What goes on in your head when purchasing a bass

[xxcody2gunsxx]

I'm wonder the thoughts that one has when purchasing a bass these days? New or Used.
The reason I ask is that it seems that people will pass up a prestige like bass with all the bells and whistles ,handcrafted from a small time luthier company that costs a lot of man hours and $$ to make ,for a Well known name that doesn't hold a candle these days to the quality or craftsmanship of these small time luthiers .
I.E . I spent 5k on a well crafted bass from a small business owner .I sell/trade it for 3k "no bites" even offer it to a Rickenbacker 4003 for a trade and get blown off
Yet when I throw out a name brand "fender with issues "or even a Pat Wilkins bass they come running .
Right Now I have very awesome deals to be had with a couple of Lower Groove Basses on the market Yet, Everyone is jumping on the brand wagon for a cracked Warwick I also have for sale .

 

[Spidey2112]

It may have something to do with money.

 

[xxcody2gunsxx]

It may have something to do with money.

I think its in the same sense of a ROI ,which I think is unfortunate .

 

[pglaser01]

I think its more of a ROI in the same sense ,which I think is unfortunate .

I'd mostly agree. With what has happened over the last 18 months, compounded with an increase in prices on everything….anxiety that your purchase was "worth it" based on what you spend seems to be very high.

I've been EXTREMELY fortunate, and still I will even panic over the thought of spending more money on something when something else cheaper may be "almost as good"

 

[Spidey2112]

Definitely, a lot of variables involved in both purchase and sale of merchandise.

I'm trying to think if I ever considered ROI, when purchasing new or used.

My favorite phrase is, 'Timing is everything'... which is Variable #2.

 

[joelns]

I certainly can't speculate on other people. I can tell you what goes through my head if you want. But I don't think it will provide the insight that you're looking for.

 

[C Stone]

I've never needed a bass with "bells and whistles". Simple answer but true. Mostly what I think is I don't need another bass.

 

[xxcody2gunsxx]

I certainly can't speculate on other people. I can tell you what goes through my head if you want. But I don't think it will provide the insight that you're looking for.

Pray tell . I'd like to know what others think

 

[joelns]

Pray tell . I'd like to know what others think

You asked. I'll start you through the process I used when I landed on my most recent purchase, which is a Strandberg Boden.

First off, I have a lot of injuries. ~50 broken bones, 6 concussions, 1 TBI, and assorted soft tissue injuries. So, what's important? My J-bass is too heavy to play unless I'm sitting down, it weighs 9.5 pounds. My G&L is better, I'm ok standing for an hour or two before my shoulder gives out (it's 8.5). So weight is a huge issue for me. Some of the injuries are 2 displaced collarbones and 1 shattered shoulder blade, along with 2 broken vertebra in my neck. This leads me to headless to save weight.

I would like to get a 5 string for the first time since I started playing almost 40 years ago. That will low B will provide more voicing options and I can play up above the 5th fret instead of at root position. Less stretch on the shoulder.

So what's going to provide a good B string? Multiscale will be most reliable. I know there are many 34" scale basses with solid B strings, but I'm going to have to mail order. I live in a music store desert (so to speak). That limits my choices. Custom, Ibanez, Dingwall (though they don't make a headless), and Strandberg. Maybe Keisel, but I'd have to go direct and I'm leery of the return policy in case it doesn't work out.

What about tone? Something in the J Bass family. I didn't like the colors available for Ibanez, and no stock at Sweetwater and no idea when they'll be in. Dingwall is too heavy. I emailed a couple of custom builders, but no one bothered to return my email. Talked to my sales guy at Sweetwater and ordered a Strandberg to try out. Turns out that I love the neck and the fanned frets. So it's a keeper. Great bass and sounds fabulous.

So for me, buying a bass is firstly about coping with injuries and feel, from a youth of adrenaline junky accidents, and secondly tone. But I doubt that I'm anywhere near whatever is "normal" for most. Note that this also explains why I won't buy used. No return policy if I don't "gel" with the bass.

 

[xxcody2gunsxx]

You asked. I'll start you through the process I used when I landed on my most recent purchase, which is a Strandberg Boden.

First off, I have a lot of injuries. ~50 broken bones, 6 concussions, 1 TBI, and assorted soft tissue injuries. So, what's important?

Thanks for the insight Joelns . My first thought in reading your post was that you're a fellow dirt bike rider . Is this true?

 

[joelns]

Thanks for the insight Joelns . My first thought in reading your post was that you're a fellow dirt bike rider . Is this true?

Not motorized ones. Skiing/snowboarding, rock climbing, cycling (road and MTB). I had quite a time when I was younger. Paying for it now. But it was worth it.

I doubt my story will help with the understanding you're searching for, but it's how I have to approach things now.

Incidentally, my Strandberg 5'er weighs in a few ounces over 7 pounds.

 

[xxcody2gunsxx]

Not motorized ones. Skiing/snowboarding, rock climbing, cycling (road and MTB). I had quite a time when I was younger. Paying for it now. But it was worth it.

