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Expensive vs inexpensive basses
- Thread starter TKnights
- Start date
I don't know about everyone else but I have been playing bass for over 30 years now. I am much better equipped to detect a low priced gem hidden in the back of a pawn shop than I used to when I started.
When I started, I was a noob and I could not really tell the difference. So, maybe, just maybe, people that can make lower priced gear work for them are, in fact, pretty astute at managing gear.
When I started, I was a noob and I could not really tell the difference. So, maybe, just maybe, people that can make lower priced gear work for them are, in fact, pretty astute at managing gear.
Me too...I had an '81 Series I and an '83 Spoiler. The Series I was beautiful and I kick myself in the butt for ever selling it all those years ago (only because its worth gob$ now). However, I didnt care for the Spoiler - it was "Meh" to me.....heres the thing: For my personal needs - what I do onstage and, especially for certain things (like slap bass), I'd much rather play a well setup, fresh roundwounds Jazz bass over either of those Alembics, and this includes my Sire V7. I prefer the Jazz bass color palette, which those particular Alembics didn't do ( mainly due to pickup location).
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
There's no "F" in carl thompson
I've owned a Sadowsky Metro RV4 and now own a Xotic XJ4-1T. I also own a Sire V7 Vintage. If I had to choose one based on the tones it can create and playability it would be the Sire! Fabulous neck! Great pickups and preamp. And it's a fifth of the price of the others. For resale value I'd choose the other two which are also great basses.
I just received a Hofner B Bass HI Series (Ignition) from Sweetwater. It was on sale for $100 off. I can't tell from looking at photos much difference in these basses from the more or less expensive ones. The higher end ones have ebony fretboards and bridges. This one cost more because it has teacup control knobs. I played it live last Friday and was pleased, although I was using a borrowed bass rig I don't care for. I could not find any flaws on this bass, and it was set up very well as it came. I would like to play one of the $2-$3K ones to compare. I usually play a long scale bass so the shorter scale has been fun.
Depends on where I'm playing: if it's a normal gig, then something nice (there's only 3 of us, 1 being a drummer so what I play is very prominent in the mix)...
But if it's at church with people's kids crawling round, I'll take something cheap I don't have to worry about.
But if it's at church with people's kids crawling round, I'll take something cheap I don't have to worry about.
Kia or a BMW? Analogy doesn't quite work for me... Driving one, people wouldn't really pass judgement, but drive the other and many other drivers will assume the guy behind the wheel is a precious ego-centric who cares too much what others think of him and feels he has to compensate for something lacking in his life...
If
Kia = Squier
BMW = Fodera
Then to some the analogy might ring true.
Not to me, but perhaps to some
Here is my humble opinion about whether a bassist needs an expensive guitar or not: Do You Need An Expensive Guitar? .
Summary: You don’t need anything beyond gear which doesn’t dissatisfy you.
Summary: You don’t need anything beyond gear which doesn’t dissatisfy you.
Isn’t that a judgement the observer is making? The observer can’t know the motivations of the BMW driver unless he talks to him. So it’s all in the mind of the observer.
Sure, we’ve met those ego-centrics. That doesn’t make all BMW drivers fit that mold. Perhaps not caring what other people think is the key. Perhaps playing or driving what we want is key here. I’m not a BMW owner. Yet I don’t play a Fender because I want others to think I’m a regular guy.
Excellent article in the link you provide. Expensive basses are definitely a diminishing returns thing. I'm sure, for example, as athletes get more skilled, they notice small incremental improvements in more expensive gear which justifies the price even if it's just a psychological advantage. But they are improving their skills first, not expecting the new gear to do it for them. The shops are full of magazines feeding our GAS. It would be better to settle on a bass that makes you feel good and discover yourself as a player through the medium of that bass IMHO. GAS is like a drug that you need more and more of each time to feel satisfied. I know. Unfortunately I suffer from it! Buying more stuff doesn't make you happy for long before you want another "fix". I need to take up meditation
Unlike quality, prices rise logarithmically. As with everything, you have to pay a lot more for a little better.
Update: The very odd placement of the jack caused it to fail. I figured there's no point in bothering with it, since I'm guessing I will face the same issue again if I replace it. So this bass has been sitting in it's case ever since. A shame, as I had it plek'd and it was a really nice playing bass.
These kind of threads does seem to be getting a little old to me, but when that is said it still surprises me how many people will still continue chiming in on them just to wave their "I am feeling butt-hurt that someone get great enjoyment out of their cheap budget basses when I have to pay 2000$+ for mine just to be able to allow myself to feel the same level of satisfaction" flag.
