xgsjx Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 After reading the Fender thread, Happy Jack's P bass thread & a couple of other threads, I thought I'd pose the question that the Mrs asked me last night whilst I was oiling my bass's body (the Mrs wouldn't let me rub Danish oil on her body, so it had to be)... What makes a high end bass worth the money & where's the difference to justify it over a good sub £1000 (or even a good sub £500) job? Is a £1300 Fender P 5 stringer as good as a £1300 Dingwall Combustion & is a £2k+ "copy" P bass from the likes of Overwater or Sadowsky any better than a Fender P & actually worth the difference? & why do I need another bass when I'm happy with my Ibby (other than wanting 5 strings & no frets)? Well? Hopefully with the right ammo I'll talk her into letting me get a custom made Ritter Raptor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 do you know penguin is spelt penguin, not pengueng? justpointingthatout.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 (that was a comment to the OP's signature - in terms of the answer to his question, i don't know.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Sam Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 [quote name='xgsjx' post='1237523' date='May 19 2011, 10:35 PM']After reading the Fender thread, Happy Jack's P bass thread & a couple of other threads, I thought I'd pose the question that the Mrs asked me last night whilst I was oiling my bass's body (the Mrs wouldn't let me rub Danish oil on her body, so it had to be)... What makes a high end bass worth the money & where's the difference to justify it over a good sub £1000 (or even a good sub £500) job? Is a £1300 Fender P 5 stringer as good as a £1300 Dingwall Combustion & is a £2k+ "copy" P bass from the likes of Overwater or Sadowsky any better than a Fender P & actually worth the difference? & why do I need another bass when I'm happy with my Ibby (other than wanting 5 strings & no frets)? Well? Hopefully with the right ammo I'll talk her into letting me get a custom made Ritter Raptor [/quote] Just ask her with she needs so many pairs of shoes, always works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 [quote name='LukeFRC' post='1237526' date='May 19 2011, 10:37 PM']do you know penguin is spelt penguin, not pengueng? justpointingthatout....[/quote] I know So, are you thinking of penguins or basses? [quote name='Bassman Sam' post='1237539' date='May 19 2011, 10:45 PM']Just ask her with she needs so many pairs of shoes, always works for me. [/quote] I would, but she's only got 3 pairs of shoes & I have 5 pairs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 [quote name='xgsjx' post='1237523' date='May 19 2011, 10:35 PM']is a £2k+ "copy" P bass from the likes of Overwater or Sadowsky any better than a Fender P & actually worth the difference?[/quote] I really don't get why there's such a massive market for 'luxury' Fender copies, but there are loads of manufacturers filling that market with instruments. Why not just make something new and better if you're such a good ****ing instrument builder? [quote name='xgsjx' post='1237523' date='May 19 2011, 10:35 PM']& why do I need another bass when I'm happy with my Ibby (other than wanting 5 strings & no frets)?[/quote] Yeah there's 5 strings, fretlesses, even if you only have two of the same bass you can justify it by stringing one of them with flats, it's easy to find an excuse to have a couple of extra basses. My missus knows the Thumb bass is the one I always wanted so it's the one I'll never sell, fortunately it's her favourite too, I bought a Jazz bass last week and she suggested that I could sell my other Jazz now, but I think I am going to use the flatwounds / roundwounds gambit - I'll let you know how I get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73Jazz Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 how can you justify..or better..how can you describe the smell of the ocean, the deep blue, the sound of the waves and the taste of that salt water to a person who have never seen the ocean and the only thing this person knows is a river? how can you justify the detail in punch or lowend to one who probably does not even hear the bass in a song? it is easy..justify it with your love and passion for it. as she is loving you..she will understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 [quote name='xgsjx' post='1237554' date='May 19 2011, 10:52 PM']I know So, are you thinking of penguins or basses? I would, but she's only got 3 pairs of shoes & I have 5 pairs [/quote] spelling lessons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Gourmet beans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 What makes a great bass, to me? If it plays well, and sounds great in the mix of whichever band I`m in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Lozz196' post='1237600' date='May 19 2011, 11:43 PM']What makes a great bass, to me? If it plays well, and sounds great in the mix of whichever band I`m in.