Some Pros use cheap basses

[Munjibunga]

It's more about feel than sound. A really well crafted bass just plays right. It's just like and extension of your body. Until you've experienced it, it's really hard to explain.

I hear what you're saying, but ... I own Fodera, F Bass, Drozd, Sadowsky, Lakland, LeCompte, Yamaha and several Fender basses, so I've experienced it. There's no reason why an inexpensive bass can't "feel" just as good as a custom bass. I feel different when playing my Foderas from when I'm playing my Fenders, but it has much less to do with playability than ego. I owned an EB MM Stingray 5, a very nice bass. But I much prefer the "feel" of an SX jazz I played that cost about one tenth as much.

There's a huge psychological component to believing that a custom bass is more playable than an inexpensive one. Do you think the better feel is due to better programming of the builders' respective CNC machines?

 

[eqvolvorama]

I hear what you're saying, but ... I own Fodera, F Bass, Drozd, Sadowsky, Lakland, LeCompte, Yamaha and several Fender basses, so I've experienced it. There's no reason why an inexpensive bass can't "feel" just as good as a custom bass. I feel different when playing my Foderas from when I'm playing my Fenders, but it has much less to do with playability than ego. I owned an EB MM Stingray 5, a very nice bass. But I much prefer the "feel" of an SX jazz I played that cost about one tenth as much.

There's a huge psychological component to believing that a custom bass is more playable than an inexpensive one. Do you think the better feel is due to better programming of the builders' respective CNC machines?

That's an awesome post.

 

[georgestrings]

Well, George, I can and DO own more expensive instruments - but I still gig an SX sometimes, and defend the use of cheap basses. How do you feel about that? It doesn't really fit into your narrative here.

The bottom line is that people should play what they can afford and what they like, and if other people look down on them for playing a cheap bass then it is the other people that have the problem.

Honestly, I don't care what you, or anyone else plays - that doesn't affect me in the least... I totally agree with your last sentence, and will add that I also don't think people should verbally knock those who play more expensive gear, either - that's all I'm saying, in case I didn't make it clear enough the 1st time...


- georgestrings

 

[MonkeyBass]

That's an awesome post.

No, my point is that tone has very little to do with it. I play my custom made bass because if feels right to me.

I guess my entire point is this:
Can you get a good playing, good sounding, inexpensive bass? Yes! Should I look down upon you because you play a cheap bass? Absolutely not!

However, that needs to go the other way as well. I play an expensive bass on stage because, for me, that's the only bass I've ever played that feels "just right" in my hands. If I found a bass that played that well for $200 then I'd play that. So, should I be looked down upon because I play a really expensive bass? No!! Should I get attitude from other players who keep telling me I can get just as good a sound from and SX? No!!!

I have found, in a general sense, that the people that think a boutique bass isn't worth the buying are the people that have never played one, or have never played one that was properly set up. Or, perhaps they lack the experience to know the difference. Are there exceptions to that? Of course there are! Life is full of grey areas.

The point is, play what feels right and don't take any sh** from anybody. Love a cheap bass? Great, play it. Love a boutique bass? Great, play it.

 

[MonkeyBass]

Honestly, I don't care what you, or anyone else plays - that doesn't affect me in the least... I totally agree with your last sentence, and will add that I also don't think people should verbally knock those who play more expensive gear, either - that's all I'm saying, in case I didn't make it clear enough the 1st time...


- georgestrings

This

 

[topo morto]

Did you ever play something very expensive ? it is really something else, you can hear every nuance in your playing, the setup is incredible compared to what you can acheive on a cheaper bass.

What aspects, specifically, allow you to get a better setup on an expensive bass? If the neck's straight and properly aligned, and the truss rod works, what's the difference?

 

[boomboom4200]

Someone said something about the psychological component.(to lazy to find and quote) for me its just more fun and better incentive to play an instrument that is of a little better quality., ad opposed to a dollars store bass.I grew up on dollar store basses.but to me, spending your days debating this crap is useless. Pick up Your cheap bass, pick up your expensive bass and play em already

 

[2meterbassman]

Except....in the case of this particular guy and this particular bass, he clearly states in that video that he plays the ~$500 retail version on stage. "I don't change anything", he says.



Because, for the most part, they don't have to because you have luthiers and large mfrs knocking each other over for the right to slap those players' names on their products.

Ahem,

maybe you're right.
Maybe that bass player with the cheap bass says the truth.
Maybe not.
Maybe he's always sounding like crap - no matter what bass he is playing. Maybe not.
I don't even know that guy or his band.
Maybe it's not important for the sound of his band how the bass is sounding - because the sound they need is only "booom boooom"? Maybe not.

But one thing I do know for sure:
a friend of mine, a famous bass player in my country, had 3 endorsement deals with 3 different companies in the last 20 years.
And he told me that the "regular" instruments they gave him (and still give) are all handmade, had a special setup etc.
No signature models, just regular basses!

And by the way: do you think special interest magazines testing instruments use regular instruments from a shop for it?

Forget it!

Greetz

 

[TonyP-]

Just like anyone should do at GC.

Its a little more then that...Neck swapping ect,

 

[BrandonBass]

What aspects, specifically, allow you to get a better setup on an expensive bass? If the neck's straight and properly aligned, and the truss rod works, what's the difference?

