I don't know but man if you question another's bass choices around here it gets heated. You can be labeled cheap or even a snob..whatever. It does make for interesting threads I will say that 
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That's pretty funny stuff right there. I've been around awhile - quite a bit longer than I'm guessing you think I have been. I have plenty of money - although most of it goes towards my mortgage, two car payments, and three kids. But thanks for the attempt to play yourself as a seasoned sage who will educate the poor masses. People spend $3000 on a Lakland or Sadowsky for the same reason they buy a monstrous SUV or the latest fashion trend (skinny jeans, anyone?) Marketing, and that innate human desire to have to have the best - price being the determining factor. I say more power to the guys that can sell a boutique bass to people based on nothing more than an appearance of mojo and some implied mysticism of onenness with their instrument, finely hand crafted using the most beautiful and inappropriate tonewoods known to man. Certainly, with increasing price (in general) comes increasing quality (or expectation of quality). But within the extremely simple set of systems that compose a bass guitar (and yes, it is very simple), you very very rapidly reach a point of diminishing returns. That's all I'm trying to say.
I apologize for my continued posting here -I'm done
That's pretty funny stuff right there. I've been around awhile - quite a bit longer than I'm guessing you think I have been. I have plenty of money - although most of it goes towards my mortgage, two car payments, and three kids. But thanks for the attempt to play yourself as a seasoned sage who will educate the poor masses. People spend $3000 on a Lakland or Sadowsky for the same reason they buy a monstrous SUV or the latest fashion trend (skinny jeans, anyone?) Marketing, and that innate human desire to have to have the best - price being the determining factor. I say more power to the guys that can sell a boutique bass to people based on nothing more than an appearance of mojo and some implied mysticism of onenness with their instrument, finely hand crafted using the most beautiful and inappropriate tonewoods known to man. Certainly, with increasing price (in general) comes increasing quality (or expectation of quality). But within the extremely simple set of systems that compose a bass guitar (and yes, it is very simple), you very very rapidly reach a point of diminishing returns. That's all I'm trying to say.
I apologize for my continued posting here -I'm done
"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy. It is the green-ey'd monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on."
It's always the broke guys who dump on boutiques.
Really..care to explain? How do you know who is broke ? Do you have some internet window to our bank accounts? Please.
While not broke, I'd say the 'bang for the buck' factor is something people are often considering over the 'let's get the best instrument possible'. Some people can spend 7000$ on a boutique instrument but they choose not to because there are more important things in life (to them). Sometimes not even 'I have to pay the bills!' but more like 'I think I could afford some other luxury with this'. So I guess this comes down to priorities and the worldview, much less than how broke someone is, I've met people who dump on boutique instruments both among broke and rich people, both among pros and hobbyists, and I'd say mostly everyone is right at some point and wrong at another one. So, would I like to own and play a sadowsky jazz? You bet! But would I consider paying it? Well, this is where the bang for the buck factor comes in, there are instruments that are a bit less great and a lot less expensive, so you get the idea.
I kinda dump on boutiques, but mostly because I think it's silly to spend that kind of money.
I think the biggest demarcation line of diminishing returns sits at about $1200 for new basses (maybe $1500 if you're a Ric fan)... Maybe $800 or $900 for used.
I think the quality of more expensive basses are above cheaper basses and I think it's totally noticeable despite what people see on the Internet. Go to a store & play a handful of Squiers... Then play a handful of MIA Fenders. Right out of the factory... Right off the wall... You'll feel, see, and hear the difference.
Plus, most boutiques are active basses and I haven't found an active bass I like.
That said, I currently have one bass over $500 and have owned a couple others I bought used that were approaching $1k... Both of those are gone & my Reverend generally sits, unplayed. G&L Tribute ftw!
I think the biggest demarcation line of diminishing returns sits at about $1200 for new basses (maybe $1500 if you're a Ric fan)... Maybe $800 or $900 for used.
I think the quality of more expensive basses are above cheaper basses and I think it's totally noticeable despite what people see on the Internet. Go to a store & play a handful of Squiers... Then play a handful of MIA Fenders. Right out of the factory... Right off the wall... You'll feel, see, and hear the difference.
Plus, most boutiques are active basses and I haven't found an active bass I like.
