Has anyone "downgraded" from a boutique bass?

[Snert]

or learn it yourself.

Basic set ups such as action and intonation require almost nothing, but a bit of time and to follow one of the many excellent YT videos on how to. Cutting a nut, basic fret dressing etc require some more tools, but anyone with a steady hand, some patience and a willingness to learn will be able to do it themselves, and it's something anyone who plays semi professionally* would benefit from knowing how to do.

* Professionality is an attitude more than being paid. Having your gear working as well as possible or being able to repair it in a pinch to keep the show going is something that can earn respect and future jobs.

 

[J Wilson]

You dont actually equate mil-spec with quality???? Mil-spec insures conforminity, not quality.

You bet. If Alembic wants to use the quality Uncle Sam specs to make sure Ohio-class boats surface as many times as they submerge, cruise missles can find their way around the world in the dark, or more likely, as Ron Wickersham was an Ampex engineer before Alembic and wanted to use that caliber of components, I get it.

You don't peel the cover off the back of most electric basses or guitars and see this:

Is it overkill? Probably. But this is the lengths they go to. This was under the hood on the Elan with Alembic's P/J pickup set. Silver conductive paint, no foil. The ferrous sync next to the battery for that last bit of hum pro tection. Notice the 'blue boxes'? These are individual gains for each pickup: Set the balancer knob out front to Center and use these to set the native balance, or the real way to make the J (stacked hum-canceller) just as loud or louder than the P pickup (and the Alembic P pickup will pull satellites out of LEO). No solder joints. Parts built to their spec. These are the kinds of things that add up to their price point. I dated the install on the 9v, this was after the bi-annual replacement after 4th of July, headed for New Years.

THIS JUST IN: The Squiers don't look like this under the hood.

 

[Steve Park]

The current set list has 2 songs that I can't cover without a 5 string. The rest are easily done on a 4, or my "Eb" preset on my stomp or a quick D tune of my E string.

Is this why I see so many boutique 5ers on Reverb? So many beautiful 5 and 6 string basses needing a home and priced right. Must look away. Four strings is enough.

 

[Bass Ape]

Is this why I see so many boutique 5ers on Reverb? So many beautiful 5 and 6 string basses needing a home and priced right. Must look away. Four strings is enough.

All five strings include the 4 string version as a bonus

 

[Maxi Funkl]

For me Boutique or otherwise the cost is relative to how much you earn vs willingness to spend and desire for a instrument period. in the 80's before marriage and responsibilities I owned Alembic & Custom made BC Rich Bich. I sold both to fund a move out of state. in the 2010's I owed the IRS some unexpected funds sold a Les Paul to cover. Responsibilities out weigh any object I own got once I can get it again and if I don't it wasn't meant to be. Currently I own what some would call cheap to what some would call expensive instruments. An if the need arose I'd sale them all sometimes being a grown up sucks but life's rollercoaster ride is always in motion. OP hopefully you'll be able to rebound from this and get back what you sale at a later date. But on the bright side of things in today's world of basses $1000.00 to $1500 USD can get you a great bass that you'll love and enjoy. Good luck to your Wife's health.

 

[Hounddog409]

You bet. If Alembic wants to use the quality Uncle Sam specs to make sure Ohio-class boats surface as many times as they submerge, cruise missles can find their way around the world in the dark, or more likely, as Ron Wickersham was an Ampex engineer before Alembic and wanted to use that caliber of components, I get it.

You don't peel the cover off the back of most electric basses or guitars and see this:
View attachment 5251613

Is it overkill? Probably. But this is the lengths they go to. This was under the hood on the Elan with Alembic's P/J pickup set. Silver conductive paint, no foil. The ferrous sync next to the battery for that last bit of hum pro tection. Notice the 'blue boxes'? These are individual gains for each pickup: Set the balancer knob out front to Center and use these to set the native balance, or the real way to make the J (stacked hum-canceller) just as loud or louder than the P pickup (and the Alembic P pickup will pull satellites out of LEO). No solder joints. Parts built to their spec. These are the kinds of things that add up to their price point. I dated the install on the 9v, this was after the bi-annual replacement after 4th of July, headed for New Years.

THIS JUST IN: The Squiers don't look like this under the hood.

