Is a high priced bass necessary?

[Bigbri]

I just bought a Warwick Pro series Corvette that is every bit as good as it's German counterpart. That's why they stopped making them in Korea in fact.... For $450 bucks.
You're guitar instincts are also true for bass. Cheap can be good. Warwick/Rockbass, Fender MIM, Squier, Sire, 80's made in Japan Ibanez are freaking killer and way cheap, Schecter. Tons of others.

Now is the best time in the history of music to get a very high quality instrument on the cheap. Don't let cost and perception fool you. If it feels good and sounds good, these days, it is good.

I never would have expected squires to have shot in popularity like this. As well, I have yet to play a MiM strat or bass that I didn't like.

 

[Stranger Danger]

Only for playing bass. For other stuff? No.

 

[aaronious]

I never would have expected squires to have shot in popularity like this. As well, I have yet to play a MiM strat or bass that I didn't like.

The popularity can't with the rise in quality. As for MIM's, I can't say enough good things.

 

[Bigbri]

Thanks everyone I appreciate the advice. I don't know why, maybe because it still feels foreign, but bass shopping is intimidating as f*ck to me. The thing with my situation is my band drop tunes. Up until recently, we were strictly drop C and I was tuning CGCFA. About a month ago my 2 guitarists bought 7-strings and are going to be tuning to drop A (AEADGBE). I'm going to be tuning AEADG and that's why I'm looking for a 5-string with a 35" scale. From what I understand that will support a heavier string in drop tuning better than a 34" scale. Unless I've been told wrong...

I think you'll find most 5 string basses are a 35 inch scale. The lowb can be so sloppy, lengthening it brings out more tone instead of rattles. I have a few but never really used them.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Not necessary at all. Anyone can drive to work in a Honda Civic. It's just feels better to drive to work in a Lamborghini.

As good as this?Give me a Civic any day?

 

[Bigbri]

The popularity can't with the rise in quality. As for MIM's, I can't say enough good thing

I had an extremely early 1983 Squier 62 RI. The quality and sound were amazing even back then.

 

[kevteop]

Ive been playing bass guitar since I was 15, I'm now 42. I don't know how long that works out at because I've been drinking. Play whatever works for you.

The two basses I've currently got I assembled myself from Fender-esque parts. There's a Jazz with a Warmoth Dinky J body and a Moses graphite neck, which I put Fender N3 pickups in, wired in series. And there's a P bass with an ash body of unknown provenance, a Mex Fender P neck and a Fender vintage reissue pickup.

Each has decent hardware, stock Gotoh stuff. Both are perfectly fine basses. Both are considerably better than any bass I ever bought from Fender USA, and infinitely better than the last bass I bought from Fender USA (a Jazz bass built in 1993) after which I swore I would never buy another bass from Fender USA.

For perspective: I recently sold a 1991 Warwick Thumb to help fund the deposit on a house. I could never build a bass as nice as that on my own, but I can ****ing smoke Fender.

 

[troy mcclure]

No, I don't own any basses worth more than $500-600. I use to own some high dollar basses and it is nice but not necessary.

 

[MoeTown1986]

As good as this?Give me a Civic any day?

Welllllll, I think that guy was just a dumb driver.

 

[1stnamebassist]

Ive been playing bass guitar since I was 15, I'm now 42. I don't know how long that works out at because I've been drinking. Play whatever works for you.

Here let me help. That would be 27 years!

 

[madbass6]

Before I say anything, I played guitar for 12 years and know the difference between a $200 instrument and a $2000 instrument but I've only been playing bass for 2-3 yrs and am still learning about the instrument. When it comes to guitars, I personally believe that the cheapest guitar can sound good in the hands of a good player but I've been told that the bass is different in that respect. I currently have an Ibanez SR305DX that I bought from a friend for almost nothing and I know that it's a "beginners" bass. My band records and mixes everything in-house and will eventually be playing shows. I can't really afford anything too crazy so my question is, can a moderately/mid-priced 5-string bass be adequate for recording and performing live? To me a high priced bass is $800+. I was looking to get something with a 35" scale and spend around $500-$600. A lot of reviews for basses in that range say things like "Good for practice" etc. Just want some opinions from more experienced players than I. Thanks.

