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Does price = quality/sound

mybassisalemom

mybassisalemom

Jan 3, 2014
14
1
#1
Hi, I know that my last post was "which bass should I upgrade to". But I think the term of what I've doing is G.A.S.ing and it made me think, fenders look amazing but so do epiphones, and squiers and they are all better then my current bass, aswell as the fact they cost a lot less then the high-priced counter-part So is the quality/sound really worth the price? Is the price proportionate to quality/sound of the bass eg. will an epiphone sound as good as a Gibson?
 
#3
In principle I would say no.

The sound is largely created by you. An experienced player will be able to make intermediate basses sound good for sure. Do you need to spend the earth - no. People should stop buying new/replacement basses and learn to get the maximum out of what they've got.

OK, I've climbed down off my soapbox. Anyways if you look at the cost of URBs the better models start at $10,000. So by this yardstick all of our basses are cheap.

Davo
 
#4
As a rule....yes.

In practicality there are exceptions to the rule and you may find a gem at the low end and a dog at the high end. The other thing is your perception of what is good and bad sound. That will skew the results. Quality, yes. More money = more time = more attention to detail (in the perfect world).
 
#8
The main difference between a bass that cost $ 100 and $ 1,500 is usually the quality of the components, you will find better pickups, bridge,tunners and better fret job in a more expensive bass. Only you can decide if these differences worth the extra money, are you a gigging musician that needs reliability ? Then you may want to spend more money in a better tool, are you a hobbiest then you may dont want to spend too much in your toy.
 
#10
#1. Some really great basses are very affordable.
#2. Some really great basses are very expensive.
#3. Some brands charge a premium for their name with no added real value but are perceived as nicer. The Fenders & Gibson's of the world if you will.
#4. Some brands do not charge a premium but put out a great product with no added "mojo". The Yamaha's & Schecter's of the world.
#5. Some basses are priced high for reasons other than their sound or playability. For example their rarity, who plays them, brand history, etc.
#6. Some basses are priced low in spite of their great sound or playability.
 
#11
Some players can make the cheapest of the cheap basses sound AMAZING... other player can make the most expensive masterpiece sound like beating a wet cardboard box with a wiffle ball bat.

Some cheap basses are built like tanks and will last forever, Some expensive basses will crumble in short time.

So to answer your question... maybe ?!?
 
#12
Correlation is not causation. Because one MIA fender is good does not mean they all are, and because one Ibanez gio soundgear is bad does not mean they all are. It is more common to find good instruments in higher price ranges, ime. However, as far as country of origin, a good bass doesn't care where its made. It is truly a game of tendencies, not rules.
 
#13
I'd say definitely not for the majority of makes out there. The most common negative thing I've noticed about cheaper basses is that they might need some fretwork because the frets stick out slightly. Although I've heard that this is also related to the fact that they are made in significantly different climates and the wood contracts and not necessarily poor build quality.

Plus the things that you might notice in cheaper basses that'll make a significant difference are the hardware and electronics which can all be upgraded incrementally.

It's really a personal preference. Some of the woods used in cheaper basses are apparently better for certain types of music than the more expensive ones. I've tried the lower end and higher end Ibanez Soundgears and picked a cheaper one because I preferred the pickups those models had.

One relationship I have noticed: The more expensive someone else's equipment is, the more likely they are to say that price matters.
 
#14
Lets just say I bought a mid priced bass the other day with high end tuners. Two of these tuners developed cracks thru the housing and the bass is going back.

Now I have used open tuners that were over thirty years old with never an issue and some were on cheap basses.
These super lightweight fancy tuners are what is on allot of more expensive basses and now are broke?
 
#15
depends on the quality control. I just bought a Squier Precision V from the Indonesian factory and it is impeccable, plus it even had an incredible set up.

If Joe Dart can rock an old Squier P and a 99$ Musicman clone, you can too
 
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#16
I'm in the group that thinks you don't need to pay over $1000 for a bass. There are so many great instruments that can be had (especially on the TB classifieds) for that kind of money or less. But, if you really like a $2500 bass and it makes you happy to own and play it, then go for it. For me, it's just something else to worry about with every little nick and scratch that it accumulates (and depreciates).
 
#17
heres a sorta different answer, try to play some boutique basses (if possible,
some shops do not let u unless a serious buyer) and compare them to cheaper
basses. i have done this and it is night and day to me. you will not find the answer
you seek here on this, its all ones own opinion. gl
 
#18
There are definitely differences, but they are mostly pretty subtle, and not proportionate to the price difference.

IME and IMO, the main reasons for buying an expensive bass have to more do with esthetics and pride of ownership. There are lots of examples on record of great music made with inexpensive instruments. People like JJ Cale, Paul McCartney and dozens of others immediately come to mind.

That said, tuning is faster and easier on a high end bass with Hipshots or Gotoh GB7's, as opposed to a cheap Squier with elephant ear tuners. Tuning stability may also be better. Gently resting my hand on the neck of my $299 Squier moves the tuner needle slightly, whereas I have to push quite hard on the stouter necks of my good basses to get the same effect.

Shielding may be better, although many offshore instruments are nice and quiet these days. The Neutrik and Switchcraft jacks and more expensive pots on good basses tend to last a little longer, and feel more solid.

IME, the feature sets on high-end basses tend to bias them toward a more articulate, modern tone. The mid-priced Squier, Epi and Ibanez project basses I've had the last few years tended to sound a little darker on average, compared to the boutique basses I've owned or sampled.

However, it's pretty easier to move your tone in one direction or the other with string or electronics changes these days, so that's not a show stopper. Even if you add pro touches like straplocks or heavy-duty pots to a cheap bass, the cost savings are still substantial.

As others have said, rock what you got. More time spent practicing and playing out = less time for mods, and better results in the long term...
 

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