Why do "WE"...

[jmon]

I choose what tools I decide to use to do the task at hand. And to some degree it’s up to others I work with. Especially if I’m hired to do a job. Having a variety of tools is a smart practice for any craftsman.

This can apply to all trades. Not just being a musician.

 

[Passinwind]

...well... WHY DO some of You need to have "better/nicer" basses, than the PLAYERS that didn't NEED to have a "boutique/custom", in order to get "their SOUND" that You're "chasing?"

Not putting anyone, on "the spot." Just curious...

I "HOPE" that this thread ENDS SOON, with... "TO GET THE SOUND THAT IS ALL MY OWN."

Why do we chase others' sounds? Not all of us do by any means. Are you happy yet?

 

[Silky Johnson]

This is unfortunately worded as a "cheap vs expensive" thread with the caveat that it is not. If it wasn't, you would have made your original post something like:

"Why do you play the bass that you do? If you are trying to chase the particular tone of another player, why do you play a different bass than he?"

There are numerous reasons of course. Maybe someone likes the look of one bass. Maybe someone enjoys collecting expensive basses. Regarding the tone chasing, you might have answered your own question a couple posts down.



Every player is different. Maybe I like my sound with one particular bass better than the real McCoy. Although I doubt your premise that people wanting to sound like Sid Vicious are generally playing Foderas and Alembics.

I also wonder why threads about why people lie to themselves that cheap instruments are as good as expensive instruments are so uncommon. For me, it's because I don't really think about deriding other people for making different choices than myself.

It's a coping mechanism lol

 

[Swerve]

Because most of "us/we" are bass player wannabes and our playing sucks. So, in order to make up for lack of talent, we buy an expensive bass. Just owning an expensive bass makes us feel better about our ourselves.

That's a hard core answer to your question. It is also a very generalized opinion.

Right, if we’re going to suck anyway may as well do it in comfort and style. A great player is going to be great regardless. I bet Stephen King could write a bestseller with a quill pen or a MacBook Pro.

 

[ChrisBowsman]

The older I get, the more I understand that I didn’t bond with my parents. The ways some guys look to their dads for approval, I think I’m doing so with my musical heroes in a warped way.

I see Janek Gwizdala playing a Mattison, and it makes me want one. I don’t think it’ll make me play like him. I see Juan Alderete using old Boss pedals, and it makes me want them. I don’t want to sound just like him.

I don’t even really care what any of these guys would think of me using the stuff, it just fills some hole for me.

TL;DR: don’t really care what anybody thinks about what I use. Cool stuff makes me happy.

 

[micguy]

Some people like BMW’s. Some are fine with a Chevy. I have several basses that some might call expensive. All of them added up don’t come anywhere close to what a modest new car costs. A modest upright Asian piano costs about what all my basses cost. Even expensive basses are relatively cheap. And nowadays, even cheap basses can be very good. Play something you like that you can afford. Don’t worry about what my instruments cost.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

...well... WHY DO some of You need to have "better/nicer" basses, than the PLAYERS that didn't NEED to have a "boutique/custom", in order to get "their SOUND" that You're "chasing?"

Not putting anyone, on "the spot." Just curious...

I "HOPE" that this thread ENDS SOON, with... "TO GET THE SOUND THAT IS ALL MY OWN."

IMO, on a live performance without much PA support, you can get by with a lessor quality bass and a good amp. When you get to the studio, things are a lot more transparent. That unbalanced pickup (from pole to pole) or lack of tonal palette is an engineer’s nightmare.

To a point, the higher the cost, the more refined the sound. Once you get to a certain level, the sound is not going to get that much better, but the quality of manufacturing, fit and finish will be far superior. Then we get into the Boutique types. Pardon this poor analogy, some people are happy with a leather sofa, more than likely made from cow hide, others insist it has to be rich Corinthian leather. You can park your butt on either, but the experience is enhanced with the more expensive option.

 

[bobba66]

I prefer expansive to expensive.

 

[JoeWPgh]

We all have different priorities, there is no one set that is better than another. Some want a bass that looks, feels and sounds good. Other might want something that looks unique. Others might not care what it looks like, if it sounds good. And others might not even care what it sounds like as long as it works and can be heard in a less than ideal live setting.
Your finances play into this as well. Some will get the what they feel is the best instrument they can afford. Others might go for the least expensive instrument that meets their needs.
And then there's the image an instrument projects. A death metal guy will want to project a different image than a jazz guy.
The long and short of it is that people will get what they think is the best fit for their resources and personal criteria. Which is how it should be. To do otherwise is what would be stupid.

