One of my best sounding basses is an old Ibanez Roadstar P-Bass copy that I got for $75. It plays well, too! That said, I primarily use it as a beater/spare.
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question for the masses
- Thread starter kcolyar
- Start date
I had a chance to play a higher-end, Dran-style custom Warrior bass once, and the sound of that thing was like no other bass I have ever played, and the feel...I thought I was playing a FL for a moment. I'm sorry, but there's no way that a much cheaper instrument could match that thing without having some very, very serious work done to it.
I think a lot of it is indeed in your fingers, but I would never go so far as to say that it is either "all" or "always" in the fingers.
That probably makes you one of a small few willing to admit that.
A few are willing to claim that they can make their bass sound anything out there, to which I reply BS, although perhaps their ears can't tell the difference. 
The right bass can certainly get closer to the desired tone. Most of my fretli can get a pretty good Jaco tone, which has a lot of technique involved, but my polyester coated CB with a Bartolini J at the bridge is 10x better than any of my other basses at copping the Jaco tone.
My Conklin has a semi-synthetic Dymondwood fingerboard, similar to what Zon is using. It has a very strong Manring vibe to it that I can't get out of my other fretless basses.
I do what I do regardless of the bass I'm using. A good instrument simply makes it easier for me to do it.
That probably makes you one of a small few willing to admit that.
The right bass can certainly get closer to the desired tone. Most of my fretli can get a pretty good Jaco tone, which has a lot of technique involved, but my polyester coated CB with a Bartolini J at the bridge is 10x better than any of my other basses at copping the Jaco tone.
My Conklin has a semi-synthetic Dymondwood fingerboard, similar to what Zon is using. It has a very strong Manring vibe to it that I can't get out of my other fretless basses.
Willing and happily.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU GET USED TO!!
I started playing on an entry-level Yamaha, and thought it played great and sounded nice. Then I moved up a few times, normally a couple hundred bucks at a time and thought each choice was like night and day, until I bought a USA Spector with excellent electronics, build quality and playability and was totally satisfied. Now with 2 kids, house, etc. my budget is constrained and I have to sell off some of the more expensive stuff and IT SUCKS GOING BACK.
I'd say that once you get into the $1000 range (used) and separate the wheat from the chaff by playing them, you will find some very nice instruments worthy of that money.
I also find that with each step up, I am more inspired and therefore play more. It's also true that your as the sound gets more natural and transparent you will find yourself mastering (in a relative sense) the instrument better.
Don't buy new unless you have money to burn. That USA Spector was about $1100 bucks vs. ~$2200 new.
Also, another option is buying a lower-end instrument and replacing electronics to suit you as time goes on. A new pre or p'ups go a LOOOONG way.
I started playing on an entry-level Yamaha, and thought it played great and sounded nice. Then I moved up a few times, normally a couple hundred bucks at a time and thought each choice was like night and day, until I bought a USA Spector with excellent electronics, build quality and playability and was totally satisfied. Now with 2 kids, house, etc. my budget is constrained and I have to sell off some of the more expensive stuff and IT SUCKS GOING BACK.
I'd say that once you get into the $1000 range (used) and separate the wheat from the chaff by playing them, you will find some very nice instruments worthy of that money.
I also find that with each step up, I am more inspired and therefore play more. It's also true that your as the sound gets more natural and transparent you will find yourself mastering (in a relative sense) the instrument better.
Don't buy new unless you have money to burn. That USA Spector was about $1100 bucks vs. ~$2200 new.
Also, another option is buying a lower-end instrument and replacing electronics to suit you as time goes on. A new pre or p'ups go a LOOOONG way.
