It's common knowledge. The breakdown of the sound of a bass: 14% pickups, 2% bridge, 32% strings, 41% technique, 11% pixie dust from Leo's crack
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Price vs Quality
- Thread starter Technotitclan
- Start date
I sincerely hope that you don't expect to get any sort of resolution of that debate. It really is an old dead horse. It's beginning to stink.
Back to the program.
I think that if we're careful we can get some nice equipment for our money. Pay attention at time of purchase and we can get more than we've paid for. I still believe that a modern/current Squier Affinity is money well spent. Most of the Squiers, regardless of level are pretty good instruments.
I've a feeling though that the $5,000 signature basses are really no better than a $2,000 bass. I can afford either but would rather save the $3,000 difference for upgrades to my cars/house/cameras/guns, and etc.
Others will feel differently, no doubt.
I think that if we're careful we can get some nice equipment for our money. Pay attention at time of purchase and we can get more than we've paid for. I still believe that a modern/current Squier Affinity is money well spent. Most of the Squiers, regardless of level are pretty good instruments.
I've a feeling though that the $5,000 signature basses are really no better than a $2,000 bass. I can afford either but would rather save the $3,000 difference for upgrades to my cars/house/cameras/guns, and etc.
Others will feel differently, no doubt.
All that seems to stink here is posts like this. I asked for information. I haven't been involved in these discussion until now. I have my doubts, but I am open for other opinions.I sincerely hope that you don't expect to get any sort of resolution of that debate. It really is an old dead horse. It's beginning to stink.
Go find something usefull to do.
This was a great post up until the last sentence. IMO, you should have stopped while you were ahead. While vanity certainly can be a part of the "whole boutique thing," it certainly isn't "all about" that.
Most of the sound of an electric bass does come from the pickups yes, but all of the tonal colouring comes from the woods used/wood density, the sustain comes from the bridge and the quality of the vibration transmission through the neck join, which also affects the amount/quality of tone combined with the neck woods.
I was at Enfield Guitars at the weekend and played several versions of my Lionheart bass - Two identical mahogany body/neck models, even in the same colour (not that paint makes any difference!) and they obviously had very different wood densities, as they really did sound different. I also played the same bass model with a rosewood facing on the mahogany body and a rosewood neck which had a darker overall tone, and finally another model with a maple body capping and a graphite wrapped mahogany neck, which was inevitably brighter and snappier. These were all the same model of bass with the same dimensions, pickups, preamp, but the different materials definitely give differently flavoured sounds.
Yes it is an old argument, but the woods definitely at least colour the tone and different bridges, stringing methods and construction methods affect transmission and sustain.
I was at Enfield Guitars at the weekend and played several versions of my Lionheart bass - Two identical mahogany body/neck models, even in the same colour (not that paint makes any difference!) and they obviously had very different wood densities, as they really did sound different. I also played the same bass model with a rosewood facing on the mahogany body and a rosewood neck which had a darker overall tone, and finally another model with a maple body capping and a graphite wrapped mahogany neck, which was inevitably brighter and snappier. These were all the same model of bass with the same dimensions, pickups, preamp, but the different materials definitely give differently flavoured sounds.
Yes it is an old argument, but the woods definitely at least colour the tone and different bridges, stringing methods and construction methods affect transmission and sustain.
Oh, pooh. You haven't seen any of the endless tonewoods debates on this forum over the years? They go on forever and some folks get more and more vocal and abusive until the mods have to wade in and clean up the mess. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, ever gets settled by any of it because there is no objective empirical evidence to be had to support or debunk any of the claims made on any side of the "debate". But go ahead on, light that fire again if you must. I'll hang up and listen. Or maybe I won't.
Beyond that, don't take what I say so seriously. I don't.
I picked $2,500+ because there are factory and boutique makers who make basses in the $2,500-$3,500 range that are functionally and aesthetically just as good as basses that are sky high in price.
That's an interesting way of looking at it, Dr.C.
I don't really look at price as a factor - and that doesn't mean I have pots of money, either - I tend to go for feel and sound, so some of my basses cost over £2000 UKP, but others cost much less, like my Rascal at just over £600 UKP. I suppose for me it's more down to the working tool which will earn me money in the best way. And more than anything, it's the sound and playability, regardless of cost. Hey, it's all tax deductible anyway
The universe works the way it works whether someone chooses to believe in it or not. Physics is our best understanding of how the universe works, and I'm pretty sure we're way past discovering how solid body guitars work.