Mil-spec is not best quality. Come on. A Mil-spec m4 can be built better quality very easily. Mil-spec ensures interchangabilty of parts, not tightest tolerance or best quality.

Mil-spec electronics? If the spec says to use 5% caps they use 5% caps. Even though much better 1% caps are available, they cannot be used cost.....availabilty...all come into play. Mil-spec does not mean best quality or tightest tolorances. It means it meets the specification. Period.

 

[Snert]

All five strings include the 4 string version as a bonus

And all 6s include the 5 as a bonus.

 

[retslock]

I just don't hanker for a boutique bass. I never have. I have a reliable, solid bass that cost me $250, sounds great and it earned me a living for many years.
Since I've built two of my own now I'm not looking at all. I can make the music I want to make on humble instruments that work well. I don't need a trophy. It's all about the music for me.

 

[chris_b]

My objective was to reduce the weight and cost of my gear in one go. So I bought a $200 Cort Jazz (7lbs) to replace my $2000 Sadowsky Metro Jazz (nearly 10lbs).

This is the first time I've not upgraded to a new bass and I'm finding that going in the other direction is opening a can of worms!!

The Cort plays well, looks and feels good, but I have a big issue with the tone. . . . it's way down compared to the Metro. That's not an issue for the band, but I can hear the difference and it's annoying. Given the price, it's what I would expect, but it's a problem that I have to fix.

 

[Rib 13]

It depends really. For instance, I'm dead against "transparent" preamps. What purpose do they serve?

I'll answer this question: For transparent players like myself, the bass itself is everything. So the onboard EQ of my active basses just need to boost/cut the frequencies I want with no other coloring effect on the bass. There are some exceptions, like EB MM onboard Pres (and some third party subtitutes) that add that distinctive Stingray flavor that is proprietary to the MM Sound. I also like Audere preamp "smoothness ". As for Outboard Pres: I absolutely do not want the pre or the amplifier/cabs to play any part in coloring what my bass sounds like. Technically, I can use a powered monitor (which Ive done before) or small PA as a bass rig as its just there to monitor myself. So the fact that the pre does nothing is exactly what Im looking for (I have allowances for lite compression or limiting if the pre does that, depending on the pre, like the natural compression of a tube pre). For the record, Im old and a former working Top 40 bassist. Back then, for both band work and studio work, direct bass was the flavor that was taught to me at an early age....I guess I never let go of that and carry it with me into my old age

 

[Boneless]

I'll answer this question: For transparent players like myself, the bass itself is everything. So the onboard EQ of my active basses just need to boost/cut the frequencies I want with no other coloring effect on the bass. There are some exceptions, like EB MM onboard Pres (and some third party subtitutes) that add that distinctive Stingray flavor that is proprietary to the MM Sound. I also like Audere preamp "smoothness ". As for Outboard Pres: I absolutely do not want the pre or the amplifier/cabs to play any part in coloring what my bass sounds like. Technically, I can use a powered monitor (which Ive done before) or small PA as a bass rig as its just there to monitor myself. So the fact that the pre does nothing is exactly what Im looking for (I have allowances for lite compression or limiting if the pre does that, depending on the pre, like the natural compression of a tube pre). For the record, Im old and a former working Top 40 bassist. Back then, for both band work and studio work, direct bass was the flavor that was taught to me at an early age....I guess I never let go of that and carry it with me into my old age

That's ok, but the thing is, battery power (and expectations of battery longevity) are a big bottleneck. Whatever you can do with an onboard preamp can be done much better even with just a pedal, since you don't have this pressing need to optimise for low power (even with advanced electronics, low power will mean more noise or distortion, usually noise). On the other hand, there is an argument for an onboard *buffer*, since that helps the instrument's signal travel along the cables with much lower degradation. You need very few parts for a very good buffer. It also means that you can plug your bass into any DI without any concerns whatsoever.

 

[SteveC]

Back in the day, when I was a Sadowsky (US custom ans Japan) fanboy, I tried a korean Lakland DJ5 with an Xotic RC preamp pedal.
It blew all my Sados away.
In the meantime, I only play passive basses. One of my two main players is a 1983 Squier JV Precision. The Sados have been sold a long time ago.