Which, thinking about it, is probably the sole reason why people feel the need to make these kind of threads over and over again in the first place.
Well, my guess is that the jack socket in fact did not fail because of the odd placement of it, as you seem to think, but because of the cheap crappy jack socket used for it, replacing it with one of a better quality will likely solve the issue, minimizing the chance for the issue happening again any time soon.
Beside the hardware and electronics, which will always be cheap and in by far most cases fairly crappy as well, you can get lucky to find otherwise great cheap budget instruments, they are just a more rare find than great high end instruments, as quality of production and quality control will be far far more random with cheap budget instruments.
Seems like a waste to me to ditch the whole bass, because of an issue that to me seems relatively easy and cheap to fix, since it is obviously a great instrument that you like a lot and invested a lot of time and money in making even better, but of course in the end that is entirely up to you.
Which, thinking about it, is probably the sole reason why people feel the need to make these kind of threads over and over again in the first place.
Well, my guess is that the jack socket in fact did not fail because of the odd placement of it, as you seem to think, but because of the cheap crappy jack socket used for it, replacing it with one of a better quality will likely solve the issue, minimizing the chance for the issue happening again any time soon.
Beside the hardware and electronics, which will always be cheap and in by far most cases fairly crappy as well, you can get lucky to find otherwise great cheap budget instruments, they are just a more rare find than great high end instruments, as quality of production and quality control will be far far more random with cheap budget instruments.
Seems like a waste to me to ditch the whole bass, because of an issue that to me seems relatively easy and cheap to fix, since it is obviously a great instrument that you like a lot and invested a lot of time and money in making even better, but of course in the end that is entirely up to you.
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I have been playing guitars and basses for near 50 years. My opinion, quality is important to a point. Depends where you are as a musician. I think its unwise for Beginners to get a beginner instrument. A slightly bigger spend will get you a much better quality instrument that will help you progress faster and will last longer. It has "headroom" if you like. Also better payback if you decide to sell it. After that buy what you can afford and makes you happy. My latest purchase was a Fender Player MIM P Bass. AUD$900. It just felt right. I've swapped the bridge and considering upgrading pickups but thats just me fiddling. Tried much more expensive options but I liked this one. My friend has a US P Bass that cost x3 more but she loves mine. Also have a EB Ray35 which cost more than the Fender. Its also very nice but its different. So a good instrument is important, but it has to make you happy as well.
All my Basses are Frankenbasses that started out as Parts Basses, or cheap Basses whose original price tags belied their actual quality. My Warmoth “B” Stock neck and body was melded to Alembic Pickups and Bartolini Preamp. Amazingly inexpensive, but definitely not, Cheap Bass. My other is a De’ Armond Pilot bass that sported such an amazing neck, I simply had to have her. Yanked out all the cheap crappy sounding electronics, and went straight Bartolini Electronics. A nice Cheap Bass with a boutique upgrade. They are both top shelf instruments loved by sound men and studio engineers alike.
As to your jack issue let me just say that I owned a Lakland Prototype for their Skyline series. It had a crappy jack that came out wires and all at a rehearsal. I had my guy put in an “All Parts” jack assembly, and was happy with that bass for many years afterwards. I suggest you try the same. It’s certainly cheap enough.
As to your jack issue let me just say that I owned a Lakland Prototype for their Skyline series. It had a crappy jack that came out wires and all at a rehearsal. I had my guy put in an “All Parts” jack assembly, and was happy with that bass for many years afterwards. I suggest you try the same. It’s certainly cheap enough.
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Could I've play with a LTD or Schecter 6 strings basses ? Yeah sure. But It isn't what I wanted. I wanted to play Warwick Thumb 6 strings ...
I've got two Warwick Thumb 6 strings.
I don't make crazy money either. I just saved it until I could buy what I really wanted instead of the less expensive thing that I would've sold anyway to get a Warwick ...
I also played Fender, Yamaha, Carvin and EBMM. While all of those were great it wasn't a Warwick Thumb 6 strings.
I've got two Warwick Thumb 6 strings.
I don't make crazy money either. I just saved it until I could buy what I really wanted instead of the less expensive thing that I would've sold anyway to get a Warwick ...
I also played Fender, Yamaha, Carvin and EBMM. While all of those were great it wasn't a Warwick Thumb 6 strings.
So much this. I always wanted a Kubicki, but in the name of fiscal responsibility I kept buying cheaper basses, only to sell them before long. These "cheap" basses, however, got incrementally more expensive until I figured out I'd have saved a ton of money if I'd just saved up for the one, high end bass I really wanted in the first place. It was a stupid journey, but a lesson learned.
