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Who prefers mass produced over boutique?
- Thread starter Cygnus X-1
- Start date
I prefer boutique basses, but the price of production, as would most people. That being said, my MTD kz5 is the best of both worlds IMO.
I can understand someone being perfectly happy with a mass-produced bass. I played Ric, Fender, MM, etc. for around fifteen years before I bought my first custom from Mike Tobias in the mid-'80s, but there's no way I'd choose to go back.
I've never played a factory bass that even came close to a top handmade instrument in terms of tone, ergos, balance, playability, fit and finish, or aesthetics for my tastes. Mass-produced instruments are built to a strict price-point, and that forces the factory to make serious compromises in design, materials, and workmanship that I'm no longer willing to settle for if I don't have to.
YMMV, but when someone claims that they prefer a bass that was cranked out of an assembly line to one that was handmade by a skilled luthier, I tend to think that:
A) They've never really experienced a good handmade, or
B) They can't afford one (i.e., sour grapes).
I´ve never heard much about "so called" boutique until I took a look at talkbass 
...so my theory is "more talkbass reading(pictures watching ) more boutique GASing"
In fact I think not many of us can justify higher-end bass for our playing but its just thought "I can buy it so why not play it"
(check f.e. Muse bassist...Rick, Pedulla Rapture and Fender Am. Deluxe....and yeah he could afford and for sure would justify Wal or another bank account killers-and he plays such "medium-end basses ")
...so my theory is "more talkbass reading(pictures watching ) more boutique GASing"In fact I think not many of us can justify higher-end bass for our playing but its just thought "I can buy it so why not play it"
(check f.e. Muse bassist...Rick, Pedulla Rapture and Fender Am. Deluxe....and yeah he could afford and for sure would justify Wal or another bank account killers-and he plays such "medium-end basses ")
You're joking, right?
Why are so many bassists so arrogant about equipment? It's as if they think you're an idiot because you don't like what they like. The gall it takes to say something like that astounds me.
Ive got a really good luthier at my hands. Hes also a school teacher (at my school)/bandmate. He said he wouldnt mind building me a bass if I gave him proper plans and everything, but costs also start at $2000 AU ($1000 US).
When I have some spare cash I am going to get one.
He also uses a different timber to normal body woods, He uses Mango tree wood, and his guitars sound amazing.
When I have some spare cash I am going to get one.
He also uses a different timber to normal body woods, He uses Mango tree wood, and his guitars sound amazing.
Enough what?
As I understand it, the question was "Do you prefer mass-produced over 'boutique?'" Not "Do you play mass-produced and boutique?"
I occasionally play my guitarist's old Fender when a particular recording calls for it. Do I prefer it to my handmade basses? Absolutely not.
I feel like some sort of weirdo, but I was playing a bud's Alembic at a show and I remember thinking that if he offered me a straight across swap right now for my Precision, I wouldn't take it.
But then, I don't like Ampegs either, so what do I know?
But then, I don't like Ampegs either, so what do I know?
Me.
I may want a wal, but I'll only ever buy one if I'm filthy stinking rich and have the money to waste on it.
In the meantime, the best sounding bass I've ever played is mine. My Rockbass 5 string corvette classic. My only complaints against it are feel-wise, not sound.
My experience in ownership is rather limited, but I've played bongos, stingrays, fender j's MIA, shecters, ibanez... the list goes on. Nothing ever came close, save for the shecter...
But it's an opinion of sound. I love the Danava bassist's tone but there's probably alot of people who hate it. I like the sound of wals and the sound of rickenbacker 4001CS's and Warwick streamer Stage II's, but.. I like mine better. Well, I wouldn't mind a 4001CS...
'Course, I've never really played a custom-made bass. Came close to ordering one but $2k was a bit much for a bass for me.
Also, I'm one of those fender people. I prefer my $300 MIM strat immensely to every other strat I've played
I may want a wal, but I'll only ever buy one if I'm filthy stinking rich and have the money to waste on it.
In the meantime, the best sounding bass I've ever played is mine. My Rockbass 5 string corvette classic. My only complaints against it are feel-wise, not sound.
My experience in ownership is rather limited, but I've played bongos, stingrays, fender j's MIA, shecters, ibanez... the list goes on. Nothing ever came close, save for the shecter...
