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Downgrading from High-End Boutique Basses... Insanity?
- Thread starter TheMartianBassist
- Start date
- Jul 3, 2004
- 1,300
- 641
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Ernie Ball MusicMan Guitars
So you get to play - if money was no object what would you play?
The answer has always been - what makes you happy -
The answer has always been - what makes you happy -
Sound is one part of the puzzle. The problem with all the "blind tests" is that they fail to take into account all of the aspects of playing a bass. While sound is the final outcome, getting to that point involves a lot of other factors which are tied up in human bias. So the "scientific tests" are meaningless for someone who really plays their instrument.
I've gone through a bunch of instruments at various levels over the past few decades. I've settled on a few that really work for the different bands I'm in at the moment and they way I approach my playing. Sorry, a 4-string P-bass won't really work for me. But in addition, I've had $10K basses that didn't work for me. I'm really particular and have a certain feel, attack, and tone that I'm going for. And I either can get it out of an instrument or I can't. It doesn't matter what anyone else can do with the bass - they're not on my gig, I am.
Right now my Smith 5-string fretless gets most of the work. Nothing else I've ever had or played feels and sounds like it - and it just works for me. I'm still hashing through fretted solutions. I've got a Fodera 4 that is the best sound instrument I've owned. Period. But these day's I've migrated back to 5-string so it doesn't get much stage time. I can't bear to sell it though, as I figure I'll likely swing back to playing 4 at some point. Though it took me about 10 years the last time around.
Play what you love, love what you play. Price doesn't matter - if it works for you, it works for you. If it doesn't, it doesn't. As for gigging a boutique, I have no hesitation and I usually have 2 basses at any show. At one point that meant I had about $20K on stage (much less these days). I never leave my gear unattended, never had anything stolen. I've got musical instrument insurance in case something does happen. And that number pales in comparison to guys with good uprights. I bought them to play them, not to look at. Though they are pretty...
^This. And then some. The "in the long run" maintenance thing. Especially the major thing you're talking about. Is it something you can fix yourself, or is it something you have to send it across the pond to get fixed? I have heard (and know of 2 of my friends) who had to send their Modulus graphite basses across the pond after several years of service, to shim the fretboard, as it was impossible to a) find someone here to do it b) they had too much proprieraty patent designs in material to give out any information to another luthier to be able to fix it. c) they did not do it for free. No lifetime warranty over here, to first owner. Lifetime warranties are often less worth than the paper it is written on.
Now, a "one man shop" business. Think of it. If he decides to go bankrupt, or actually as it eventually is with us all, become dead? Who's going to be your daddy then? German Lorenzo who made Klein basses and electric guitars faced the very same problem. He became ill. No one else wants to repair them, not to speak of make them at all anymore. Don't know what happened to him, or what happened to those who made a deposit.
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Martin acoustic guitars has this different stance. They charge so much that they have an insurance for not going out of business any time soon. The "inevitable neck reset" occurs in some time in the future. It's not if, but when. They have themselves stated that any acoustic instrument sounds the best if it's made on the verge of self destructing, hence it's volatile nature. On solid body basses (and electric guitars) this is totally moot, and totally irrelevant. You make them built like a tank, or else. That's why I always think that past a price point, there's something else to it than function and sound and playability. If it's made of wood, sooner or later, something needs maintenance, whatever it may be.
A couple issues I was referring to were: one bass was brand new from an online bass retailer. When I got the bass I wanted the action lowered some so I started making adjustments and noticed that the saddles were all the way to the bridge and the truss rod was good (I like a medium to medium-low action, nothing crazy low). I shimmed the neck and this did the trick. But I really didn't like the idea of needing to shim the neck of a brand new $2,600 bass. So I sent it back to have the neck pocket re-cut. The other bass was brand new and it had a strange truss rod rattle with certain notes. The builder was very helpful in trying to troubleshoot the issue by phone/email, but we just couldn't solve the problem. That bass needed to be sent back for truss rod repair. So both of these issues were "major" repairs by my standards.
Yeah, thanks, the question was a little unclear by me. My bad. Sorry. I was sort of asking a rethoric question all around, that one have to question just that oneself before one should make the plunge into any bass, but especially boutique. If something happens to it, then what? Can I easily get it repaired, or buy another one at the drop of a hat, that is exactly the same? It was not directed in what you specifically had to do with your basses. It's exactly my experience too. Boutique high end can go havoc after a while just as cookie cutter production models. I've learned so much that I can fix most things myself except warped necks, and esoteric finishes/laqcuer. But then again, one has a more reluctancy to go ahead fixing with a boutique bass, than a regular run of the mill Squier...
I bought an older used TUNE bass here on TB and think it's one of the coolest ones I've owned.
Nothing wrong with giving up "name" for what you like.
