Expensive vs inexpensive basses

[Ric5]

I sold off all of my expensive basses $3000 and above …

Gimme a cheap player beater!!!

 

[Jazzbass 1950]

I may well sell my Fender Precision Bass Special... it is a real white elephant. I never play it and for all the good it is it might as well not exist. The lightweight Tenson I paid 35GBP for or my Johnson Jazz bass I fished out of a pile of garbage in a pawn shop and that has cost me the grand sum of 49GBP represent instruments I'm far more likely to use, given their easy handling characteristics and far warmer sound...

 

[Iridescentone]

To each their own. Some people like nice things, others don't care either way, and still others actually dislike nice things. Whatev. At some point fringe behavior becomes more of a "fad" than anything else. Like hula hoops or pet rocks. Can't deny the entertainment value of some fads, though....like the Tiny House phenom. Which is nothing new really. We've all seen little buildings before, except they usually had a crescent moon-shaped opening carved into the doors.

 

[Jazzbass 1950]

In England, these are called "Family Homes."
Smaller versions, called "Flats" (apartments in the USA) can be bought for 200,000 GBP but sometimes they catch fire and burn the occupants...
Kinda getting off the original subject though... My friends bought Genuine Fender Guitars and found them next to useless. I bought a Genuine Fender Precision Bass Special and for two pins I'd throw it at the wall. First friend who paid 1600 GBP for his Telecaster Special is now trying to sell it for what he paid for it and is SERIOUSLY bugging me about wanting to buy my ageing Lindo Electro Acoustic that I bought for 80 GBP (again, fat chance; I told him 600 GBP or he can Do One). Think it through...

 

[Jeff Scott]

In England, these are called "Family Homes."
Smaller versions, called "Flats" (apartments in the USA) can be bought for 200,000 GBP but sometimes they catch fire and burn the occupants...

Population control...........

 

[Jazzbass 1950]

All the cheap Guitars and Bass Axes I bought are seriously cool.
The one Bassaxe I spent serious money on is A Pile Of Dooley...
'Nuff Said..

 

[Bass Butcher]

This thread was sure to get gear snob's nose out of joint, lol
I'm with the op 110%, having owned and played a 'classic' 60's Fender P ('P' stood for 'plank', back in the day), for over a decade. I don't miss the plank at all and wouldn't buy another, vintage or new. Within any given price point, 9 times out of 10 Ibinhad blows Fender out of the water, hands down. I wouldn't mind owning an Alembic but I find the majority of boutique basses to be over-rated. I've played quit a few of them made by the bass luthier who was considered the best in the world in the 1980's and may still be today, (Starts with an 'F' but not Fender), so the gear snobs have nothing on me

 

[Bass Viking]

All the cheap Guitars and Bass Axes I bought are seriously cool.
The one Bassaxe I spent serious money on is A Pile Of Dooley...
'Nuff Said..

One bass does not constitute a representative sample.

 

[Bass Butcher]

One bass does not constitute a representative sample.

Sure it does, when dealing in generalities (or math). That is like saying one Bentley or Ferrari does not constitute a representative sample. The real differences between mid range and high end basses are primarily in the minds of those who spent the extra cake, not what comes out of the instrument.

 

[InternetAlias]

Sure it does, when dealing in generalities (or math). That is like saying one Bentley or Ferrari does not constitute a representative sample. The real differences between mid range and high end basses are primarily in the minds of those who spent the extra cake, not what comes out of the instrument.

A higher cost can imply better quality control as well, meaning that on average, a sample you pick is going to be better constructed. Sure, you can luck out on low or mid range basses (as I have), but it is less likely than if you spend more.

The best bass I ever played is an alembic, and the thing is pefect, although I do not have any need for it, I still play low and mid range basses because they absolutely do the job. I think we have just been spoiled by technology and the possibility of perfection in certain respects, that we did not even stop to think whether it is needed in any sort of way.

It always boils down to the age old question whether more money makes you more happy. Except for, that question has been answered already - people are basically as happy as they can be once they've taken care of the bills and have access to some small luxuries. Past that, happiness vs money is really really diminishing returns.

