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How do i choose the right bass?

#22
I'm with everyone else that says, "Go try as many basses as you can."
However, I will add, "Take notes."
Find out what you really like in each bass (or dislike). Is it the body wood? Is it the pickups? Is it the width of the neck? Ask plenty of questions. If you have to take a road trip to a shop with lots of gear, do so. Don't rush to spend your dough. You may find the bass of you dreams is $800 or $15,000.
Also, to echo another poster, check out amps, cabs, effects, etc... Bring your current bass along with you to hear the differences.
 
#24
Thanks for all the answers! :) I know that 5k is alot of money, and i'm not necessarily going to use them all, not even half for that matter, but my philosophy has always been, better to buy the right gear right away, than wait, because then you have enjoyed it for a longer time. I own an Ampeg SVT-CL which i am very hapy for, and i do not regret spending 3k on a used one (yes, prices are expensive in Denmark, probably should have noted that). The 'go try so many basses you can' idea, is probably the best one, and the only right way, and that's what i'm going to do. It's a big investment, but i know that the bass, (music) is what i love, and what i will atleast have as a hobby the rest of my life.
 
#27
Kaspergreenday said:
Thanks for all the answers! :) I know that 5k is alot of money, and i'm not necessarily going to use them all, not even half for that matter, but my philosophy has always been, better to buy the right gear right away, than wait, because then you have enjoyed it for a longer time. I own an Ampeg SVT-CL which i am very hapy for, and i do not regret spending 3k on a used one (yes, prices are expensive in Denmark, probably should have noted that). The 'go try so many basses you can' idea, is probably the best one, and the only right way, and that's what i'm going to do. It's a big investment, but i know that the bass, (music) is what i love, and what i will atleast have as a hobby the rest of my life.
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Smart man.
 
#30
Don't buy up to your budget, buy up to your gratification. Going from a $400 bass to an $800 bass is usually a major improvement in playability. Going from an $800 bass to a $1600 bass gets you better looks and fractionally better sound. Beyond that? People love to possess beautiful things, and I don't begrudge anyone being prepared to spend $5000 on a hand-crafted instrument in exotic woods. But, frankly, if it's really about the music, you don't need to go there. Go to as many guitar shops as you can, and play every damned bass that catches your eye, paying no attention to price. Take your time - you've got a perfectly serviceable bass to work with while you're looking. When you find one you really, really like, buy it. I'll bet it won't cost you anywhere close to $5K.
 
#31
Sid Fang said:
Don't buy up to your budget, buy up to your gratification. Going from a $400 bass to an $800 bass is usually a major improvement in playability. Going from an $800 bass to a $1600 bass gets you better looks and fractionally better sound. Beyond that? People love to possess beautiful things, and I don't begrudge anyone being prepared to spend $5000 on a hand-crafted instrument in exotic woods. But, frankly, if it's really about the music, you don't need to go there. Go to as many guitar shops as you can, and play every damned bass that catches your eye, paying no attention to price. Take your time - you've got a perfectly serviceable bass to work with while you're looking. When you find one you really, really like, buy it. I'll bet it won't cost you anywhere close to $5K.
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You're probably right! (and thank god for that :) ).
 
#32
lfmn16 said:
Just my 2 cents, but I would try to find a shop that has a lot of high end basses so you could try a bunch out. I would also read all the reviews I could find on talk bass, call the makers and arrange to try some basses by your final choice before you drop $5k. Better to spend a few hundred dollars on a trip than $5k on a bass you don't like.
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YESS!!! A trip to a few great bass shops (I'd go to SoCal, just because it's warm right now and there's a ton of music stores there) would be an unforgettable and educational experience. Go get your hands on as many good basses as possible. You might be surprised at what you really like.
 
#33
With that budget you can pretty much buy anything that comes up for sale in this forum. And, generally, the asking prices on basses seems to be the "going rate" for any particular model being sold.

Buy something you think you might like. If you like it, great. If not, sell it after a few months at a reduced price.
Just look at whatever money you lose in the transaction as a "rental fee".

This way you'll get a genuine feel for what you like, as opposed to what others think you might like.

I'm in the process of doing just this. Picked up a few basses recently and I'm sure I'll sell off most of it sometime next year, as I want to have just a few basses as opposed to "way too damn many!"


Good luck.
 
