Pish posh. He only plays them because everyone else plays them and says they're the best.
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Spending $2,000 for a bass?
- Thread starter KrisWarrington
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Pish posh. He only plays them because everyone else plays them and says they're the best.
Wow, this thread's still here. OK, I'll play, too.
If I wanted a good P bass, an American Standard P would be worth $1199 to me. I've had American P's and J's and they're rock-solid instruments that sound just like they're supposed to.
I'm currently playing more boo-teeky instruments that mostly cost more than that and have more strings. They're not necessarily "better", it depends on what you want. They're better for me, at this point in my life.
I had a Schecter Stilletto Studio 5 for a while. It was a nice bass. Not a nice bass "for the money", a nice bass. However, if you want an American Fender, you pay the admission price. If it's new it costs more than the Schecter costs new. If it's used it most likely costs more than a used Schecter. That's life.
Some people want a new bass, with the warranty, the case candy, the plastic on the pickguard, and no previous owners. It's their money. Besides, if nobody bought new, we couldn't crow about the bargains we get on used basses.
If I wanted a good P bass, an American Standard P would be worth $1199 to me. I've had American P's and J's and they're rock-solid instruments that sound just like they're supposed to.
I'm currently playing more boo-teeky instruments that mostly cost more than that and have more strings. They're not necessarily "better", it depends on what you want. They're better for me, at this point in my life.
I had a Schecter Stilletto Studio 5 for a while. It was a nice bass. Not a nice bass "for the money", a nice bass. However, if you want an American Fender, you pay the admission price. If it's new it costs more than the Schecter costs new. If it's used it most likely costs more than a used Schecter. That's life.
Some people want a new bass, with the warranty, the case candy, the plastic on the pickguard, and no previous owners. It's their money. Besides, if nobody bought new, we couldn't crow about the bargains we get on used basses.
I like certain other basses more than Fenders and Gibsons. But, since I've talked to lots of other musicians, and I've read a great deal on the subject, and I've spent a LOT of time playing and owning Fenders, I totally understand what other people like about them. Also, I will never rule out the possibility that I'll own a US Fender or Gibson some time in the future. Time passes, things change. I mean, when I was in my 20s, I never would have seen myself owning little 4-door station wagon. Now, in my 50s, my little Scion xB carries me, my wife, and my gear to every gig.
They need to make money to cover overheads, only someone in Fender would be able to tell us how much mark up is involved, probably little margin, who knows. I think they are priced fairly, when you build one from scratch its not cheap.
Some instruments will be cheaper for similar quality, but this could be down to a range of things, certainly not malicious reasons I'm sure.
The larger company's spend alot of money on research and tooling, which will ultimately push the final price up, nothings free.
Some instruments will be cheaper for similar quality, but this could be down to a range of things, certainly not malicious reasons I'm sure.
The larger company's spend alot of money on research and tooling, which will ultimately push the final price up, nothings free.
KrisWarrington said:1) Fits in a rack
2) Line Voltage Monitor
3) I have lots of stuff in my rack to plug into it
4) Twas free
Besides when you have the money why does it matter, why not buy a glorified power strip? It's like looking at a perfectly good used car and deciding you want to buy a porsche
This precisely negates your argument, which is: why pay more for something that gets the job done just as well? What it really comes down to, as pointed out, is that you really meant: why does anyone play anything you don't like?
I can't believe you posted this in this very thread, the irony is exquisite.
Well I'll be the first to admit I own an excessive amount of "pointless" gear, but I use every bit of it (hence not making it pointless I'm assuming). I mean if you would rather have a power strip go for it but for me having a huge rack with lots of lights, switches, and nobs makes me happy. Atleast I actually know how to use the gear. Then again, I did mess up getting a DBX 215s and a 166xs. About to replace those with a BBE EQA-131 and a Maxcom 
.
There is one thing I have learned though: no matter how much people disagree with my methods, no one ever complains when I pick up a bass. Unless it's in my poor quality 3 year old youtube vids that I did in a cast. Those are mainly for personal value. The lesson I learned from that is DO NOT hop into a 50 man mosh pit with your instrument unless you weigh more than 170 lbs. Then again young, drunk, and just doin what I do best.
I have addressed Ampeg and various other things in the past but I did grow up in a different generation than most of the TB members who post on my threads. I played through a SVT-4(I think) through a 810. I was doing sound at a venue and one of the bands bassists had one. It sounded pretty decent but the fan was annoying (which really didn't matter at high volumes). I told him I wasn't going to mic or DI him into the PA and the bass was pretty noticable from where I was sittin.
