Is a high priced bass necessary?

[bikeplate]

Necessary? No. But I'll take my customs all day long

 

[Matthew_84]

Only if you can't be happy with a cheaper option.

 

[JonKim]

I can play bass on a budget bass but I prefer my expensive basses.
For studio work? It's more on the rest of your gear that's is more important imho.
Remember most recordings on all records were either done on a fender p, j, or a stingray.

 

[Flaked Beans]

I do live in Brooklyn...Where are you talking about?

 

[REV]

I have a good friend who consistently gigs 3 to 4 times a week using a P bass copy that he bought at a yard sale for $100.00. He dropped in a set of Duncan SPB-1 pickups and the thing sounds great.

 

[Anachronism]

No. However, they can be very nice to have.

 

[edencab]

my sub $300 used MIM Jazz and sub $500 Sterling SUB4 basses sound damn fine and powerful through that Orange TB and Eden D115 you see in my pic

 

[Flaked Beans]

High end boutique basses are nice if you can afford it, I think they are more of a status symbol and way over priced especially when you can get the same or better tone with a 300.00 dollar bass..let the tomatoes fly...

 

[DigitalMan]

The list of good basses in the $500 range is pretty substantial. However, the list of 35" scale basses in that range is exceptionally limited. If you can "settle" for 34" scale you'll do fine.

 

[louloomis]

I've used $150.00 basses and vintage $6,000.00 basses (not mine, unfortunately) on different recordings, both with excellent results.

I think tasteful playing (certainly not saying that I fit into that category) and good eq'ing can help to de-emphasize any real or perceived impact of a lower cost instrument.

LL

 

[todd0864]

You've played guitar for 12 years, how much did each of your guitars cost? Yes you can find gems that are cheap and turds that cost a grand or more. But you seem to have enough experience to know when you are holding a good playing instrument. Try some different basses and trust your gut. When I bought the Jazz in my sig I was dead set on getting a MIA P. Luckily for me I could tell this Jazz had something special about how it played so I brought it home even though it wasn't a P. I consider myself lucky to stumble upon this one. I'll never sell it and I'll refret it over and over if I have to. That said, I'm still looking to add more basses.

 

[skwee]

If you're satisfied with the way a bass plays and (assuming you have a reasonably discriminating ear) like the way it sounds you're all set - regardless of price.

Guitar and bass are not really different in those respects.

I feel like I've seen better quality on cheap basses than on cheap electric guitars.

 

[Sav'nBass]

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.

It works the same way with bass.. but I will say that new.. an $800 bass is not high priced.. I would think it is about average.. maybe high average.. You can get a really nice bass new or used for that price.. Yopu figure if you bought a $300 bass and upgraded the pre and pups in it.. you would have close to an $800 bass depending on the mods..but you certainly don't need a $2000 bass to get the job done..

You shouldnt spend money until you know what you want. It sounds like you are still learning what you want

+1

 

[PortlandBass77]

Nope, definitely not necessary. I get by just fine with basses $400 and less from CL.

 

[Love GK]

Try checking at Rondo Music online then look at the SX brand bass guitars. A lot of bass for little money! Just go and take a look!

 

[QweziRider]

so my question is, can a moderately/mid-priced 5-string bass be adequate for recording and performing live?

Absolutely. One of my favourite basses for a while was the crappiest looking glitter orange Ibanez SR305. The thickest plastic coating of Lord-knows-what to make it that finish, cheap brand new, and surprisingly wonderful live.

 

[IGotGas]

Ya go get one of them inexpensive butterfly basses in New York!!

Anyway also look at the used market!! Excellent basses in the $500-800 range all day long!!

 

[Brad Johnson]

High end boutique basses are nice if you can afford it, I think they are more of a status symbol and way over priced especially when you can get the same or better tone with a 300.00 dollar bass..let the tomatoes fly...

If you only wrote that in search of tomatoes... cool. You're actually right if that's your opinion. It doesn't have to be correct for anyone but you.


This may not be obvious to many but the more experience you gain playing bass the more you may be able to discern what works better for you. So of course as a beginner you can't expect to be very discerning.

The idea that an instrument that feels and sounds better to you can't inspire you is one of the sillier things I've seen trotted out on TB. And that could be a bass in any price range.

More often than not the subject is usually boiled down to a few line items like can anyone pick it out in the mix and things like that. IMO those are gross oversimplifications but knowing how some folks like to have things in nice, tidy boxes that usually works for them. Here's the rub: if you come across a situation where you experience something that is far beyond what you've already experienced, do you tell yourself you don't "need" it and stick with your status quo? Where's the fun in that? Given the choice between the typical middle school lunch fare or better, would you rather have that or eat something that taste better? You don't "need" for your food to taste better so why not stick with an unidentifiable but nutritious gruel?

Anyone who wants to revel in keeping things on the cheap in principle based on "need" is fine by me. If you've played higher quality instruments and they didn't push your buttons you have no decision to make. In the meantime I know I have a finite amount of time on this planet and I plan on enjoying myself whenever I can. If that means hanging around people I'd rather hang around, driving cars that I'd rather drive, playing basses I'd rather play... guess what I'm going to do? And sorry but it has nothing to do with status. That's just wishful thinking in many cases. And who am I going to impress with a bass most people IRL don't even recognize? I certainly didn't buy and use what I do to impress random strangers. I'm beyond using what I need, I use what I want. And somehow that's not a good thing?


Last night I had a ball playing a bass most would consider too heavy and many would consider too expensive... and I couldn't care less about what they think. When you get to that point as a musician it's a wonderful thing. Just having fun using what you like, doing what you do. The day I buy a bass to make someone else jealous will be a sad day indeed. And not one of my basses is overpriced.

 

[Dan Knowlton]

Nice to see a thread that has taken more than 1/2 of a page to prompt someone to jump in with a judgmental attitude about the choices others have made!

YEA!

Dan

 

[Manticore]

I own a number of four-string basses, including most of those one would typically expect (P- bass, J-bass, Ric, T-Bird), and my six-string basses are from premium boutique builders (2 Alembics and a Nordstrand). One of my favorite basses is a little four-banger I bought in a Bangkok department store about 12 years ago for $100. It has no name or identifying markers of any kind, so I have no idea where it was made or by whom, but I'm assuming it is an Asian-made instrument. It looks great and plays fantastic. I replaced the tuners with better quality after-market products (the originals were poorly made and didn't stay in tune), but otherwise it is all original. The sound palette is from the early '60s P-Bass spectrum, with all the advantages and limitations one would expect. That bass is ideal for traveling as there is zero worry involved and can fulfill most gig requirements. Frankly, with the exception of the Alembics, for me, and that's the big caveat, it sounds and plays better than all of the other American-made basses I own. So: no, you don't "need" a premium bass. If you want one and can afford it, by all means make yourself happy.

Now, as far as premium instruments go, I can highly recommend Alembic...but their instruments are not designed to satisfy everyone's tastes.