• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Man music stuff has gotten expensive

S

Swipter

Sep 7, 2009
909
2,708
Phoenix
#1
I realize I haven't bought anything new since my Fender American Standard Jazz bass in 2006 or 2007 but things are so much now. Every 5 string I look at, new or used, is thousands or close to 2k.

Amplifiers? Bergantino is like buying a house. Others are no better, including Aguilar or ampeg. Traynor? I had to get up off the floor. I guess $500 for my Eden WT405 in 2005 may be comparable to today, but I don't know. I do know it's 16 pounds.

I see you guys with 10 amps, 20 basses and think, wow. Then someone will post a thinning the heard bass, that costs 3.5k.

I never realized I was among so many rich people here on Talk Bass.

I have two basses and two amps. If I thin the herd then I will have no herd.

Thanks for reading
 
  • Like
Reactions: Glenn Mac, tzohn, thisonegoestoeleven and 63 others
#3
2 basses and 2 amps for me too. 1 bass bought new in 1983. Amp from then died in 2020. So new combo amp bought in mid 2020 as a replacement. Also, bought another bass (MiM J Bass) and really nice amp in 2020 as I wasn't thrilled with the combo (and I got a bonus at work). Digging the J Bass with the new amp quite a bit.

Have to admit, that I'm thinking hard about a squire fretless J Bass. I can afford a much nicer one, but the recent Squire basses are really nice, so I don't see the need.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Glenn Mac, Mark Karwan, JPaulGeddy and 1 other person
#4
joelns said:
2 basses and 2 amps for me too. 1 bass bought new in 1983. Amp from then died in 2020. So new combo amp bought in mid 2020 as a replacement. Also, bought another bass (MiM J Bass) and really nice amp in 2020 as I wasn't thrilled with the combo (and I got a bonus at work). Digging the J Bass with the new amp quite a bit.

Have to admit, that I'm thinking hard about a squire fretless J Bass. I can afford a much nicer one, but the recent Squire basses are really nice, so I don't see the need.
Click to expand...
I look at every P bass for sell on this forum and on line. I really want one, although I dont need one. Congrats on the J bass. I will say I love my J bass and i have not played one or heard one that sounds as good. Some just sound better. It doesnt matter the strings it still sounds great.

What amp did you get?
 
#5
Swipter said:
I look at every P bass for sell on this forum and on line. I really want one, although I dont need one. Congrats on the J bass. I will say I love my J bass and i have not played one or heard one that sounds as good. Some just sound better. It doesnt matter the strings it still sounds great.

What amp did you get?
Click to expand...

Thanks. The amp is a Mesa TT-800, running through their Subway 1x15 and 1x12 cabs. I didn't need it. I don't have any need for the volume or power. It was purely a "for fun" purchase. And it sounds glorious, even at bedroom volumes. I'm really glad I bought it, as it's inspired me to play more.
 
  • Like
Reactions: thisonegoestoeleven, murphy, ObsessiveArcher and 10 others
#9
My stuff was acquired gradually over time, and everything was below $700
If I had fewer pieces of gear, but saved up longer and bought more expensive stuffI would have missed out non a lot of playing & learning.

I am happy with what I have.

no to replace what I have would cost more--as those prices have gone up.

And some stuff like my SR500F is no longer made.
The SR500 was the same price when I got the fretless version-but those are hovering around $1000 locally. (Canadian dollars)
 
  • Like
Reactions: BBassBassington, alaskaleftybass, sonojono and 3 others
#11
Sometimes ownership is just a function of age. You buy instruments over the years and just hang onto them.

I guess we were working and considered them tools of the trade. After so many memories attached to them I couldn’t part with any of them.

Am I rich? Not by any means, I do have an interesting story though it’s much too long for a post but I think a lot of people would be inspired by it.

