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'Cheap = better?' Club

#41
bassbully said:
I dont think it is that simple. Of course a high end Fodera is much better than say an older USA made Peavy Fury. But if I am comparing the Fury to say a MIA Fender...maybe not.
For what you pay for a Fodera it better do everything you need and want.
Allot of Tbers myself included have no desire or need for a bass like a Fodera and would never think of going there. We buy what we need and have found there are ways to get a decent quality, playing and sounding bass while saving money..that is the facts.

Besides in the gigs I do nobody cares or notices what bass I play. A Fodera, Fender or a Squire so why care? Trust me in most cases nobody cares about the bass if it all sounds good.
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Funny that you should mention a MIA Fury, because I bought one recently - after reading scmd go on and on about how they meet or exceed MIA Fender quality... I currently have that Fury, 3 MIA Fenders, and a MIM Fender, and believe me - the Peavey is a good bass, but not in the same league as any of the Fenders I also own...

"We buy what we need and have found there are ways to get a decent quality, playing and sounding bass while saving money..that is the facts."

No argument there - but that isn't the same as saying that your "less expensive" basses are "of equal quality" when compared to more expensive MIA Fenders, EBMMs, Gibsons, etc... Stop trying to make that claim, and we'll have no disagreement... As I've said before, I made really good money gigging a pair of MIK Squiers for atleast 10 years - I'm well aware of what they are and aren't...


- georgestrings
 
#42
georgestrings said:
Funny that you should mention a MIA Fury, because I bought one recently - after reading scmd go on and on about how they meet or exceed MIA Fender quality... I currently have that Fury, 3 MIA Fenders, and a MIM Fender, and believe me - the Peavey is a good bass, but not in the same league as any of the Fenders I also own...

"We buy what we need and have found there are ways to get a decent quality, playing and sounding bass while saving money..that is the facts."

No argument there - but that isn't the same as saying that your "less expensive" basses are "of equal quality" when compared to more expensive MIA Fenders, EBMMs, Gibsons, etc... Stop trying to make that claim, and we'll have no disagreement... As I've said before, I made really good money gigging a pair of MIK Squiers for atleast 10 years - I'm well aware of what they are and aren't...


- georgestrings
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I had a MIA Fender for years that I loved. I got my Fury, and sent the Fender packing - but I never have been much of a Fender fan.. The point of the thread was to never say that a $100 bass from China is built with the same 'quality' as an Alembic - we are just saying that there are gems hidden in there that can do the job for us for WAY less. :)
 
#43
georgestrings said:
Funny that you should mention a MIA Fury, because I bought one recently - after reading scmd go on and on about how they meet or exceed MIA Fender quality... I currently have that Fury, 3 MIA Fenders, and a MIM Fender, and believe me - the Peavey is a good bass, but not in the same league as any of the Fenders I also own...

"We buy what we need and have found there are ways to get a decent quality, playing and sounding bass while saving money..that is the facts."

No argument there - but that isn't the same as saying that your "less expensive" basses are "of equal quality" when compared to more expensive MIA Fender, EBMMs, Gibsons, etc... Stop trying to make that claim, and we'll have no disagreement... As I've said before, I made really good money gigging a pair of MIK Squiers for atleast 10 years - I'm well aware of what they are and aren't...


- georgestrings
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Problem is you don't know what I am comparing. I have played some older Furys and they are made as well as about any bass I have played today.

My #1 basses are 83' MIJ SQ Squiers not only do they hold their own to any MIA P bases I have owned or played they are better in many ways. I should know I owned enough MIA's and a few good 70's fenders. I have compared them to allot of P basses and the SQ's are the real deal. They are Lighter, play as well (better to me) and even look even better... same quaility hardware.

The 87' E series MIK I just got is awesome and after a few mods is better than my 70's P basses and the 90's P basses I owned. Before I modded it I had $100 bucks in it.

There was a high end guitar store in my area and the owner who owned allot of vintage guitars and was is an expert in this are. He asked what I played and I said MIA Fender P basses.

