound good on any working bass, is able to coax out a little more from a super expensive bass.
You see whatever super-tight-bass-player-you-fancy-a-lot playing an Alembic and Mesa combination and are blown away by how solid he sits in the pocket and how all of his notes ring clear and true.
But keep in mind, you saw that mediocre guy with the same equipment, being mediocre, maybe imagining how you would sound so much better than him if you had that kind of stuff on stage.
The same goes for the number of basses you need or want.
I myself have three basses that basically cover the same ground. I play them in rotation. There are differences.
I can make all these sound good enough to sit well in the mix and my bandmates do not have any preferences to what bass i bring to rehearsal. Apart from the differences in sound, all these basses play differently. I pick whatever style fits my mood for the day. I could easily sell off two of them and be left with a bass that covers all my needs, but i'd feel that i was missing out on something, so i don't.
What i'm trying to say is that only the OP himself can answer the initial question, as every bass player has to answer that for himself. Do you like those expensive basses? Do you like them so much that you not only want one, but also start saving up to get one? Then yes, they are necessary.
And I have no problem with that. It's the Richard Heads that think EVERYONE should be OK with Squier that are the problem.Apparentely a lot of people on here take this advice, which explains why so many people on here are just fine with a Squire Afffinity...
Get the best you can for the money, usually, means do the leg work yourself. ... $1,000 is a good cut off for a good dependable instrument. (Others don't consider anything under $2,000 to $5,000) But, saying that, in the last few years, I picked up a 06 Fender Highway One Jazz with Aguilar P-ups and a 2000 MM Stingray, with matching headstock for far less than $1,000 each. ... And personally the world doesn't need another cheap bass/instrument. ... What happened to pride of ownership?
I've seen plenty of people playing big shows with $500 Fenders. Just because it says Fender doesn't mean it's an expensive bass. Really it's up to you to decide if a bass is good or bad for what you need. I've played some expensive basses and thought they sucked. My cheapest most beat up bass actually plays better than most I've owned.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Are Expensive Basses Necessary?
In the last 8 years when the economy was bad I liked having expensive basses around to sell off when I needed money.
Most of the basses that I really like to play are cheaper frankensteined parts basses.
In the last 8 years when the economy was bad I liked having expensive basses around to sell off when I needed money.
Most of the basses that I really like to play are cheaper frankensteined parts basses.
Last edited:
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Every bass player should have at least 2 basses ... but you don't NEED an expensive bass
OP do not fall for the marketing ruses. I am not as well experienced as some of the "flippers" here, but from my experience I would suggest getting one or two quality basses. By quality I don't necessarily mean multi thousand dollar basses but solid intermediate-advanced level (ie. AM Fenders, Ric, Spector, upper end Ibanez, G&L, Musicman just to name a few). I ended up with a used Peavey T40 and I love it. If you are looking to get an "expensive" bass go the used route.
- Jul 30, 2006
- 2,315
- 453
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist:Regenerate Guitar Works Carvin, Micheal Kelly Guitars
Expensive basses not necessary. But they are nice. The concept is the same regardless of what you spend for it. Wood strings and Pickups. I had the opportunity to play several songs on a friend's fodera. Very nice guitar very well-made. It did not sound any better than mine, just sounded different. We all have a little gear snob in US, and are impressed by expensive basses. But some of the places I play I would never take and expensive Bass.
If your objective is better musical qualities and you already have a decent instrument, I'd say the money is better spent on lessons, courses, practice aids, etc.
You can buy an expensive bass, but you can't buy talent and/or skill.
You can buy an expensive bass, but you can't buy talent and/or skill.
Last edited:
I'm probably just repeating what a lot of other people have said, but the bottom line is you should buy something well-built and that plays, feels, and sounds good to you. If it also LOOKS good, that's the icing on the cake.
Out of all the basses I have owned over the years, the one that I liked the LEAST was the most expensive - a Rickenbacker 4003. I'm not knocking Rics, they work fine for a lot of people, but the neck profile - at least of that particular model - caused chronic cramping in my wrist. Eventually I realized that, despite that Ric's looks and sounds, and the fact that many of my heroes had and/or were still playing 'em, that bass would never work for me; I essentially couldn't play it for even two minutes without being in serious pain, so I sold it.
Out of the four basses I currently own - the most expensive one being a Peavey Cirrus 6 - the one I seem to play most these days is a Jackson Kelly Bird V David Ellefson five-string signature model, which also happens to be the cheapest out of the four.
