I think I stop believing in expensive basses!

[malthumb]

MVPBASS,

I understand your point, but as the owner of 4 "boutique" basses ( some would lump my vintage Music Man basses in there and call it 6) I can honestly say that some of the things you note can also occur in boutiques. The ones in bold are the ones I've personally experienced...

I keep reading how people can't stand the look of some boutique basses. I'll tell you what i can't stand:
Bowed, misaligned or warped necks
Sharp fret edges from improperly dressed frets
Microphonic or dead pickups
Scratchy [DEL]cheap[/DEL] pots after 15 years of use
Hum from improperly sheilded basses
Bridges that move from vibration
Cheap tuners that won't stay in tune
Fret buzz from high frets
Improperly cut nuts
Pickup cavities that are cut way bigger that the pickup
Control plates that don't fit or warped plastic
Screws that are driven in at an angle
Necks with dead spots
Inferior finishes with bubbles or flake off

All of which I have had personally had problems with with cheaper basses. That's my reason for buying boutique basses.

As far as somebody not liking the looks of any of my basses? Who cares? Tons of cheap and expensive basses that I don't like the looks of. Doesn't make them play any worse or their owners luv'em any less.

 

[malthumb]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tdub0199
Who really gives a Flying #$@& about how much a bass cost, 99% of the people in the audience doesn't..... They could care less if you paid $50.00 or $5,000.00.... I agree with JimmyM, let this post die please cause some of you guys are killing the dreams of some of the less fortunate people on this forum.... you DO NOT have to own a $5,000.00 bass to sound good & be Happy.....

Did I miss something? I can't recall anywhere in the 37 pages ahead of this post where anyone said you have to own an expensive bass to sound good. Some (myself included) do own expensive basses, but it's not because we (or I ) think we HAVE to. Live your dream.....play your bass.....be happy.......screw the price tag, whether it has 3 digits or 5 digits.

 

[Jared Lash]

I've gone through a lot of basses, especially when I was younger and looking for the best instruments I could gig with on a shoestring budget.

Today, I only have basses from Chris Stambaugh and Alan Cringean (ACG) because they play, look and sound exactly the way I want and I was very comfortable with paying what they cost.

Isn't that what all of this boils down to? Finding the right instrument for you at the price you're willing to pay? It certainly does to me and it amazes me that this thread has gone on this long.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

I Personally like the players that could amaze you with a 100$ bass...

Not to single you out, but this is emblematic of a certain meme going around here.
Where is this awesome bassist playing a $100 bass?
I don't want to see a youtube clip of someone playing a neck through Carvin that he scored on CL for $100.
I want to see someone slaying their way through undead hordes on an Arbor or Behringer bass.
Fact is, most bassists value consistency. Having a well built bass with an adjustable bridge (that works) and a well designed truss rod mean almost as much as tone and playability. Paying as much as you would fora used Subaru is not excessive if it gets you to a place where your bass is in tune and stable.
I've had basses that sounded great but could not hack it when it came to rehearsals/shows/touring. Nothing like trying to dial in your set up, AGAIN, in the back of a tour van on I-10.
But hey, if you SX bass lovers want to believe they are every bit as good as a USA Deluxe, good for you too.

 

[MVPBASS]

MVPBASS,

I understand your point, but as the owner of 4 "boutique" basses ( some would lump my vintage Music Man basses in there and call it 6) I can honestly say that some of the things you note can also occur in boutiques. The ones in bold are the ones I've personally experienced...

.

Yes, i have had a rare, occasional problem with boutique basses and I have called the company and had it rectified for free (usually including free set up and strings to make up for the money that i had to pay for shipping). I'm not saying that boutique basses are free from problems, but they aren't as common as problems found in cheaper basses.

 

[MVPBASS]

I have been by told by Joey at Fodera that they will fix any isssues because they don't want a bass out there with their name on it that is less than stellar. When I used to send my basses in for a yearly set up, they would go above any beyond. With out me even asking, they have replaced input jacks that were worn, installed new straplocks and upgraded preamps for me without me even knowing that they were going bad.
It was so common that I expected that from other boutique builders, not all are like that, some charge for every little thing. Try calling SX or Squier and see if they will do any of that for you.

 

[spade2you]

But hey, if you SX bass lovers want to believe they are every bit as good as a USA Deluxe, good for you too.

Not just the USA Deluxe. They can outplay a Fedora!!!

 

[Roy Vogt]

Not just the USA Deluxe. They can outplay a Fedora!!!

Or a snap brim, pork pie, Stetson or pretty much any other example of the Millinery Arts.....

 

[lucas vigor]

Not to single you out, but this is emblematic of a certain meme going around here.
Where is this awesome bassist playing a $100 bass?
I don't want to see a youtube clip of someone playing a neck through Carvin that he scored on CL for $100.
I want to see someone slaying their way through undead hordes on an Arbor or Behringer bass.
Fact is, most bassists value consistency. Having a well built bass with an adjustable bridge (that works) and a well designed truss rod mean almost as much as tone and playability. Paying as much as you would fora used Subaru is not excessive if it gets you to a place where your bass is in tune and stable.
I've had basses that sounded great but could not hack it when it came to rehearsals/shows/touring. Nothing like trying to dial in your set up, AGAIN, in the back of a tour van on I-10.
But hey, if you SX bass lovers want to believe they are every bit as good as a USA Deluxe, good for you too.

