• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Does a High Quality Bass Improve Our Playing?

#41
Bunk McNulty said:
Ergonomics is very important to me. I want to feel comfortable playing. So I spend extra bucks to get a bass that is relatively light in weight and has a neck with dimensions that my hands feel comfortable with. If I could get the qualities that are important to me in a less expensive instrument, I'd change over in a minute. I've run through about a dozen instruments in the last four years (oddly enough, around the time I became active on tb...hmmm?) and only two fit well, and only one fit really well, and it's what I'm playing in my avatar pic.
Click to expand...
Exactly this^^^!!! For me weight, body size, neck shape, and comfort are the most important factors. How an instrument feels determines if I play better or not. This is why I play the basses that I do.
Do I need to spend more to get what I need? NOPE!
Did I need to spend the amount that I did to get what I need? Absolutely !
I purchased the most comfortable 4 and 5 string that I could find.
Thank Goodness I could afford them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bebi, LBS-bass and Bunk McNulty
#42
Alembic Epic-2.JPG In my case? Sadly, no; doesn't seem to have worked very well. Maybe, though, an even more expensive Alembic will... :rolleyes:
 
  • Like
Reactions: The Hansenator, rmayer, Anachronism and 1 other person
#43
A better quality instrument will remove certain impediments intrinsic to the instrument that might hamper your playing. Higher priced instruments generally have a better fit and finish, usually feel better under the hand, sound better, and are easier to play.

None of that in and of itself makes you a better player. It just removes things that might get in your way or become a distraction.

As far as sound and tone goes it depends on what you like. I’ve owned and played expensive boutique (Alembic) and inexpensive mass produced (Squier) basses plus a lot of stuff (Fender, Gibson, etc.) in the $1K-$2K range. I picked each one for its sound and feel. And every one of them played well and sounded good to my hands and ears.

Was the Alembic better than a Squier? Yes it was - if you like the sound of an Alembic. Did the Squire beat out the Alembic? Yes it did - for a classic PB sound and feel. Point is they’re different animals. So attempting a direct all inclusive comparison is pointless. Different basses look, feel, and sound different from each other. Different brands and models didn’t spring into existence purely to sell at different price points. Their makers had definite ideas in mind for what an electric bass should sound like. And a good bass is a good bass.

Higher priced instruments increase the liklihood the one you purchase will be a good one. But it’s not a 100% sure thing. Just much more likely since higher prices usually mean more attention was paid to all the little details. And those little details can make or break an instrument. Not to say you can’t find an inexpensive instrument where all those derails came together in a perfect storm to produce a bass that belies its humble brand name and modest price. You just have to trust to luck and do a lot more shopping around to find one. My Squier Matt Freeman PB is an example of that. It’s the nicest PB I’ve ever owned. And I’ve owned MIA, MIM, and MIJ PBs to compare it to. I lucked out and ended up with a really (as in really) good one. And now that I’ve loaded it with a set of Aguilar AG-4P-60s it’s become my goto. My MIM Fender mostly gets used as a backup these days.

Bottom line: does quality make a difference?

Short answer: Yes. Big difference. But not in the ways (or for the reasons) you may think it does if you’re just looking at it from the perspective of price alone.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: walking Bass, TheGreatSealof, wmmj and 1 other person
#44
I think maybe to address some of your specifics rather than a general answer may help you better.

Generally, Squier & MIM pickups are not as good as even the most basic upgrade ones. In the past I have waited until someone is upgrading a Am Std or a Am Pro's pups, and I buy them cheap. Still is a good recommendation for you. If you like the sound of the QP's then you are set there, but you mentioned 2 basses so the other can potentially still benefit from an upgrade.

I have found the fret work on Squiers generally in the bad to ok range. MIM's are better but in both cases this is where they save money to sell the instrument cheaper. a hand file and some patience can significantly improve playability. Unless your style demands a very nonstandard setup, I have found MIM's are set up above average for their price point out of the box. Squiers, not so much. In a comparable price range, instruments from Rondo, Ibanez, & Schecter have been much better out of the box than any Squier (and most MIM, to be fair) I've encountered, including the VM & CV models.

I do like to upgrade tuners to Hipshot Ultralites on pretty much all my basses. Many also have Hipshot Kickass bridges, though I look out for BAII's for sale cheap also. I haven't found the nut in any of these to be problematic necessarily, but if you are going to restring and change tuners may as well put a Tusq on it (or whatever else you prefer).

