I would love to have a Fodera, I'm not going to lie. Kudos to all you guys that made a big commitment to play what you want to play. Nothing but love to the boutique bass owners.
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Im Just No Gettin The Boutique Thing
- Thread starter thirtyhz
- Start date
This is a favorite recurring subject because of what so many people seem to miss.
1. You don't have to buy boutique instruments new. For instance I went on a tear a few years back and found several basses that were more than $3k new for $1k or less on GC's Used section. Sold several of them at a nice profit. Do the math: Buy two basses for $1,000 and $900, sell them for $2,500 and $1,800, pay off a third bass for $1,000 (a now free bass), the remainder is FREE MONEY. This also ties into the conventional wisdom that basses are a bad investment PERIOD.
If you're really interested in this stuff it's still not that hard to do. And you don't have to be rich, contrary to that other piece of conventional wisdom.
2. Some boutique basses suck for the individual. Just like any other basses can. You have to figure out what pushes YOUR buttons. Most people can't verbalize it. That doesn't help if you're commissioning a new bass.
3. You can play a bass wherever you play a bass. Short of a Blues Bros. chicken wire stage gig, if your gig is so bad that your gear will be in danger... your gear will be in danger. I personally don't take gigs like that because it's more than likely I will be in danger too.
I had an open mic gig at a Hip Hop spot in DC for several years. On any given night you could find me playing any of my Brubakers including fretless six, Fodera Anthony Jackson Contrabass 6, MTD 635, 1968 and 1978 Fender Jazzes and so on. I took my 1977 Carl Thompson on whatever gig I felt like... because it was my frickin' bass! If I were afraid of using my basses I'd be like many of you. A ding is not the end of the world, though I take proper precautions to minimize the chance. I'm not saving my basses for the next owner. That would be like abstaining with Margot Robbie, saving her for the next guy. Yay.
4. Some people can't hear or feel the difference between one bass and another. Consider yourselves lucky. I've been in a store, checking out a bass and literally don't want to put it down. That's not about price or looks, it's something else. I'm glad that I've come across instruments that are so far beyond the norm they blow me away. That's why I buy and play them.
5. A huge component of satisfaction can be on the player. The more I understood about my gear, the better I got as a player, the better basses got for me. Coincidence? Nah.
6. I'm not going to tell people what not to dwell on. I don't spend time worrying about what others buy or use. Too busy having fun with my toys/tools, which in my case pay for themselves so that's not an issue either.
1. You don't have to buy boutique instruments new. For instance I went on a tear a few years back and found several basses that were more than $3k new for $1k or less on GC's Used section. Sold several of them at a nice profit. Do the math: Buy two basses for $1,000 and $900, sell them for $2,500 and $1,800, pay off a third bass for $1,000 (a now free bass), the remainder is FREE MONEY. This also ties into the conventional wisdom that basses are a bad investment PERIOD.
If you're really interested in this stuff it's still not that hard to do. And you don't have to be rich, contrary to that other piece of conventional wisdom.
2. Some boutique basses suck for the individual. Just like any other basses can. You have to figure out what pushes YOUR buttons. Most people can't verbalize it. That doesn't help if you're commissioning a new bass.
3. You can play a bass wherever you play a bass. Short of a Blues Bros. chicken wire stage gig, if your gig is so bad that your gear will be in danger... your gear will be in danger. I personally don't take gigs like that because it's more than likely I will be in danger too.
I had an open mic gig at a Hip Hop spot in DC for several years. On any given night you could find me playing any of my Brubakers including fretless six, Fodera Anthony Jackson Contrabass 6, MTD 635, 1968 and 1978 Fender Jazzes and so on. I took my 1977 Carl Thompson on whatever gig I felt like... because it was my frickin' bass! If I were afraid of using my basses I'd be like many of you. A ding is not the end of the world, though I take proper precautions to minimize the chance. I'm not saving my basses for the next owner. That would be like abstaining with Margot Robbie, saving her for the next guy. Yay.
4. Some people can't hear or feel the difference between one bass and another. Consider yourselves lucky. I've been in a store, checking out a bass and literally don't want to put it down. That's not about price or looks, it's something else. I'm glad that I've come across instruments that are so far beyond the norm they blow me away. That's why I buy and play them.
5. A huge component of satisfaction can be on the player. The more I understood about my gear, the better I got as a player, the better basses got for me. Coincidence? Nah.
6. I'm not going to tell people what not to dwell on. I don't spend time worrying about what others buy or use. Too busy having fun with my toys/tools, which in my case pay for themselves so that's not an issue either.
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Its almost as if people like stuff and other people like other stuff. As long as your stuff makes you happy, you have the right stuff
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After years of playing hundreds of basses I know what I like and dislike about all of those instruments. For me to get something with only the stuff I like and none of the dislikes, I’ll find the best person to make it and pay them accordingly.
One thing that is intangible about certain basses. If you get the right bass in your hands, it inspires you to play. You play BETTER. MUCH better. Everything just seems to work. I recall that happening when I bough an Alembic Epic 4. I was just SOOO blown away by that bass. It was light years ahead of anything else I had played up to that point. Or maybe not but so it seemed for me. The experience of being able to play SOOO much better by playing that bass was priceless. The notes were clear. My mistakes were OBVIOUS. The controls were GREAT. Everything about that bass oozed quality, refinement, and thoughtfulness of design and execution. THAT bass helped me learn what I really like in an instrument. I have moved on from the Alembic, but if I had it to buy all over again I would in a minute. I can't imagine learning how to judge and choose a great bass for yourself if you have exposure only to entry level and low cost instruments. It would take years or even decades of experimenting to learn what you really like.