I'm finding I seem to like my passive P better than my active 5 lately. I wonder if my tastes are changing. But them I pick up my 5 and think, damn, this is an awesome bass. It plays so much better than any of my other basses, past or present, it's hard not to make it my #1. But theres something about the passive P with flats. Finger style is great for older stuff, country, even some pop/rock. Played with a pic is also a great tone, especially for harder "rock" stuff. I just can't decide.

 

[SteveC]

All five strings include the 4 string version as a bonus

Yes, they do. But there is something about the feel of a 4 string neck sometimes. My 5 string neck is THE BEST NECK I have every played. That said, sometimes things just feel better/faster on a slimmer neck.

 

[Rib 13]

That's ok, but the thing is, battery power (and expectations of battery longevity) are a big bottleneck. Whatever you can do with an onboard preamp can be done much better even with just a pedal, since you don't have this pressing need to optimise for low power (even with advanced electronics, low power will mean more noise or distortion, usually noise). On the other hand, there is an argument for an onboard *buffer*, since that helps the instrument's signal travel along the cables with much lower degradation. You need very few parts for a very good buffer. It also means that you can plug your bass into any DI without any concerns whatsoever.

Interesting stuff...Thanks

 

[rayzak]

I stepped away for about 10 years. Before that, I owned an MTD 535- sold when I came to the realization that I prefer 4 strings.
Roscoe LG3000- sold due to divorce.
Early Sadowsky Metro- traded due to realization that i'm more of a passive J guy.
US Lakland JO- sold due to needed funds.
And a couple of Stingrays & American Fenders. Also a much to heavy Skyline JO.
My main & favorite of all, is my '06 US Lakland BG. Also have a '10 fretless Stingray BFR, and an '82 Ric 4001.
The only bass I really really regret not having is that Roscoe &, the Lakland JO US.
That being said, I can't believe how much most prices have gone up in that 10 years. My BFR was $1800 new 12 years ago. I could get by with a Squier or MIM Fender, but am thrilled with my Lakland P for life. Though I would like to add another J soon

 

[SteveC]

That's ok, but the thing is, battery power (and expectations of battery longevity) are a big bottleneck. Whatever you can do with an onboard preamp can be done much better even with just a pedal, since you don't have this pressing need to optimise for low power (even with advanced electronics, low power will mean more noise or distortion, usually noise). On the other hand, there is an argument for an onboard *buffer*, since that helps the instrument's signal travel along the cables with much lower degradation. You need very few parts for a very good buffer. It also means that you can plug your bass into any DI without any concerns whatsoever.

Many years ago I had the idea of using only passive basses (I think I was a jazz lover at the time) and having a number of different "preamp pedals" to use for tone shaping. Best of both worlds. Passive when I wanted that tone and then kick on the preamp - like the Sadowsky preamp DI pedal - when I wanted an active sound. Not sure why I never went that route. Probably fell in love with a Modulus or some other active bass at the time.

 

[SteveC]

Roscoe LG3000- sold due to divorce.
US Lakland JO- sold due to needed funds.

The only bass I really really regret not having is that Roscoe &, the Lakland JO US.

Really hard to not have a Roscoe. They are so amazing. I played a beautiful old LG3000 at Guitar Center last weekend. Almost brought it home but I have a couple already.

 

[ogiebb]

Had Fodera, Sadowsky , Carl Thompson and other wonderful Basses.. now i just use Aerodynes, Yamaha's and Fenders have been happier.

 

[Just Wrong]

Had Fodera, Sadowsky , Carl Thompson and other wonderful Basses.. now i just use Aerodynes, Yamaha's and Fenders have been happier.

Have been happier or have never been happier?

 

[Jefenator]

My Roscoe has a toe in both realms. The quilted maple top (with a lighter stripe layer bent over the forearm bevel) is a little on the boutique side.
But the hardware & electronics are utilitarian - in the best possible way. This has become my bread 'n butter 5-string, the one I grab when technical reliability & a Fender-like sonic presence are a priority.
What doesn't come through in any picture is the way this instrument responds so evenly in every register. Whatever I play gets heard as intended.
I've tried then ultimately sold a bunch of classic passive bolt-ons and exotic neck-thru active basses that lacked this attribute.