Some things matter more from one player to another. I much prefer a J neck (or even thinner like Peavey or Ibanez) over a P neck, but a good P neck is much nicer to play than a bad J is. Rosewood is going to become a luxury upgrade pretty soon if it hasn't already; if you prefer the feel or tone of a rosewood fingerboard then that alone can mean a potentially large price difference.

When it's all said and done, it makes more sense to me to put money into the style bass you like, than the name; a good MIM J (or player or whatever the new name is) well set up, is a big improvement over a Squier J, and the improvement from MIM to Am Std isn't necessarily worth the price difference. Plus to me, nearly everyone makes a better Fender than Fender does nowadays. This saves people money to put more into an amp & cab, which make a much bigger difference in sound than MIM to Am Std would. Keep in mind my experience is a little skewed being lefty, but I buy relatively many instruments since I can't just go somewhere and play everything on the wall; they rarely have as many as 1 lefty bass in most stores around me.
 
Last edited:
#45
The biggest thing I noticed in a German made Warwick and MIM and MIA fenders was how much the Warwick put all my flawed technique up front. It was so clear that it did help straighten some bad habits up. The fenders have been super solid and have a tone I really like now. I think some time with a nice bass cleaned up some technique and now on an average mass produced bass I play better than I used to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bebi, Bass_Thumper and wmmj
#46
I think, actually I know that if you truly like the sound and feel of your gear you will play better. However there are more questions than that. You may be happy with your $199 bass, $70 amp, $29 microphone and equally cheap cables and therefore perform greater that you ever thought but is it really all that great? How do you know? If a pro played any of your equipment what would they think? What does a well rounded sound guy think.

After playing for several years in a band with top equipment I joined a band where the guitar player/singer had a very cheap Peavey guitar and mic. I could tell the difference right away and so could my friends who came to our shows. I could never get a good sound from his mic.
 
#47
I’m on the yes side of this question, even though I play a <1k P Bass a lot. I can get a high-quality bass to be absolutely perfect for me in every way. Playability, sound, feel, build quality, design, appearance, the whole thing. If I can’t play something right or if something doesn’t sound quite the way it really should, I can’t blame this flawless bass for that. The only cylinder not firing in that equation is me, so I have to put in the shed time to fix it, which nets greater control of the instrument.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Bass_Thumper and Anachronism
#48
I've never worried about what a bass costs, or what wood it is made of for anything other than cosmetic reasons. If it feels good and sounds good it must me good. My American pro fender is around 2000 canadian, and I love it. But I still prefer my 800 dollar epiphone explorer. I'm also equally as reckless with all my basses. I have good cases to transport them, and I don't intentionally bang them up, but I move around a lot on stage and all of my basses eventually wind up with some wear. Dings, scratches and chips will happen. My fender is the usual, alter body, maple neck, rosewood board. My explorer is all korina with a rosewood board, and my latest, a jackson CXBNT, is a maple neckthrough, with basswood wings and, you guessed it, rosewood fingerboard. Now, these basses are all fairly different, but I couldn't tell you if the wood or the cost are contributing to the sonic differences. But they all feel solid and play well, so they all get played.
20181209_211804.jpg
Screenshot_20181010-054116_Gallery.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: City, BillMason and lowdownthump
#49
I switched to 12 string bass and played it exclusively for a year. When I switched back to 4 string it felt effortless. I had definitely become a better player because of the added difficulty (finger strength) in playing a 12.

So I would say stringing a bass with a heavier gauge string and maybe raising the action slightly would help. We do not improve by making things easier for ourselves. Of that I'm certain.
 
#50
I can't blame myself if I play with at least a decent quality bass.
I've played with very cheap basses and I don't play as well on them as I do on my L2500, for instance.
I know it's mostly a mental thing, but my opinion is:
I am a pro and I get paid, so I believe I play better on a better instrument.
I cannot change the way I feel about this, either. It is what it is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dan1952
#51
Where costom instruments have the big boys beat is in playability...namely fretwork, neck pocket, action, electronics, sustain, ergonomics...pretty much all of it.
Honestly 90% of bassists and guitarists out there can make any use of any of that, the skill set just isn’t there.
 
#54
I build my own basses. I have experimented a lot with hardware, wood, pickups, strings, etc.

