I am fortunate enough to own many basses and they are all good in one way or another, but when I pick up my "boutique" (or semi-boutique) bass, I always think "oh yeah, that's why this one is better". It's all in the details.
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Boutique Basses are Better: Get Over It!
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
In case you are wondering, I have not bought a boutique bass. I have also never been a boutique basher. I have said that some boutiques offer relatively little more than factory basses given the price, but given the reality of diminishing returns, that should not be a surprise.
I have been through a hell of a lot basses, but I rarely go around attacking basses that I used to own.
I play the best instruments I can afford in the price range dictated by my level of employment as a working musician. 1,000 to 1,500 retail seems about right. Some pretty damn good instruments in that range too. I find it odd David Gilmour bought an off the shelf Strat, didn't like some parts modified it with some other factory parts and copies of his instrument are worth like a gazzillion USD, particularly with his copied wear marks and paint overs. Since this is a bass forum, if Fender made an exact copy of Jamersons "unplayable" Funk machine would it be worth so much?
I've seen the trend, but it raises a point.
Whats wrong with liking something, but wanting to try something else, not all can afford to keep every bass, and still try every brand.
If you like it and want to try something new, still shouldn't take you a year to realise that you like it in the first place, or that its not for you.
I think that has a lot to do with the celebrity factor. Nobody wants a replica of one hit wonder John Smith's guitar!
I have to admit, this irritated me a bit. Since you are clearly talking about me, I think you might want to look at my trends a bit more clearly. I do go through alot of basses, but I tend to buy the same kinds of basses. I tend to like Jazz style basses, J/MM basses, and Stingray style basses. I have also played dozens of basses at stores and GTGs. I also get the odd P bass or soapbar bass to but most are Rays or Jazz style basses. I think my experience gives me some authority to make assessments about basses.
I see no contradiction between praising a bass and selling it. Over the years I have sold many basses for many different reasons. There have been times I could use the extrra money, there have been times I wanted something different, and there have been times when folks have offered me deals too good to turn down.
You always say that your buying boutique basses is our business, I say my going through lots of basses is my business. I guess I need to stop talking about my basses on TB.
Some interesting threads here. I also think its personal choice, you might play a $5000.00 bass and not like it, but you might go down to the local pawn shop and pick up a $200.oo cheapie and it feels right for you, I personally dont own any boutique basses. My most expensive is around the $1000.00 mark. Got a couple of Boutique amps and cab to make up for it though. I also agree that its the player behind it that makes the bass come alive as other have said its just a tool. No point getting a $10,000 bass if you cant play for ****. The way IF u have a cheap guitar and the neck is good and it feels nice too play, spend some money on a really good set of pickups and you will match the tone of most boutiques anyways. Basically all electric guitars do is send an electric signal to your amp, so its really the pickups and electrics that make your sound, the rest is just cosmetics etc. Just my two cents.
IMO, boutiques are handmade basses from small shops that usually are given much more love and care in there making than factory basses.
I will agree that in many cases boutique basses are better. They should be better for what you pay for them. But it seems that almost every time I see a band on TV, 99 times out of 100 the bassist is playing a Fender (or a Squier!) or some other common factory bass. Why is that when boutiques are better? I would think most of these people could afford them. Perhaps this is not the case in the studio.
My $0.02?
I gig a lot. I have owned 50+ basses in the last few years. I recently have owned Sadowsky NYC, Roscoe, MTD, Lakland, Warwick, etc.
All I play now is MIA Fenders.
A Sadowsky, AC, Lull, etc. Is not necessarily better constructed than a 2008+ Fender American Standard. Prettier? Sure. Better, that is subjective.
I still love my $3500 Roscoe SKB-3005 and 30th Anniversary SR... but IMO, boutique is NOT always better. Prettier most of the time, but not better.
I gig a lot. I have owned 50+ basses in the last few years. I recently have owned Sadowsky NYC, Roscoe, MTD, Lakland, Warwick, etc.
All I play now is MIA Fenders.
A Sadowsky, AC, Lull, etc. Is not necessarily better constructed than a 2008+ Fender American Standard. Prettier? Sure. Better, that is subjective.
I still love my $3500 Roscoe SKB-3005 and 30th Anniversary SR... but IMO, boutique is NOT always better. Prettier most of the time, but not better.
Depends what 'on TV means'. If you are talking about video's, many times the director is going for a look and 'concept', and that ends up being a more vintage bass often. I have a buddy who plays at quite a high level (Arena gigs), and used either a Fodera or MTD for years. On the one video that he was a part of, the director 'suggested' that he use an old PBass, for the 'look' of the video.
If you are talking about the more 'rock' end of things, Fender/Ampeg still rules, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Modern country... LOT's of Fenders, but a ton of Sadowsky, USA Laklands and Music Man basses.
Jazz/fusion..... Fodera, Roscoe... you name it... fancy pants city.
Gospel.... often MTD's and Ken Smiths... and various Fender or boutique J's.
A lot of the above is a sort of 'lemmings into the sea' sort of thing (i.e., I know quite a few guys who have bought Fodera's because Tommy Kennedy, Anthony Jackson, etc. plays them... etc.).
IF you find a more limited production, high quality, handmade (or small batch made) bass that speaks to you tonewise, it is VERY hard to go back playing something off the rack from Guitar Center or whatever. Worth every penny to me x 10!
Different strokes for different folks
Depends what 'on TV means'. If you are talking about video's, many times the director is going for a look and 'concept', and that ends up being a more vintage bass often. I have a buddy who plays at quite a high level (Arena gigs), and used either a Fodera or MTD for years. On the one video that he was a part of, the director 'suggested' that he use an old PBass, for the 'look' of the video.
