Does price = quality/sound

[bassbully]

In my opinion it's 50/50. You have to wade through a hundred MIA Fenders to find a good one, just like you have to wade through a hundred MIM Fenders to find a good one. Who has time for that? Buy a Sadowsky or a Lakland and be done with it.

A hundred? Um...no...no.

 

[Major Softie]

I've seen similar claims, and IME, it's simply not true...

- georgestrings

Note that only one person has to have had an experience different than your own for you to be mistaken.

Few actually take the trouble to do all this because it makes more economic sense for most to buy the better instrument and be able to recoup far more of your investment in resale.

 

[smcd]

Bzzt. Thanks for playing. We have nice parting gifts.

1. Price does not equal quality when it comes to automobiles, for example. Witness all the paint defects in historic Ferraris, and fires in 458 Italias. A 110,000$ Nissan GTR laps faster around the Top Gear track than a Bugatti Veyron Supersport. The Nissan is built in a hermetically sealed factory with special tolerances for their handbuilt engines.

2. Name professional players don't pay for their basses. They're endorsers.

3. I bet you couldn't tell the difference 5 out of 10 between a Fender, a Squier Jazz based upon a blind test. I bet 99% of us can't.

The exit is to the left. I hear the accordions play nicely.

The network has cancelled your game show for bad ratings and poor research.


1. We're not talking cars, we're talking electric guitars. Ask around, you'll find that they're not the same thing.

2. Not all name players are endorsers. And of those that do endorse products, the vast majority don't endorse $299 MIC Squiers. The next time you go into your local newsstand, hold off on the smokes and buy a few magazines. You'll be amazed what you can learn. Interesting things like guitars and cars are not the same thing!

3. If you're talking about picking up a bass and playing it, I can unequivocally guarantee you that I could tell the difference between a Squier Jazz and a Fender Jazz 10 out of 10 times. And if you can't, well, I'm sorry for you, my friend. As far as listening goes, that's irrelevant, since it's pretty much all about what the player feels and hears when it comes to instruments.



I hear the accordion dept is a lonely place. Write me a post card when you get there.

 

[topo morto]

If the phrase "you get what you pay for" were coined today, I'm not sure it would catch on. Low-cost, high-precision manufacturing techniques make cheap, high performance gear possible; the continuing importance of branding and marketing means that people are often paying based on what they've been told something's worth, rather than their detached assessment of its value.

In so many areas of consumer life, it's doing your research that will get you the right thing for you, rather than willingness or ability to throw money around.

 

[georgestrings]

Note that only one person has to have had an experience different than your own for you to be mistaken.

Few actually take the trouble to do all this because it makes more economic sense for most to buy the better instrument and be able to recoup far more of your investment in resale.

No, it really isn't possible - and that's the reason why "few actually take the trouble"...


- georgestrings

 

[georgestrings]

The network has cancelled your game show for bad ratings and poor research.


1. We're not talking cars, we're talking electric guitars. Ask around, you'll find that they're not the same thing.

2. Not all name players are endorsers. And of those that do endorse products, the vast majority don't endorse $299 MIC Squiers. The next time you go into your local newsstand, hold off on the smokes and buy a few magazines. You'll be amazed what you can learn. Interesting things like guitars and cars are not the same thing!

3. If you're talking about picking up a bass and playing it, I can unequivocally guarantee you that I could tell the difference between a Squier Jazz and a Fender Jazz 10 out of 10 times. And if you can't, well, I'm sorry for you, my friend. As far as listening goes, that's irrelevant, since it's pretty much all about what the player feels and hears when it comes to instruments.



I hear the accordion dept is a lonely place. Write me a post card when you get there.

Agreed - and will add regarding cars: BMW vs KIA...


- georgestrings

 

[generation zero]

Now I'm wondering how much the price effects the quality of an accordion...

 

[Major Softie]

No, it really isn't possible - and that's the reason why "few actually take the trouble"...

- georgestrings

Ah, we've moved on from the "not in my experience" to "it isn't possible."

Pardon me, I was trying to point out there could be different experiences, but since you know such things are impossible, we shall, from now on, make that clear to all people who have had them.