In a "bass shootout" where a lot of players would have to play a selection of basses blindfolded, I wouldn't be surprised if some "cheap" basses kicked ass over some boutiques.
svtb15
Inactive
- Mar 22, 2004
- 13,004
- 4,741
- Disclosures
- I play it all. Whatever works for the gig. Q+
I recently did the same thing... I found P 5 that was as good as my NYC sadowsky. I LOVED the sadowsky feel.. It is finely built.. But the other P5 fits me better these days.. I sold off 3 of my NYCs Sads the past 2 years. Great basses. I just don't need them. I got one last week and flipped it for a profit.. Just different strokes for different folks. Im sure Ill get another one day in the Future since they are fantastic..
I use a pair of Road Worn fender that i had tweaked with a great fret job that I use for Air travel.. easily replaced.
And i picked up a musicman passive bass last month that is easily as nice and many of the parts boutique basses out there today. I still keep and use my AC basses. They are fit for me exclusively and feel like home..
But ive done gigs with $300 basses that keep up with my $5k boutiques.. Its a no brainer for me to have sold them.
PS. I played a friend Ibanez and it was really great.. its own thing unique to its own.. Great basses and not too much $$
I use a pair of Road Worn fender that i had tweaked with a great fret job that I use for Air travel.. easily replaced.
And i picked up a musicman passive bass last month that is easily as nice and many of the parts boutique basses out there today. I still keep and use my AC basses. They are fit for me exclusively and feel like home..
But ive done gigs with $300 basses that keep up with my $5k boutiques.. Its a no brainer for me to have sold them.
PS. I played a friend Ibanez and it was really great.. its own thing unique to its own.. Great basses and not too much $$
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Well,i think that part of "the answer"is in on your quote above "...that it all comes down to personal preference and playability".If you do not know what exact tone goal is,one would be gassing too much,i guess,plus something more expensive does not mean better - that would be applied to every aspects of the life.I can assure you, that Fodera T.Kennedy in my hands would sounds different - probably a way-way bad ( despite this bass having something backed in tone into it),because my technique is not same and many other stuffs ,as well,so i am not going to sound like him and...voala,i am not be satisfied 100% and will gassing again,which cost more money,more headache etc.My point is,that there is many basses,which one is best for you needs - it is up to you,no mater how expensive bass is, if it sounds "no i like,not i like much of something missing here" in your hands and you are not able to achieve your tone,you would be unsatisfied.I am not going to lie,i would be glad to posses some botique instruments,but not at all cost - not in a GAS situation.A few days ago i did play on Carrier MM copy (Korean one) and other bass was ...... ( on purpose ) - more expensive one.I swear,to my ear and to two guitarists ear,also, the Carrier was just sounds in killer way compared to other one,despite been much cheaper,even unplugged.No,you,are not lunatic,just do what you thing is better for you or makes you feel and play better.
Good luck.
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Well stated Todd.
I've tried just about everything out there in both the boutique and the production market. Love some and hate some in both markets. After all the different basses that I've owned and played, I've ended up with a mix of boutique and production basses. And they totally work for me. And in the end, that's the only thing that matters.
I sold my Custom Benevente and was able to get 2 basses that sound just as good if not better. The benevente was amazing in every way but I'm very happy with my Ibanez Prestige 5005 and my Ibanez BTb1605. So it's not overly crazy to sell or trade down when you can get a 2 for 1. These Ibanez basses are killer deals in every way and sound amazing.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
I did the same thing a few years back. I had a stable of very fine booteek basses that were just amazing instruments. So amazing that I was afraid to take them on my $150 bar gigs. AVRI is where I landed too.... and I have a bucket full of them for the same money or less than I had in a few teeks.....
I don't have a ton of experience with high end boutique basses (so as many grains of salt as you need) but I have played some and have listened to demos of a bunch more. There aren't many that I like better than(or in some cases, as much as) a particularly nice example of a Jazz or a stingray. Of course, this is 100% subjective, but if it's about getting the sound you want.... There are several well regarded brands, in fact, that I think are beautiful instruments but almost always tonally boring, again totally subjectively.
TL/DR- you aren't crazy, sometimes your tone may live in a cheaper instrument
TL/DR- you aren't crazy, sometimes your tone may live in a cheaper instrument
I'm kinda going through this too..I'm contemplating on trading MTD for a Custom Shop P...I just love funky passive tone with flats too much..it seems like a lopsided trade on paper, but I actually paid less for the MTD than what the P Bass is selling for...it'll never do what an MTD does but after all this time, I'm realizing that what the MTD can't do is sound like a badass P with flats and I can't live without it...that time is why I started playing in the first place...
As we say in the south, do what melts your butter, sir. I find nothing unusual with your approach. Go with comfort and tone you like, whatever it is.
I know this
..... and it feels great to meDid so with some boutique basses and amps as well!
I know this
Did so with some boutique basses and amps as well!
Same. I moved on from my Aguilar DB amps to a Mesa D800. Maybe it's not a surprise given the nature of this thread, but I like the Subway more
So did I with my db750 and the Sadowsky SA200 moving to an Ashdown ABM500 and a couple of Mesa Walkabouts.Same. I moved on from my Aguilar DB amps to a Mesa D800. Maybe it's not a surprise given the nature of this thread, but I like the Subway more
