So what does a $25k bass actually get you?

[Sixgunn]

On the other hand, perhaps there's more than a little defensiveness from those who know they spent a ridiculous amount of money and are looking for positive reinforcement.

I think there's a bit of both going on here. Just saying.

I highly doubt anyone who has that kinda coin to spend on a bass, gives a swizzle stick about positive reinforcement.

 

[nostatic]

I'm willing to bet that if some here totaled up the amount of money they have spent on booze and/or cigarettes over the years (let alone hookers and blow), they are way over the $25K mark...

priorities...

 

[nostatic]

I highly doubt anyone who has that kinda coin to spend on a bass, gives a swizzle stick about positive reinforcement.

Quoted for the swizzle stick reference

 

[Stevorebob]

If you have to ask, you shouldn’t consider it.

 

[lfmn16]

View attachment 3349610
I grabbed this off the internet so it is not my graph. The point is the Law of Diminishing Returns. The more you pay for a bass the better quality you get to a point. Then the more you pay the less quality increment you get in return. Of course there are exceptions to every rule.

This graph would only be correct if value was objective. Since it's subjective, this graph really means nothing.

Example - I moved into a old house and if I ran the microwave and the toaster at the same time, I had to reset the breaker. My repairman kept telling me how expensive it would be to fix this (I know nothing about electronics). About the 10th time I had to go down in the cold dark basement to reset the breaker I told him I didn't care how much it cost, I wanted it fixed. For him, the cost outweighed the value; for me the value outweighed the cost. Final cost to fix - $35.

For some people, the cost of having everything on the bass exactly the way they want it may exceed the value, but others may find it well worth the cost.

 

[Sixgunn]

If I had the Porsche I'd take it wherever I wanted... including Aldies.

This brings to mind owning an expensive bass but only taking it out on "special gigs". Or not at all.

...and I'd put my Ritter in the front seat!!!

 

[Big Heavy Bass]

Once you reach a certain price range I truly believe you are paying for personal preferences....maybe the bass is custom made, or uses exotic woods..but in the end there is no real noticeable quality/sound difference. A guitar player friend of mine who is friends with a very famous guitar builder basically was told this, that once you pass a certain price point there is no real difference in sound or playability, it starts to be things like custom inlays, or hand crafted features.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

How do you know how productive the individual who spent 6 million on a car is? Maybe they spend exponentially more, bettering the lives of thousands by giving them awesome jobs or maybe they donate millions to cancer research or other "noble" causes. Who are you to make that judgement?

I am just an ordinary man who never heard about wealthy people concurrently helping the poor while spending money in pure vanity items ... vanity has generally the tendency to absorb our time; after hat, there may be no time remaining for many other activities unfortunately (of course everything has to be properly scaled) ... and what about you? Who are you to tell oher people what opinions (opnions, not judgements) they may express and what not?

 

[Sixgunn]

I am just an ordinary man who never heard about wealthy people concurrently helping the poor while spending money in pure vanity items ... vanity has generally the tendency to absorb our time; after hat, there may be no time remaining for many other activities unfortunately (of course everything has to be properly scaled) ... and what about you? Who are you to tell oher people what opinions (opnions, not judgements) they may express and what not?

Whether you've heard about them is irrelevant. There are countless wealthy people who live very opulently AND are incredibly generous, humanitarians/philanthropists. They are not mutually exclusive. Some of them do so anonymously, so of course you would never hear about them because they don't do it for the accolades. I'm not telling you what opinions you may have or express. I'm expressing a counterpoint to your passing judgement on people you know nothing about.

 

[Sixgunn]

Now the question begs to be asked:
So what does a $25k carrot actually get you?

If it's gold, probably a chipped tooth

 

[BadSanta1281]

I highly doubt anyone who has that kinda coin to spend on a bass, gives a swizzle stick about positive reinforcement.

Me thinks if they didn't give a swizzle stick they wouldn't be posting pics of it here.

Swizzle stick is my new go-to word. Well played, sir.

 

[Brad Johnson]

It might get YOU an empty wallet but it's pocket change for literally millions of people.

No, it would put any and everyone into debt.

 

[lfmn16]

I am just an ordinary man who never heard about wealthy people concurrently helping the poor while spending money in pure vanity items ... vanity has generally the tendency to absorb our time; after hat, there may be no time remaining for many other activities unfortunately (of course everything has to be properly scaled) ... and what about you? Who are you to tell oher people what opinions (opnions, not judgements) they may express and what not?

You need to get out more.

The 20 most generous people in the world

 

[Brad Johnson]

I’m only on page 5 of this and it’s all typical TalkBass. Of course that doesn’t keep any of us from commenting.
I had a brief flirtation with shotgun sporting clays a few years ago. I bought a used browning Goldhunter for $500. It is a great shot gun. There are guys that regularly shoot with $1500- $2500 shotguns And when you get into the over under is there are people out there with Kreigoffs and Ceaser Gurrinis That are way more than $15-$25,000.
These are either pros that are being sponsored by the brand or they are just rich old guys.
I decided at $100 a pop to go out and shoot a round of sporting clays that it was just better off for me to play my basses and enjoy it more.
So if you want to $ 2K bass GUI go for it!
I personally would be scared to take it out of the house.
Kind of like driving a Lamborghini or a Porsche I would just be so scared somebody’s going to hit it. I would completely lose the joy of owning it.

That's a shame. I drove a 1967 Porsche on service calls as a computer network tech for ten years in the MD/DC/VA area. I played in a house band trio on U St for several years taking multiple $5k(+) basses including my Fodera Anthony Jackson Contrabass. Not once have I worried about putting my gear at risk. I'd be worried about myself before that would happen.

If you can't enjoy them, there's not much point in owning them

 

[Brad Johnson]

You need to get out more.

The 20 most generous people in the world

Yeah, that was pretty silly.

 

[Mark Desmo]

The 20 most generous people in the world

the donations those people have made are probably tax dodges

 

[TolerancEJ]

I buy my instruments for myself. I don't justify my choices with anyone. Unless someone else is paying for my gear, the opinion of no one else is important.

 

[lfmn16]

the donations those people have made are probably tax dodges

Then maybe the charities should give the money back.

 

[Sixgunn]

the donations those people have made are probably tax dodges

Sure painting with a broad (cynical) brush.

 

[BadSanta1281]

At some point doesn't paying huge money for a custom boutique build become less about the music and more about self-gratification?

Not saying anyone is right or wrong here. It's your money, spend it as you wish.