Price vs Quality

[SanDiegoHarry]

I can get a new Fender P-Bass deluxe for around $1200 and, as new basses go, that's a great value. A completely pro instrument for $1200.

That said, a new Lakland or Sadowsky is a nicer bass, although twice as expensive. Twice as nice? Different question.

 

[ggunn]

One thing to consider is the influence of supply and demand on price. For example, a boutique bass maker has to charge more for his product because he doesn't have the mass production tools a Fender or Ibanez shop has, so he cannot take advantage of the economies of scale the others can bring to the table. Also, he may have to charge more so that the demand falls to where he can fill the orders he has coming in. These considerations have only a second order relationship with quality.

Also, the price of a vintage instrument may be astronomical because it is rare, but the quality could be not so great.

 

[lfmn16]

I was wondering when someone was finally going to address this topic....today.

Well if we don't rehash the same divisive, tired old topics, we would actually have to think of something new and interesting to discuss.

 

[OOD]

One thing to consider is the influence of supply and demand on price. For example, a boutique bass maker has to charge more for his product because he doesn't have the mass production tools a Fender or Ibanez shop has, so he cannot take advantage of the economies of scale the others can bring to the table. Also, he may have to charge more so that the demand falls to where he can fill the orders he has coming in. These considerations have only a second order relationship with quality.Also, the price of a vintage instrument may be astronomical because it is rare, but the quality could be not so great.

Very good point.

 

[dmac1961]

IMO, sometimes you get what you pay for, often you get less than you pay for, rarely do you get more than you pay for.

 

[ggunn]

IMO, sometimes you get what you pay for, often you get less than you pay for, rarely do you get more than you pay for.

I once scored a working Conn Strobotuner on eBay for twelve bucks. I'd say I got more than I paid for that time.

 

[lfmn16]

IMO, sometimes you get what you pay for, often you get less than you pay for, rarely do you get more than you pay for.

A great example of the genius of simplicity.

 

[wmhill]

I had several low dollar basses ($300ish)that I played for many years. In the mid 90s I dropped well over $3K on a Warwick thumb bass. I played it for close to ten years, and really enjoyed the bass, but the weight was oppressive to say the least. It served me well, and I eventually sold it, when I took a few years off. I tried a $800ish fender zone (pieceO crap). I did have good luck with some of the Schecter & LTDs in the $500-600 range and they were really good basses. About 3 years ago I tried the MTDs....by far the nicest basses for the dollar that I've came across in 30 years of playing. I have 3 that are in the $700 range. They have held up well considering that I play 75-100 gigs a year. I wouldn't drop the big dime on something like that again.

 

[basslifter]

I went with 700 which is about what I paid for my G&L L2500 Trib new. It was worth it and after trying many basses, I think I would have to spend considerably more to get better. The "next level" bass from here is probably 1200 - 1500 new.

 

[TyBo]

My "best" bass cost under $200. I haven't played one that suits me better. If I went custom I believe I could get something even better, but short of that I don't really expect to find something I prefer. To me, so much depends on "fit" factors (snug construction, neck width and depth, hang configuration, etc) that it's more about that than price, or even wood choices and such.

 

[el murdoque]

I cast my vote at 2500. In this range, you will get a skilled Luthier to build you a bass of the finest materials.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

$300 over here, Squier and Ibanez made that number happen for me.

 

[iriegnome]

I have, keep and love basses in all price ranges. However, my main basses are well above the $2500 category. That doesn't mean my $50 Aria is any better or worse, but there is a huge quality difference

 

[SteveC]

But your $2500 main bass IS better than your Aria. You said yourself it's better quality. That's better. I don't get that logic. My Roscoe is better quality than my Geddy Lee was. It's a better bass.

I don't get why we have such a hard time saying that a $2,500 bass is better than a $50 bass or a $700 bass.

It doesn't mean that one can't play successfully on a $50 or $700 bass, but please, you can't say the $2,500 isn't a better bass. It is. Better wood, better fret job, better electronics.

 

[Timmah]

I voted for $300, with the Squier VM/CV series in mind. I think that's the least you can pay for an instrument that will be, in my mind, gig-ready out of the box- no replacement parts or trip to the tech is necessary. Anything less expensive (new) will need some work.

That being said, I see a lot of votes in the $1000-2000 range, and I think it might be because the title is confusing. When I first read the title, the question seemed to be more about the ceiling on the quality/price ratio- the law of diminishing returns. If that's what you're going for, then I'd say $2500 is the most you can pay and honestly say that your bass is objectively better designed or constructed than one that's $3-500 less.

With used gear, all bets are off.

Lastly- the voter's playing level, as requested in the OP: I'm a bit of a weekend warrior, I guess. I play in 2 cover bands (one in the fall and spring, the other in the summer and winter), at church, and I record my own stuff at home. I've never owned a new bass (except my first, which had plenty of problems), and never paid more than $200 for an instrument. I do like to buy cheap stuff and upgrade it, and that's the way to go if you can't build from scratch (which I've been fortunate enough to do).

 

[Jeff Scott]

This is a discussion forum for a specific class of instruments used in making music. Absolutely everything here is subjective.

Thanks, you made my point, once again!

 

[SamJ]

I love it.. we've got half the guys here claiming the best bass is a $200-300 one... the other half saying 2500+...

gotta love opinions... don't ya?

 

[Neveragain55]

I’ve brought this topic up in here before on another thread and have been thoroughly trounced for it.

I said $200.00 and here’s why…….

I’ve said it before and I’m going to keep on saying it……..more concentration on your amp & technique over the price you paid for your bass will deliver for you over super expensive basses with marginal amp equipment and shady technique any day of the week.

A bass guitar is only made up of so many parts, and the quality & price of those parts can only go so far in the way of making the bass sound amazing before you hit diminishing returns. (yes, I used the dreaded “DR” words again)

But that’s just it… “you” are making the bass sound amazing more-so than the sum of the parts of the bass, and I truly believe that if all new bassist’s entering this world lived by that mantra there would be more Victor Wooten’s & Jacko Pastorious’s in the world…..

Just my two cents….

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

The other thread is based on an incorrect assumption imho. As for this, what kind of "problems" are you talking about? Scratchy pots, uneven frets, pitted hardware, or are you talking more playability, fit/finish, etc? You can have a problem on basses in all price ranges, they tend to be more rare the more you spend. As for the esoterica, that has no real metric or universal standard. One man's affordable is another man's too expensive, one man's "plays like buttah" is another man's "feels terrible." And some rarely venture above the 7th fret while others wheedle away near the 24th.

There is no standard or even much of a mean. Closest you can come is that some (many?) put a break point for diminishing returns around $1500 but even that is plus or minus $1K.

1200-1500 seems to be the sweet spot for so many things in the music world... Anything more than that, and you're paying for "fun to have" features - not "required". You and I know we could both get by just fine with a couple of Fenders if we had to... Happily, we do not.

 

[Gasman]

I said $1700, but in today's dollars it's probably over $2000. Warwick Corvette Streamer Ltd edition #14. Worth every penny, and that was over 10 years ago and I still have it. Don't play it with bands anymore- it's more a sentimental collection piece for me now.

That aside, I'd say $1500 range for a Stingray. I've paid more for basses, but can't say they were worth it to me.