Basses You want versus basses you need.

[Dr. Cheese]

On my way to my bass lesson today, I thought about my Pedulla. It is easy for me to forget that Pedullas are a very highly regarded boutique bass brand since I lucked into buying mine instead of wanting one for years before getting it.

The bass I have wanted, but never bought, since I have been on Talkbass is a Sadowsky. I recently have decided that I am going to get one, hopefully this summer.

The funny thing is that I believe my Pedulla Pentabuzz has made me a better player in a way a Sadowsky would not have done. When I realized that I could get a Pedulla for under $1,200, I knew I needed to jump on the deal, but I also knew that if I bought it, I would have to commit to seriously improving my overall musicianship in general, and developing my intonation in particular. This has happened, my musical knowledge, reading, and intonation have much improved in the year or so since I bought my Pedulla.

If I had bought a Sadowsky, it would have been fretted, and I would have done what I did with other fretted basses: play along with music, and engaging in bad Marcus Miller or Bernard Edwards imitations. Playing along with songs is valuable, but more formal study is very important for being more complete knowledge.

I still want a Sadowsky, but my Pedulla is a special bass, and a game changer for me as a musician.

 

[Doctor J]

I bought my ESP 400 Series Jazz in 1992, my first genuine high quality bass and still the one my hands know intimately. I haven't needed another bass since, but where's the fun in that?

 

[alembicbones]

Hey Doc,
What flavor of Sadowsky are you leaning towards?

Also, it's great to hear how you are bonding with your fretless Pedulla. I've owned a few fretless basses over the years and I finally realized I just don't have the chops to make it really work. More power to your perseverance.

Best Wishes,
Bones

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I bought my ESP 400 Series Jazz in 1992, my first genuine high quality bass and still the one my hands know intimately. I haven't needed another bass since, but where's the fun in that?

There must be a lot of fun or you would have made a change.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Hey Doc,
What flavor of Sadowsky are you leaning towards?

Also, it's great to hear how you are bonding with your fretless Pedulla. I've owned a few fretless basses over the years and I finally realized I just don't have the chops to make it really work. More power to your perseverance.

Best Wishes,
Bones

If it is a new one, it will be MetroExpress.

Fretless is not about talent, it is about putting in the work to have good intonation. I am nowhere near a good player, let alone a great player, I just made fretless a priority once I took it home.

 

[alembicbones]

I haven't had the opportunity to try a MetroExpress yet but I bet they are nothing short of quality. I don't think Roger would put his name on anything cheap or inferior.

Best of luck with your search.
Bones

 

[nonohmic]

vs.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

vs.
View attachment 3388942

Two cool P-Basses, what is the message?

 

[nonohmic]

I want the $4k+ P bass; I need the $400 one.

My musicality will most likely improve similarly on both. Although my wife would most likely give me more grief for not practicing if the $4k one was sitting there in it's case.

 

[Bodeanly]

I struggle with wanting new basses twice a year, both revolving around drastic changes in humidity.

 

[Mazian]

I don't need a any new bass right now.
Well, I need my Marusczyk back from the luthier, but that's another story.

What I want is a fretless. There was a really nice used Sandberg fretless I spotted just today. I offered another guitar I'm trying to sell in a trade, but no chance. Don't want to spend the money now, but I want one nevertheless...

 

[cnltb]

Basses You want versus basses you need.
At this point I don't want to own anything I don't actually need.

 

[zoonose]

I have one bass. I don't NEED another, but as soon as finances allow, I'm getting one of those Player Series Precisions.

 

[Mustang Surly]

"Basses You want versus basses you need"

An unbridgeable gulf...a chasm...separates the two...

 

[Jrussblues]

On my way to my bass lesson today, I thought about my Pedulla. It is easy for me to forget that Pedullas are a very high boutique bass since I lucked into buying mine instead of wanting one for years before getting it.

The bass I have wanted, but never bought, since I have been on Talkbass is a Sadowsky. I recently have decided that I am going to get one, hopefully this summer.

The funny thing is that I believe my Pedulla Pentabuzz has made me a better player in a way a Sadowsky would not have done. When I realized that I could get a Pedulla for under $1,200, I knew I needed to jump on the deal, but I also knew that if I bought it, I would have to commit to seriously improving my overall musicianship in general, and developing my intonation in particular. This has happened, my musical knowledge, reading, and intonation have much improved in the year or so since I bought my Pedulla.

If I had bought a Sadowsky, it would have been fretted, and I would have done what I did with other fretted basses: play along with music, and engaging in bad Marcus Miller or Bernard Edwards imitations. Playing along with songs is valuable, but more formal study is very important for being more complete knowledge.

I still want a Sadowsky, but my Pedulla is a special bass, and a game changer for me as a musician.

I am a big believer that a better bass won’t make you play better, but it will give you the tool to play better if you are willing to put in the time, energy and effort.
Before you make the leap to boutique my experience has been that you need to know your goals, not your wants and that will land you where you are supposed to be without wasting money. For instance, I love Warwick basses...they are sexy and sound incredible. They dose out this thick nasty and beautiful woody sound with great response throughout the fretboard, but I hate the way they feel in my hands so I won’t buy one.
String spacing, scale length, ergonomics...all of that stuff is worth factoring in to a sizable purchase like that so take you time and enjoy the ride. I went through a couple of boutiques I liked till I ended up on Benavente by sheer happenstance. For some reason I just click with a Benavente DCD.
Good luck.

 

[Holdsg]

I just need one more, I swear!

 

[Five String]

I need all the basses I want.

 

[BadSanta1281]

My wife WANTS the air conditioning fixed in her 12 year old car.

But I NEED another bass even though I can't really play the three I already have.

 

[Ghook]

Need/Want...isn't that Synonymous?

P.S. For example..I want an Ibanez SRF700 Brown Burst Flat because I'm positive I "need" it

 

[Warpeg]

The term “need” is thrown around as subjective in this thread. With that aside, though, a good fretless would round out my tool box well.