I doubt my story will help with the understanding you're searching for, but it's how I have to approach things now.

Incidentally, my Strandberg 5'er weighs in a few ounces over 7 pounds.

No worries. It gives light to the uniqueness of fellow Bass enthusiasts . Its nice to hear of someone living life to the fullest . Hats off to you my friend and thanks for sharing.

 

[MattZilla]

In my head when purchasing a bass guitar

- can it sound like a P bass?
- is its paint a warm off-white?
- does it play easy?
- does it balance on the strap?

Regarding the body of your OP:

I've played many >$4K basses and guitars made by large makes and small shops. I've also driven Porsches, Aston Martins, and one Ferrari in addition to a bunch of Hondas, Chevys, Toyotas, etc. Bass guitars and regular guitars made by small builders are very much like Aston Martins in most ways.

1) They function marginally better than something costing half or less
2) They look outrageously fantastic to nearly nobody except people who know what they are, and that is a miniscule population of potential buyers
3) The only people who have the money to buy one comprise a minuscule fraction of the total market
4) people who have the money and necessary esoteric knowledge are a minuscule fraction of groups who are either moneyed or knowledged.

If I had a $1M/yr income and found a mint, dark green <20,000miles 1991-96 Jeep Cherokee 4.0HO 5spd 2wd, I wouldn't hesitate to spend as much as $80K on it regardless of whether it was a 2 or 4 door.

Also on my dream-radar is having ICON 4x4 build me something out of a beaten to heck old Ford. It'd be kinda the same thing as picking up a thrashed CBS P with a separated fingerboard and paying The Mike Lull Instruments Shop to install graphite rods and dual action truss rod, heavily shrunk Warwick bronze frets, new electronics & hardware, oil finishing the back of the neck, paint the body and headstock a very ambered white, and installing a flush-mount Straplok on the horn. What's that, $4k worth of work? $6K? How many bassists are there on the planet who would pay more than $1,200 for such an absurdly built bass of undeniably high pedigree? Certainly less than the number of the More Cents Than Sense bassists who'd happily pay $1,600 for that broken old bass before repair & mods.

Though I do think they're outrageously gorgeous and do drive rather well, I would never spend more than $30K on a used Aston Martin street car. Maybe as much as $60K for an AM track car with the right driveline included, but that money could buy a lot of track upgrades for a Porsche…

I severely doubt I'd pay anyone more than 60% of market price for a Ritter, Fodera, Darrin Huff, Stenbeck, or any other non-production used bass guitar.

 

[juggahnaught]

I'm not your target demographic, but I"ll weigh in.

I tend to only buy instruments when I feel that I have a specific need to fill. Two of the four purchases I've made were to get me playing, and they were very inexpensive for the value. One of them was due to a perceived need for a four-string bass (which turned out to be a false need, I never use it). The other purchase was my first six-string bass, which admittedly was on a whim.

I'm not really loyal to brands - I just want something that I can play. So I generally will look for the least expensive option that will get the job done. I find it hard to justify really large purchases unless I feel like it's a steal, and the only way that a boutique bass could be a steal for me is if I knew what it was and had already played it. If I wasn't really familiar with it, it would have to basically be given to me for me to take it. That said, from the opposite direction, when it comes to a mass-produced bass, if it's expensive I always think "is there a less expensive option that can get the job done?" So in the same vein, a really expensive mass-produced bass would also basically have to be given to me for me to take it. That said, I'm more likely to be familiar with the bass in some way, shape, or form.

Basses are tools, and yeah, some are really really nice. But when it comes to buying an instrument, I almost always ask myself whether it'll be worth it, and the answer is usually no. I've learned from my historic purchases as well, to a certain extent, and I know that buying a thing that I think I want won't necessarily change the way I'm feeling or change the things I'm doing. As such, I only tend to look for things when I see a need for them.

This probably doesn't really help in your use case, but I figured I'd post anyway. Maybe it can provide some insight, I don't know. Maybe not.

 

[5StringBlues]

 

[40Hz]

If i were bring completely candid, the thought that goes through my head most often when i'm considering a bass purchase these days is: Now that you've got everything else on your bucket list, might this be the year you break down and finally pull the trigger on a Ric?

 

[ajkula66]

Right Now I have very awesome deals to be had with a couple of Lower Groove Basses on the market Yet, Everyone is jumping on the brand wagon for a cracked Warwick I also have for sale .
I dont get it .

One man's perspective, and take it as no more than that: I've been playing bass for more than four decades and have owned a garden variety of instruments from most price ranges short of *very* expensive stuff such as Fodera/Thompson etc. although I've had a few of these in my hands as well.

I have never heard of Lower Groove, let alone played one. Warwicks ? Yeah, I owned 3 of them 30 years ago. I highly doubt that I'm the only one who could say that.

 

[Michedelic]

"What do I have left on my credit limit?"

 

[Kubicki Fan]

Mmm. Endorphins.

 

[Killing Floor]

I ask myself, "self," because "self" is what I call myself, "self, does it feel good in my fretting hand?" And "is it a cool color?" "Can I afford it sort of?"

That's it.