That said, I currently have one bass over $500 and have owned a couple others I bought used that were approaching $1k... Both of those are gone & my Reverend generally sits, unplayed. G&L Tribute ftw!
If you are in a band with loud guitars or a nice dirty bluesy vibe you can play cheaper basses and leave the good stuff at home. Really, any band you want - but if I was doing some real classy jazz gigs, I'd want a modern active 5er with some nice burp to it and a real clean signal chain.
I would never want a cheap active bass though..they are a hiss factory and just noisy.
For studio basses get a killer passive (I prefer Fender Americans) and then a killer active that is noise free. That will usually cost you some bucks, but it doesn't have to be crazy. I don't really need pearl inlays and vanity knobs personally.
Been a pro player for half my life and have never invested in super expensive basses. All of mine were valued at $2k or less, and $2k is the max.
Best bass I got is my Fender Jazz MIA that cost me $700 used.
I would never want a cheap active bass though..they are a hiss factory and just noisy.
For studio basses get a killer passive (I prefer Fender Americans) and then a killer active that is noise free. That will usually cost you some bucks, but it doesn't have to be crazy. I don't really need pearl inlays and vanity knobs personally.
Been a pro player for half my life and have never invested in super expensive basses. All of mine were valued at $2k or less, and $2k is the max.
Best bass I got is my Fender Jazz MIA that cost me $700 used.
It's not about money to allot of us it can be more like bang for buck and is it really worth it? I recall when I went to a local Fender dealer to work out a deal for an Fender CS P bass in Oly white. I thought I had to have to look like a "real bassist"
They were asking about 2k and it was the gem of their Fender line all shiny and purty. I soon lost the desire for a CS after playing it a little while. I just never felt it of heard it with this bass,for that musch money it left me flat and saying ..really? I knew my other P basses frankly sounded just as good if not better and played just as well. They are also paid for and cost me little. I was drawn to the CS but it failed to show me it's worth.
This happened a few other times again with another CS, Vintage , a Toby, G&L custom ..and a few more before I finally saw the light. It was never the money it was did I see the need and feel it? Nope!
I found out it was not the money it's about the bass and what works for me. If i can have it for less and achive the same results I'm down and will pocket the money and put it in my retirement account
They were asking about 2k and it was the gem of their Fender line all shiny and purty. I soon lost the desire for a CS after playing it a little while. I just never felt it of heard it with this bass,for that musch money it left me flat and saying ..really? I knew my other P basses frankly sounded just as good if not better and played just as well. They are also paid for and cost me little. I was drawn to the CS but it failed to show me it's worth.
This happened a few other times again with another CS, Vintage , a Toby, G&L custom ..and a few more before I finally saw the light. It was never the money it was did I see the need and feel it? Nope!
I found out it was not the money it's about the bass and what works for me. If i can have it for less and achive the same results I'm down and will pocket the money and put it in my retirement account
Play off the wall? Really?
Some of the worst playing experiences I've had has been with instruments off the wall in shops. The strings and the setup is often bad. I own sub-$500 instruments that play much better than off the wall instruments. The difference is about the care spent on setup, and often shops do a bad or too quick setup job on the displayed instruments (if they do a setup at all.)
Quality straight from the factory is what I was getting at. There's a noticeable difference.
"If I do x and y and z to my MIK Squier it's pretty much as good as an MIA Fender"
Probably. But a good setup can work wonders on a cheap bass. The difference after a thorough setup is much more important to me than the state of the instrument when leaving the factory.
I don't care if this guy makes great guitars, he's a liar: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...35468.111702425526814&type=1&relevant_count=1
He claims you can't get action THIS LOW unless it's a $2000+ bass. I've never seen a luthier sink that low.
I don't have a pic of the action for proof,but this had the craziest,silly-low action I've ever seen. It was about 1.5mm@12th,and about 1mm anywhere else on the 'board. The bass was a late 70's Oakland,made by Matsumoku. Some of the best tonal variety ever,absolutely the worst case of neck-dive ever. If I remember correctly,I think I paid $600 for it a few years ago..
Oh, I think he's just using some harmless hyperbole. It's not that big a deal.
I was probably really annoyed by the "these are real facts, not only advertisement" part. Actually got a chuckle out of it as well.
