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Does price = quality/sound

#221
bassbully said:
Well right here is your problem. You were playing a jazz and then switched to a P bass...duh :smug:
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I was wondering when someone would twig to that, lol. One of my earlier posts talked about my VM Pbass. What I didn't say was that I put a Fender vintage 62 pickup in it with similar poor results. I'm most interested now in getting the Jazz up to speed since my pbass needs are well covered.

Good catch though.
 
#224
There are affordable basses with great pickups but they won't not have the same exact construction standards or electronics etc... Schecter Model T is an example of a solid, affordable bass with kickass rock pickups (Seymour Duncan Basslines). I have them on my Peavey and they are thunderous.
As of late, the pickups on the new Carvin B40's, SB4000 and PB4 have great sounding pickups for around 800 - 1000 dollar price range. I also played a new Fender P/J Deluxe (passive with Badass bridge) and it sounded like a million bucks for 899 bucks.
It's easier to grab a good sounding passive bass for less as compared to an active bass where pre-amps play a role.
 
#231
Solow0318 said:
BS. People can talk all they want about quality controle, better wood, craftmanship etc... people that have 3000 dollar instruments do so because they can. It's more of a status symbol thing than an actual upgrade over a cheaper bass. Blindfolded...between a well setup Squier and MIA, most of us would not know the difference. At the end of the day the instruments setup, electronics and playability decide which bass is up there with the best. Not a 3000 dollar pricetag, a Fender decal or the fact that a bass is made in the US.
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You are missing the big picture. It doesn't matter whether YOU can tell the difference. It only matters whether the target audience can tell the difference and judge that difference is worth the additional expense. If enough people see value there, then they will spend the money, and the product will succeed.

On the other hand, you have clearly already announced that you can't, so you would be stupid if you bought anything more than a "well setup Squier", wouldn't you? If enough people are like you and fail to see the value, then the product will fail to sell and will be off the market soon.

Over-priced instruments are a self-correcting problem. It's amazing how that works.

This "relative value" situation is no different from any other product out there. I really have no idea why were are debating this subject, honestly.

Major Softie said:
Wall Street/Bank debacle

Every Pyramid scheme ever

Almost every Multi-level Marketing scheme ever

Every "Patent Medicine" before they were outlawed

A painfully large portion of automotive mechanics before the laws requiring the return of replaced parts and adherence to written estimates

Almost every fad diet book

An embarrassingly large portion of the supplement industry's marketing since they got the law changed so that they don't have to prove any of their claims
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Seriously? You're bringing up these examples, as though manufacturers of expensive bass guitars are somehow in the same ballpark, and humans who are stupid enough to believe in alternative medicine are the only reason companies like Fodera have any buyers?
Major Softie said:
The entire history of consumer products in the USA shows your statement to be untrue. Every consumer protection law and consumer fraud law exists only to stop people who where successfully fooling the public.
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First of all, if you think that the "entire history of consumer products" in the USA boils down to fraud and consumer protection laws, then you are reading some really bad history. Second of all, if you think that consumer protection laws are in any way relevant to the current discussion of higher-priced bass guitars, then you have some serious issues with freedom of choice. Would you really support laws so the government stops those of us who are ignorant and buy basses which you don't think are worth it? I sure hope not.
 
#234
grendle said:
True, but epiphone is much closer to Gibson quality than squire is. I've got an all hog, plek'd epi explorer that plays and sounds as good as if not better than most Gibson's ive played, and I'm picky about that. My Gibson buddy's were kind of bummed, and one has been on me to sell it to him. On the other hand ill take a beating if I ever sell it, vs a not as well playing us guitar strictly on the name. But that's how it goes.
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From what I've heard (and I'm not even 100% sure of this) that may be the exception to the rule, though. Epi Explorers supposedly are really good and Gibson Explorers are probably not so good as the usual Gibson bass.
 
#235
hsech said:
This thread has certainly shown that people have their preferences and brand loyalties. Nothing wrong with that.
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hsech said:
I could also. That's why I bought the Fender.
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So you chose the Fender because of brand loyalty? Or is it to be understood that should anyone face a decision between choosing a Fender or a Lakland, those who 'know' quality will choose the Fender? I sincerely hope I misunderstood your posts.
 
#236
In response to the original thread - sound is dependent to a large degree on the skill of the player.

Good players can make poor quality basses sound good and better quality ones sound fabulous. On the other hand there are mediocre or poor standard players for whom many high quality instruments will make little difference to the sound they produce and in many cases may be worse because high quality basses may highlight poor technique.

I am talking £1000 upwards as high quality - and this is true also with very high quality boutique basses.
 
#238
rocksmoot said:
I was wondering when someone would twig to that, lol. One of my earlier posts talked about my VM Pbass. What I didn't say was that I put a Fender vintage 62 pickup in it with similar poor results. I'm most interested now in getting the Jazz up to speed since my pbass needs are well covered.

Good catch though.
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Oh..... I like me some 62's. I think try different strings? The 62's are more of a vintage sound. If you want a hotter sound try SD quarter pounds and bright strings on that P bass.
I love 62's with flats but for my last bass put in Duncan antiquities. That is some sweet Fender tone there brother.

As for the jazz you could put in an active pre in it or get an preamp (outboard) to color the tone.
 

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