Are higher priced basses really worth it?

[dabbler]

I say yes and no. I will give you an example. For the last 17 years, my two main basses were a 1994 and a 1995 Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear basses. I still have them and they are great basses. ... A few weeks back I traded my Taylor acoustic guitar for an Ernie Ball Music Man bass. It is a Sterling 4H that probably cost around $1,500.00 brand new in 2005. As soon as I played that bass, it was night and day difference to my Ibanez basses. It is just as comfortable, it is very balanced, but there is so much more to this bass than my Ibanezes have. It is way more versatile as far as getting different sounds out of it, it has a more balanced sound in that I hear all of the frequencies on this bass much more clearer, while both of my Ibanez basses and this bass both have active pickups in them, these ones are far more superior and it shows. Prior to this, I never really noticed a big difference in high end basses as opposed to let's say your mid grade basses but now that I have compared these basses side by side, I really do see a difference. ...

First off, I agree that whether it is worth it or not is TOTALLY dependent on the person answering the question, what they want, and how much they are willing to spend to get it.

Jay's post intrigues me though, because I believe that it might be highlighting one aspect not talked about much on this subject. As you get more experienced, you listen differently, and you hear more nuances. Most of the things you begin to hear, the audience is totally oblivious to, and some of them will get lost in a band mix anyway.

But if you want "that" sound, and "this" bass gives it to you, you may feel that it's worth it... just to please yourself. And that's as it should be.

 

[IngerAlb]

Actually it's an interesting question!

I've been playing entry to medium lvl basses for years because where I live is kind of difficult to get most of the brands I'd like so you're forced to choose from a very limited crowd (mostly Ibby, Fender, Yamaha, and cheap asian copies; recently Schecter, Aria and Peavey). Needless to say, the few shops that sell musical instruments were getting mostly "cheapos" because in a country where the average salary is around 400 Euros ppl can't afford expensive basses.

So I played a MIM Jazz for a couple of years, and then moved on to Ibbys (SRs & EDBs).
Last year I decided it was about time to get serious and buy a "dream bass", namely a W Thumb BO, followed by a Corvette Standard. I realise for most ppl these last 2 won't still qualify as very expensive basses, but for a guy like me it's a small fortune

Anyway...here's my 2 cents: I can really see the difference in quality - tonewise - between how the Ws sound and my previous basses; both have a focused growly tone, and yet crystal clear. HOWEVER, the Thumb came with sharp frets (I had to finish 'em myself) while both has some buzz issues around the 12th fret (I managed to get around it with a different set of strings and higher action). So in terms of sound & tone, I'd say money well spend. But in terms of playability & feel, they failed compared to my previous Ibbys which were spot on all the time. I also have a cheap Cort C bought used and that bass has amazing low action - something I can't get on my Ws no matter how much I tweak them (although the Cort's electronics suck).

So there you go...IMO there is no perfect bass, every single one has its flaws and in general any good thing has its downfall. I wouldn't pay a lot of money for a bass knowing what I know now because I prefer to get a better bang for the buck then some very cool features coupled with some dissapointment.

The thing with cheaper basses & brands is that quite often you can get a very pleasant surprise, the kind of stuff that makes you say "this is an amazing bass for so little money, it's a steal", while in an expensive model's case the expectations are very high because that instrument is supposed to be spot on, sound killer and feel like a million bucks - and every single issue or imperfection ruins the experience (IMO you pay extra so that you won't be forced to deal with the issues you may encounter in cheap basses).

But in the end I'd rather show up with a "cheapo" with a killer sound (be it heavily modded or not) and see some jaws dropping, rather then getting comments like: "of course he's got a killer tone, that guy's playing that X bass/brand".

 

[MNAirHead]

Really depends on the gig and the material..

My primary cash making bass is from a garage sale.. paid $60 for it.. works exactly for my theme band..

If the gig fits with slapping, hifi, fretless, etc, then unfortunately the gear isn't cheap.

===

My love affair with the Peavey USA stuff is that there are specific models that are very quality consistent (and on par with my botique stuff) that can be had for a small percentage compared to bigger name stuff.

 

[steve f]

Just a simple question asked a myriad of times I bet on this forum!

I just remembered seeing an amazing Swiss band, doing Hendrix stuff, in a Jazz/Progressive way.

They were touring Europe, and the US.

The bassist was playing a Cheap China Squire Precision. Well used with stickers on it. Great amp Gallien&Kruger. Thomastick strings!

Sounded awesome! Great solos!

So... Good amp, Good Strings, Good Cord.

Do you need a good bass? err I mean Expensive Bass?

I need an expensive bass because I suck and it helps a little.

 

[garythenuke]

I need an expensive bass because I suck and it helps a little.

Don't bet on it...

I have a less expensive ATK 700. I bought a Bongo HH recently and the ATK is just as nice. I guess if you only want the Bongo HH for the sake of having a Bongo HH then it's the way to go. The Bongo is good, but it's not two or three time as good as the price difference would indicate.
My only upgrade might be to get a ATK750 to get the single neck pickup.

 

[d3vnull]

If the more expensive bass inspires you to play more and be more attentive, then definately it pays off. This is how it works for me, although I only have quite basic gear. But I would like to have a top notch, flawless instrument, since I feel this would make me focus better.

On the other hand, cheap instruments are nice because they can be handled casually and I tend to try things more freely. They're also great when learning bass setup and maintenance.

 

[JimmyM]

my answer is still the same from the last thousand threads on this subject:

whatever.

