I think I stop believing in expensive basses!

[MVPBASS]

Also, Just as some boutiques are expensive because everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, which drives the price up, some basses have "mojo' simply because people have been saying they have "mojo" for the past 30 years

 

[placedesjardins]

It is the same thing with guitars and violins and drums. You have beginner instruments, intermediate instruments, professional instruments, and then super expensive boutique/custom instruments.

 

[Crystalman85]

I think I understand what you're saying. some high-priced basses aren't really that great. some of them are okay like the musicman stingray basses, the fender jazz basses, and the high-end Ibanez soundgear basses. other high-priced basses aren't as Impressive as they appear to be. when it comes to buying bass guitars, it really doesn't matter how much they cost, it all about personal taste in sound quality. I personally don't need to spend like thousands of dollars on a good playing bass. there's actually a couple of affordable basses that has decent sound quality. I currently own 2 schecter stiletto basses(a 2004 stiletto elite 5-string bass and a stiletto extreme 4-string bass), an Ibanez sr255, and a peavey millennium bxp 5-string bass and they sound pretty cool. right now I'm planning on buying another 4-string bass for my brother's band. I'm debating on either an Ibanez sr250 or a peavey millennium bxp 4-string bass.

 

[pbasswil]

I'm sure Squiers are exactly the same as these Fbasses.

At least the Squiers will be free of the terrible wood-eating fungus's that seem to afflict the tops of many expensive basses! ;^>

 

[MVPBASS]

At least the Squiers will be free of the terrible wood-eating fungus's that seem to afflict the tops of many expensive basses! ;^>

I can handle a little fungus, but I do give props to Squier for experimenting with different woods. Seems the squiers that I have played seem to have necks made from rubber trees instead of maple. I can't say how they stand up live against more expensive basses because I couldn't get them to stay in tune long enough to use them live. Lol

 

[Munjibunga]

Munji's basses look great, but are not at all what I'm looking for in a bass either.

What if they sound great to your ear? I buy basses on looks alone, but I've gotten lucky most of the time - they tend to sound great, too.

 

[SJan3]

I think I understand what you're saying. some high-priced basses aren't really that great. some of them are okay like the musicman stingray basses, the finder jazz basses, and the high-end Ibanez soundgear basses. other high-priced basses aren't as Impressive as they appear to be. when it comes to buying bass guitars, it really doesn't matter how much they cost, it all about personal taste in sound quality. I personally don't need to spend like thousands of dollars on a good playing bass. there's actually a couple of affordable basses that has decent sound quality. I currently own 2 schecter stiletto basses(a 2004 stiletto elite 5-string bass and a stiletto extreme 4-string bass), an Ibanez sr255, and a peavey millennium bxp 5-string bass and they sound pretty cool. right now I'm planning on buying another 4-string bass for my brother's band. I'm debating on either an Ibanez sr250 or a peavey millennium bxp 4-string bass.

I don't consider Musicman and Fender to be high priced. More like mid priced. Check out the price of Fodera, Sadowsky etc.

 

[Just Thumpin']

We have done this at the shop on any number of occasions for friends that own an instrument that cannot afford a new one of our instruments. We put in our pups and one of our preamps and do a complete set-up. They DO sound greatly improved...no question. But counting labor costs and parts you no longer are playing a $300 bass, you have now stepped up to a $1,000 bass AND even though it is better, they in no way shape or form sound or play like a custom built instrument (or even our Standard line, which are built the same way as our Customs but all share the same specs). Again, this is based on many, many real world examples that I have personally experienced...not just conjecture.

That said, the wonderful thing about people is that there are all different kinds. Some will like a $199 bass and play it happily their whole lives and some will want every specification of their instrument to be customized to their liking and are willing to pay what that costs to do. The key thing is knowing who you are and getting pleasure out of the decisions that you have made.

The sad thing about these threads is that folks seem to insist that others buy in to their way of thinking which is, IMHO, just plain wrong. Either of the follow statements (and so many like them) are BOTH 100% correct for the person that makes them:

"Boutique Basses are over-priced. My $X so-and-so sounds and plays as great as any bass that I have played regardless of cost."

"The amazing feel and tone that I get out of my Custom Bass is well worth the price I paid."

Oh, and by the way, although "wood is wood," having rubbed my knuckles raw any number of times tapping hundreds of pieces of it when selecting material for our instruments...you would be flat out amazed at just how different a great piece of wood and a mediocre one sounds. When we build our instruments, the mediocre pieces get cut up and put into the trash...heck we have cut up and rebuilt entire instruments that we did not like the sound of. I am virtually certain that this hyper attention to detail is not part of the build process for a $199 instrument (or for many $1,000 instruments, for that matter).

