Getting that "Plays like butter" feel from cheap basses?

[Hopper]

I agree. You can't set up the nut slots low enough to "play like butter" if the frets are uneven. You can make a cheap bass play just as easily as a high end bass if you're willing to work on it.

That doesn't means it's just as good as a high end bass. It just means it's easy to play without getting a lot of fret buzz.

Ed

Yep, I agree too. there are lots of things that make a difference but the nut slots and frets are mega-important plus how straight or how bowed you want the neck.

 

[Byzcat]

What that price gets you: Have you ever slammed the door on a Focus or other low-end car and heard that "Boom" as all of the parts rattle and resonate? Now, have you ever slammed the door on, say, a BMW or Lexus, and heard that "thud" that a well-engineered, well-made, well-fitted door produces? I couldn't tell you everything that makes one better than the other, though part of it is thickness of steel and quantity of insulation.

Same thing with the higher-end basses. I couldn't tell you everything that makes them better, but, like the BMW or Lexus, they ARE better, and you can tell as soon as you "slam the door" on them.

OK, my mother drives a 1992 Toyota Tercel. Far from a high-end car, but, guess what, it's seventeen years old, has well over a hundred thousand miles on it, and still going strong.

Yes, there is truth to the saying "you get what you pay for", but it is also possible to have an inexpensive bass that plays like butter. I know because I've got one.

I have an Ibanez SR-300, (usually sells for around $300) and the neck feel is a bassist's wet dream. It was perfect from the factory- I didn't have to do any adjustments on it until I'd had it a couple of months and the crazy New England climate started doing it's worst on the instrument. But once I made those adjustments, well, the thing is a joy to play.

Oh, and my bass actually only cost me $240 because it was blemished- "blemished" being defined as having a microscopic scratch that seems to have buffed out with polishing.

I wouldn't trade my bass up for anything, although if I can get a deal on a used one, I would like to buy a G&L SB-2, leave it alone in a room with my Ibby, see if they'll breed...

 

[BawanaRik]

A big part of the feel playabilty and even sound come from the setup. While it's unlikely a budget Squire will play like a 10K Alembic. You do have the option of reading a book about doing your own setup or spending the bucks to have it done.

And another possibility might be the more expensive bass might be designed closer to your liking. The bass I play now has a neck though. It was $200.

 

[David Jayne]

Level frets for low-ish action, proper nut and bridge heights, minimal relief.

 

[Scott in Dallas]

The quickest and easiest way to increase profit margin in budget instruments is to skip time-consuming steps like proper nut slots, hand-rolled fret ends, crowning and polishing, or cavity shielding. A little knowledge and some work on your own time can narrow the gap with the really great instruments to the point where the difference is very small. Paying 99 dollars for a bass made of the same materials as an expensive instrument and doing your own work can do wonders.

Roger Sadowsky made his name improving the flaws in less-expensive instruments and making them into something remarkable. I'd be shocked if he couldn't turn a 150 dollar SX bass into something everyone would enjoy playing using just his knowledge and expertise.