JimmyM is right about me though I will never see past kustom just because it's my thing. Gotta have my Groove 1200HD
. There is one thing I have learned though: no matter how much people disagree with my methods, no one ever complains when I pick up a bass. Unless it's in my poor quality 3 year old youtube vids that I did in a cast. Those are mainly for personal value. The lesson I learned from that is DO NOT hop into a 50 man mosh pit with your instrument unless you weigh more than 170 lbs. Then again young, drunk, and just doin what I do best.
I have addressed Ampeg and various other things in the past but I did grow up in a different generation than most of the TB members who post on my threads. I played through a SVT-4(I think) through a 810. I was doing sound at a venue and one of the bands bassists had one. It sounded pretty decent but the fan was annoying (which really didn't matter at high volumes). I told him I wasn't going to mic or DI him into the PA and the bass was pretty noticable from where I was sittin.
JimmyM is right about me though I will never see past kustom just because it's my thing. Gotta have my Groove 1200HD
I listened to some of your recent videos and I didn't hear anything you can't reproduce with just about any bass and amp.
I'm glad you've found gear you are comfortable with, and don't need or want more expensive gear. Now enjoy it and let others enjoy their stuff, and don't sweat what you don't get.
Nothing of any of this has to do with generations, either, and though it might hurt to hear it, no one hates you here, or really cares what you or I or anyone else says here as much as they think they might.
I'm glad you've found gear you are comfortable with, and don't need or want more expensive gear. Now enjoy it and let others enjoy their stuff, and don't sweat what you don't get.
Nothing of any of this has to do with generations, either, and though it might hurt to hear it, no one hates you here, or really cares what you or I or anyone else says here as much as they think they might.
I agree and bass, as i've learned, isn't really about what you use it's how you EQ and compress. Steve is all about his mids, most metal bassists are all about the lows, jazz i wouldn't know too much about but i could really reproduce any sounds just by messing with a 15 or 31 band and finding the right pickup and string set for the job. You can't really tell from my videos (recorded using a cheap cond mic) how my tone sounds because i turn down my low freqs a lot. It's kind of like why people buy Fruit Loops over generic. Just a brand name they are comfortable with and know what their getting without ever using the product. What I was taught by my father is musical equipment is like cars. You can have a new cheap car or a new fancy expensive car. How good those cars actually run depends on what mood the factory workers were in that day and how much time and effort they actually put into it. So they cheap car could run better than the expensive one. I've always kind of lived by that and kustom delievers. I could spend $400 on a kustom groove 1200HD or I could spend roughly a grand on a SVT-4 Pro. I know that the 1200HD has the power, durability, and tone for what I desire personally. Ampeg has a better reputation and probably far better products than kustom will ever have but what i learned in the past is once you get so used to playing crap all the time it sounds good to you and you just want more powerful crap. Just like how I own a Mesa Dual Rectifier Solo Head (extremely expensive and great guitar head IMO) yet my brother prefers playing out of his cheap crate combo full stack. It's really about what works for that person. I've been "attacked" at quite a few gigs and in the studio for the equipment I use by other musicians, professional soundmen, and the producers. Which I guess is where my "Why is XYZ so good" debates really stem from.
Whenever I read theses posts about taking basses to gigs and getting beat up I have to wonder where you gig and how you care for your instrument. People take Sadowsky's and stuff to gigs all the time.
I don't know many people who buy a bass with the intention of NOT playing it.
This is just my experience.
I kinda want to help kick the ridiculous factor up a notch, here. But I'm at a loss as to how...
It makes perfect sense. Think about it a little harder. How well something works depends entirely on how much effort and precision it took to make it.
KrisWarrington said:
Actually, you just explained the rationale because the cost of some basses. Basses that are consistently better and more precisely made cost more money.
Not really when it comes to cars and them running reliably. That takes basic maintenance skills, all things that happen well after the factory workers that assembled the parts touched it.
Has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Joe's wife was mad at him the night before so he did a crappy job at work putting your vehicle together.
Now, something that is hand crafted like a boutique bass is a different story.
So if Joe messed up how he put the main bearings into the engine block my basic matience skills are to blame?
My attitude is, any bass that I'm happy with the sound of and doesn't hinder me playing at the best of my ability, that's as much as I'm going to spend.
Apparently not hindering the best of my ability costs about $500, maybe a little less.
If someone else thinks my Mighty Mite neck doesn't let them play as good as a custom Warmoth neck, or my HWY1 body doesn't sound as good as a Sadowsky body, well, you go on and spend that dough on yours, brother. I'm sure yours will turn out awesome too. Mine fits me like a glove.
Apparently not hindering the best of my ability costs about $500, maybe a little less.
If someone else thinks my Mighty Mite neck doesn't let them play as good as a custom Warmoth neck, or my HWY1 body doesn't sound as good as a Sadowsky body, well, you go on and spend that dough on yours, brother. I'm sure yours will turn out awesome too. Mine fits me like a glove.