Details like wood selection, hand-carving, the ability to modify any specification, using only the finest electronics and hardware, having folks that have been building for 30 years working on your instrument all do make for a very different end result. However, whether or not those differences matter is 100% pure personal opinion...always has been and always will be and no amount of back and forth on TB will change that. Viva la Difference!

Probably closer than you would think. It just wouldn't look as pretty or cost nearly as much.

Wood is wood. Every piece is different, and yet the same. It all comes from a forest somewhere.

Couple hundred bucks in a decent bridge and tuners with that Squier and I bet you would have a very good bass and yes, it would sound spectacular.

 

[MVPBASS]

We have done this at the shop on any number of occasions for friends that own an instrument that cannot afford a new one of our instruments. We put in our pups and one of our preamps and do a complete set-up. They DO sound greatly improved...no question. But counting labor costs and parts you no longer are playing a $300 bass, you have now stepped up to a $1,000 bass AND even though it is better, they in no way shape or form sound or play like a custom built instrument (or even our Standard line, which are built the same way as our Customs but all share the same specs). Again, this is based on many, many real world examples that I have personally experienced...not just conjecture.

That said, the wonderful thing about people is that there are all different kinds. Some will like a $199 bass and play it happily their whole lives and some will want every specification of their instrument to be customized to their liking and are willing to pay what that costs to do. The key thing is knowing who you are and getting pleasure out of the decisions that you have made.

The sad thing about these threads is that folks seem to insist that others buy in to their way of thinking which is, IMHO, just plain wrong. Either of the follow statements (and so many like them) are BOTH 100% correct for the person that makes them:

"Boutique Basses are over-priced. My $X so-and-so sounds and plays as great as any bass that I have played regardless of cost."

"The amazing feel and tone that I get out of my Custom Bass is well worth the price I paid."

Oh, and by the way, although "wood is wood," having rubbed my knuckles raw any number of times tapping hundreds of pieces of it when selecting material for our instruments...you would be flat out amazed at just how different a great piece of wood and a mediocre one sounds. When we build our instruments, the mediocre pieces get cut up and put into the trash...heck we have cut up and rebuilt entire instruments that we did not like the sound of. I am virtually certain that this hyper attention to detail is not part of the build process for a $199 instrument (or for many $1,000 instruments, for that matter).

Details like wood selection, hand-carving, the ability to modify any specification, using only the finest electronics and hardware, having folks that have been building for 30 years working on your instrument all do make for a very different end result. However, whether or not those differences matter is 100% pure personal opinion...always has been and always will be and no amount of back and forth on TB will change that. Viva la Difference!

+1000, thank you for finally explaining to "the misinformed" why custom instruments are set apart. I am totally cool with people saying "I don't need to spend thousands on a bass" but please don't try to convince me that "my cheap bass sounds as good as your expensive bass". Been there, done that.

 

[dvh]

+1000, thank you for finally explaining to "the misinformed" why custom instruments are set apart. I am totally cool with people saying "I don't need to spend thousands on a bass" but please don't try to convince me that "my cheap bass sounds as good as your expensive bass". Been there, done that.

The thing is, though, "good" is personal preference. And if, like most players on this board I'd say, you are playing live music much of the time, the differences are moot. Even then, tonal differences come down to preference and fit to the music.

 

[jarrydee]

Those basses have no appeal to me. Therefor I do not believe in them.

+10000, no matter the cost, I would feel like a dork on stage with one of those things. That is my opinion though and I respect everyone's choice in an instrument. The just look to odd for me I guess.

 

[millsbass5]

Some valid points made. However, I believe one expects a much higher level of customer service, as well as a modicum of influence into the development of the finished instrument, within a discussion of "expensive" or "boutique" instruments.

Also, I believe there exists a sense of entitlement when it comes to certain levels of product(s). For example, if you're just getting started, it should be a no-brainer that you'll be playing a Squier, or maybe a MIM or CIJ, or MIA Fender vs. a CS. Not that it doesn't happen, but why would you dump the money into a Fodera the day before your first lesson?

Once you've been playing (and like most areas of life), you start daydreaming about that "next-level" instrument. For me, for a long time, it was a Warwick. I just HAD to someday own a Warwick (I've owned and sold three, and have held on to one).

Now that I've been playing for a while (20 years in music at the education/hobby/semi-pro/weekend warrior...in that order...levels) I finally ordered a custom bass. Why? Because it offers the things I've wanted in a bass for years, but haven't found in Fender, EBMM, Warwick, Sandberg, and Lakland basses. I've really dug basses made by those companies, but there was always something missing.