If you are talking about the more 'rock' end of things, Fender/Ampeg still rules, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Modern country... LOT's of Fenders, but a ton of Sadowsky, USA Laklands and Music Man basses.
Jazz/fusion..... Fodera, Roscoe... you name it... fancy pants city.
Gospel.... often MTD's and Ken Smiths... and various Fender or boutique J's.
A lot of the above is a sort of 'lemmings into the sea' sort of thing (i.e., I know quite a few guys who have bought Fodera's because Tommy Kennedy, Anthony Jackson, etc. plays them... etc.).
IF you find a more limited production, high quality, handmade (or small batch made) bass that speaks to you tonewise, it is VERY hard to go back playing something off the rack from Guitar Center or whatever. Worth every penny to me x 10!
Different strokes for different folks
tr00 dat. Most the stuff I'm seeing is live performance stuff as I gave up MTV-style videos in 1990.
I love a good boutique bass, I love my Victor Bailey V, I love my American Standard Jazz and they each have their place.
James Jamming on a FENDER! Jaco Jammed on a FENDER! The best bass players of all time! NOBOUTIQUE Basses!
Anthony Jackson used to play a fender, he now plays a fodera
Wooten fodera
andre gouche mtd
melvin lee davis ken smith
Bona used to play a fender too but plays a fodera, nybass work...
it's all about what you like.
if you prefer a fender or any over mass produced instrument, good for you, if you prefer boutique, good for you.
I love fender basses, and of course, most of the greats jammed on a fender, they are the first basses, so when I think of bass, the first picture that comes to my mind is a pbass or a jazz.
I like both so I'm in trouble lol
Using the argument of artists using Fenders 30-40 years ago is pretty weak. The best a luthier could do back then was stick on a brass nut or possibly hack in a BI-sonic pickup or something, not build an entire instrument from the ground up.
If Jaco was around today would he be using a crudely modified jazz bass or would he go to a pro and get a nice fretless made?
The guitarist Slash used a Botique Les Paul ghost built with a Gibson logo on the headstock so go figure.
If Jaco was around today would he be using a crudely modified jazz bass or would he go to a pro and get a nice fretless made?
The guitarist Slash used a Botique Les Paul ghost built with a Gibson logo on the headstock so go figure.
+1
He made 3 for me & was feeling extra generous apparently, because he gave me the talent to be able to play & make them sound just as good as the boutiques I used to own. And BTW, being a carpenter himself, he taught me not to blame my tools for anything I build poorly.
john turner
You don't want to do that. Trust me.
there are very few a-team pros that don't have at least one "boutique" instrument. they may not use it all the time, but they certainly own them.
for instance, check out the pros that play wals.
I can see where the original poster is coming from but i don't totally agree that a boutique is better. Here are a few examples:
I purchase a Roscoe SKB 3005 brand new and had to send it back to Roscoe to have the neck pocket re-cut because it would not allow the bridge saddles to go any lower for a lower action. I was able to shim the neck and it worked until it could send it off to have Roscoe perform the work. Customer service was great and they did take care of me, but IMO this shouldn't happen on a $2,000+ dollar bass. Maybe the wood changed enough with climate changes or during shipping to make this happen...who knows for sure.
I purchased a MTD 535 brand new and there was a truss rod rattle that we couldn't get to go away. Mike was super nice and tried everything by email to get this resolved but we just couldn't. I also was surprised that the finish was a little rough on this bass. For $3,000+ on a bass I expected a perfect finish.
Part of the issue is probably I'm more critical on a boutique type bass than I am on a MIM Fender. While I've owned over a dozen Fenders I have never had to send one back for repair or have any repair work done on them for that matter. Some Fenders are definitely better than others though.
So I can agree to an extent on what is being said, but over the years I have found I prefer the simple sound of a Fender bass, they just feel right to me. I think there are a lot of production basses out there now that have excellent construction, fit and finish. I would love to try an Alleva Coppolo someday and that is just about the only boutique bass that interests me...now.
I purchase a Roscoe SKB 3005 brand new and had to send it back to Roscoe to have the neck pocket re-cut because it would not allow the bridge saddles to go any lower for a lower action. I was able to shim the neck and it worked until it could send it off to have Roscoe perform the work. Customer service was great and they did take care of me, but IMO this shouldn't happen on a $2,000+ dollar bass. Maybe the wood changed enough with climate changes or during shipping to make this happen...who knows for sure.
I purchased a MTD 535 brand new and there was a truss rod rattle that we couldn't get to go away. Mike was super nice and tried everything by email to get this resolved but we just couldn't. I also was surprised that the finish was a little rough on this bass. For $3,000+ on a bass I expected a perfect finish.
Part of the issue is probably I'm more critical on a boutique type bass than I am on a MIM Fender. While I've owned over a dozen Fenders I have never had to send one back for repair or have any repair work done on them for that matter. Some Fenders are definitely better than others though.
So I can agree to an extent on what is being said, but over the years I have found I prefer the simple sound of a Fender bass, they just feel right to me. I think there are a lot of production basses out there now that have excellent construction, fit and finish. I would love to try an Alleva Coppolo someday and that is just about the only boutique bass that interests me...now.
Most of the time boutique basses are of higher quality than factory built basses, but that difference is diminishing year after year. Will the drunks in the audience care if you're playing a $600 bass or a $6,000 bass? Nope. They just want to hear "Free Bird".