The fretwork. Not saying that if you spend 2000usd on a bass, the fretwork will be perfect. But higher end instruments tend to have better fretwork.

 

[esa372]

Why waste money on an expensive bass for a loud concert? You're not going to hear any difference between that $300 bass and a $12,000 Fodera in that environment.

There's no reason why an inexpensive bass can't "feel" just as good as a custom bass. I feel different when playing my Foderas from when I'm playing my Fenders, but it has much less to do with playability than ego.

So, taking these quotes together, you think that a cheap, $300 bass can sound and feel as good as a custom, hand-made $12,000 bass? ...and that the only difference is dependent on the ego of the player?

That's quite an extreme position, and it begs the questions:

Is feeding your ego the only reason you have such a collection of expensive basses? ...or is there something else in them?

Do the "just as good" cheap instruments rob you of some imaginary, inflated sense of self, even though there is no difference?

I think we've reached the fringes of this debate...

 

[topo morto]

The fretwork. Not saying that if you spend 2000usd on a bass, the fretwork will be perfect. But higher end instruments tend to have better fretwork.

it's just better levelled, or what?
Isn't there a limit to how much benefit you get from good fretwork on a bass (in contrast to, say, 6 string guitar) due to the distance the string vibrates anyway? unless you play with a very light touch, of course.

 

[topo morto]

So, taking these quotes together, you think that a cheap, $300 bass can sound and feel as good as a custom, hand-made $12,000 bass? ...and that the only difference is dependent on the ego of the player?

That's quite an extreme position

Not really IMO. You're familiar with the concept of diminishing returns?

Why do you think a $300 bass can't sound and feel as good as a custom, hand-made $12,000 bass?

 

[mellowinman]

Here's my $.02 for what it's worth.
My main axe is a custom made, several thousand dollar instrument. It's THE best instrument I've ever played and I've played almost every boutique bass out there.

I also own a few cheap Ibanez, I have a 69 Fender P... But that custom made bass is just so easy to play that it's the bass I always grab.

Can you gig with a cheap bass? Sure! But... if you can afford one, and if you have the patients to wait for a custom build from a great luthier, than it's worth every penny.

I've been playing for 25 years, I can justify to myself spending a good chunk of change on a great bass.

I've been fly fishing for a couple of years and I have a $100 rod and a $50 reel. I see guys that have been fishing their entire life with $1,000 rods and reels. I still catch fish and so do they. But the difference is their gear doesn't fight them the same way my gear does.

Same is true with a bass. A boutique instrument just does what you want it to do. Plain and simple. And anyone that disagrees with that hasn't experienced the type of quality instrument I'm talking about.

This opinion was obviously mass-produced, as it was only $ .02. I would rather hear a five or ten cent opinion, and know I'm getting the kind of quality that would make my neighbors jealous. Frankly, $ .02 opinions ain't worth a nickel.

 

[IntrepidCellist]

I have a $300 ATK305, a $400 Schecter, and I have some basses that are far, far more expensive.

They're all good basses, and I play all of them. That's why I own them. I feel better about taking the Schecter to a dive bar than the Dingwall, but that's about the only time I let the price tag affect my decision to play an instrument, rather than its subjective sound and feel.

 

[mellowinman]

Incidentally, I find it beyond quaint that people are talking about being looked down upon, either for playing cheap gear, or expensive gear. I think all of you should go ahead and look down upon me, simply because I find it hilarious.

 

[39-Bassist]

Being endorsed with Dean, I know for a fact that Eric Bass has his basses all custom shopped.

 

[Jeff Bonny]

There's a huge psychological component to believing that a custom bass is more playable than an inexpensive one.

For me that psychological component is more about the connection to the heart and soul of a master craftsman I feel when I play a beautifully designed and executed hand made instrument. And that's not to say I feel that connection with every beautifully designed and executed instrument either. It's a real special thing when you find one that really speaks to you. I'd imagine this is a hard thing to understand if you haven't experienced it.

That said having played a such instruments for many years I'm now mainly using a $700 mass produced Korean Epiphone that's very satisfying to play. And a satisfying instrument is the key here. I have to admit I generally find more satisfaction with the higher end instruments I've used (Azola, Sadowsky, Kubicki, Taylor, Jerry Jones, US Fenders etc) and there is usually something very inspiring about picking up a Fodora or Ritter. But satisfaction is satisfaction and if it comes in an inexpensive offshore bass it's no less meaningful. It's also not proof that a $6000 Azola isn't worth every penny.

 

[Batmensch]

The fretwork. Not saying that if you spend 2000usd on a bass, the fretwork will be perfect. But higher end instruments tend to have better fretwork.

So, spend the money (if you even need to, that's not a given) on your cheap bass to get a fret job, you'll still have spent less money in the long run. than the $2000 bass

 

[esa372]

Why do you think a $300 bass can't sound and feel as good as a custom, hand-made $12,000 bass?

Personal exploration and subjective experience.

What amazes me is that a statement has been made that the only difference between, say, a Hondo and a Ritter is the ego of the owner.

That strikes me as patently absurd, and any anyone who says that they can't see, feel, or hear a difference is probably being insincere, at best.