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JUSTIFYING SPENDING BIG $$ ON A CUSTOM BASS...

5string_phunk

5string_phunk

Aug 8, 2011
2,876
1,074
45
Nashville, TN
#1
Good Afternoon Everyone!!

Here is my short back story. I have been playing for several years and I recently sold all of my gear, except my EBMM 4HH fretless, and am putting it towards a new fretted bass that would be the one I use as I start lessons and an overall more serious/dedicated approach to playing and making money doing so... I read an article about the benefits of spending time on one instrument to know it inside and out and it has inspired me to do just that.

so here is where I am now...

I am in the process of working with a fellow TB'er on ordering a custom US Spector Bolt-on 4 and so far it is looking like it'll be a killer!

However, I got hit with the price tag yesterday :eek: and needless to say the sticker shock has not worn off yet.

So here is my predicament...I am not rich by any means and am struggling with justifying spending upwards of $3K on a bass, especially one that I haven't played.
...needless to say I'm a bit intimidated :hiding:

...for those of you who have been in this situation, how did you justify/or not spending that money on your bass?

Also, if you don't mind, include what brand/model you were looking into and if it was worth spending the extra money...
 
#2
I have gone through this many times. I can't tell you what to do. Many will say if you can afford it, do it. I have had a few in the $2,000 range. They are great. Personally, I have a hard time putting too much into gear, but I only play at church these days. No more regular gigging for me. For me, after about &1,500 you reach the point of diminishing returns.

I have been playing a Geddy Lee jazz these days and am loving it. Good luck with your decesion.
 
#3
Also, The main reason I am looking at the US bolt-on vs the less expensive Euro neck thru is because all of the aftermarket modding I want to do.

the OBP-3 with barts and hipshot bridge and tuners are stock options on a US bolt on. If I go thru the trouble of buying a Euro and modding it out, then it will actually be more expensive than the Custom Bolt-on from NY...and I get the deluxe case with the US!
 
#4
Every guy has a "thing." Some guys have an "speaker" thing and spend $5K wiring speakers through their house. Other guys are into cars, and they must drive a 45K+ car or mod the heck out of a cheaper one. Others are into custom beers or vintage wines. Some are into fully canvassed suits. There's something about being a guy and needing an outlet for our hard-earned cash.

Bass guitar can be that outlet.

It may be a bad thing, though, if you have multiple "things" and don't make a ton of cash.

3K is about the limit you want to go on a bass.
 
#5
I have not been in this situation BUT I have been a TB member for a few years and have read through countless "Is this boutique/custom bass worth it" threads and also seen countless threads in the classifieds of people selling boutique custom basses.

If I could honestly find a bass that satisfied ALL of my desires it would be worth $5K easy. That bass however will never exist, because my desires shift between 4-5-6 strings, active vs. passive, PJ vs. J vs. P vs. humbuckers, vintage look vs. modern look, etc. Right now I have 4 basses that I think will keep me happy for years to come and they cover all of those ranges. So basically what you're trying to do with 1 bass, I'm doing currently with 4.

I know I'm fickle and my tastes change so I would never drop that kinda cash on a single bass. If you are fairly set in your ways and comfortable with it then I say go for it! But as a word of warning I've seen a handful of basses in the classifieds where, a TB member ordered a special custom bass for 2x its stock price with all kinds of custom mods and additions, after months it finally arrives, but then they don't like X or Y or Z about it (usually something you can't fix, like the overall feel/size/playability) and flip it quickly at a huge loss. Unfortunate to see happen but I guess the buyers are pretty happy they held out.

Also for the record, my stable of 4 keepers are the ones that survived the culling, I've rolled many more through in the last 2 years that didn't make the cut. These are also all in the $400-$600 used price range, so not expensive basses at all, but their tones and build qualities are superb.

(if you're interested, they are a passive '83 Ibanez P copy, a passive '91 Carvin J-style 5-string neck thru, a '07 Ibanez SR506 6-string, and an Ibanez ATK750 4-string. Covers 4-5-6 string, passive P/J, active buckers, and Stingray-type bucker. God help me if I get a GAS for fretless....)
 
#7
Toastfuzz said:
I've seen a handful of basses in the classifieds where, a TB member ordered a special custom bass for 2x its stock price with all kinds of custom mods and additions, after months it finally arrives, but then they don't like X or Y or Z about it (usually something you can't fix, like the overall feel/size/playability) and flip it quickly at a huge loss.
Click to expand...

this is what I'm worried about the most. I know that any Spector will be of great quality, and I really think that the bass I am creating will be spectacular...but I just don't want a moment like you described...

I know I can put my hands on a Euro neck thru and space out the mods over the course of 6 months to a year, but it will cost just about as much and I'd still have to buy a case for it...

I can afford the Euro now, but have had a few bad experiences with "trusted" luthier's doing half-ass'd jobs installing new/ repairing old electronics. It will stretch me financially a little bit, but I will have it all setup ready to go from the factory.
 
#8
The bolt on would be a flat body?

Personally, If I were going to get a spector, I'd really want the curved body. I would opt for the NT euro, play it and figure out what it needs or doesn't based on what it sounds and play like.

Tuners, bridges, preamps and pick ups can always be added down the road. I would buy the best bass from the get go and mod it later, one piece at a time as things need to happen.

I have never heard that the stock tuners (schaller) or bridge as being so bad as to need replacing. In my experience, spectors have all had really good balance and no bridge related intonation issues.
 
#13
It's really simple:

If YOU want it, GET it!

Going the "justification" route is for lame losers. Trust me. I know. Been doin' just that for a long time.

Whether you'll love it or not you won't know unless you DO get it and it's in your hands.