As a result of this...obsession, I have a few basses that sound and play just how I want them to. When I practice, my basses don’t get in the way - they inspire me to practice. So, I practice more. A lot more.

Does practicing more make me sound better? Hell yes!

Conclusion: Buy a bass that inspires you. If that’s a frw hundred more, it’s money very well spent.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bruiser Stone
#55
Zeus_Mutation said:
Hi,

I'm hoping to get feedback on sonic truths of bass materials and parts.

So, I've always struggled with gear and the perception of sonic quality as it equates to pricing/materials. I'm mainly a drummer. I strongly believe in using the highest of quality cymbals while drums can be of significant lessor quality and still sound amazing. Never have I heard the opposite though...

I play a Squier Matt Freeman P w/Steve Harris Seymour Duncans & upgraded pots. I started with a Squier Affinity Jazz pack. I also dabble on guitar... lucky enough to land a top-o-line Stratocaster. This has every bell and whistle Fender enthusiasts like to boast about. The fit & finish are exceptional. Its acoustic properties are gorgeous... and it feels amazing. This guitar has me asking...

With a bass... can anyone honestly hear a sonic difference between an Adler & Basswood body? At bass frequencies, does the body wood actually make a noticeable difference? I'm suggesting no.
I do think mahogany sounds different. I do think maple/rosewood sounds different than maple/maple.
What about bridges... one high mass versus another... if equally balanced and weighted... which tech is a difference maker?
Tuners, as long as they stay in tune right?
How about the nut. Does nut material create a noticeable sonic difference?

I think if vacuum tested and scientifically analyzed the numbers could say so... yet, I can't help but think... could we ever notice that in a live band setting? I mean with so many tone shaping tools outside of the instrument and being you can choose pickups from wherever. Without getting detailed on music genre and allow generalizing... would anyone notice a Fender custom shop versus a Squier sonic differences? Would anyone know any name brand versus an entry level by sound alone?

So, my fancy Fender... it so nice I'm careful every time I touch it. Kinda not fun... my Epiphone Les Paul is not as concerning but I'm mindful. Squier, although appreciated. I'm never careful and its available for anyone to handle. My question becomes does having a higher quality bass actually add to my playing or limit it? IDK.

What have you decided? If you play a $2k bass... how carefree with it are you? If you play an entry bass what bothers you most about it if anything?

If it matters I'm playing through a Mesa Boogie Prodigy Four: 88 into a Bergantino 4x10 & Mesa Boogie PH 2x10

Thanks!
Click to expand...

If you have decent newer strings, into a rig with a good equalization capabilities, no fret buzz, or hums, odds are you can get a respectable sound out of it. Would I take a $50 bass into a recording session? No way! But live with a good rig, I’m not so sure it would make a noticeable difference to most in the audience.
 
#57
My easiest playing bass was the most expensive bass I ever owned, a boutique style. Really great for solo style and technique driven playing. Didn’t really dig the sound in a band setting though and sold it to have a more traditional Fender style and a backup. Not as easy to play but a good thing as the bands I was in needed more pocket playing and solid tone, which the more traditional basses had. A boutique traditional is something I’d be into next ala Lull, Sadowsky, etc.
 
#58
I do think a great sounding bass can inspire a person to play better. And a bass that is able to be set up exactly how you like will allow you to play mechanically better than a bass that has set up issues. But I do not think either of these things are necessarily dependant on the quality (in monetary terms) of the bass, even though an expensive bass should generally be better than a cheap bass on both counts.
 
#60
The return of the evergreen and unanswerable question. Wood is an organic material, so the way that sound waves/vibrations travel through it is going to be different for tree A and tree B , even if they grew side by side. There’s plenty of luthiers out there who believe that the wood from the south side of a tree will have different sonic properties than that of the north side for example. Or have strong opinions on which time of year you should cut a tree down.
So, pretty much every stringed instrument has to be evaluated on a case by case basis. This is why I’m extremely reluctant to buy an instrument sight unseen.
More expensive instruments are likely to be able to play more effortlessly than an inexpensive instrument unless you know what to look for or luck out. But, all but the most miserable aliexpress jobs are likely to be at least serviceable. Inexpensive now is a whole different ballgame compared to the old Japanese/Taiwan days when the frets might not even be in the right places or the intonation might not be able to be adjusted.
 
  • Like
Reactions: br1qbat

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back