Sorry, serious is not a real word is it?
I haven't been here for years, so I have only seen a couple and I didn't light any fires. I certainly don't want to get into another fight. I really am trying to study the subject.
And I understand about our mods. They go around cleaning up threads whether they need it or not.
Okay, if you think so.
A Kia will get me around town and so will a Mercedez. A Kia can be had for abut $14,000. A Mercedez runs about 3 or 4 times that.
Why, other than vanity, would I choose to pay 3 times for something that will cost a lot more in maintenance over time?
I get the comfort and amenities thing, but it can be argued that they both fall in the vanity category.
Other than that, thanks.
There is endless discussion of this topic (wood impact on tone) on this forum, including the physics involved, and it makes for interesting reading. I suggest that you do a search and get caught up rather than start this anew.
I buy used and have basses of all types. I do think there are diminishing returns as $$ go up, but having said that I have had (and still own) some very nice basses that on the used market go for around $2000. Whether or not this kind of $$ is worth it is up to the individual. If you can afford it and the features of the expensive bass are important to you, why not? If you can't, I doubt seriously if an audience will notice the subtle differences, so play away.
I work with a guitar player that is well known in these parts, and one of his favorite guitars is a Chinese Epiphone ES-335, and he sounds great with it. But he sounds great playing anything.
Most of the professionals I know don't judge a player by the cost of his gear. They might have a fleeting first impression, but that goes away fast when the playing starts. And a lot of the backline players for touring artists (that I know of) play MIM Fenders, as they don't want to damage their expensive instruments on the road. It all works.
I work with a guitar player that is well known in these parts, and one of his favorite guitars is a Chinese Epiphone ES-335, and he sounds great with it. But he sounds great playing anything.
Most of the professionals I know don't judge a player by the cost of his gear. They might have a fleeting first impression, but that goes away fast when the playing starts. And a lot of the backline players for touring artists (that I know of) play MIM Fenders, as they don't want to damage their expensive instruments on the road. It all works.
Vanity only becomes an issue when it is not easily within what you can afford. If I pick a $500 bass over a $300 bass, am I being vain or am I comparing features/feel/tone of two instruments that I can easily afford? If someone with ten times my income looks at a $3000 boutique bass, are they being vain for not choosing a $300 production model instead? If I look at that same $3000 bass, is vanity a factor? When I wanted to experiment with fanned frets, the only option was boutique. Was that vanity, or was I looking for a five string that I could play without pain? I think that things just aren't as simple as you are saying.Okay, if you think so.
A Kia will get me around town and so will a Mercedez. A Kia can be had for abut $14,000. A Mercedez runs about 3 or 4 times that.
Why, other than vanity, would I choose to pay 3 times for something that will cost a lot more in maintenance over time?
I get the comfort and amenities thing, but it can be argued that they both fall in the vanity category.
Other than that, thanks.
Chef
In Memoriam
Yep, like Roscoe. I had a fretless that had a flame top that looked as nice or even better than a Fodera. Not saying it sounded like a Fodera (thankfully as I don't care for that tone at all) but it sure looked every bit as good for 1/3 the price.
Aw, man. I posted in this thread before I realized it was the Great Tonewood Debate, Part 42,117. I really have to learn to be more careful.
While I have paid more for basses a number of times, the only bass I ever bought that was 100% perfect for me in literally every way was about $3600 (an STR semi-hollow fretless 5 string). But honestly I don't know what the poll is trying to determine so I put $1300, which will get a used Bongo which is a great versatile bass that really needs nothing but maybe a tweak here or there for most folks. I don't understand the obsession with a bass' price here some days, it really does seem more important than the actual music on occasion. Rock what you got!
How about the abysmal state of spelling on TB?
It's whining, not whinging.
Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
No it isn't
Invalid Link Removed
whinges; whinged; whinging or whingeing
Learner's definition of WHINGE
[no object] British, informal
: to complain in an annoying way : Invalid Link Removed
- Quit whinging and get on with the job.
- People were whinging about the lack of service.
noun, plural whingers [count]
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whinge
whinged whing·ing or whinge·ing
Full Definition of WHINGE
intransitive verb
British
: to complain fretfully : whine
— whinge noun, British
Invalid Link Removed
Examples of WHINGE
- Quit whinging and get on with the job.
- People were whinging about the lack of service.
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