The same thing can be said of high quality gear - past a certain point, it won't make you happier or play better. Or if it does, it'll be marginal or short lived

A korean made mid range bass nowadays is very likely a better instrument than whatever was made 50 years ago, american or otherwise, I can assure you of that. That's just how technology works. It gets better and humans are replaced by machines, and suddenly you're in a position where the only thing pushing certain ideas is either tradition or nostalgia.

 

[lfmn16]

Sure it does, when dealing in generalities (or math). That is like saying one Bentley or Ferrari does not constitute a representative sample. The real differences between mid range and high end basses are primarily in the minds of those who spent the extra cake, not what comes out of the instrument.

The fact that you can't tell the difference doesn't mean there isn't a difference.

 

[Rib 13]

research and development has come a long way since I started in the early 80s......I own 17 basses starting at 50 bucks all the way up to $3000 and a bunch dotted between that spectrum.......There are some inexpensive basses that have high-end features...Conversely, I can think of several boutique manufacturers that have instruments --- although nice ---- that doesnt justify the pricetag that they put on them

None of this is new and can be found in every market, from sunglasses to clothes

It boils down to whatever works for you and how much "utils" you get out of what you buy

 

[Bass Butcher]

A higher cost can imply better quality control as well, meaning that on average, a sample you pick is going to be better constructed. Sure, you can luck out on low or mid range basses (as I have), but it is less likely than if you spend more.

The best bass I ever played is an alembic, and the thing is pefect, although I do not have any need for it, I still play low and mid range basses because they absolutely do the job. I think we have just been spoiled by technology and the possibility of perfection in certain respects, that we did not even stop to think whether it is needed in any sort of way.

It always boils down to the age old question whether more money makes you more happy. Except for, that question has been answered already - people are basically as happy as they can be once they've taken care of the bills and have access to some small luxuries. Past that, happiness vs money is really really diminishing returns.

The same thing can be said of high quality gear - past a certain point, it won't make you happier or play better. Or if it does, it'll be marginal or short lived

A korean made mid range bass nowadays is very likely a better instrument than whatever was made 50 years ago, american or otherwise, I can assure you of that. That's just how technology works. It gets better and humans are replaced by machines, and suddenly you're in a position where the only thing pushing certain ideas is either tradition or nostalgia.

The time period of manufacture is less of a factor than the quality of the process, although component technology has most certainly evolved over the years. There is also the difference between traditional high end luthiery and modern 'boutique' production. The former involves a master at his craft overseeing apprentices, the latter is just marketing blurb. Alembic is a brand I'd love to own an example of but I'm just as happy with my off the shelf Ibanez in my hands, as it does the job just fine. I even own a Fender that was cosmetically designed specifically to try and cut Ibanez's grass, which speaks for itself. I call it my 'reverse lawsuit' bass

 

[Bass Viking]

Sure it does, when dealing in generalities (or math). That is like saying one Bentley or Ferrari does not constitute a representative sample. The real differences between mid range and high end basses are primarily in the minds of those who spent the extra cake, not what comes out of the instrument.

I thought the poster was dismissing all expensive basses because he tried one and didn’t like it.

 

[InternetAlias]

I thought the poster was dismissing all expensive basses because he tried one and didn’t like it.

He wasn't dismissing expensive basses, he just meant that the price difference is not worth it for him, but he worded it in a pretty bad way.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I buy and play what I like, regardless of price.

 

[Bassbeater]

Dollah bills y'all!

 

[Ironbar]

This is akin to a "cello on or cello off?" on the old cigar fourm I used to frequent.

 

[Bass Butcher]

The fact that you can't tell the difference doesn't mean there isn't a difference.

I dunno. I learned how to tell the difference from a guy named Mr Furlanetto. You might have heard of him...

 

[Bassbeater]

The fact that you can't tell the difference doesn't mean there isn't a difference.

Every time I hear some run of the mill crappy p-bass tone I'm always thinking. Man! If only that sweet bass line was played on a hand-wade boutique $5000 bass, instead of a $400 industry standard, maybe I could enjoy the song!