[/quote] +1.. ive spent thousands on basses , i worked it out and it was coming up to 10,000 pounds. and after all that ive got an MIJ 62 jazz with an Audere and im happier with this bass than any of the others.. go figure.. thing is although it yes was expensive, but the experience of owning all those basses taught me what i know and want from an instrument. a good bass really is what makes you happy.. no matter of cost... comes down to playability, looks, and tone.. tone being the most important..IMHO Edited May 19, 2011 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 [quote name='Bassman Sam' post='1237539' date='May 19 2011, 10:45 PM']Just ask her with she needs so many pairs of shoes, always works for me. [/quote] Or... Van Gogh expressed his artistic prowess using a paintbrush whilst bass players use bass guitars. Van Gogh had more than one paint brush... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73Jazz Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 ..or each bass stands for a happy and fullfilled year of love with her^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AttitudeCastle Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 I think a "great" bass, is one that you connect with. Which is something where i think the price tag doesn't really come into it, though if you find some £200 Made in Korea bass which your [i]really[/i] dig but say some build quality or finishing quality issues show, or its just old and battered and needs to be retired after years of service, a "high end" version with similat to identical specs makes sense, (If that post makes sense!) But in the end the "greatness" is in the feel, not in the price IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 [quote name='AttitudeCastle' post='1237803' date='May 20 2011, 08:55 AM']I think a "great" bass, is one that you connect with. Which is something where i think the price tag doesn't really come into it, though if you find some £200 Made in Korea bass which your [i]really[/i] dig but say some build quality or finishing quality issues show, or its just old and battered and needs to be retired after years of service, a "high end" version with similat to identical specs makes sense, (If that post makes sense!) But in the end the "greatness" is in the feel, not in the price IMHO[/quote] +1 Still prefer my 650 quid used spector for sound and feel to all the other basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 20, 2011 Author Share Posted May 20, 2011 Jazz73, I like your thinking! The Mrs had said that if she had the money, she'd buy me whatever bass I wanted. She doesn't begrudge it at all. It's more a case of curiosity. I had given some examples of what might make a bass dearer, such as the wood used, the electronics, the finish & so on. Fair enough, I can't add a string onto my bass to make it a 5 (unless I want guitar spacing), but she's said "if you like the way "X" sounds, then why not use the same electronics, pickups & so on that X uses & pop em in Y? Eg, sticking Sadowsky components in a Squire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 [quote name='xgsjx' post='1237886' date='May 20 2011, 10:46 AM']The Mrs had said that if she had the money, she'd buy me whatever bass I wanted.[/quote] Cool - tell her to start saving... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 [quote name='73Jazz' post='1237626' date='May 20 2011, 12:33 AM']..or each bass stands for a happy and fullfilled year of love with her^^[/quote] Ooooh - you're good... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73Jazz Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 [quote name='xgsjx' post='1237886' date='May 20 2011, 11:46 AM']Jazz73, I like your thinking![/quote] thank you very much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 [quote name='Lozz196' post='1237600' date='May 19 2011, 11:43 PM']What makes a great bass, to me? If it plays well, and sounds great in the mix of whichever band I`m in.