#35
Kaspergreenday said:
This for example, [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] :)
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That's a beautiful vintage instrument that would probably sell for around $5000 in he US as well. The collectable end of the market is pretty global, with buyers in Japan, Europe, and the US competing for the same instruments. Having lived in France (and spent some weeks working in Denmark), I've seen the biggest price differences at the low-to-middle end of the market, especially for US-made gear. New Fenders are WAY overpriced in Europe, IMHO. On the other hand, some high-end Japanese gear (e.g. my Yamaha SG2000 guitar) is actually less expensive, at least in the UK. Go figure (As we say in my country).
 
#37
odin70 said:
What do you like/dislike about your Fender? Basses are like women. You can decide that you are going to be happy with the one you have and make the best of it, or you can chase em for the rest of your life and never find the right one.
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The comparisons to women concerning instruments are always the best for some reason lol...it's mainly because they're so true.

I realize there are a lot of great boutique instruments out there, but it's sort of like online dating. She may have a wonderful bio, look gorgeous, and have all the right tastes/interests...but the internet can't tell you if she has bad breath, is a horrible cook, or sings awfully while shes listening to music. There are some things you just have to experience in person. If you feel like risking the money, the time, and paying for restocking/return fees then try some boutique instruments that you pick out on the web. I've personally had better experiences with basses I've been able to hold myself before I bought. Finding a great boutique bass isn't impossible by any means, they are usually expensive for a reason (they are super well-made), but it's a shot in the dark and you may have spent more than you wanted just to say you have a fancy wood top. For some people brazilian rosewood is a must on their instruments, where some people are fine with indian rosewood instead. It boils down to taste at the end of the day.


What kind of amp do you have? I think that it's better to have a balanced rig as opposed to it being "lop-sided" if you will. Playing a $7,000 Wal through a 15w Acoustic combo is not going to do that bass any justice. Spend $2-3k of your budget on a nice bass and the rest on a good bass rig. Be it Mesa, GK, Markbass, or Eden for solid state...or Ampeg, Fender, Traynor, Orange, Mesa, or Peavey for tube stuff, you could get a monster rig that will define your sound just as much (if not more) than a pricey bass alone can. The most expensive bass guitar in the world will still need an amp ;)
 
#39
lfmn16 said:
Funny how so many people who don't know squat about this person feel entitled to tell him how to spend his money. :rollno:
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Absolutely +1.

Not sure if these have been mentioned, but...

1. Have you identified bass sounds you really like on recordings that you admire? Try and find out what bass was used on tracks that you really like. We will help. Most probably you could get two basses that cover a lot of different... bases, like a Music Man and a nice Custom Shop Jazz/Sadowsky.

2. I see you're in Denmark. Not sure if this is possible but if you want to buy new, establish a relationship with the best bass shop in your area. You can then spend as much time as you can playing different basses. If they know you are going to make a big buy, they may let you take one home and live with it for a day or two before making up your mind.

3. If you spend a lot of money, I would avoid some of the super-obscure boutique basses that I see advertised in the BST area. There are some basses going for $3K+ that have incredibly twisty and cool woodwork, but that I have never seen anyone playing on a gig, ever. If you ever want to move it, you're going to get hammered on resale unless you get lucky. There are plenty of high end basses that are actually being played. Like Fodera, Sadowsky NYC, etc.
 
#40
With $5K, I'd go quantity/diversity vice just blowing everything on one bass.

Buy 2 or 3 basses that you love in the $1000 to $1500 range, one in a 4 string and one in a 5 string for instance. That leaves you $2k to make sure you've got the right rig to make those basses sound like they should. If you play different types of music and need to change tunings, it's a lot easier to have a backup bass or two setup how you want than to have to constantly mess with the tuning and setup of one bass. I have 5 basses, 3 4's and 2 5's and they are all tuned differently.

Don't be afraid to buy used if there's a boutique bass you really have your heart set on - lots of TBers are selling gorgeous boutique instruments, at great savings compared to new, every day - look in the classifieds.

What are you playing through? IMO, if you're going to just play through a practice amp or sub-standard rig, you're wasting your money buying an expensive bass because it's not going to sound much better than the MIM Fender you have. Use part of the money to buy a rig that makes every bass sound good!

My biggest concern for you dropping $5K on a single instrument is that within 6 months or so I'll see it here for sale in the classifieds because it wasn't "exactly" what you wanted. You'll never get back what you paid for it and you'll be out money for an "experiment". Take you time and choose wisely!
 

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