Before I say anything, I played guitar for 12 years and know the difference between a $200 instrument and a $2000 instrument but I've only been playing bass for 2-3 yrs and am still learning about the instrument. When it comes to guitars, I personally believe that the cheapest guitar can sound good in the hands of a good player but I've been told that the bass is different in that respect. I currently have an Ibanez SR305DX that I bought from a friend for almost nothing and I know that it's a "beginners" bass. My band records and mixes everything in-house and will eventually be playing shows. I can't really afford anything too crazy so my question is, can a moderately/mid-priced 5-string bass be adequate for recording and performing live? To me a high priced bass is $800+. I was looking to get something with a 35" scale and spend around $500-$600. A lot of reviews for basses in that range say things like "Good for practice" etc. Just want some opinions from more experienced players than I. Thanks.

Same philosophy applies to the Bass! Cheapest bass can sound good in the hands of a good player!

Not sure what you consider expensive but $800 is not expensive for a good high end quality Bass!!
$800 will get you a decent top of the line cheap Bass!

 

[MrLenny1]

Nope! All you need is a decent bass with a good set up.
Tons of great basses from $500-700 range.
But a high priced bass is nice to own & play.

 

[Brad Johnson]

The thing is about second hand (or investment value). Those high en botuiqe basses that costs like 5 K new (or 11.650 USD... as that Fodera) is the same price NEW as certain second hand basses of Fender and the like from the late 50's. So it's very open to interpretation of what "expensive" bass is.

Is it the collectors 50's bass that costs above 5K it's a necessetiy if you collects it and save that for your retirement fund.
I DOUBT any new Fodera, Dingwall, will increase in price like those "vintage". "vintage boutique" ... a new concept within 50-60 years maybe.

I don't consider Fenders 50s basses as "boutiqe". They're just vintage. With a price tag that of any NEW boutique bass.

I have very hard time believing that that Fodera bass at 11.K will increase in collectors value as the years go by. And if you should try to sell that one second hand later on, I doubt you'll find people who'll buy it. Because those who can afford to buy that second hand, can probably afford to pay for a brand new one without hesitating.

Depends...
Owners of older Foderas have benefitted from the higher prices of newer basses. I have a couple of 20+ year old Foderas that are worth way more than they sold for new. I don't know where that ends but it was a factor in making my purchases.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Short answer? No - but a good pro setup is always necessary.

Agreed... but it doesn't need to be done by a "pro". It just needs to be done.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Ive been playing bass guitar since I was 15, I'm now 42. I don't know how long that works out at because I've been drinking. Play whatever works for you.

The two basses I've currently got I assembled myself from Fender-esque parts. There's a Jazz with a Warmoth Dinky J body and a Moses graphite neck, which I put Fender N3 pickups in, wired in series. And there's a P bass with an ash body of unknown provenance, a Mex Fender P neck and a Fender vintage reissue pickup.

Each has decent hardware, stock Gotoh stuff. Both are perfectly fine basses. Both are considerably better than any bass I ever bought from Fender USA, and infinitely better than the last bass I bought from Fender USA (a Jazz bass built in 1993) after which I swore I would never buy another bass from Fender USA.

For perspective: I recently sold a 1991 Warwick Thumb to help fund the deposit on a house. I could never build a bass as nice as that on my own, but I can ****ing smoke Fender.

Have you kept an eye on Fenders since your last one?

 

[Brad Johnson]

If you played someone a recording using your Ibby,most wouldn't know you were using a a "beginners" bass.
So no.
A high priced bass is not necessary.

If that's the only yardstick... problem is, it's not for most people. They not only hear recordings, they actually have to play the bass, feel it, wear it, look at it... all that other real life stuff that is part of being a bassist. The fact that other listeners don't know any better has never been of the slightest comfort to me when I'm playing an okay bass. I want to make me happy first.

 

[Brad Johnson]

This ties in nicely...
Sinéad O’Connor Accuses Arsenio Hall of Supplying Drugs to Prince | SPIN

 

[dreamadream99]

There is no substitute for quality.
Sure you may luck out and find a nice straight neck and good active electronics, in a Squier, but these are standard equipment in the best basses.

 

[Honch]

There's only one thing that would make an expensive (super expensive) bass "necessary": if it automatically made you play a lot faster and better in all areas directly without any effort. I would think "fast" would be something of class problem then. Analogy to the Lamborghini above. It aint so with basses mind you. Thank god.

 

[Bigbri]

There is no substitute for quality.
Sure you may luck out and find a nice straight neck and good active electronics, in a Squier, but these are standard equipment in the best basses.

Your not going to find a prizewinning bass in a batch of squires. They're all good midrange basses with great value. Especially doing the vintage thing. My original 83 squier would be actually be called vintage in a few years. They came out around 80 so start grabbin them up. The Japanese Greco, Fernandez and whaever are heading up to a grand. They used to be cheap beginner stuff when I started. Ampeg too, I could buy Ampeg V4B's all day long for 100-150.