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

I can't imagine it "get" that much value. There is a difference between budget basses (Squiers, etc) and the more expensive lines, but after a point, IMO, you're mostly paying for prestige. Yes, I expect the workmanship and materials to be better, but for me, I have much better use of that kind of money than to spend it on any instrument. I admit that I've never even seen anything over a couple grand in person let alone played one, but have never been overly impressed with the relatively expensive basses I have tried - the $2000 bass has never tempted me away from the $500 ones after playing them side by side.

Hard to know for sure, I doubt that I would get something like that even if money was no object. I'm perfectly happy with my lower end basses. If someone gave me $25K that I had to budget for music, I'd spend it on building a rehearsal space at my house. Either that or hire a roadie....
 
In my mind, you aren't paying for the material, but for the hands that put it together. I own several Birdsongs and am right now having Scott build one just for me. I am paying for Scott Beckwith, not the kind of wood.

I have an Adamovic jazz that is put together so well it should be in a museum. It plays the same every night, and the same on the first song as 75 minutes later on the last song.
 
I think the best thing, by far, would be the 'custom' part of the purchase experience. I've never had an instrument custom-made for me, but I have to admit that it would be nice to get it tailored to my idiosyncratic needs and taste. But you can get that from several world-class builders for far less than $25k. So the extra is for cost-no-object materials, and prestige value.

I've never wanted a Lamborghini for the same reasons: I can't afford one. I don't drive nearly well enough to appreciate one. I don't have to get anywhere that fast (even if it was legal). And I don't want something that screams "Hey! Steal me!" to the world. Would I love to try driving one sometime? Absolutely, but I'd never own it, even if I could afford to.

Same for a $25k bass.
 
Seriously though, a few years ago Mrs Dope and I took a road trip vacation. Along the way we stopped at The Low End bass shop outside Nashville, Atlanta Bass Gallery, and a few other stores.

Mrs Dope gave me full permission to buy a boutique 5 string up to $5K. I played some beautiful works of art.

But ultimately, I did not buy anything because nothing played or sounded better than my Peavey.
Like Mrs Dope ;)
 
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I think the best thing, by far, would be the 'custom' part of the purchase experience. I've never had an instrument custom-made for me, but I have to admit that it would be nice to get it tailored to my idiosyncratic needs and taste. But you can get that from several world-class builders for far less than $25k. So the extra is for cost-no-object materials, and prestige value.

I've never wanted a Lamborghini for the same reasons: I can't afford one. I don't drive nearly well enough to appreciate one. I don't have to get anywhere that fast (even if it was legal). And I don't want something that screams "Hey! Steal me!" to the world. Would I love to try driving one sometime? Absolutely, but I'd never own it, even if I could afford to.

Same for a $25k bass.
Same for me ...
 
If it's a collectible old bass that will appreciate in value, then it's just a way to stash money regulation free that's possibly better than the stock market...while also being able to own and play something that you love.

If it's a new bass...hell no. Nothing is worth that (well, maybe a truly pro-quality upright).
 
pretty vague to only discuss a "$25,000" price tag - depends on what it is.

fodera is known to more or less be the highest price tag, but they top out at around $15k.

most high end/pricey basses are in the $3-6k range - for that you get high attention to detail, customization, craftsmanship, which adds up in many cases to tone and playability. getting a certain look (top woods? unique body shapes?) can get expensive as well.


or over on the DB forum for $25,000 you get a "nice bass" :laugh: man don't we have it easy?
 
I paid just a little more for this one....and can't believe I own it........It plays ok and sounds great, you get one chance in your life to own this and if you really want it, you have to buy it. that said I'd never pay that much for a new custom bass, they just don't do it for me:):)
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Money, and value, is relative.

I think we can all agree that you're likely not buying a piece of junk when you get into that price range. So it's a matter of the buyer's sense of value.

If you're making $25K a month, it's a lot easier to drop that kind of coin on something you find interesting, thrilling, exciting, whatever. Yeah, that's well into the top 1% in the US, but you also gotta realize that the top 1% represents over a million households in the US. Not even accounting for worldwide. So there's a fair number of people in the world that can spend that kind of money on trivial things like expensive basses.
 
I can see somebody laying down that kind of coin if they know exactly what they want in a custom and it requires $25k to make it happen. While I spent nowhere near that kind of money on my custom Alembic, I knew exactly what I wanted in the bass and Alembic delivered in spades. Every time I pick it up, I appreciate the quality, feel and tone that comes from it.

Clearly a super custom is not for everybody and great music can come from the most budget based instruments. However, the nuances that come from a well thought out custom can be amazing in the right hands.

Bones