How much are bass guitars truly worth?

[el_Bajo_Verde]

I'm not talking about how much people believe they're worth, I mean if you take into account the wood, cutting the wood, the routing, paint job, electronics, and everything else that goes into making the bass, how much is it truly worth?

I just don't understand why some basses are listed as $1000 more than other basses that seem very similar

 

[Selta]

Time is money, and the materials and tools are not cheap. Even at $3000, a luthier made bass guitar is not bad once you think of all of the aspects.

How much it's truly worth is up to you. If you don't think a persons skills and time are worth that much money, that is between you and yourself.

Just because bass X at $1000 looks like bass Y at $3000, doesn't mean there is anything the same about them, besides the shape.

 

[DigitalMan]

Less expensive basses that seem similar to more expensive basses are a result of three major differences.

First is the cost of labor. The less expensive basses are produced in places where people make far less money per hour. This labor tends to be made up of non-musicians and non-luthiers who have been trained to perform one or two simple tasks as quickly as possible.

Second is cost of components. Less expensive basses parts are nickle and dimed down by accountants trying to hit a price point.

Third is the amount of time afforded for each step of the build. Cheap basses are assembled in significantly less time and often by a line of workers as opposed to smaller group of people.

It used to be that the name brands were the high quality instruments and the copycats were the junk. However, now all major builders have low cost models that are copycats of themselves.

The more you work on your own basses doing things like setups and simple electronics the more apparent the differences become.

 

[DigitalMan]

Lets put it another way. Assume you've lived in an apartment through your early twenties and furnished it yourself by shopping extensively at IKEA. Now you are in your thirties, starting a family and buying a house. You and your spouse agree that you want to buy "nice" furniture instead. Boy are you in for a shock.

 

[socialleper]

There are levels to everything that goes into a bass. The wood, paint, hardware, electronics, etc. Then there are the wide variations of labor costs. A guy in China costs pennies on the dollar what it would cost an American or German builder.
You also aren't paying for JUST materials. You are paying for the know how and equipment costs. Even if I had the desire to build a bass, it would take years and thousands of dollars to get the knowledge and machinery required to do it.

 

[Plectrum72]

If you exclude labor costs and quality control for all components, materials and assembly and just go with the cost of the least materials used to make a bass and its components, about $25 of wood, metal, plastic, magnents, and paint. If you go with high quality materials used to make a bass and its components, $75. Or somewhere in that neighborhood.

If you add in the labor costs to make each component...hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the automation of tasks and skill level/time value of the laborer(s).

 

[joebar]

its no different than wine-
we balk at the prices but when you realize what goes into a good vintage, it seems reasonable.
another thing that drives prices up is reputation.
people with good ones can charge a premium and peace of mind isn't cheap.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Craftsmanship.
Small details
Finesse
Design
Materials
Electronics
Reputation
Bragging rights

 

[Anachronism]

Worth is relative and different from production cost. Of course, production cost fluctuates based on what people value and consider to be worth it, so it is still tied (though not equivalent) to the relativity of what people think something is worth.

 

[BigBigGuy44]

Anyone who has ever played a super nice bass and a super cheap bass would know the difference.

 

[DavC]

go check out StewMac ... i would wanna buy all the required tools ...!! let alone , learn how to use them ..

but .... if you've had a few really nice basses ( i have ) and you do buy a few tools ... you Can make less expensive basses feel , sound & play like much more expensive basses ... !!

sold off my more costly basses ... now i prefer used Warmoth pieces/parts builds ..!!

 

[yodedude2]

Worth is relative and different from production cost. Of course, production cost fluctuates based on what people value and consider to be worth it, so it is still tied (though not equivalent) to the relativity of what people think something is worth.

^^this. o.p., if you wish to increase your understanding, build yourself a bass. the first one will likely be a disaster, but you will learn and come to understand.

 

[Mushroo]

Don't forget: taxes, rent/mortgage, utilities, tools, equipment, maintenance, accounting, marketing, legal, custodial, IT, website, secretarial, vacation, retirement, health benefits, snacks in the break room, toilet paper in the rest room, toner for the printer/copier, did I mention taxes, etc.

In other words, companies selling basses must run a profitable business just like any other company, and it all goes into the market price of the instrument.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

From what I've seen recently, above around $500 the improvements in tone and playability become ever more incremental, to the point they vanish altogether, and other factors like pure aesthetics of exotic woods, fancier hardware, and simple hype and status seeking are the primary drivers. Nobody NEEDS an Alembic to get a perfectly good bass tone that can be had for 1/10th the price, but they are gorgeous art objects. If you can afford it, it's all good. I gas for a custom exotic like everybody else, but I'd have a hard time justifying buying anything over $1000 on pure value terms alone.

 

[MegaSwing]

'The purchase price of an object is irrelevant, as long as you are ready to extract all the value from the purchase.' —Ted Turner's father

One of my favorite quotes ever, by anyone.

If you opt to pay hundreds or thousands more for the instrument you truly want, desire, lust for, what difference does it make if it takes you 10 more gigs to break even on the investment? Once it's paid its way, it's ALL new money, right?

If you buy an expensive instrument with little or no intent of using it to make money, you get what you get. Be assured that what you WON'T get is any sympathy.

The value of ANY musical instrument is not in owning it, but in using it.

 

[DigitalMan]

go check out StewMac ... i would wanna buy all the required tools ...!! let alone , learn how to use them ..

but .... if you've had a few really nice basses ( i have ) and you do buy a few tools ... you Can make less expensive basses feel , sound & play like much more expensive basses ... !!

sold off my more costly basses ... now i prefer used Warmoth pieces/parts builds ..!!

Four nut files, $120. Proper string height, priceless.

 

[Hounddog409]

There are levels to everything that goes into a bass. The wood, paint, hardware, electronics, etc. Then there are the wide variations of labor costs. A guy in China costs pennies on the dollar what it would cost an American or German builder.
You also aren't paying for JUST materials. You are paying for the know how and equipment costs. Even if I had the desire to build a bass, it would take years and thousands of dollars to get the knowledge and machinery required to do it.

You are leaving out overhead.
Lease, utilities, pension, healthcare, etc.

 

[gully_jones]

Whatever someone is willing to pay for it. Not a penny more or a penny less.

 

[Joedog]

$4000

 

[obimark]

People go crazy and pay double the price for a Lexus or BMW, mainly to get the "status" they think comes with it.

Meanwhile, smart people drive a car that is functional and costs WAY less. I thought my '05 Sonata was a little old, but my bosse's boss drives a car at least 5 years older than mine, and in worse shape. Smart guy.

The utility of my car is the same as any BMW/Lexus. Same goes for basses, you can get a perfectly good bass for $400-500 now. My Jackson Concert bass has everything I need for around $400, and I can play ANY gig I need to with it.