On a final note, I'm at a place in my life where I can comfortably afford a custom bass. I'm not selling my first born to finance. It's the bass "imagined" after years of "if only this one bass had THIS...,or if only this bass was a little more THIS....". Did my old Honda Civic Coupe get me to work everyday? Yes. Does my Infiniti do it with more style? Yes. They both serve the same function. However, as a middle-aged business professional, I feel as if I am entitled to own my Infiniti. I've worked VERY hard to get where I am. I ensure that my family is well taken care of before any thoughts of hobbies are addressed. When I pop the trunk, I'd like to put my first custom bass in there before driving to a jam session with my friends. Because, again, I've worked hard to own it.

Alright,now. That's enough!! You pretty much stole my response!

 

[MVPBASS]

+10000, no matter the cost, I would feel like a dork on stage with one of those things. That is my opinion though and I respect everyone's choice in an instrument. The just look to odd for me I guess.

That's the same opinion the double bassists had when the first Fenders came out.

 

[millsbass5]

Current Setup:
-Warwick Streamer Jazzman Lx 5
-Ibanez BTB 675
-Custom Bass Coming!
-Eden Nemesis EN410


I checked your profile out of curiosity. You have a custom bass on the way?

 

[MVPBASS]

+10000, no matter the cost, I would feel like a dork on stage with one of those things. That is my opinion though and I respect everyone's choice in an instrument. The just look to odd for me I guess.

You certainly wouldn't sound like a dork. I can see where you are coming from, so types of music don't lend themselves to playing certain body shapes. I wouldn't take a BC Rich Warlock to a wedding, now would I take one of my Fbasses to a punk gig. That being said, I also don't let what bass that I play dictate whether I feel "cool" or not.

 

[nickbass79]

It is the same thing with guitars and violins and drums. You have beginner instruments, intermediate instruments, professional instruments, and then super expensive boutique/custom instruments.

Yes it is definitely the same. The best playing, most precisely made basses I have owned were boutique. A kind of precision a machine just can't achieve. And, the materials are FAR SUPERIOR than low end basses I own. A smart car can never achieve the capabilities of an Aston Martin, nor the quality craftsmanship, no matter if you change out the engine and put some carbon fiber on it. IMO, boutique basses get a bad rep because of their price, and the fact that some players just don't care about or cant see the nuances that separate them from the others.

 

[lfmn16]

but a 5000$ bass will not make us best bassist, we should worry more on study!

A great bass will not make you a great player, but a great bass that's easy to play and sounds great will make you a better player. When I started playing my current bass I immediately noticed that every note sounded more clearly articulated, rounder and more focused. But if you like the way you sound on a $300 Squier, who can argue?

 

[Clef_de_fa]

I think that a player will play better if the bass is easier to play and will sound better if the bass sounds better. I know for a fact that I played and sounded better when I switched from my Fender jazz to my Fodera Emperor, I also play and sound better when I play my Fbass as opposed to my son's Wilkinson Vintage series Pbass. I can still play the same notes on either bass, but there is a difference.

Well sound better is very subjective from what I understand here ... like a rocker will prefer the sound of a Fender P over the sound of a Fodera etc.

But I'm with you that you will play better if the bass is easier to play and this is where more expensive basses makes a difference to me. But, you have to have enough experience to appreciate it. Like, I don't think someone who start playing could tell the difference between a 300$ and a 3000$ bass. Also, some player couldn't appreciate a 3000$ bass over their 500$ because the bass can't make a difference in their technical abilities. They won't play better, they aren't there and maybe they never get there and it is OK.

 

[MVPBASS]

A great bass will not make you a great player, but a great bass that's easy to play and sounds great will make you a better player. When I started playing my current bass I immediately noticed that every note sounded more clearly articulated, rounder and more focused. But if you like the way you sound on a $300 Squier, who can argue?

Agreed

 

[MVPBASS]

Well sound better is very subjective from what I understand here ... like a rocker will prefer the sound of a Fender P over the sound of a Fodera etc.

But I'm with you that you will play better if the bass is easier to play and this is where more expensive basses makes a difference to me. But, you have to have enough experience to appreciate it. Like, I don't think someone who start playing could tell the difference between a 300$ and a 3000$ bass. Also, some player couldn't appreciate a 3000$ bass over their 500$ because the bass can't make a difference in their technical abilities. They won't play better, they aren't there and maybe they never get there and it is OK.

Great point, when I first started playing, I didn't know how to play and all basses played the same to me because of it. I had no idea if I was fighting with the bass our not. I chose my first few basses on looks and price solely.