If your dream bass is a Fender pattern with hot pickups and a great pre, great. That is what my current favorite is. But I got there thanks to that Epic. By the time I got there I knew what I wanted. I don't second guess for a minute anybody who wants that Alembic, Ritter, Thompson, etc. Over the top refinement, quality, and features can be the end all to an instrument search or merely stepping stones on the path of that search. I get it.
If your dream bass is a Fender pattern with hot pickups and a great pre, great. That is what my current favorite is. But I got there thanks to that Epic. By the time I got there I knew what I wanted. I don't second guess for a minute anybody who wants that Alembic, Ritter, Thompson, etc. Over the top refinement, quality, and features can be the end all to an instrument search or merely stepping stones on the path of that search. I get it.
I love my Elrick 5(rounds) and my SquierP5 (flats). Got a real nice, all original 1969
P about a year ago.
All 3 get played pretty regularly, one doesn’t go on gigs because it doesn’t do the job any better than the other two. Guess which one stays home.
P about a year ago.
All 3 get played pretty regularly, one doesn’t go on gigs because it doesn’t do the job any better than the other two. Guess which one stays home.
Regardless of price and skill level a person should buy what makes them happy!
Why should a man or woman care what the next person is playing!
Why should a man or woman care what the next person is playing!
I played a fodera once, was too afraid to even touch it in order not to damage it (it wasn't mine obviously).
So I got home, took my sx jazz out of the case, and shredded some stuff on it.
I realize that if that fodera were mine I'd be too afraid to ding it.
Hell, I am too afraid to ding even my spector, so I approach it very cautiously, whereas my SX has so many dings I've lost count, and I just love shredding on that bass all the time. I thought I'd keep it just for practice and to have one bass with flats on, but damn, I almost never pick up the spector when at home, I only bring it to gigs because it's LITERALLY two times lighter than the sx.
So I got home, took my sx jazz out of the case, and shredded some stuff on it.
I realize that if that fodera were mine I'd be too afraid to ding it.
Hell, I am too afraid to ding even my spector, so I approach it very cautiously, whereas my SX has so many dings I've lost count, and I just love shredding on that bass all the time. I thought I'd keep it just for practice and to have one bass with flats on, but damn, I almost never pick up the spector when at home, I only bring it to gigs because it's LITERALLY two times lighter than the sx.
One of the reasons to buy custom boutique basses (if you can afford them) is because you are supporting a craftsman who is making something by hand and the money you spend is going directly to that craftsperson and their employees, not some shareholders somewhere. Our purchase power is some of the only power we really have - I would rather support a luthier than a corporation.
If using a particular piece of gear inspires you to perform at your highest level, then it is worth the price. The same goes for apparel, grooming products, snack foods... If there is something that enables you to be your best you should use it to your full advantage.
If you support a luthier, you're also supporting:
1) Lumber trade corporations
2) Pickup design/production corporations (unless custom pickups are made by the luthier or a small scale producer)
3) Hardware design/production corporations (unless custom hardware is made by the luthier or a small scale producer)
In most cases 2) and 3) are still made by major corporations, and 1) goes without saying pretty much always, unless a luthier has someone provide him wood that circumvents corporation-based trade.
Also, there's nothing wrong with major corporations, they make cheap instruments for millions of players worldwide. Without major corporations, there'd just be no bass/guitar players around. I know I wouldn't be one.
I agree with #4. It can be.
For #5, I think the sentiment is right but the number is low, even with the +/- caveat. In between $2500 and $5000, there are quite a few boutique instruments where you are paying for the time the builder takes to craft the instrument and the inclusion of really high end components.
There are plenty of off-the-rack instruments that are approaching $2500 tax in nowadays.
I have a Mike Lull P4 as my main player. It was probably $2100 and falls into the boutique range for sure. I didn't go out looking for a boutique bass because I had a lot of money and wanted art for my wall. The Lull was the only bass that fit all of my criteria, P-bass, natural finish, 1.5" nut width, under 8 lbs. If I could have found all those things in a Fender or something else, I would have been happy too. I play my Lull 4+ nights a week most weeks. I love it.
Beats me.
It could have something to do with why they play. Some folks play for validation. I know people who get bummed if you don't like what they like. I honestly don't care if people like my choices... I'm the one who has to live with them. If I were trying to impress people I'd buy stuff that more people recognize.
The components thing with boutiques is kind of interesting. Contrary to what many think, you can end up with a great high end bass that doesn't have over the top components. I have a friend who was adamant about the idea of a luthier making all of his components... pickups, preamp, tuners, bridge, etc. I asked if he thought he'd enjoy a Ferrari more with Ferrari tires instead of those damn non-Ferrari tires. The point being, you can reinvent the wheel... or not.
- Oct 18, 2012
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- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Fender, Spector, Ampeg, Curt Mangan, Nordstrand Pickups, Korg , Conquest Sound
7 years ago, my wife bought me a new MIA Jazz Deluxe. I loved the sound but noticed that when I switched to passive mode, the output level dropped drastically. It was much lower than my passive basses. I removed all of the electronics and installed Lindy Fralin pickups, over-wound 8%, to get more lows and mids. The bass sounds great.
As far as "boutique" basses are concerned, the fact is that many "boutique" builders buy inexpensive kits and then charge a lot of money for the end product.
As far as "boutique" basses are concerned, the fact is that many "boutique" builders buy inexpensive kits and then charge a lot of money for the end product.
