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Keep a Cheapie?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I came to the realization that I was playing cheap basses to try and proove that I could make them sound good.
It was an ego trip. I am happy to say I am past that.
IMO, Bass does not matter, only music.
It was an ego trip. I am happy to say I am past that.
IMO, Bass does not matter, only music.
Dr Chesse, Sir, in my most humblest of opinions, we spend WAY TOO MUCH of our time worrying about what others think. Even I, who claim to have my ego in a locked steel cage only to be unassed when neccessary, still cannot rise to the point of total FREEDOM from the judgement of others. But I try to grow myself more all the time.
Cheapies are fine. I must say one odd ball thing though, whether you beleive it or not, a soul can impart a "vibration" to a piece of wood. So I feel my Valenti more than my Lakland ( offshore). Neither are SX/Squire caliber, to be sure, but one has more TLC. The few Mexi Fenders I've had were not well made, so whatever the hands who crafted it where conveying, it was not love of purpose.
So clearly I've substituted others opinions of what they see and judge, with something so amorphous it's almost queer when I verbalize it. But again, dont really care if y'all think I'm nuts.
Put another way, a lovingly modded SX/Squier, should blow away anything mass produced.
Cheapies are fine. I must say one odd ball thing though, whether you beleive it or not, a soul can impart a "vibration" to a piece of wood. So I feel my Valenti more than my Lakland ( offshore). Neither are SX/Squire caliber, to be sure, but one has more TLC. The few Mexi Fenders I've had were not well made, so whatever the hands who crafted it where conveying, it was not love of purpose.
So clearly I've substituted others opinions of what they see and judge, with something so amorphous it's almost queer when I verbalize it. But again, dont really care if y'all think I'm nuts.
Put another way, a lovingly modded SX/Squier, should blow away anything mass produced.
Yes, you should "Keep a Cheapie". As long as it sounds good, and it's reliable. You never know when you may need it. You've already paid (very little) for it, you won't get much return if you sell it, so keeping it seems like a no-brainer.
You may still have GAS for "nicer" basses, but...would you sell the spare tire from your vehicle to help pay for some new fancy wheels?
If the "cheapie" falls out of favor with you and you don't play it anymore, then that may be the time to get what you can for it...
You may still have GAS for "nicer" basses, but...would you sell the spare tire from your vehicle to help pay for some new fancy wheels?
If the "cheapie" falls out of favor with you and you don't play it anymore, then that may be the time to get what you can for it...
Yes, I agree, and that was actually my point. If it's a good bass for you, keep it, especially at that price, IMO!Keeping or selling the bass has nothing to do with GAS!If I had a NYC UV70 5, I would still GAS. In fact all of the guys I know who have several high end basses want more, and when I owned boutiques, I wanted more.
Keeping the Affinity is really about accepting a decent bass regardless of the name or snob appeal.
I wonder how many folks would actually find themselves broken up about having their favorite cheapie stolen or broken. It's the bass you play the most, with the most memories and experiences with, that you really form the emotional bond with. If I gigged a cheapie for any number of years straight, I think I'd be pretty sad to see it go. C'mon, 2 grand comes and 2 grand goes, but the bass you use is the bass you love.
Cheese, if it makes you happy to own a "cheapie" then all the power to ya. I on the other hand don't really care to own cheap made instrument. The cheapest bass I own is a Squier FVM Fretless and I've got to keep adjusting the neck once every 3 weeks - that's simply too much work for me. I'm proud of my American made basses, which I own 4, and they are built very well and take little or no tweeking at all.
Amen to that... I gigged with my $150 Dean for upwards of 5 years, and still use it sometimes for the odd song where I want that J tone, and as it's my first bass, I would be devastated if anything happened to it.
But to the OP, I'm sure someone said this already, but it's what comes out of your amp at the end that matters, not what's written on the headstock. If it feels good and sounds good to you, then play it with pride and let the gear snobs say what they will- they're not the ones on stage.
+1 A bass is not a chick magnet, your car can be or even your personality. You want to play an Alembic the only one who cares would be you and possibly another bassist in the audience.
- Dec 12, 2007
- 2,268
- 43
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Zon Guitars, Tsunami Cables, DR Strings, GK
Never cared much about what was on my headstock as long as it felt good in my hands and sounded great in my ears. Otherwise you aren't playing bass, you are just keeping up with the joneses. I've had so many "nice" basses come and go quickly because they don't work for the hands or ears.
If you like it, keep it. Don't get caught up in upgrading it too much either. Love it as it is and use your Yamaha for the rest.
If you like it, keep it. Don't get caught up in upgrading it too much either. Love it as it is and use your Yamaha for the rest.
You make an important point. A better made instrument is much more fuss free usually. I do have a bass that is a high end production instrument (TRB5) so I do I have the option of a low fuss, plug and play bass.
Yeah, I still have my first bass (a Squier) and have thought about selling it, but so far my emotional attachment has held out. It sits in its case, but every time I pull it out I'm reminded of why I love it...
Silly humans...
Most people don't know much beyond Fender and probably think anything else is a cheapie.
Nah. If anything it is Fender that isn't the premium brand, just the generic standard.
Being on Talkbass has given me a much more realistic perspective on my love of bass and basses. First of all, the time I have spent here has really made me aware of major weaknesses in my playing which is why I am taking lessons (albeit sporadically.) Second, an honest assessment of what I make playing and other expenses has really made me revise downwards the amount of money that I am willing to spend on a bass. The bottom line is that I now have a Squire Affinity J-Bass V, the cheapest of the cheap, as a compliment to my Yamaha TRB5 ( a really sweet undervalued modern five.)
This Affinity, like one I had before, is actually a decent bass. I have straightened out the neck with a few turns of the trussrod, and I have lowered the bridge. The action is low with almost no buzzing (just a slight open A buzz when I really let the note ring out a long time.) The pickups are weaker than a real Fender, but it certainly delivers Jazz tone.
I may pick up a Sadowsky outboard preamp or some other pickups to boost the tone a touch, but this bass is seriously gigable.
My issue is that should I let practicality rule, or should I give into ego and get a bass with a cooler name on the peghead?
I know there is single answer, but I would like some feedback.
Hey Dr. Cheese, if I may chime in on this.. as I understand it, the instrument chooses you. It is something that goes beyond price, name, or anything else. If you feel good with it, and can make good music with it, don´t let anything get in the way. I´ve once preferred to record with an old Tagima (a $300 dollar bass that I bought used) than to use an Alembic because it felt right, and the end result was great. A few years later, I bought a Sadowsky and it was the second time in my life I felt that way about an instrument (and during those years I´ve literally tried pretty much everything I could..)
You should look for tone,quality, feel, and other elements, but not for a name when buying a bass. It is an instrument.. and as such it is a tool built for you to express yourself. The price is just a consequence of the production process, R&D invested, quality of the materials, customer service, etc.. It doesn´t matter if it is 300$ or 3000$.. the only important thing is if that instrument speaks to you, if it makes you feel great. Forget ego and everything else. Music is about music. It is that simple.
My $75 Washburn Bantam fretless is my second most played bass. I'm pleased with the way it feels and sounds.
