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So what does a $25k bass actually get you?
- Thread starter FollowMeDown
- Start date
Its like a Rolex you can spend $25k or you can buy a watch for $25 ...both keep the same time .....if you have more $ than you know what to do with or if you make 10k a night playing i guess 25k is justifiable? ......
Wow. Never had this topic on TB before 
Look, I don't care what you spend. Play what you like, love what you play. Whether that is a $49 Amazon special or some crazy expensive weird looking beast.
There is something to be said for a custom bass (just see my pic), but nothing wrong with a meat and potatoes, either.
I do agree with some who have also pointed out that if some folks add up the total amount of what they've bought and sold over the years, they may be surprised. If you could afford a $25k bass and it would have elminiated all the buying and selling, it'd be about the same in the end.
Look, I don't care what you spend. Play what you like, love what you play. Whether that is a $49 Amazon special or some crazy expensive weird looking beast.
There is something to be said for a custom bass (just see my pic), but nothing wrong with a meat and potatoes, either.
I do agree with some who have also pointed out that if some folks add up the total amount of what they've bought and sold over the years, they may be surprised. If you could afford a $25k bass and it would have elminiated all the buying and selling, it'd be about the same in the end.
That's the problem with the DB section,they forget there's a big world outside orchestra. With fewer openings many will regret listening to the BSO snobs
The eternal gratitude of the builder and his family ,plus a platinum lifetime membership to the alot more money than brains club.
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I think this thread predisposes the question "How much is too much?".....Its easy to be working class me and criticize but even if I was super rich, if I had 25k of disposable income, I think I would feel better trying to make another person or family's life better than buy a bass with it...of course, ymmv
Everyone has their limits. But they are their limits, not yours.
A bass has whatever value the individual buying it thinks it has. Cost is a number, value is something else.
A bass has whatever value the individual buying it thinks it has. Cost is a number, value is something else.
Here’s what it gets you ...
An instrument, built to your specifications.
It costs a lot more than stock.
In the end, it is built for you, and only you. Others may like it, but it is for you.
You’ll pay a lot, and I mean a lot, of money for the privilege.
An instrument, built to your specifications.
It costs a lot more than stock.
In the end, it is built for you, and only you. Others may like it, but it is for you.
You’ll pay a lot, and I mean a lot, of money for the privilege.
svtb15
Inactive
- Mar 22, 2004
- 13,004
- 4,741
- Disclosures
- I play it all. Whatever works for the gig. Q+
I was in Austin looking at Vintage basses a few years ago. 2009 or so. Went to the defunt Bass Emporium .
They had a real 59 P bass.. They wanted $10,000.. Ed friedland was playing it.. It was sort of the going price at the time. "If" i had the money I may have bought it..
I went to another store and saw ANOTHER 59. P bass . I thought to myself . What The heck is with all of these 59 basses today????.. I took a closer look and it was a Road Worn P bass and it was $995.
I played this one too.. And I seriously thought to myself ,, Damn . There is NOT a $9000 difference in feel or sound between the real one and the Roadworn. .
Two weeks later I found a lightweight RW P and bought it. . Damn great bass. .it was one of the first ones they made.
They had a real 59 P bass.. They wanted $10,000.. Ed friedland was playing it.. It was sort of the going price at the time. "If" i had the money I may have bought it..
I went to another store and saw ANOTHER 59. P bass . I thought to myself . What The heck is with all of these 59 basses today????.. I took a closer look and it was a Road Worn P bass and it was $995.
I played this one too.. And I seriously thought to myself ,, Damn . There is NOT a $9000 difference in feel or sound between the real one and the Roadworn. .
Two weeks later I found a lightweight RW P and bought it. . Damn great bass. .it was one of the first ones they made.
Fodera Antony Jackson Presentation I & II models are near that point. they're beautiful basses.
i filled out a 'choose your build' form on Alembic's site- my options totaled around that amount also.
these are amazing instruments in every way. huge attention to detail, sound and playability.
are they as good on a gig or studio as a Squier Vintage Modified P? and worth more than 80 times the Squier?
i filled out a 'choose your build' form on Alembic's site- my options totaled around that amount also.
these are amazing instruments in every way. huge attention to detail, sound and playability.
are they as good on a gig or studio as a Squier Vintage Modified P? and worth more than 80 times the Squier?
Turnaround
Commercial User
Why do you suppose that the difference between a $25K bass and one at $1K would come down to sound and feel? It could be about rare woods, real gold leaf body, hand carving, inlay work etc. Some instrument producers have machines that pretty well allow you to shove a tree in one and and finished basses come out the other. And there are makers who still hand shape each piece of wood going into the instrument, fit each piece by hand, hand rub the finish and proudly put their name on the instrument. I could see one of the latter commanding $25K. Not so much the former.
I build basses...and I also own many factory made instruments. The most I ever paid for a bass, was $1,500. for a nice, near mint 2013 lefty Thunderbird. I paid $555.00 for my '76 Carl Thompson, directly from him, in October of that year. I wonder what that bass would cost today. I own 17 electric basses, some are Fenders, some modified Squiers, and some are parts basses.. and a couple of Danelectros. The basses I make, I make fairly slowly- as I primarily repair. Those of you that are luthiers, understand why a handmade instrument costs so much. The design, engineering, time and experience required, in addition to the cost of the parts, materials, and electronics, can be pretty high. You need a PLACE (shop) and power tools, and the right hand tools to shape the instrument. Then, the finishing equipment and protection from the toxic vapors... this is also, in part, what drives the cost of luthier made instruments. Then, you have to try and market it, if it's for an individual who knows what they want- that can also vary.
I will take one of my $3-4k basses AND a 300 dollar Squier, and play both on the gig.
Sometimes, the Squier works better for THE MUSIC I'm playing. I work on low dollar, and high dollar basses. It really is about preference, financial ability, and desire.. And here's the rub- If your 7k Fodera gets lost, damaged, or stolen on a gig, or in transit.. that's a bad deal. Now, losing a $300 dollar Squier, or even a 6-700 dollar parts bass, or Fender will suck, but to a lot lesser degree. And factory made basses are plentiful. If you had a nice American Standard Fender bass, and it got ripped off, you could just go to guitar Center the next day, and buy a replacement.
I will take one of my $3-4k basses AND a 300 dollar Squier, and play both on the gig.
Sometimes, the Squier works better for THE MUSIC I'm playing. I work on low dollar, and high dollar basses. It really is about preference, financial ability, and desire.. And here's the rub- If your 7k Fodera gets lost, damaged, or stolen on a gig, or in transit.. that's a bad deal. Now, losing a $300 dollar Squier, or even a 6-700 dollar parts bass, or Fender will suck, but to a lot lesser degree. And factory made basses are plentiful. If you had a nice American Standard Fender bass, and it got ripped off, you could just go to guitar Center the next day, and buy a replacement.