He said would not carry Fender in his store since the quailty did not match the price. When I asked why he said You can get a better quality bass or guitar by going to early MIJ Tokais, Squier and other brands he informed me about. I never knew this and after seeing and hearing his examples I started looking for them and was lucky to of found a few of them. I sold and traded off my MIA's and will never go there again.

So again if you know where to look you can find quality and save money...if you disagree that's great..Me i'm off to make a sandwich :smug:
 
#44
CBNJ said:
I had a MIA Fender for years that I loved. I got my Fury, and sent the Fender packing - but I never have been much of a Fender fan.. The point of the thread was to never say that a $100 bass from China is built with the same 'quality' as an Alembic - we are just saying that there are gems hidden in there that can do the job for us for WAY less. :)
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Agree I was never comparing a custom bass an Alembic or Fodera to say a Fury or Squier. Although a inexpensive bass could sound as good the quility will not compare there. That is like comparing a Scion to a sports car. Both will get you there but one looks better and has better quailty and a smoother ride.
When you are comparing a budget production bass to Fender or other factory production bass? Diff story there IMO.
 
#47
bassbully said:
Agree I was never comparing a custom bass an Alembic or Fodera to say a Fury or Squier. Although a inexpensive bass could sound as good the quility will not compare there. That is like comparing a Scion to a sports car. Both will get you there but one looks better and has better quailty and a smoother ride.
When you are comparing a budget production bass to Fender or other factory production basse? Diff story there IMO.
Click to expand...

I'll agree to disagree with your last two sentences...


- georgestrings
 
#48
georgestrings said:
I'll agree to disagree with your last two sentences...


- georgestrings
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Depends. I drank the SX cool aid some years ago and bought two of them after all the SX threads here . Both were pretty disapointing so I sold them off.
There are guys here who love them over Fenders and other basses and gig them all the time.

Like I said my MIJ Squiers are better than any Fender I have played or owned period. The MIK E series Squier is also one but the two Squier II's MIK I picked up are not..they are good but not as good as my SQ's or a MIA Fender. It's hit of miss and up to the person. Again, nobody cares but me and Joe and Jane Public could care less what I play.
 
#49
I love to get good, cheap, used stuff. My main problem with used guitars and basses online is that you have no guarantee about the neck and the fret wear. In the price range of my basses, a refret (which I dread to do myself) costs more than the entire bass.

But as long as the neck is good, I can adapt almost anything to my needs. As long as the neck is good, it's probably good for me. ;)
 
#50
Shardik said:
I love to get good, cheap, used stuff. My main problem with used guitars and basses online is that you have no guarantee about the neck and the fret wear. In the price range of my basses, a refret (which I dread to do myself) costs more than the entire bass.

But as long as the neck is good, I can adapt almost anything to my needs. As long as the neck is good, it's probably good for me. ;)
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I hear you. The bass guitar is not that complex ..some wood, wire, magnets and hardware. Most decent necks and body's can be changed and modded to equal a much more expensive bass.
With that I could never buy a bass online. I have to hold it and play it... but that's me.
 
#51
bassbully said:
I hear you. The bass guitar is not that complex ..some wood, wire, magnets and hardware. Most decent necks and body's can be changed and modded to equal a much more expensive bass.
With that I could never buy a bass online. I have to hold it and play it... but that's me.
Click to expand...

To this point in time, every bass I've purchased has been online, except one - and that one turned out to be my least favorite. :p
 
#52
To throw more fuel on the fire to me there is less difference between expensive and budget basses than in than with guitars.
With guitars there is a much bigger difference quailty v.s. value than with basses IMO.
 
#53
bassbully said:
That is like comparing a Scion to a sports car. Both will get you there but one looks better and has better quailty and a smoother ride.
Click to expand...

One could probably argue that the basic engineering of the bass guitar has changed less in the last 60 years than any two consecutive year models of the the same car.
 
#54
Nothing wrong with cheap gear if you have the ears and experience to know what REALLY sounds great and your inexperience or honeymoon mode is not fooling you.

