Expensive vs inexpensive basses

[Marc DLarosa]

Guys/Gals....
Really....

Wood. Metal. Plastic.

We all play bass. We all love the instrument, and... what it stands for. It supports EVERY song that has ever been written, with a "base" to build upon. If OP, is Happy, then... let Him be HAPPY. His Wife rules. And... they are HAPPY. Sooooooo.... as an owner of over 100 basses, many of Ya'lls DREAM instruments... let's let the OP Play on, and GROW. He seems like an HONEST "Player", and We should Back him up. No need to be mean. Just saying...

 

[Andy Daventry]

When I was looking for a cheap fretless I had a look at an Ibanez SR375 and I was knocked out by the quality for the price. I didn't buy it because I wanted a passive 4, but my, what an excellent instrument for the price. This is truly the age of excellent cheap stuff.

Years ago I had a Rob Allen MB2. Played "like buttah" but there was no sound in it I could use. Now that's pretty high end. I would choose the Ibanez over the Allen any day, despite the supple beauty of the MB2 neck.

And I have played MIA Fenders that were worse made than that Ibanez. I used to own a USA Stu Hamm Urge 2. The Ibanez played better.

But what cheap instruments won't give you is the work that goes in to making a great instrument. I once bought a £300 Johnson style O resonator guitar. A copy of the national style O. Made of bell brass and everything, but very sloppily put together. So I rebuilt it. I got a National cone, took the guitar to bits and reassembled it carefully, making new mushrooms (the insides of resos are ...interesting) and a new bridge and making sure everything fitted tight, tight, tight. The quality changed dramatically. It wasn't a National, but with the light behind it it sounded a lot like one. But it took me a month.

There is no way that a cheap instrument can have those man hours shoved into it.

 

[Bruiser Stone]

As a fairly new TB member (and eager, excited, and aspiring bassist), the previous posts have solidified my resolve to never share anything similar to the OP’s beleagured thread. Holy crap.

 

[glocke1]

I played around with some cheaper/lower end instruments from different manufacturers when visiting S.A./G.C. They just don't do it for me, as they largely feel cheap. First one that comes to mind is what I think was a lower end fretless Squire or Fender J bass. Everything from the knobs to the fretboard just felt cheap (as in not robust).

I have given some Ibanez basses a go also, as I really wanted to like the one I was looking at, forget which model it was but suffered from the same cheap/not well constructed feeling.

Just speaking for myself, but I need an instrument in my hands that feels solid and well made.

 

[Pedullist]

What if your beloved cheap instrument becomes more valuable and expensive over the years? (which has happened to Fenders, even Squiers and Japanese stuff). Then, in some years, you might suddenly play an overrated and crappy instrument! Oh no! :-O

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

Most people pay way too much for a bass. It's just a bass. At about $300 you have a bass perfectly fine for gigging and recording. If you buy something cheaper than that, just drop in some better pickups (maybe add copper shielding) and once again you have a bass perfectly fine for gigging and recording. Above $800 or so, you're just paying for bells and whistles (or for labor if you got it from a luthier or independent custom shop)

I feel like the quality of this forum is deteriorating when people can't simply contribute anything useful to the thread, they have to spout the same overused memes and "I've seen this thread before". It really should be considered spam.

 

[Old Blastard]

My $3k custom built basses get along fine with My $200 Ibanez TMB 100.

Too bad we can't do the same.

If it plays well and you like it, play it.

 

[lfmn16]

So you can keep your Foderas , Alembics , etc . I'm happy .

We're all so happy that you are happy.

If you can't tell the difference between a cheap bass and an expensive bass, don't waste your money. For those of us that can tell the difference, it's money well spent.

 

[japhy4529]

I so want our regular crowd to like my classic 50's , or Jack Casady, or Ibanez musician or Vintage modified as much as my Alembic, but its always..we like the Alembic so much better. Yes Im so grateful I have one, but I like playing those other basses too. Actually my favorite bass seems to be which ever is in my hand at the time.

There’s a reason why they like the Alembic best...

 

[BigBear77]

My $3k custom built basses get along fine with My $200 Ibanez TMB 100.

Too bad we can't do the same.

If it plays well and you like it, play it.

For $200 the TMB 100 is a great bass

 

[gln1955]

As a fairly new TB member (and eager, excited, and aspiring bassist), the previous posts have solidified my resolve to never share anything similar to the OP’s beleagured thread. Holy crap.

Every time this thread gets rehashed, it brings out the defensive Jerkweasels™.

 

[Old Blastard]

Compared to when I started playing in 1972, there are so many great cheap basses that can be gigged or recorded you don't NEED another bass.

But it's even more fun when there are so many amazing basses out there and awesome builders. I get to play a different bass at each gig!

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

That’s cool you like your bass OP. I like mine too. I don’t want to sell them and am spending my money on other hobbies these days.

 

[xaxxat]

 

[tpaul]

Luxury! We never had rubber bands. We had to fillet old bicycle inner-tubes and attach them to particle board strips using gum collected from under old restaurant tables. Still played in perfect tune and intonation with action to die for. Amazing tone too! Alembic and Fodera? I fart in their general direction!

They let you into restaurants?

 

[InternetAlias]

whatever dude. i just took a squier afiinity p bass and an 90’s epiphone accu bass that ive had in a closet colecting dust, both in playing condition, to two different poular music stores. i could not give them away. literally they wouldn’t take them for FREE. they have too many low end instruments in there already and dont need any more boat anchors. but im pretty sure i can turn a 77 pbass back into 1200-1500 pretty easily.

Music stores exist to turn a profit on gear with least resource investment. If housing a potential $50 profit costs too much space, obviously they will not do it, especially if they have too much of the same thing in stock. Also, try selling instruments to people and not stores that would prefer to sell you an instrument instead. I have sold my cheap stuff to people who needed a cheap instrument, those exist. I also keep some around cause it's actually decent when fixed up a bit.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I play a bowed piece of 2X4 with rubber bands attached to it and it's the best bass sound possible. You can keep your GSR200, I paid $1.38 for my bass.

So it wasn't a stupid deal of the day from Musicians Friend? Come on man...

 

[Gizmot]

Play what you dig and dig what you play.

 

[bassbenj]

As a fairly new TB member (and eager, excited, and aspiring bassist), the previous posts have solidified my resolve to never share anything similar to the OP’s beleagured thread. Holy crap.

Hey, as a TB and bass newbie we can say welcome, but if you don't want "the treatment" you just need to learn a few rules when you post:

1. All expensive basses are overpriced.

2. You get what you pay for.

3. P-bass, flats, tort.

4. If a cheap bass is old enough it becomes expensive and overpriced.

5. Jaco only needed 4 strings.

6. If Joe Blow plays certain brands of gear if you buy that gear you will play like Joe.

7. You can never own too may basses.

Happy posting!

(Actual truth: Tone is where you find it.)

 

[Sid the Kid]

I understand.

I get really excited when I find a cheapo that works great. I’ll play the snot out of it and compare it favorably to my nicer basses for a little while. Eventually, after being intimate with the cheap bass, playing the nicer basses is a more enjoyable experience because I am no longer taking it’s fine details and refinements for granted.

Then I hop on talkbass and see something shiny...