Expensive vs inexpensive basses

[chadds]

I think the car (vehicle) analogies fall a little short when speaking of basses.

And given the choice of having a Kia or a BMW, I can't think of anyone who would chose the Kia over the BMW. Do you?

The way I see it, car provides a service and is less of a tool for creativity.

The good news is that no matter what is important for you in a bass, you can find it and buy it if you have the money.

But even better than that, if you have the creativity and have something to say musically, nowadays us bass players don't need to spend large amounts for a quality instrument.

The difference in quality is in the eye of the beholder. I think the car analogy is appropriate. The bass provides a service as part of its mission. While you don’t create with a car specifically, the design can make a huge difference in your experience driving from A to B. Design refers to all of its components. Do they work harmoniously? Do they appeal esthetically? Did the designer do things to “speak” to you? Are ergonomics an integral consideration? The quality of the suspension design and capability, alone can make or break a brilliant driving experience.

If this were a bass I would wish for similar considerations.

 

[Zonked]

The difference in quality is in the eye of the beholder. I think the car analogy is appropriate. The bass provides a service as part of its mission. While you don’t create with a car specifically, the design can make a huge difference in your experience driving from A to B. Design refers to all of its components. Do they work harmoniously? Do they appeal esthetically? Did the designer do things to “speak” to you? Are ergonomics an integral consideration? The quality of the suspension design and capability, alone can make or break a brilliant driving experience.

If this were a bass I would wish for similar considerations.

I think my main point has been lost here.

The good news is that no matter what is important for you in a bass, you can find it and buy it if you have the money.

But even better than that, if you have the creativity and have something to say musically, nowadays us bass players don't need to spend large amounts for a quality instrument.

After a practical level of quality which is pretty affordable these days,

A bass is only as good as it's player

no matter the price.

 

[chadds]

I think my main point has been lost here.

The good news is that no matter what is important for you in a bass, you can find it and buy it if you have the money.

But even better than that, if you have the creativity and have something to say musically, nowadays us bass players don't need to spend large amounts for a quality instrument.

After a practical level of quality which is pretty affordable these days,

A bass is only as good as it's player

no matter the price.

I have a free G&L L1000. Hows that for inexpensive? Okay I have maybe $300 in a major overhaul (to get the cigarette smell out) I have a MIJ ‘51 P RI that due to the exchange rate with Canada at the time cost me $340. Price does not a great instrument make.

The reason this thread question continues to resurface is that the real answer isn’t about gear.

 

[Element Zero]

Ok, I’ll bite. Gets what?

His post talks about spending twice as much as he needs to to get the job done. Which is fine if that’s what he wants to do and he has the cash, but so what?

I use it because no other bass I've ever tried has that kind of tonal versatility, it's light, super comfortable and effortless to use. I use it for almost everything.

I'm sure I could do just as well with a bass that costs half as much, but I wanted something unique and I feel I have that.

There’s no other explanation than this needed here. I share this exact sentiment.

 

[Bass Viking]

Bass Viking said: ↑
The Lindt store is having a special deal today: buy $25 worth of chocolate and they throw in a free one pound bag of truffles!

Sounds like a great deal, actually.

It is. But then a few days later, after I bought all that chocolate, they had an even better deal: 40% off everything in the store! Doh!!!

 

[Jeff Scott]

PWRL, nice "portrait" of you in your avatar.

 

[fingerbun]

There’s no other explanation than this needed here. I share this exact sentiment.

I’m ok with that provided there is no implication of those who feel otherwise not “getting it”, just personal preference.

I had the chance to buy my dream bass some years ago. It was a Rose Morris Rickenbacker in a collector’s guitar shop in Sydney, being sold on consignment for a major (“hello Wembley” level) international star. This instrument had probably been on their records, been heard at Grammy performances, etc, and it played like butter. I had the money and my wife’s permission. But it was seven times the price of the new American Standard Precision I had just bought, and I am a semi pro weekend warrior. I’m very at peace that I didn’t buy it.