A lot of guys on tour in bands (not as much hired guns on big budget shows) don't spend a lot on road basses. Not worth the risk really. Why bring your $2,000 bass on the road to be beaten up and possibly stolen? I have studio basses that will not leave my house. Not worth it.

I'd rather gig with a used Fender MIA that I found for $700 or so.

We'd have some local bands open up for us and the bass player would bring 2 or 3 $3,000 alembics and display them on stage like trophies. Stupid move unless you have $$$ to burn. Just kind of looks like you "don't get it" in the world of rock n roll.

The best genre for bass snobbery is jazz..you can go insane with the expensive axe and it works. The crowds are safer and gear is not stolen or "beered on" as much. But a lot of my favorite jazz players to watch played 4 string fenders and just shredded on them. Less is more in the world of bass to me.

Just remember no one cares what bass you are playing except you and 5 people in the audience. If you want to up that number a little, have an eye catching finish on the bass that isn't lame and now about 10 chics will notice more.
 
#56
AngelCrusher said:
Nothing wrong with cheap gear if you have the ears and experience to know what REALLY sounds great and your inexperience or honeymoon mode is not fooling you.

A lot of guys on tour in bands (not as much hired guns on big budget shows) don't spend a lot on road basses. Not worth the risk really. Why bring your $2,000 bass on the road to be beaten up and possibly stolen? I have studio basses that will not leave my house. Not worth it.

I'd rather gig with a used Fender MIA that I found for $700 or so.

We'd have some local bands open up for us and the bass player would bring 2 or 3 $3,000 alembics and display them on stage like trophies. Stupid move unless you have $$$ to burn. Just kind of looks like you "don't get it" in the world of rock n roll.

The best genre for bass snobbery is jazz..you can go insane with the expensive axe and it works. The crowds are safer and gear is not stolen or "beered on" as much. But a lot of my favorite jazz players to watch played 4 string fenders and just shredded on them. Less is more in the world of bass to me.

Just remember no one cares what bass you are playing except you and 5 people in the audience. If you want to up that number a little, have an eye catching finish on the bass that isn't lame and now about 10 chics will notice more.
Click to expand...

I see it your way also. I think some players need to justify spending more money on a bass. In most cases it will be to other players or musicians not anyone else cause they just don't care.
I used to play MIM's allot. In a few settings a person might go ..oh you play a Fender? Not oh...you play a Fender ..MIM :eyebrow:
I had a few MIM's that were as good as my MIA fenders..I cared nobody else did. I thought I had something when I bought my first MIA bass years ago. When I got a 74' I thought... WoW..vintage!! Only a handful of people even knew what it was and they were other bass players.

The people in my band could care less what I play and I bring different basses to gigs and practice allot. If it was a SX , Squier whatever they could care less.

I learned when it comes to basses for me there are other options that are out there that plain work, have a cool look and save me money.
 
#58
georgestrings said:
There's a difference between "of equal quality" and "more than good enough" - just sayin'...


- georgestrings
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There's also another issue to factor in - is a bass that costs $1,500 ten times better than a nearly identical bass that costs $150?

I'm sorry you were disappointed by your Fury. But I would point out that there are many here on TB that feel the Fury is the equal, if not better than, a MIA Fender Precision. It's not just me.
 
#60
Scott in Dallas said:
One could probably argue that the basic engineering of the bass guitar has changed less in the last 60 years than any two consecutive year models of the the same car.
Click to expand...

I disagree on this. Bass guitars originally came in a very basic model, the single pickup, single coil P. Then came the split humbucker, the contoured body, the 2-pickup Jazz, the slimmer necks, roundwound strings, fretless necks, active pickups, carbon reinforced necks, laminated necks and bodies, on board EQ, string through body bridges, Steinbergers, high mass bridges, humbucking jazz pickups, 5-strings, 6-strings, 7-strings, and on and on and on.

Sure, you can buy and use a new bass that is very similar to early Fenders and they're great instruments. You could also buy basses that are sculptural works of art or basses that look like they're from the set of Star Trek.

The spectrum of what an electric bass sounds like has widened considerably as the engineering and design of the instrument has evolved.
 

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