[/quote] Don't forget looks. With the choice available these days there's no need to settle for a bass you think is ugly any more than you would settle for a bass that impedes your playing technique or doesn't sound right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 (edited) For me, it has to have everything that i want. My 5 string Jazz has it all for me.The,in no particular order,sound/shape/colour/feel/ finish/hardware/a certain uniqueness to its looks,and it was built by a friend (bass doc) i might add that it has been MY bass for about 10 years,has done near on 1000 gigs,is starting to look a bit "lived in"but thats all down to me,and i love it as much as the day that i picked it up. My Precision,also built by bass doc,has it all apart from the finish. Having had literally hundreds of basses,these 2 plus a 1968 Precision,a 60's EB3 and a Hohner 2BA and a bass doc built Jazz are the only ones that ever did it for me. Edited May 20, 2011 by hillbilly deluxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1237567' date='May 19 2011, 11:08 PM']I really don't get why there's such a massive market for 'luxury' Fender copies, but there are loads of manufacturers filling that market with instruments. Why not just make something new and better if you're such a good ****ing instrument builder?[/quote] That's because the average bassist has a comfort zone about six inches wide. In a mix of pragmatism and shallowness, playability and looks are at the top of my list. I'd sort of love a Wood & Tronics because of the superb playability, but the reason I haven't sold my soul to the devil again [1] is that the looks do nothing for me. The reason I cashed in my entire bass collection (of two basses) and got a massive (at the time) loan from the bank was that the JD Thumb was the most playable bass I'd ever encountered (still is) and it was oddly attractive to me. [1] Last time, he got a refund off Paypal. The cheek of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 [quote name='xgsjx' post='1237523' date='May 19 2011, 11:35 PM']What makes a high end bass worth the money & where's the difference to justify it over a good sub £1000 (or even a good sub £500) job? Is a £1300 Fender P 5 stringer as good as a £1300 Dingwall Combustion & is a £2k+ "copy" P bass from the likes of Overwater or Sadowsky any better than a Fender P & actually worth the difference? & why do I need another bass when I'm happy with my Ibby (other than wanting 5 strings & no frets)? Hopefully with the right ammo I'll talk her into letting me get a custom made Ritter Raptor [/quote] There's a school of thought that says paying anything over 2k for any Fender clone is money spent on a name rather than wood, electronics & skilled labour, (unless it's inlayed with gold and diamonds of course). That said, I figure a high end bass, especially one made for you, makes you a happier person, gives you more inspiration than your £99 plywood Encore did and consequently makes you play better regardless of setup, pickups, hardware etc. And surely a happier 'you' would make a happier wife too... BTW, I find massage oil works better on my wife than danish oil does, just don't try rubbing it into your woodgrain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 I'm a simple soul. For me, if it feels right and sounds right then it is right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 [quote name='xgsjx' post='1237523' date='May 19 2011, 10:35 PM']After reading the Fender thread, Happy Jack's P bass thread & a couple of other threads, I thought I'd pose the question that the Mrs asked me last night whilst I was oiling my bass's body (the Mrs wouldn't let me rub Danish oil on her body, so it had to be)... What makes a high end bass worth the money & where's the difference to justify it over a good sub £1000 (or even a good sub £500) job? Is a £1300 Fender P 5 stringer as good as a £1300 Dingwall Combustion & is a £2k+ "copy" P bass from the likes of Overwater or Sadowsky any better than a Fender P & actually worth the difference? & why do I need another bass when I'm happy with my Ibby (other than wanting 5 strings & no frets)? ......[/quote] The ultimate decision will be down to you anyway. If you can't see, feel or hear the difference then don't go down that route. But just to say that are a fair few basses retailed in the high st over £1000 and you should put them down straight away, IMO. And there are so many no where near that price that you don't even have to pick up to know it isn't going to work. They just start off all wrong. A certain budget model turned up at our local music school the other day...which I managed to get a look at it and I can tell you that I was 150% on the money with my initial thoughts about it. I still laugh about that..!!!!!! But, having said that, it is how you get along with these things. I've played Smiths and Sadowsky's etc and thought they wanted way too much money for those particular items BUT they did sound great. If I found one I liked, I would buy one, for sure, though and they do ooze quality, IMO. I don't really think you can get someone else to justify why you should spend that money..you can either convince yourself or you can't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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