I will likely go boutique for a very good reason - I want a pro-grade short scale to gig with. I would have already made my decision as to which (a Landing, good price and has pretty much what I want in a bass), but someone's gonna have to sell me on active pups before I pull the trigger. An Alembic would be just too expensive, a Birdsong would bump up against my limit on price and they're both active as well. I've been advised to get a Mustang or a Hofner ICON to save money, but I resist paying so much for a Mustang ($850?!?), and have to play a Hofner first to know if I'd like it.
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Would you go boutique or vintage?
- Thread starter PRUNEFACE
- Start date
I would go boutique...at least you know your $$ is going to craftsmanship and quality and not just because its old with mojo.
The fancy pants bass things aren't anything what I would want.
If I were to go "boutique" it would be a build of a P/J amalgamation.
If'n I were to go "vintage" it would be something along the lines of an early 60s Jazz.
If I were to go "boutique" it would be a build of a P/J amalgamation.
If'n I were to go "vintage" it would be something along the lines of an early 60s Jazz.
I agree with unclejane, what is the deal with the vintage craze? I just don't get it. The basses weren't all that great when they were originally built. If we were talking upright basses here...sure, they'd sound tons better 50 years down the road, but we're not. We're talking electric. A crappy sounding Fender from '57 will sound worse then a crappy sounding Fender from today. Now, a good sounding Fender from '57 will sound like a good Fender from today...but is it worth the 10x price point? I seriously doubt if you didn't physically look at the Fenders, and heard a recording of a new one and a recording of an old one, you probably wouldn't be able to tell a difference. If anything you'd probably like some of the advances in technology. Someone educate me...cuz I just don't get it. I've played vintage basses, and they don't feel/sound any better then the new guys. I just don't buy into the vintage mojo poo...maybe I'm crazy.
I play a custom Conklin (for now), and it is everything I could ever ask for in a bass. No old Fender would even come close to close, in my opinion.
There is no vintage alternative to this:
If this is the boutique option I'll take vintage...
Really, it depends on what music you play, where you play it, and how exactly you define "boutique".
There just something about how this looks and sounds that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Feels great. Sounds great. No worries about minor dings and scratches. Got mojo?
Peace,
Joe
Boutique vs. vintage...I'd rather have the vintage workhorse. Just seems like it would suit me and my playing better. But if you're tossing the Alembic in there...I dunno. Alembics can have a vintage status since they've been around for decades and have been used by Entwhistle, JPJ and the like.
What "vintage" instruments have you played?
While some may call 70s instruments "vintage," I think they have more in common with more recent instruments than they do with 60s instruments. And it's funny, because it's the same between Fender and Gibson. There's a pronounced difference- a lot of it has to do with wood sourcing and the finish. If you don't get it- you don't get it.
I believe the finish is indeed a huge difference -my vintage hot rod '52 tele has nitro, and it is VERY different from the plastic finish on some of the other Fenders.
Don't mean to butt in, but could be nic is like me, old and remembers when the old, now vintage collector, stuff was our only choice except for the copies like the Kent and Memphis, etc. Or the rick which none of us could afford.
I've played several pre CBS precisions, and a jazz or two. A sea of the 70's fenders, Precisions, Jazz's, mustangs and a few others I can't remember. I owned a 70's jazz when I was in college.
Hate to say it, but the pre CBS's mystique is, well, just that, mystique. The ones I played were mildly better than the 70's instruments but they were still pretty mediocre in terms of consistency of the quality. Bad fret work, crappy neck/body joint, tuning keys you needed a pair of pliers to turn and one had a pretty warped neck.
Great collector's items, but a VERY BAD waste of money if you want to actually try to gig and make music with the things.
For that, the wise thing to do is get a new reissue from Fender if you just have to have a pre CBS precision or jazz. Fender makes exact replicas now of the 57 precision and the 62 jazz. They will sound exactly the same as the real ones, be zounds better built, better hardware better everything and will be a 10th of the price of an original collector.....
So maybe it's just me, but I'm not fooled - they may be collector's items and are great for that, but the vintage stuff is the poorest choice by far if you want to play it as your main instrument....
LS
- Jun 19, 2004
- 4,782
- 83
- 42
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist, Schroeder Cabinets
There are some great vintage basses out there, but there are some real stinkers, too. All of them are going to have more problems than an expensive, high-quality, hand-made boutique bass. Aged wood, aged magnets etc are good for tone, but at some point I think people are going to realize that, when it comes down to it, a '57 Chevy may look cool, but do you really want to drive a car with bad gas mileage, terrible (if it had it at all; it was an option) A/C, no airbags, etc, when you could get a brand-new BMW 7-series, loaded with modern options, for the same price? I wouldn't.
- Jun 19, 2004
- 4,782
- 83
- 42
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist, Schroeder Cabinets
I'm a hobbiest and a player. I love expensive basses, but in my world a USA Fender is an expensive bass. So - NO, I wouldn't buy boutique or vintage. I respect the pros and rich people who do - and if I could, I too would be a pro bass player and/or a rich guy... but I'm not.
I posted because none of your poll options fit my reality.
I posted because none of your poll options fit my reality.
I voted vintage, but could have said "Neither:.
I'm an unabashed Fender fanbois. If money was no object, I'd go with a Fender Custom Shop NOS (no relic, please).
Does that count as a "boutique"?
I'm an unabashed Fender fanbois. If money was no object, I'd go with a Fender Custom Shop NOS (no relic, please).
Does that count as a "boutique"?
A boutique made with vintage parts. 
then again, I'm with the "buy a few cool basses instead" crowd. I just, I dunno, don't see the appeal of a million layers of wood, or what have you, and agree with the diminishing retuns sentiments...I know that's the layman take on it, and can appreciate the skill and craftsmanship and hard work that goes into many of these designs, it's a great skill and an art and a passion that is evident in many of these designs and can love them for what they are but they are just soooo far away from being "me"...
That said, that Pagelli is a really really nice looking instrument.
then again, I'm with the "buy a few cool basses instead" crowd. I just, I dunno, don't see the appeal of a million layers of wood, or what have you, and agree with the diminishing retuns sentiments...I know that's the layman take on it, and can appreciate the skill and craftsmanship and hard work that goes into many of these designs, it's a great skill and an art and a passion that is evident in many of these designs and can love them for what they are but they are just soooo far away from being "me"...
That said, that Pagelli is a really really nice looking instrument.
It's too bad investment value can't
(Unless, say, it's something like Carl Thompson?)
Shhhhh. It's a secret. I'm always amused to hear how my boutiques will never sit in the mix like a Fender. My Cliff Bordwell 4 string sounds so much like a Fender that when someone offered to buy my Urge I, I really couldn't see myself grabbing it before the CB. But in general, boutiques can sound however you design them to sound.
As a fretless 6 stringer leaning more towards piezos than magnetic pickups, I don't think there are many vintage basses designed around my usual specs.
