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Oh, I'm well acquainted with April Wine (Lived in Canada since 77, and "Enough is Enough" was the anthem of my early teen years.)
Interestingly enough, I've worked up punk rips of April Wine tunes, I can never get the band to bite, but they lend themselves well to ripping, the bass lines are generally very simple and straightforward, so it's easy for me to hang fills on, or generally embellish the line to get it to be 'more punk.'
Just tell the haters you sold me all of your Squiers, both of my main players are Squiers, sure I could have saved myself a bunch of traveling around to different stores trying all the Squiers, but I like traveling around to different stores trying all the Squiers...
One of these days I'll figure out exactly what I'm gonna get from Warmoth, and that's where all that Fender money that I didn't spend on the Squiers will go.
When I bought my first USA Jazz bass it completely changed my playing. I was playing a Japanese Beatle copy and I didn't feel like a "real bass player." The Jazz made me feel better, sounded and played better and I got better. But that was just me. Now, it's the sound that drives me.
I suppose if the notion was put forth that if one could recognize the quality of the instrument, then their skill level must have progressed to the level of the instrument. If that is the hypothesis, then who am I to argue.
What he said....check our sigsI'm 'that guy'.....I'm also the guy that doesn't feel that you should only play crap gear if you're a crap bassist.....
I like my nice gear and one day I intend to be able to do it justice
If the neck is stable, the fretwork is smooth, and the electronics are solid, then it is high-quality bass. After a certain price you're just paying for a different finish or fancier woods.
It's not fair to judge Squiers. There is a huge difference in quality between a Squier and a Squier Affinity.
The quality of Squiers increases extremely quickly above $250.
It's not fair to judge Squiers. There is a huge difference in quality between a Squier and a Squier Affinity.
The quality of Squiers increases extremely quickly above $250.
As much as I 100% sympathize, one has to figure out which battles are worth fighting. I would have absolutely zero idea how to generally change the minds of the general musicians out there who have the bias. How do you do that? Sure, absolutely auditions should be mainly hinging on the playing. That's why Orchestral auditions went to blind auditions. But, for your general CL audition? I don't see a practical approach to change. Better to be forewarned, no?
Play what you like. Play what you can afford. You would sound the same on a Fodera and Victor would sound the same on an LTD - or whatever.
You may or may not feel like you "deserve" to play a certain bass but that's really between you and your banker.
I go thru this once in a while, but I think I am over it. I play in church. Nothing fancy, and I have a $3,000 Roscoe. I could certainly cover that - and all my other gigs really - with any decent 5 string or even a 4 string I guess.
I choose to play the Roscoe for many reasons. If I played a "lesser" bass, I think I'd still get gigs, I'd still be a decent player, and I'd "get used" to whatever bass I chose to play.
You may or may not feel like you "deserve" to play a certain bass but that's really between you and your banker.
I go thru this once in a while, but I think I am over it. I play in church. Nothing fancy, and I have a $3,000 Roscoe. I could certainly cover that - and all my other gigs really - with any decent 5 string or even a 4 string I guess.
I choose to play the Roscoe for many reasons. If I played a "lesser" bass, I think I'd still get gigs, I'd still be a decent player, and I'd "get used" to whatever bass I chose to play.
James Jamerson could play a bass with imperfect intonation and correct the notes on the fly. In other words, he could make a crappy bass sound good. But for mere mortals, more expensive is generally better. You get what you pay for.
I have the skill and budget to play any bass I want, but my lifestyle priorities stack the purchase of expensive boutique basses low on my list of needs. So I work with what I have, which is much more than I need. A good P & a good J will cover everything for me.
And so far, no builder has come up with a model that sends the siren's call to me loud enough to spend the big money on it.
And so far, no builder has come up with a model that sends the siren's call to me loud enough to spend the big money on it.
Based on my experience, I found that getting better gear helped me play better, to a point, but there are also diminishing returns. Back when I started playing, I had a cheap, old, beat-up, neck-diving bass with a sticky gloss finish on the neck. When I was older and more financially capable, I moved from there into the "very good" range (e.g. MIA Fenders), which did make a big difference in my playing. I don't believe it was because I had spent more money, more that I just had a better instrument that eliminated the flaws and obstacles of the old one. Beyond that, moving into the high end (boutique, custom shop, true vintage) instruments would really be a waste of money. The high end instruments may have some magic in them for some people, but they wouldn't in my hands.
I own moderately priced basses (<$500) that are still better than my skill level would justify. My amplification is a rung or two above that - way too high for my skill. I'm mildly embarrassed about that situation so you can say that my skill level factors into my buying decisions by preventing me from spending too much on basses and becoming that guy.
EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
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- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
If these things were skill-driven, this is what I'd be playing....
