What is Your Price Comfort Level?

[Dr. Cheese]

What is the price you feel that you can buy a bass without it affecting your bills? I think about this because I have over extended myself in the past and I know that it happens to others from reading the classifieds. IMO, letting go of a bass because you really need the money elsewhere is a miserable feeling, that us why I find myself backing away from deals I would have taken in the past. I also truly feel that just because a bass is not popular does not mean it's not great.

To get to my original question, my cash limit is $750, with a trade or two, I could buy a $1,200 bass.

 

[bassist4dalord]

Mine is, at the moment, around $200. I've never spent more than that on the seven basses I've owned. One day, I'll buy a nice $800 or so bass. It's all relative to income and bills.

So $200 is it for me, for now.

 

[gitlvr]

I never buy with a credit card, or make payments on an instrument. If I have the cash, and it's free and clear of any bills or debts I owe, then if I like the instrument, I buy. My limit is whatever I have in free cash at the moment, or whatever amount I can save up. I'd rather wait and save up the cash needed, than to spend money that legitimately belongs elsewhere and regret it later. MHO.

 

[SactoBass]

If I'm buying a bass? Comfort level = five dollars.

If I'm selling a bass? Comfort level = five million dollars.

In all seriousness, my comfort level seems to hover around the $2000 mark (plus or minus a few bucks) since that is close to what I paid for each of the three basses I currently have.

 

[UncleFluffy]

Whatever the balance is in my GAS savings account at the time. Frequent small GAS or infrequent big GAS, it all works out the same.

 

[littlepope]

Free is good.

In reality I agree with bassistfordalord-'it's all relative to the bills and income'.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

I've never not saved up for a purchase, so my instant buy safe level is zero. The boss only allows once in a while buys...

 

[Tom Howland]

I use gig money to purchase new gear.
If I don't have money, then I don't buy. (never use credit card)
The most I ever spent on any Bass was $3800 for a Roscoe, and $3400 for a MTD 535.
So my level would be around $4000.00.

 

[s_mcsleazy]

£20

im broke atm.

tbh ive never brought a bass for more than £190

 

[DwaynieAD]

i feel comfortable spending around 500 on a bass.. with a 100 dollar margin of error =)

what can i actually afford at the moment without it affecting my bills? well its no where near that...

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

I've always felt safe in a £200-400 range for a bass and this is what I paid for both my basses. Hopefully my finances will allow a £1000 bass sometime soon.

 

[vyse933]

I used to be pretty strict, $500 was a lot of money for me back in highschool. Now I'm in college, and after purchasing an upright bass + bow + extension + new tuners, any money for electric just seems like chump change in comparison. (Not that it is, but you know what I mean)

 

[crkempton]

Less than $500. It helps that I often get them at store cost.

 

[Phalex]

I'm an old married guy. Whatever my wife says she won't divorce me over is my price limit. It's realy quite surprisingly low considering the divorce ultimatum......

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

At this moment.....0,00$$$

 

[Selta]

I set aside money on normal pays for gear (strings, picks, new shinies etc.) so it's whatever is in that bucket. What I put into that bucket varies, especially now when I'm on a debt-free binge.

 

[Sam Evans]

I generally only make serious bass-related purchases from money made from extra work that isn't needed for anything more serious (e.g., a house repair), so my comfort level is whatever I have from that. That being said, the most I've spent on a bass is about $1400 - much more than that, and my cheap side starts to kick in, whether I have the money or not.

 

[Rockmusician]

For me it really depends on the bass. If I like it and will use it, I buy it. I own several Alembics and 1970's era Fenders. All of which, I have bought used. The least I ever spent on a bass was $200. The most was $2,000 but I would pay more if I found something that I wanted. I am fortunate in that I make a good living, am debt free except for my mortgage and my wife really doesn't mind what I buy as long as all the bills are paid.

 

[meatwad]

I've always kept all my gear purchases at or less than $1500.00, including basses and amps. Whether I can spare the coin or not isn't what I worry about, it's the theft factor that determines what I buy. If it's too expensive to take to the gig, I'm not comfortable buying it.

 

[Kwesi]

Currently $2000, but it fluctuates here and there.