One thing for sure: If you DON'T get it, you'll never know.

Of course, this is assuming you're not dipping into your retirement, your kid's education, etcetera. If it's just you and you've got to eat mac 'n' cheese for a few months, so be it.

Go for it and enjoy.

'Cause if you don't, you'll always wonder about it anyways. So get it now and be done with it.

Cheers.
 
#14
Personally I don't think 3K is excessive for a custom bass with the options you want. Not that I'm a rich man or anything, I'm just a firm believer that you get what you pay for. The end product is only as good as the quality of the components and workmanship that went into building it.
 
#15
Some years ago, when my old injuries started to haunt me, I designed and contracted out the parts to make my custom P-style bass. I think back then, @1998 or so, my total outlay, since I did some of the work myself, was @$1500, which with inflation is about what you're considering now.

The ease of ergonomics, the tone, and the general comfort and playability of the bass, being tailored to me and my playing, was such that I could forget about "stuff" and just play. As a result, I got many gigs, one of them big time, and the bass has more than paid for itself many times over.

Here's the thread on my bass:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/different-custom-p-style-bass-755914/

Advice:
After playing as many basses of all kinds that you can to determine what will work for you:
1) set your budget and stick to it;
2) make sure you know exactly what you want, down to the most excruciating detail, otherwise, it will be someone else's detail, not yours;
3) be reasonable in your desires, not going to far fetched, as this will be a gigging instrument, not a museum piece or show piece;
4) no bass is perfect -- it will still have niggles and won't do "everything," because no single instrument can do everything.
 
#16
I spent 7k on a bass once (an erb. I'm into those).
It was worth every penny, but there ended up being a few issues with ergonomics that made it difficult for me to play out.
I ended up selling (actually to go toward a down payment on a condo... long story, but the bass would've been a better investment to keep around lol).
So, I would do it again, but never without playing the instrument first.
(I also don't prescribe to the one bass only ideal, as it has only ever ended up being an unnecessary limitation for me. Monogamy is for marriage, I already have that.)
 
#17
I dreamed about custom ordering a Fender Jazz bass since 2006. Knew the custom shop existed but always heard that they weren’t a real custom shop and in order to have Fender spec one out for you, you had to be a top name artist. When I found this wasn’t the case in early 2011, I decided to give it a try but never actually played a custom shop bass. From February to August, I played all kinds of jazz basses with a variety of neck profiles, electronics and pickups. The Custom Classic model had the exact physical specs I wanted. Fender was also willing to custom wind the pickups to give me the tone I was looking for. The bass was completed about 3 weeks ago and I have sold nearly all of the other basses that I owned. The overall quality greatly exceeded my expectations and there is no better feeling than bonding with something built just for you. Looking back on it, I wish I would have done it sooner.

I say go for it. Life is short. Live it.
 
#18
I don't think $3K is too excessive for a bass...especially when I see pics of teens with $10K Fodera's!!!

From what I hear, everything that comes out of the Spector shop in NY is immaculate! ...much like the other high end NY shops (i.e. Fodera, Carl Thompson etc)


I don't mind the flatter back of the Bolt on US models. I used a Spector Legend thru college and it was not as shaped as the NT but still more fitted than most basses (Fender, Lakland, Modulus etc...)
 
#19
bclark812008 said:
Also, The main reason I am looking at the US bolt-on vs the less expensive Euro neck thru is because all of the aftermarket modding I want to do.

the OBP-3 with barts and hipshot bridge and tuners are stock options on a US bolt on. If I go thru the trouble of buying a Euro and modding it out, then it will actually be more expensive than the Custom Bolt-on from NY...and I get the deluxe case with the US!
Click to expand...

You might be getting a little ahead of yourself on the mods, But to each his own (nothing wrong with them as they come). You could always buy a Rebop and add the mods then upgrade to a US (I don't think the hipshot will fit, but do think the std. bridge is better). You could also look for a used US bolt on. The customizing isn't really a reason not to get the neck through. The NT bass are VERY different animals from anything in the bolt on line. Once you play one of those , nothing else will do. What you get for the NT is defiantly worth the $ imo, and the euro's easily stand right up with any hand made US bass even at twice the price (and best the majority of them) .

I guess there's 2 ways to swallow it, if you have to have it, it's worth it because you will never be happy with anything else ( how I justified mine).

You could also get the euro NT, and sell the parts your taking off to fund the mods which helps the wallet a little. A Rebop would be a very inexpensive alternative if your looking to go the bolt on route.

Both have the deluxe case, the US bases don't get anything different in the case.

If it's your first Spector ( I've had 9 now lol ) and you have not played a NT vs a bolt on, you really should.There are some differences that come with the price drop ( euro and US) and to most the tone of the NT basses are what a Spector is all about. Nothing against the bolt on models though, some like that tone better, If ya gotta have it, ya gotta have it.
 
#20
D.A.R.K. said:
(I also don't prescribe to the one bass only ideal, as it has only ever ended up being an unnecessary limitation for me. Monogamy is for marriage, I already have that.)
Click to expand...

I know that one bass can't do it all. I still want a EBMM Stringray 5HH in the arsenal becasue nothing sounds like it...

...I just mean that over the next few years I will be taking lessons with some great teachers while I live close to them (Regi Wooten, Adam Nitti, Roy Vogt etc), and while I am studying with them I want to have a bass that will be my go to bass as I grow as a musician. That and most of my bass idols stay with pretty much one bass or style of bass...Vic, Jaco, Marcus, Flea, Jamerson, etc

To me, part of the reason these guys make magical music is because they are intimate with their #1 and know how to make that bass do exactly what they want without thinking.

This is what I am going for with this purchase.
 

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