Same question to different people and you will get different answers. Me after years of a lot buying an selling here is my view point. There is something to be said about buying a higher-end instrument especially in the world of electric guitars and definitely acoustic guitars. That isn't to say a budget piece of equipment wouldn't be as good but it's more a diamond in the rust. Look for instance I bought budget acoustic guitars like Yamaha and Dean but never was quite happy. It wasn't till I pulled out the credit card and got myself a Taylor (2 in fact) that I am much happier. Then I bought budget equipment from high end providers: Martin. Granted it was designed for the purpose of traveling and/or for a kid but as a big adult I use it just fine.
Then there are bass's. The fact is the budget bass's are clunky and the frets aren't installed all that well. I bought one and in few weeks I bought a budget acoustic bass from Fender while top heavy, and a big body, still works and easier to play than my budget Ibanez which I turned in for a loss.
I also know better instruments can and have made me sound better. I know I know there is that famous video of Joe Satriani playing a $100.00 guitar playing one of his songs and sounding good. But the sound itself sucked, it was the technique and playing that sounded good.
Look skill plays a part, never will argue, but good equipment will sound good as you go. Bad equipment will for the most part sound bad no matter how good you are. So in the end, if you need something right away no one will fault you on a budget piece of equipment: I make a decent living and I still did that. But while you are practicing on your budget equipment save up for what you really want. There is no harm in that and remember life is too short. Get what you want just be responsible about it. Don't put it on a credit card and say "Oh I will pay it off". Save the dough, and once you have what you need and everything else in your life is right, buy it!
One last thing, there is a difference between budget equipment and really budget equipment. Meaning my $200 (actually a little less) and the amp just sounded like crap and the only way to get a decent sound out of it is if I plugged in headphones and that was a pain all together. What I should have done was spend the extra $200 MORE to get a decent acoustic bass which is what I did later on and then start planning how to buy what I really want.
Then there are bass's. The fact is the budget bass's are clunky and the frets aren't installed all that well. I bought one and in few weeks I bought a budget acoustic bass from Fender while top heavy, and a big body, still works and easier to play than my budget Ibanez which I turned in for a loss.
I also know better instruments can and have made me sound better. I know I know there is that famous video of Joe Satriani playing a $100.00 guitar playing one of his songs and sounding good. But the sound itself sucked, it was the technique and playing that sounded good.
Look skill plays a part, never will argue, but good equipment will sound good as you go. Bad equipment will for the most part sound bad no matter how good you are. So in the end, if you need something right away no one will fault you on a budget piece of equipment: I make a decent living and I still did that. But while you are practicing on your budget equipment save up for what you really want. There is no harm in that and remember life is too short. Get what you want just be responsible about it. Don't put it on a credit card and say "Oh I will pay it off". Save the dough, and once you have what you need and everything else in your life is right, buy it!
One last thing, there is a difference between budget equipment and really budget equipment. Meaning my $200 (actually a little less) and the amp just sounded like crap and the only way to get a decent sound out of it is if I plugged in headphones and that was a pain all together. What I should have done was spend the extra $200 MORE to get a decent acoustic bass which is what I did later on and then start planning how to buy what I really want.
Two years ago, I convinced myself that a pricey, top of the line instrument would inspire me to play more & I would get better.
That was the alternative to getting good enough to take advantage of a pricier better instrument.
Back then I sat and compared my $1,000 G&L ASAT to my $200 American Fender. I couldn't really feel a difference in playability, but the ASAT was obviously more versatile.
I should have given up on pricey stuff back then, but Noooo!
Right now I'm back to playing a cheap instrument, a Yamaha that only cost me $85.
It's made of Mango, and if I use the bridge pickup, it comes pretty close to my RIC 4004.
Yeah, I know you can easily refute me, because it probably doesn't sound anything like it.
There's the other reason I don't need a pricey instrument, because my ears cannot tell that big of a difference, especially with bass.
With guitar it's more pronounced, at least to me. Funny enough, I found a $115 LTD that sounds as good as my $1,000 G&L Comanche.
So again I don't need a pricey instrument, LOL!
add: the Yamaha is over a pound lighter than the RIC & the LTD is 1-1/2 lbs. lighter than the G&L.
That was the alternative to getting good enough to take advantage of a pricier better instrument.
Back then I sat and compared my $1,000 G&L ASAT to my $200 American Fender. I couldn't really feel a difference in playability, but the ASAT was obviously more versatile.
I should have given up on pricey stuff back then, but Noooo!
Right now I'm back to playing a cheap instrument, a Yamaha that only cost me $85.
It's made of Mango, and if I use the bridge pickup, it comes pretty close to my RIC 4004.
Yeah, I know you can easily refute me, because it probably doesn't sound anything like it.
There's the other reason I don't need a pricey instrument, because my ears cannot tell that big of a difference, especially with bass.
With guitar it's more pronounced, at least to me. Funny enough, I found a $115 LTD that sounds as good as my $1,000 G&L Comanche.
So again I don't need a pricey instrument, LOL!
add: the Yamaha is over a pound lighter than the RIC & the LTD is 1-1/2 lbs. lighter than the G&L.
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