Yep. +10000000!

It's all about "Look at me, I can rock a 100 dollar bass"....that IS what is behind all the 100 dollar bass tribute threads! Really! And I am glad I am not the only one beginning to notice it.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Must be Monday.

 

[lfmn16]

Did I miss something? I can't recall anywhere in the 37 pages ahead of this post where anyone said you have to own an expensive bass to sound good.

If you can't win the debate, change what you are debating and maybe no one will notice!

The debate has changed several times, but the OP's original premise is "if you put a Fodera pickup and pre on another bass with the same woods, it will sound the same." although he does acknowledge that fit and finish may vary.

 

[nickbass79]

Did I miss something? I can't recall anywhere in the 37 pages ahead of this post where anyone said you have to own an expensive bass to sound good. Some (myself included) do own expensive basses, but it's not because we (or I ) think we HAVE to. Live your dream.....play your bass.....be happy.......screw the price tag, whether it has 3 digits or 5 digits.

So now your saying the more digits the better. Just Kidding. Some of the counterarguments in this thread are illogical and invalid and miss the mark due to poor reading comprehension or just plain ignorance to a persons opinion.

Play bass, buy what you want.

 

[Orpheus55]

Our band recently opened for Chuck Negron (Three Dog Night) and their bassist, Berry Oakley Jr. (yes, the son), was rocking an Epiphone LP (one of the slightly older flame-top kinds that went for maybe $400); some of the best tone I ever heard onstage!

 

[jamzilla]

Our band recently opened for Chuck Negron (Three Dog Night) and their bassist, Berry Oakley Jr. (yes, the son), was rocking an Epiphone LP (one of the slightly older flame-top kinds that went for maybe $400); some of the best tone I ever heard onstage!

It's a lot more about the bassist than it is about the bass.

 

[bass12]

Yes, i have had a rare, occasional problem with boutique basses and I have called the company and had it rectified for free (usually including free set up and strings to make up for the money that i had to pay for shipping). I'm not saying that boutique basses are free from problems, but they aren't as common as problems found in cheaper basses.

I don't necessarily expect a "boutique" bass to be problem free. What I do expect is that, should a problem occur, the person/company who made the bass will take good care of the situation and of me as a customer. Of course, there are boutique builders out there who don't provide good customer service; I try to steer clear of such people.

 

[malthumb]

Yes, i have had a rare, occasional problem with boutique basses and I have called the company and had it rectified for free (usually including free set up and strings to make up for the money that i had to pay for shipping). I'm not saying that boutique basses are free from problems, but they aren't as common as problems found in cheaper basses.

And on THAT we agree.

 

[spade2you]

It's all about "Look at me, I can rock a 100 dollar bass"....that IS what is behind all the 100 dollar bass tribute threads! Really! And I am glad I am not the only one beginning to notice it.

Not really that new. Hell, I'd get the stink eye at guitar shops when I'd be using something boutique. More than a few times, a few folks passive aggressively challenged me to a duel. Normally I wouldn't indulge them. The folks who get competitive are usually first to pull the, "hey man, it's NOT a competition" card.

One time I was just messing around with bass amps. Before I knew it, several folks had e-mailed and posted that I was a no talent hack without any sense of time. I was just trying out amps, not at an audition.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

I honestly don't see anything wrong with spending several grand on a bass. You would spend that much on a car, if not much more! I've been playing bass longer than I have been driving. While I don't make a living at it anymore, I still think it is silly for someone who has been playing for dozens of years to "get by" on a $300 bass. How much does your TV cost?

 

[lucas vigor]

Yep. Classical musicians spend far more on their gear, with some bass bows costing several thousands of dollars. And that is just for the bow itself!

Now, I won't look down on someone who likes their 300 and under basses. We have pretty much all played them, including myself.....but can we settle down with the outrageous comments about how great they are compared to boutiques and even well made production basses? That's just snake oil, and most people seem to be aware of that fact now. Internet hype cannot be expected to be believable.
All I know is, TB has made old Kurt at Rondo a very rich man, indeed!

 

[chadds]

They also believed that infectious illnesses were caused by evil spirits and used bleeding by leeches as a common therapy. Pneumonia was a common cause of death

As far as the notion of evaluating the resonance of wood......by on tapping the entire, hydrated, freshly fallen tree........well.....ask a modern luthier what he thinks of that, even if he is a wood disciple.

Sorry, I don't mean to be trite, but really????

Come on! All the people in Davinci's time didn't have to have perfect knowledge for his science to be utilized. Do you think there were no pain relievers before Bayer Aspirin? Ancient Rome didn't know about lead poisoning but had modern plumbing. It just goes to show that there's always more to know & learn.


There is art to the science and science to the art.