Quality or quantity?

[gln1955]

If I had no basses at the time, I'd first find the one high quality bass that spoke to me. I'd set the budget on that bass at say $1500 max. That leaves $500 for a backup or different type bass. If I could find both of those for less money, all the better.

Since I'm pretty set on basses at the moment, I'd might be looking for a moderately priced hollow body and save the rest for a rainy day.

 

[Liam Wald]

I only need one good one!

So so true. You can only play one at a time and my experience has been that I only play the one I like best (which also happens to be the best quality one) and the others just sit there collecting dust.

 

[brianrost]

For $2000 you can find a lot of really fine high-end basses on the used market. So why not buy one? I can tell you that I would not trade my Steinbergers (or my vintage Ps) for a dozen Squier, Ibanez, SX, Sire, etc. basses. I've had a lot of basses in my hands over the years and the nicest ones were all pretty expensive.

 

[gwangi]

No Brainer!!!! Quality.

 

[bassdude51]

I'd go for quality but I don't have to spend $2,000 for a quality bass. I can build one from parts for about $700 or find an excellent used instrument here on Talk Bass in the $800 to $1,200 range.

About 10 years ago, I found a used 2004 Stingray for $725 local CraigsList. In near excellent condition.

 

[Phalex]

I’d look at the TB classifieds and try to find a gently used $5,000 bass, for $2,000.

 

[Muttleybass]

I have one expensive high quality bass (Sandberg... used $1500 USD) and one good quality inexpensive back up (Yamaha BB735a). It's all I'll ever need.

However, I might sell the Yammie and get another cool expensive bass at some point. And that will be it. I swear. No more basses. Nope. Not gonna do it....

 

[Medicine Man]

 

[dalkowski]

I would get one $500 bass – probably used – and then put the balance toward something more practical.

This. My needs are fulfilled with my current quiver. Unless it's a birth-year bass I am just not worthy of any bass costing more than $699 w/bag or HSC.

 

[Afc70]

Id probably buy a used Stingray 5, or Spector Euro.. great basses & they can frequently be found at nice prices!

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

Beats me.. I can't answer the question properly as there are at least a dozen or more around here including fretless ones and even uprights,

But here is an older pic of a few Spectors in the stable

 

[HolmeBass]

I voted quality, seeing as how you can only play one at a time, making that one a really solid and flexible instrument just makes sense to me.

 

[kinopah]

I'd rather have 1 bass I really WANT to play than 12 basses I have to constantly fiddle with or make myself pick up... which is why for the last few years I've had 2 basses max lol.

Not to say you can't find great basses at low prices, but I'd go the route of a high quality instrument/components/electronics/craftsmanship for sure. It's less likely to let you down and it's easier to bond with one bass and find your voice in it.

 

[JakobT]

Quality, definitely. I own three very good basses at the moment. An AmStd P, a MIM P, and a Musicman Sabre. I don’t need more. Frankly, I could make do with any one of them. But if I did want something new, I wouldn’t spend my cash on something cheap when I have so much good stuff already.

 

[40Hz]

I’d buy the best of what I could afford at the time I was shopping. That could be an $2000 bass or a $100 one. I’ve long since come to realize that what I thought sounded good, played well, or I simply had an interest in owning didn’t depend on the name on the headstock or the number on the price tag. I only buy excellent basses. Some of them just cost me more than others.

 

[RustyAxe]

I have no need for a $2K bass. I have no need for multiple cheap basses. Actually, I have no need for any more basses. So, I'm here for the results ...

 

[Pings Bass]

With $2K, I'd buy one nice USA production bass. I've already got quantity in the MiM/Indonesian category, as well as one vintage USA Fender and one 80s MiJ Fender. A modern USA G&L or EBMM would be nice to have.

Now, once you cross into boutique territory, say $4K+, I'd rather have multiple top-end production instruments than a single boutique bass.

 

[Leonid Nidis]

I would get 2 used 1000$ basses.
Sure the cheap stuff is good too but why fill the house with stuff you need to maintain and will have a hard time using all of it.

 

[CatchaCuda]

If I had a spare $2,000 specifically for a bass, there are a handful of folks in LC I'd be messaging. Quality, in this scenario.

 

[Leo Thunder]

Necessary quality can be had for way less than $2000. I would never spend that much on an instrument for hopeful quality reasons. The money would definitely go somewhere else.