Horses for courses.

 

[DigitalMan]

And given the choice of having a Kia or a BMW, I can't think of anyone who would chose the Kia over the BMW. Do you?

Actually, in thinking this through, I do know a number of folks who have owned modestly priced cars who swear they would rather have them than spend the outrageous sums it would take to afford a BMW, and label luxury car owners as snobs and fools.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Sure.

But what I was trying to say is that if you were going to be gifted a car by a wealthy relative,

generally speaking, I don't think anyone would chose the Kia over the BMW.

Anyway, I don't think car analogies work with basses as stated above.

I did, Kia Soul.

Actually, in thinking this through, I do know a number of folks who have owned modestly priced cars who swear they would rather have them than spend the outrageous sums it would take to afford a BMW, and label luxury car owners as snobs and fools.

Cars wear out much faster. And lose value faster.
I buy cars and basses for their practicality first, and as many niceties as my meager budget allows.

 

[gungrog]

Well sure. The bass is tool.

A good bass is relatively simple tool or instrument to make especially nowadays.

Just like a bass, a pen is also a tool.

Will a stunning looking and exquisitely crafted pen made with the finest material available costing $10,000 help a writer write "better" stories?

That's why I believe that after a certain practical level of quality that is pretty affordable nowadays, A bass is only as good as it's player.

This ^^^, this ^^^ & this ^^^

Shakespeare did OK with a feather pulled from some birds @ss and some 'organic' ink, scratched onto some lumpy 'paper'.

I'm sure he would have loved a nice typewriter/word processor, but I don't think it would have improved the quality of his output.
Likewise, no doubt the latest technologies are employed by the creators of some of the latest 'blockbuster' pulp novels seen in airports.

 

[Element Zero]

I’m ok with that provided there is no implication of those who feel otherwise not “getting it”, just personal preference.

I had the chance to buy my dream bass some years ago. It was a Rose Morris Rickenbacker in a collector’s guitar shop in Sydney, being sold on consignment for a major (“hello Wembley” level) international star. This instrument had probably been on their records, been heard at Grammy performances, etc, and it played like butter. I had the money and my wife’s permission. But it was seven times the price of the new American Standard Precision I had just bought, and I am a semi pro weekend warrior. I’m very at peace that I didn’t buy it.

Horses for courses.

I wish this thread was titled “Basses meticulously crafted by hand in small batches by few people who honed their craft over many years VS production line basses built by assembly line workers who probably don’t play a musical instrument”.

Beyond that, a used Ric owned by someone famous can not even be closely compared to a Ritter or Sandberg or Zon or Fodera etc. The level of craftsmanship from any high end hand made boutique bass I’ve ever held is light years beyond the quality of every Ric I’ve ever seen and played.

However, whatever bass you dig, and keeps you playing and happy... more power to you!

 

[TieDye]

I have quite a few bass guitars ranging from a Thumb bass to a couple of squires. The high end basses play "better", some easier, others more accurately. After proper set up on the low end basses the playability difference between low end and high end basses was much less pronounced. The high end basses all sounded way better right out of the box. I bought two exactly the same squire Jazz' so i could do an A/B comparison for each different modification. Here's what i found. The biggest sound differential came from changing pickups. I favor name brand pickups primarily because you can get an idea of how they will sound from reviews and MFG info. Most of the cheapo ebay pickups I tried didn't sound any better than the squire originals. Changing to heavy, cast metal bridges and bolting the neck on using threaded inserts increased the sustain of the low end basses to nearly that of high end neck thru basses without coloring the sound much. Changing body wood had a very small effect on the sound but did change sustain. Adding active electronics made the most cost effective improvement to the sound. I bought a pair of Sadowsky pickups off craigslist. I still don't understand why you would buy a Sadowsky, Warick or any other high end bass if you don't like the sound. My squire with Sadowsky pickups sounds very similar to a Sadowsky, I get lots of compliments. Sadowsky owners can tell that it doesn't sound exactly like a Sadowsky. My next mod is: add a Sadowsky pre-amp/Tone control to see if the sound gets closer.