Be happy with what you have, be kind to others and things will come, they always do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: funkifiedsoul, Pet Sounds, tbz and 18 others
#12
Keep in mind that TB appeals as much to bass gear enthusiasts as it does to people whose main interest is simply playing bass (not that a person can’t be both, of course). Lots of older folks here too who have the disposable income for gear. A lot of gear has gone up in price but it’s also now possible to get a lot more quality for less money than it used to be.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mark Karwan, Splash7, Inky13 and 25 others
#13
  • Like
Reactions: scott cuppello, lowendrachel, Semi Actuated and 21 others
#15
I am happy with what I have. Concerning the Squier jazz, I dont need another jazz. If I get another it would be a P bass.

Concerning gear, mine works great but i am not playing anywhere. It would easily work. One goes to 2 ohms and i have two 4 ohm cans, one 210 and one 212.

The 212 with the lmii sounds marvelous.
 
#16
bass12 said:
A lot of gear has gone up in price but it’s also now possible to get a lot more quality for less money than it used to be.
Click to expand...
^^^^^^^^^^
This is the truth!

The quality of sound that you can now get out of “entry-level” equipment is really impressive. Squier and Epiphone, to name a couple manufacturers, are making some really great basses for under $500. Rumble amps make good sounds for the $$.

You can spend a lot more (and I have, used, not new), but you don’t need to. I notice the biggest differences in how my nicer basses feel and setup vs. the entry-level basses I started with. They do sound “better” to my ear, but in all honesty probably not (I’m talking Ps & Js here, not Alembics or MTDs), in the mix with a band, enough to merit their price tags, IMO.

I have no doubt that most here could easily wipe me off the floor playing a pawn-shop Squire while I stumble around on my Sadowsky.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: b_carville, subtlestew, Spectre Gunner and 8 others
#17
When I started out in the 80s I bought a 100 watt 15-inch yamaha combo for $500. That's $1200 in today's money. I bought a MiJ Fender Jazz Bass Special for about the same, and a used Fender P for $400 (close to $1K in today's money). The first electronic tuner I bought cost $75, $178 in today's dollars.

Stuff is cheaper today than it has been in my playing career.

Yeah, we got a lot of boomer hobbyists with big collections here. I get your point. But perfectly serviceable, good playing, looking and sounding instruments are within the reach of more people now than any time in my life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: thisonegoestoeleven, bass4u, Wambemando and 18 others
#18
Swipter said:
I realize I haven't bought anything new since my Fender American Standard Jazz bass in 2006 or 2007 but things are so much now. Every 5 string I look at, new or used, is thousands or close to 2k.

Amplifiers? Bergantino is like buying a house. Others are no better, including Aguilar or ampeg. Traynor? I had to get up off the floor. I guess $500 for my Eden WT405 in 2005 may be comparable to today, but I don't know. I do know it's 16 pounds.

I see you guys with 10 amps, 20 basses and think, wow. Then someone will post a thinning the heard bass, that costs 3.5k.

I never realized I was among so many rich people here on Talk Bass.

I have two basses and two amps. If I thin the herd then I will have no herd.

Thanks for reading
Click to expand...

Quality music gear is more affordable now than it has ever been.

You mention your last bass purchase was around 2006: the cost of gasoline has doubled since then.

A full Bergantino rig costs around $3k: that’s around 1/5th the cost of a “cheap” new car, hardly a house :roflmao:
 
  • Like
Reactions: JimChjones, tbz, DrMole and 9 others
#19
I do like the new Squier look. I have not played one. I did play a Lakland when I was looking for a new bass, when i found my Fender Jazz. I didn't like the sound or feel so I know its personal.

I would like to play a Squier P bass on a nice amp and cab.
 
#20
MDBass said:
Quality music gear is more affordable now than it has ever been.

You mention your last bass purchase was around 2006: the cost of gasoline has doubled since then.

A full Bergantino rig costs around $3k: that’s around 1/5th the cost of a “cheap” new car, hardly a house :roflmao:
Click to expand...
Well, in my mind, or should I say my wife's mind, 3k is a house.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Miles_ONeal, DJ Bebop, stretch80 and 6 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back