Another thing - if you're gonna go down the "I probably gotta play an expensive bass" rabbit hole, the next question you have to ask yourself is "HOW expensive?" Because there are some damn expensive basses out there...I think the most expensive ones I have seen are Ritters, which often seem to go (new) for five figures. I saw a Ritter guitar (regular guitar, not bass) on Reverb a couple of days ago listed at just over $41, 000 CAD (approximately $30, 000 USD.) I don't know who the hell buys Ritters, but it sure ain't (and never will be) me - and that would be the case even if I won a huge lottery. All due respect to Jens Ritter, there's no bass or guitar in the world that's worth that much to me.
Out of all the basses I have owned over the years, the one that I liked the LEAST was the most expensive - a Rickenbacker 4003. I'm not knocking Rics, they work fine for a lot of people, but the neck profile - at least of that particular model - caused chronic cramping in my wrist. Eventually I realized that, despite that Ric's looks and sounds, and the fact that many of my heroes had and/or were still playing 'em, that bass would never work for me; I essentially couldn't play it for even two minutes without being in serious pain, so I sold it.
Out of the four basses I currently own - the most expensive one being a Peavey Cirrus 6 - the one I seem to play most these days is a Jackson Kelly Bird V David Ellefson five-string signature model, which also happens to be the cheapest out of the four.
Another thing - if you're gonna go down the "I probably gotta play an expensive bass" rabbit hole, the next question you have to ask yourself is "HOW expensive?" Because there are some damn expensive basses out there...I think the most expensive ones I have seen are Ritters, which often seem to go (new) for five figures. I saw a Ritter guitar (regular guitar, not bass) on Reverb a couple of days ago listed at just over $41, 000 CAD (approximately $30, 000 USD.) I don't know who the hell buys Ritters, but it sure ain't (and never will be) me - and that would be the case even if I won a huge lottery. All due respect to Jens Ritter, there's no bass or guitar in the world that's worth that much to me.
Last edited:
drool
I try another answer: they are an absolute necessity!
As long as you don't own at least 1 or 2 expensive basses, you will always go like:
If only I had a Bass like ...enter name of favourite bass players .... I would sound so much better, I would sound like a pro, my fingers would fly above the fretboard...
Now you have one. It's you.
(but secret truth is: ouboard gear, like good mic preamps and compressors, is much more important than > 1.000,- basses. This is the reason you don't sound like the Pros. Buy expensive outboard gear!!!). It's not my fault...
As long as you don't own at least 1 or 2 expensive basses, you will always go like:
If only I had a Bass like ...enter name of favourite bass players .... I would sound so much better, I would sound like a pro, my fingers would fly above the fretboard...
Now you have one. It's you.
(but secret truth is: ouboard gear, like good mic preamps and compressors, is much more important than > 1.000,- basses. This is the reason you don't sound like the Pros. Buy expensive outboard gear!!!). It's not my fault...
I would say if your bass has a good tone, is not noisy, stays in tune, you can get around on it & are happy with it then it's A OK.
I've been gigging regularly with a Fender Highway 1 P Bass since 2005, only mods are Dimarzio p/u's and a Gotoh bridge.
Not exactly a boutique bass,I feel like a genius every gig when I play it, my initial investment in it has paid off substantially.
Meanwhile guitarists I work with are gigging with 3500$ axes that I don't think sound much better than less expensive ones.
I could buy a couple of basses + my car insurance for what they've shelled out.
I'm convinced that the player brings out the potential of any instrument..
I've been gigging regularly with a Fender Highway 1 P Bass since 2005, only mods are Dimarzio p/u's and a Gotoh bridge.
Not exactly a boutique bass,I feel like a genius every gig when I play it, my initial investment in it has paid off substantially.
Meanwhile guitarists I work with are gigging with 3500$ axes that I don't think sound much better than less expensive ones.
I could buy a couple of basses + my car insurance for what they've shelled out.
I'm convinced that the player brings out the potential of any instrument..
I've had similar experiences as a player of alembics on gigs where on subsequent gigs at the same venue the sound have remembered me more for the sound of my alembic than my skill as a bass player.
So do I need one......? No but at the time I wanted one and could afford it and justify the cost and I still love it never ever regretted buying it.
When it comes to things like this, want and need are completely different things. None of us even need a bass but we want a particular brand/model/design etc.
I'd say that even if you believe that expensive gear is better (sometimes yes and sometimes no) you can get a "tribute" to any instruments wood combination, any pickup, any pre amp, and any amp made for less than half of the original....but it doesn't get you the cool head stock logo! and everyone knows that's where they keep all the tone!