 

[TieDye]

Well, that said, you'Ve got a Winner. My Fender's can stay in the case for aweek at a time and l'll pull them out and Rarely do l have to tune them. Great Instruments.

Do you find tuning difficult to do? Mine never "need" tuning, but sound better when i do.

 

[vindibona1]

I have quite a few bass guitars ranging from a Thumb bass to a couple of squires. The high end basses play "better", some easier, others more accurately. After proper set up on the low end basses the playability difference between low end and high end basses was much less pronounced. The high end basses all sounded way better right out of the box. I bought two exactly the same squire Jazz' so i could do an A/B comparison for each different modification. Here's what i found. The biggest sound differential came from changing pickups. I favor name brand pickups primarily because you can get an idea of how they will sound from reviews and MFG info. Most of the cheapo ebay pickups I tried didn't sound any better than the squire originals. Changing to heavy, cast metal bridges and bolting the neck on using threaded inserts increased the sustain of the low end basses to nearly that of high end neck thru basses without coloring the sound much. Changing body wood had a very small effect on the sound but did change sustain. Adding active electronics made the most cost effective improvement to the sound. I bought a pair of Sadowsky pickups off craigslist. I still don't understand why you would buy a Sadowsky, Warick or any other high end bass if you don't like the sound. My squire with Sadowsky pickups sounds very similar to a Sadowsky, I get lots of compliments. Sadowsky owners can tell that it doesn't sound exactly like a Sadowsky. My next mod is: add a Sadowsky pre-amp/Tone control to see if the sound gets closer.

I think your explanation was very well thought out and my experience concurs with yours.

I too have a Squier VM 70s Jazz that I bought used for $165. I hadn't played bass since my teen years so I had little technical info. In fact this bass purchase was a spontaneous thing. I just knew it played well for the price point I could buy it at. Without telling a complete story, I began by rounding the fret ends myself for a smoother feel and I installed a Gotoh heavy bridge. Then somehow I managed to get someone to sponsor a new set of Aguilar Noiseless pickups. Having done that I sprung for a professional fret level and setup. The fret level which allowed a great setup made this bass, along with decent pickups very formidable as jazz basses go. I'll leave it at that. Down the road I may throw in an Audere preamp but having done so in my Fender 5er I'm not sure if I'll even do that. I don't know that I'll ever own a "better" 4 string. This one does everything I need it to do. So what's the point?

 

[fuzzychaos]

Excellent...Cheap=Happy!


Sorted.

Let me fix that for you...

Happy! = play what you want or can afford

 

[fingerbun]

I wish this thread was titled “Basses meticulously crafted by hand in small batches by few people who honed their craft over many years VS production line basses built by assembly line workers who probably don’t play a musical instrument”.

Beyond that, a used Ric owned by someone famous can not even be closely compared to a Ritter or Sandberg or Zon or Fodera etc. The level of craftsmanship from any high end hand made boutique bass I’ve ever held is light years beyond the quality of every Ric I’ve ever seen and played.

However, whatever bass you dig, and keeps you playing and happy... more power to you!

Well I’ve played Fodera and I would choose this Rick over the Fodera’s I’ve played. Not because it was owned by someone famous but because of how it sounded and felt.

But it’s moot, because both of us would take our basses into the studio and be told to put it down and play the house Fender

 

[bholder]

Expensive basses tend to cost more. That's my understanding, anyways.

 

[Scribbler]

What's an eeweddi gig?

Ha ha... Yes...it was supposed to say 'wedding'!

 

[chadds]

The car analogy works here again. Some of us experience cars as utilitarian devices and some of us as enjoyable pieces of art. Some of us have to drive utilitarian devices and when able will have their Sunday only car or Triumph Bonneville/BSA Lightning.

 

[Bruiser Stone]

#500 is mine