 

[georgestrings]

Ah, we've moved on from the "not in my experience" to "it isn't possible."

Pardon me, I was trying to point out there could be different experiences, but since you know such things are impossible, we shall, from now on, make that clear to all people who have had them.

Sure, there could be different "experiences" - like the difference between fantasy and reality...


- georgestrings

 

[MDBass]

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

^ THIS +1000

As long as you're recording through a killer old rig into a vintage tape machine

 

[MDBass]

Perfect definitionof cheap vs expensive. I bought a Spector Rebop from a guy for 225 dollars. Bass Iis in mint condition swapped out the tone pump pre in it for a Korean 9V spector preamp. Bass kicks serious butt and has a deep low end not found Iin many Spectors. I also have a Euro with tone pump and up graded emgs in it. The Rebop blows it out of the water. Hence why the tone pump is coming out of my Euro for a hazlab pre.

it's all about what works for you tone wise. I think the Korean pre amps Iin the ns2000 series work awesome with emg hzs. Had a few pro players try Iit an they loved the sound of the Rebop.

basically I paid 275 for a killer bass II'd put up against 1500 dollar basses without giving it a thought. It's all about what works for u and what tone u want . Long winded but you can find deals and what not on upper end basses then tailor them to ur needs. I should point out I also got my euro for dirt cheap too. Find what u like and look for deals they are out there.

Geez man, are you serious? That's the deal of the decade right there!

 

[hsech]

If you put a high end pickup in an Epiphone...it will probably sound better than a Gibson.

That's crazy talk.

 

[Laurent]

It's not a theoretical question. Play the instruments and buy the one that feels the best and sounds the best in your hands.

 

[grendle]

Geez man, are you serious? That's the deal of the decade right there!

Lol actually I got mine for 200. Yeah it was beat but played fine. I put the same pre and an emg p/j in it. It's a cool bass, but my euro dougie craps all over it. Got an old ns2a that does the same. But that's context. Same with most here Sorry but imo neither squire or fender make a quality instrument. Squire is closer for the price point but when you buy a Mia fender your paying for the name. Unless its a master built instrument the quality of the construction and components is just not there. Compare a rebop to a Mia fender , or an LTD , or a tune, or schecter. Better construction and parts on all of those. There is the name though. Kind of like owning a "Hemi" or brand X.

 

[MDBass]

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?

Due to some unusual QC issues with current Gibsons, the new turn-of-phrase seems to be 'Epiphone is the new Gibson'

Buying any instrument simply do to the name on the headstock or where is was built is silly, as neither of those things has a quantifiable effect on build quality or tone 100% of the time; even boutique builders like AC make a lemon every now and again (there's a very interesting old thread floating around here regarding that exact case).

There are definitely things that you can look for in a bass which will always indicate high quality (PLEK'd necks, custom/handwound pickups, etc.), but brand/price is not necessarily on that list.

The most important thing is to play what feels good in your hands and sounds good to your ears

 

[Milk]

All i know is i seem to be getting my favorite tones out of cheaper instruments....

I don't like paying for brands anyway. Because that's the thing...most of the price is in the brand. I will pay for QUALITY which is not the same thing.

 

[hsech]

To some degree yes, but mostly no. There are many $200 basses that play just as good and work sometimes even better than boutique basses costing 10 times as much

Is this from personal experience with several basses? Is this a casual observation or is this a statement from someone who doesn't own a high end bass or boutique bass?

 

[hsech]

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?

Do you have pictures of the cracks in the tuners?

 

[hsech]

IMO, a Squier will never be an American Fender no matter what you do to it.
IMO, An Epiphone will never be a Gibson USA no matter what you do to it.

Nothing against Squier or Epi, it's just my opinion. If you pay for quality, you generally get quality. Do I buy quality gear? You bet. Would I buy lower priced gear? Nope. Again that's just my opinion.

 

[grendle]

IMO, a Squier will never be an American Fender no matter what you do to it.
IMO, An Epiphone will never be a Gibson USA no matter what you do to it.

Nothing against Squier or Epi, it's just my opinion. If you pay for quality, you generally get quality. Do I buy quality gear? You bet. Would I buy lower priced gear? Nope. Again that's just my opinion.

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.