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

#124
Ed Fuqua said:
This is what it got me....
It's a little warm in here, I think I'll take off my NEW BASS!!
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Nice bass, Ed. Congrats. Certainly in the upright world, the price point of $25k is maybe a little high for where things get interesting, but, not too far off.

Back to bass guitars; I’m not too familiar with Ritter’s, but you’d be not much south of $25k with a custom spec Alembic. Even the “standard” Series I and II Alembics are up there. A bit too much for my resources; but, the thing is that the Alembic Series I / II electronics really are something special. For a “hobbyist” player, like myself, living with the used market versions is the only way I can access that particular circuit. Even those are expensive these days.

IMO, you can get what you pay for; but, you have to understand what you are going to get. Just because you spend a bunch of money doesn’t mean you will get what you want. And, certainly less expensive instruments can be real treasures. I’m pretty steady with lovin’ my parts bass beater to death right now.

This thing of dissing expensive electric bass guitars is an old old TB meme by now. I don’t know why cats feel the need to do it. Be happy with what you play. Learn about what else is out there. A little knowledge goes a long way; both knowing what does and does not hold value for you. My $0.019.
 
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#126
kodiakblair said:
Mingus played a 1927 Roth. Highest price any Roth has made in auction $17k.

Ray Campi made his career playing an old Kay,models from the 30's average $3.5k. He keeps the Kay in England,for US shows he uses 2 unbranded plywood DBs. Probably $1600 for the pair.
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I'm super happy with my '38 Kay; they are prized in the jazz world. but I sincerely doubt there's a single bassist in a mid-to-large market symphony playing a plywood bass.
 
#129
Bflat said:
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:):)
View attachment 3348681
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That looks like it was made from a potato.
 
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#130
I don’t know about basses, but with mandolins it’s like the Richter scale. IOW a 25k mandolin is not 5x better than a 5k mandolin. I’m not even sure that it’s 2x better, to be honest. So you might spend 1000% more to get a slight increase in tonal quality. But hey, if somebody has the disposable income and that’s what they want to spend it on, knock yourself out.
 
#131
So let's look at this from a different perspective instead, a not un-typical TB scenario: one keeps buying and trading and selling (always losing money) going through dozens of $300-$1500 basses ending up with a collection of 20-50 or so of the beasts, blissfully unaware of having spent $30K over the years, incl. all those simultaneous new string sets , setups, extra cables , multiple amps, stands and other nonsense or excuses that keep our mind and time from actually making music. (yes I've been there too).

And still not happy.

So if I the one bass that does it all and I am done forever costs $25K, than that's a fantastic bargain, not just financially, but for peace of mind and mental clarity alone.
 
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#135
If I could buy an Anthony Jackson Presentation II Bass, I most certainly would. I’d love every moment of it and I’d never look back. I’d be the happiest bassist on Earth. If.... Only. Probably never. This truly is my dream bass.

7B2619CF-BB10-4DA0-A4AE-BE8B2671FB5E.jpeg
 
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#138
FollowMeDown said:
What are you really buying for your $25k or whatever? How much better do these crazy expensive boutique basses REALLY sound/play than say the best one from your average music store set up properly? Would anyone else really hear it?
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I definitely don’t hear it in a recording. If others do I believe they are hearing with their eyes. Because audio quality goes down hill when recording digitally and then again when stuff is posted online. Most expensive bass I’ve bought I got used but if I had bought it new it would have been $5,600. My main player now cost less than $2k and sounds better imo. Think a lot of it is trends and people hearing with their eyeballs.
 
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#140
I suck at bass, but there are some $4k beauties out there I have been pining for - works of art! Might even be inspired to practice once in a while if I had one, but probably not. ;)

(ignore that I have about $15k wrapped up in bass gear doing nothing much more than collecting dust...)
 

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