But it's an opinion of sound. I love the Danava bassist's tone but there's probably alot of people who hate it. I like the sound of wals and the sound of rickenbacker 4001CS's and Warwick streamer Stage II's, but.. I like mine better. Well, I wouldn't mind a 4001CS...
'Course, I've never really played a custom-made bass. Came close to ordering one but $2k was a bit much for a bass for me.
Also, I'm one of those fender people. I prefer my $300 MIM strat immensely to every other strat I've played
I would rather go with mass produced basses ...
a) boutique is waaaayyy beyond my price bracket
I would rather spend that kind of money on a Stingray and Rickenbacker
b) if something happens to your bass (something bad ... and face it, eventually it will if you go play out often), mass produced basses will be easier and cheaper in repairing (availability of spare parts and such)
a) boutique is waaaayyy beyond my price bracket
I would rather spend that kind of money on a Stingray and Rickenbacker
b) if something happens to your bass (something bad ... and face it, eventually it will if you go play out often), mass produced basses will be easier and cheaper in repairing (availability of spare parts and such)
any mass produced bass' capabilities can be replicated with custom. many custom basses don't come with a mass produced alternative though. so I think tonal preference is out of question. the only important difference is IMO price. then comes the brand affinity.
Here in turkey, there are many people who pay more or equal for production basses, especially for fender and yamaha.
after taxes and fees those production basses become pretty expensive but luthiers here are very good, and not that expensive. so wanting to pay more is also in the issue of price.
If I were to just wish for a bass, it would definitely be a custom/boutique
Here in turkey, there are many people who pay more or equal for production basses, especially for fender and yamaha.
after taxes and fees those production basses become pretty expensive but luthiers here are very good, and not that expensive. so wanting to pay more is also in the issue of price.
If I were to just wish for a bass, it would definitely be a custom/boutique
Most of us have "that bass" that just spoke to us the first time we played it right?
For me its my MIM P, I have no idea why, it just had "it" when I tried it in the shop, I wasn't even planning to buy a bass that day but this one had whatever it was I was looking for so it was mine. I got lucky, chances are the next one off the assembly line was an average, everyday P with nothing special about it.
Fender, Gibson, Ric, Warwick, Alembic, Wal, Squier, SX...the list goes on, and theres good and bad in all of them. (Ok, so maybe not a BAD alembic or wal, but some are at best average ,for that price bracket, as opposed to good basses)
I would love a custom shop fender, although it would probably just be a 50's P with a few personal, mostly aesthetic, touches and certainly not very different tone wise to my current P. Kinda pointless shelling out that kinda cash, for me and in my situation at least.
As usual, its all subjective and personal, but to answer your question....mass produced basses more than fulfil all of our needs, except for the gear snobs we've all come across
For me its my MIM P, I have no idea why, it just had "it" when I tried it in the shop, I wasn't even planning to buy a bass that day but this one had whatever it was I was looking for so it was mine. I got lucky, chances are the next one off the assembly line was an average, everyday P with nothing special about it.
Fender, Gibson, Ric, Warwick, Alembic, Wal, Squier, SX...the list goes on, and theres good and bad in all of them. (Ok, so maybe not a BAD alembic or wal, but some are at best average ,for that price bracket, as opposed to good basses)
I would love a custom shop fender, although it would probably just be a 50's P with a few personal, mostly aesthetic, touches and certainly not very different tone wise to my current P. Kinda pointless shelling out that kinda cash, for me and in my situation at least.
As usual, its all subjective and personal, but to answer your question....mass produced basses more than fulfil all of our needs, except for the gear snobs we've all come across
I would have to have a scary amount of disposable income to be able to justify owning a custom bass.
To consider it for a $100 a night bar gig?
Unlikely.
They're nice. But like a Lamborghini or $500 bottle of wine or a handmade bamboo fly-rod I can't see how I could justify the difference unless my life was radically different in a manner that I'm incapable of comprehending.
To consider it for a $100 a night bar gig?
Unlikely.
They're nice. But like a Lamborghini or $500 bottle of wine or a handmade bamboo fly-rod I can't see how I could justify the difference unless my life was radically different in a manner that I'm incapable of comprehending.