 

[Raoul_Duke]

All of my basses were at least $10k, and I think anything cheaper is just absolute garbage. YMMV, but not really.

 

[arbiterusa]

...well... WHY DO some of You need to have "better/nicer" basses, than the PLAYERS that didn't NEED to have a "boutique/custom", in order to get "their SOUND" that You're "chasing?"

Not putting anyone, on "the spot." Just curious...

I "HOPE" that this thread ENDS SOON, with... "TO GET THE SOUND THAT IS ALL MY OWN."

Don't know but I'm glad for it. Amateurs pay the bills of every music store in the world. And those amateurs frequently buy far nicer instruments that most touring pros, as the amateurs have more money. God bless 'em. I've worked for four music stores and two manufacturers. Never made much money but that money came, overwhelmingly, from amateurs buying really nice instruments. Had any of the companies/stores I'd worked for needed to rely solely on pro-level guys, we'd have been out of business in a month.

Me, I play pretty cheap basses - Cort B4FLs - and granted, I've done some mods of them, but not a one of them cost me over $300. I have one expensive bass - not a Cort - but I'm not taking that out to a bar gig. You get good enough you can make anything sound good....and if you're not, go out and buy something expensive! You're certainly helping some people who work very hard, if nothing else.

And you may find an instrument that's so awesome that you decide to pick up your playing game to match it.

May all you TBers keep buying pricey stuff. I hope you enjoy what you buy, and I hope you keep chasing the tone, the sound, whatever.

 

[Fat Freddy]

What was the question again?.......

 

[Ric5]

...well... WHY DO some of You need to have "better/nicer" basses, than the PLAYERS that didn't NEED to have a "boutique/custom", in order to get "their SOUND" that You're "chasing?"

Not putting anyone, on "the spot." Just curious...

I "HOPE" that this thread ENDS SOON, with... "TO GET THE SOUND THAT IS ALL MY OWN."

why do we need nicer cars?

why do we need nicer homes?

why do we need nicer anything?

 

[arbiterusa]

A great player is going to be great regardless. I bet Stephen King could write a bestseller with a quill pen or a MacBook Pro.

I would read a ten-year collection of Stephen King's grocery lists. I write well. My brother writes professionally. Stephen King is - transcendental. And in multiple forms! Short stories, long novels, one pagers...every damn time, a home run.

The only solace I have is that I'm a better guitar player than he is (and he does play, albeit not terribly well). But one of us is sitting on a legendary body of work, and it's not me.

 

[Relsom]

I like potatoes, but only on Tuesdays...

... petitioning Congress to move Taco Tuesday to Thursday.

Wish me luck!

Instead of a single day for tacos, I move that we add an entire taco meal to every day.

 

[Nashrakh]

I would read a ten-year collection of Stephen King's grocery lists. I write well. My brother writes professionally. Stephen King is - transcendental. And in multiple forms! Short stories, long novels, one pagers...every damn time, a home run.

The only solace I have is that I'm a better guitar player than he is (and he does play, albeit not terribly well). But one of us is sitting on a legendary body of work, and it's not me.

Maybe you need more cocaine. Like... A lot.

Also, Jaco only needed a J bass.

 

[Mr Cheese]

...well... WHY DO some of You need to have "better/nicer" basses, than the PLAYERS that didn't NEED to have a "boutique/custom", in order to get "their SOUND" that You're "chasing?"

Not putting anyone, on "the spot." Just curious...

I "HOPE" that this thread ENDS SOON, with... "TO GET THE SOUND THAT IS ALL MY OWN."

Simple.........GAS.

 

[Sixgunn]

...well... WHY DO some of You need to have "better/nicer" basses, than the PLAYERS that didn't NEED to have a "boutique/custom", in order to get "their SOUND" that You're "chasing?"

Not putting anyone, on "the spot." Just curious...

I "HOPE" that this thread ENDS SOON, with... "TO GET THE SOUND THAT IS ALL MY OWN."

"WE" play what we like. That is all.

 

[SteveC]

I blame it on the internet. I was happy with my “local” basses until I saw what was “out there” and wanted to try them.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Because I have a bit more free money to play with now that my kids are older and I didn’t chase the bigger and bigger house, don’t drive expensive cars. I honestly couldn’t care less what a particular pro plays and I’m not trying to chase any of their tones. I don’t feel the need to buy a Fodera nor a $6k Sadowsky, but I find that in 2010 the corner cutting seems to stop around $2-2.5k and you start getting a no holds barred instrument. So I guess my question to the OP is why do YOU care what OTHER people play?