 

[lowregister]

I've searched around a lot of basses to find THE first bass. It turns out it was more expensive. Rightfully so as more work and craftsmanship were put into it. Some of the more massive price jumps I just don't understand.

 

[srxplayer]

If you can afford it without pain and you think it makes you a better player, sure they are worth it. If you make your living with your instrument and you need some of the customization that a boutique bass can offer it makes sense.

 

[Rojo Grande]

I played a pawnshop frankenjazz for years, along with an '80's Ibanez 5. Both instruments were crucial in my development as a player. I told myself I would never go boutique. Walked into the store one day to teach, asked what was new, the guys just pointed at the bass wall in silence. Suffice to say, 5 years later, I've just paid off a Roscoe that actually doubles the value of my car when it's in it. Amazing instrument! Just holding the thing in my hands makes me want to practice/play for hours........

 

[rockosocko]

For the most part, a good player will always sound good regardless of what kind of instrument they play. However, in discussing pricing instruments typically you're looking at a bass that will be more comfortable and in some cases easier to play, built with better components and sound better that it's less expensive counterpart.

 

[Fuzzbass]

Just a simple question asked a myriad of times I bet on this forum!

I just remembered seeing an amazing Swiss band, doing Hendrix stuff, in a Jazz/Progressive way.

They were touring Europe, and the US.

The bassist was playing a Cheap China Squire Precision. Well used with stickers on it. Great amp Gallien&Kruger. Thomastick strings!

Sounded awesome! Great solos!

So... Good amp, Good Strings, Good Cord.

Do you need a good bass? err I mean Expensive Bass?

I play expensive basses because I want to, not because I need to. I've seen plenty of bassists who used inexpensive gear and played and sounded as good as I do.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I can vouch for the statement that more expensive basses are worth it - up to a point. Beyond $1500-2000 or so, you are paying for exotic wood and hand attention to detail that is hard pressed to feel.
Now, I have been really lucky and found a MIM Jazz used for $300 that is just fantastic, but it is not the norm. If someone put a gun to my head and told me to pick just ONE of my basses forever, it would probably be my '08 USA P. I have put this in the hands of non-bass players and they can feel and hear the difference between this and a lesser bass. Same with my Cirrus.

One of the most important details in any guitar or bass is the leveling, rounding and fitting of the frets. It is just not possible to do this consistently in low-cost basses and IMHO, the most important difference between cheap and more costly basses. This gives you an EASE of playing that you can't get in cheaper instruments.

Sometimes the difference is pretty glaring. Most of my basses are set up for pretty low effort playability and the necks feel great. Can that be found for a much lower price, in combination with everything else the basses offer? More often than not, no.

I don't buy or play expensive basses because they're expensive, I play them because they consistantly exceed my expectations as far as sound and playability. And my expectations just keep getting higher.


If they didn't, I wouldn't own them... and there are plenty of expensive basses I have no desire to own.

I know people think the higher cost is about exotic woods but wood doesn't really add that much to the cost of most exotic builds I've come across barring a handful of builders. Here's one of mine made entirely of Maple. Nothing exotic about that wood.

The most "exotic" piece is the quilted Maple control cavity cover.

For above $1500 I'd be paying for the sound and playability I want and an instrument built with the expertise of that luthier. I have no problem with pricing based on that expertise. And wood doesn't typically add thousands to the price of a bass.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I played a pawnshop frankenjazz for years, along with an '80's Ibanez 5. Both instruments were crucial in my development as a player. I told myself I would never go boutique. Walked into the store one day to teach, asked what was new, the guys just pointed at the bass wall in silence. Suffice to say, 5 years later, I've just paid off a Roscoe that actually doubles the value of my car when it's in it. Amazing instrument! Just holding the thing in my hands makes me want to practice/play for hours........

And for many people that's worth something.

 

[Ryan L.]

And for many people that's worth something.

I agree!

 

[FunkMetalBass]

Let's look at some probabilities:

Probability that you will get an SX bass that requires no modifications, can be set up with insanely low action, has the pickups perfectly aligned, balances well, has a flawless paint job, and has no electronics issues: (generously) 1/1000

Probability that you will get a Ritter bass that requires no modifications, can be set up with insanely low action, has the pickups perfectly aligned, balances well, has a flawless paint job, and has no electronics issues: 1/1


So, you are not only paying for quality control, you're also paying for innovative designs, the name and reputation, the customer service, the upgraded electronics, the boutique woods, and the bass that plays better than anything else you've ever held. You're also paying for the satisfaction of not owning a Fender.

 

[becker4567]

Do you need a Ferrari for moving around?
No.
Would you like using one?
Sure.

YUP!!!

 

[yybass]

Excuse my brevity, yes!
But the makes depends on the right 'fit' for the individual for me it has to be 2 great luthiers.

 

[BurningSkies]

The extra cost of my bass provided a number of features, that unless I'm mistaken are not available on a 200$ bass. I could be wrong, if so, please point it out:

-5pc graphite reinforced neck with compound radius, asymmetric neck shape, compound headstock angle.

-Multi-scale/Fanned banjo frets

-Custom Electronics with internal parallel/series switches for each pickup as well as between pickups, active electronics with integrated passive treble roll off

-my choice of body shape & a one-off custom finish.

-matching headstock and headstock finish. Matching pickups and pickup finish.

-Neodymium magnet pickups.

-I even chose the finish on the neck bolts. I never had Fender even make that offer.

 

[spade2you]

When SX makes this, keep me posted.