bubinga5 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 This was on his website... thought it was interesting to here.. Question: What reason(s) do you see for an average or even a good player to buy a very expensive bass? Answer: "My opinion is that the features that make most of those really expensive basses so expensive (beautiful wood, longer sustain, a thousand pickup settings) are pretty useless when it comes down to holding down a groove. As a matter of fact, I've had my drummer plead with me to throw all my sound check basses away (I'm always bringing a new bass to sound check to try out. Most of them cost upwards of $2500. Most of them sound like science projects. A couple are good for a particular song, usually one that requires a thinner sound). Get a good solid bass that you can play a whole set on. Make sure it sounds good when the band is playing, not just in the music store (there's a big difference). If you have a relationship with a music store guy and can bring it with you for a day, record it and listen to the tone back. When you hear it back you won't be getting fooled by the amp's coloring. Don't go so cheap that you run the risk of tuning or workmanship quality problems. But it doesn't have to cost $5000 either. Spend the extra money on a good pre-amp (Sadowsky's is good) and some CD's to practice to." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Wise words from the man himself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='bubinga5' post='1327207' date='Aug 4 2011, 03:42 PM']Don't go so cheap that you run the risk of tuning or workmanship quality problems. But it doesn't have to cost $5000 either. Spend the extra money on a good pre-amp (Sadowsky's is good) and some CD's to practice to."[/quote] If you want to buy a really expensive bass then go for it IMO. While spending $5000 on a bass might not immediately make you a better player, if that means that you now own the bass that you really want then I believe that over time the extra playing that you do because the bass inspires you to play more than you would have done. Also I don't get the obsession with getting a pre-amp. Most of them just just replicate the tone controls on your amp but less well and with more noise. If you need to be cutting or boosting a particular frequency range so much that it requires extra help then I would suggest that there is a problem with your overall signal path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' post='1327320' date='Aug 4 2011, 04:27 PM']If you want to buy a really expensive bass then go for it IMO. Also I don't get the obsession with getting a pre-amp.[/quote] BRX in "Marcus Miller knows nowt about bass playing" shocker!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' post='1327320' date='Aug 4 2011, 04:27 PM']If you want to buy a really expensive bass then go for it IMO. While spending $5000 on a bass might not immediately make you a better player, if that means that you now own the bass that you really want then I believe that over time the extra playing that you do because the bass inspires you to play more than you would have done. Also I don't get the obsession with getting a pre-amp. Most of them just just replicate the tone controls on your amp but less well and with more noise. If you need to be cutting or boosting a particular frequency range so much that it requires extra help then I would suggest that there is a problem with your overall signal path.[/quote] What if,like Marcus,you are spending hours in the studio without an amp? A good preamp will give you that little bit more flexability. Marcus speaks a lot of sense there.The $5000 instrument may inspire you to play it,but it doesn't mean it will make you a better player-that comes down to what you play on it. There is another quote from Marcus that is something along the lines of working with a particular instrument and learning about it's particular idiosyncracies rather than changing regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobematt Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='Conan' post='1327325' date='Aug 4 2011, 04:30 PM']BRX in "Marcus Miller knows nowt about bass playing" shocker!! [/quote] aaaaaaaahahahahahaa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' post='1327320' date='Aug 4 2011, 04:27 PM']If you want to buy a really expensive bass then go for it IMO. While spending $5000 on a bass might not immediately make you a better player, if that means that you now own the bass that you really want then I believe that over time the extra playing that you do because the bass inspires you to play more than you would have done.[/quote] He only says it doesn't [b]have[/b] to cost $5000, not that you shouldn't spend what you like on a bass. On the other hand, some people might be a little intimidated or wary of playing a bass they'd spent that much on and feel much more comfortable on a $100 bass, I know I would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Buy the bass you want whether it's something for a tenner at a car boot or an massively expensive vintage Fender or a Riiter Royal. Whatever makes you feel good about playing the bass. That's the important thing. And then get out there and play it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='Doddy' post='1327372' date='Aug 4 2011, 04:45 PM']What if,like Marcus,you are spending hours in the studio without an amp? A good preamp will give you that little bit more flexability.[/quote] If you're in the studio and not using an amp you'll be DI'ing into a channel strip that probably cost more than your bass. It'll certainly have more flexibility than the majority of bass pre-amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I don't have thousands so don't spend it on basses. My total spend is £400 on three basses (+ £80 on a 5 string I don't want or use). Same for amps. If I had a lot of money, I would probably spend more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I think it's sound advice, if you're going to work the way MM works and have similar goals tonally. The kind of sound he goes for isn't really going to happen without a preamp voiced a particular way. There's more than one way to skin a cat, but that doesn't make the advice bad as such. Other equally respected players might say something quite different, and they're probably all worth hearing out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleblob Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 (edited) I never really get it when people feel the need to talk about money spent on an instrument bar pointing out the obvious which is that too cheap and instrument [b]may [/b]hinder your playing (due to lack of quality) and just because you spend X thousand on a bass doesn't mean you'll be a X times better player. Find an instrument you like, get used to it and learn to play as well as you can. If you fancy buying a cheaper or more expensive instrument that's totally upto you. Marcus is one of my fav. players, but I wonder whether he's pointed out to Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooten that their instrument won't have made them better players Oh and the Marcus Miller Fender is hardly a cheap instrument either. Edited August 4, 2011 by purpleblob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='purpleblob' post='1327647' date='Aug 4 2011, 07:16 PM']Marcus is one of my fav. players, but I wonder whether he's pointed out to Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooten that their instrument won't have made them better players [/quote] Stanley and Victor would be great whatever instrument they used-it isn't the bass that makes them who they are as players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Marcus Miller has played a jazz bass as his main bass for years...reason to suspect he doesn't have the highest standards of tone...confirmed when you listen to him! Victor Wooten on the other hand, with his brace of Fodera basses has always sounded amazing. Mind you, Marcus has played enough boutique basses over the years to know what he likes and what he doesn't like. That said, it doesn't take much effort to get a better tone than he has so I suppose it's a case of horses for courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisthebass Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='chrismuzz' post='1327226' date='Aug 4 2011, 03:51 PM']Wise words from the man himself[/quote] +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleblob Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Doddy' post='1327654' date='Aug 4 2011, 07:23 PM']Stanley and Victor would be great whatever instrument they used-it isn't the bass that makes them who they are as players.[/quote] I totally agree - but they obviously felt that an Alembic and Fodera (very expensive though both are) gave them some benefit over playing something less expensive or with less features (as it were). To make it clear, I'm absolutely NOT saying owning an expensive instrument made either Victor or Stanley great EDIT: [quote name='BigRedX' post='1327547' date='Aug 4 2011, 06:08 PM']Buy the bass you want whether it's something for a tenner at a car boot or an massively expensive vintage Fender or a Riiter Royal. Whatever makes you feel good about playing the bass. That's the important thing. And then get out there and play it.[/quote] But I think BRX pretty much hits the nail on the head anyway Edited August 4, 2011 by purpleblob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 It's all in the fingers for these guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='Chris2112' post='1327680' date='Aug 4 2011, 07:41 PM']Marcus Miller has played a jazz bass as his main bass for years...reason to suspect he doesn't have the highest standards of tone...confirmed when you listen to him! Victor Wooten on the other hand, with his brace of Fodera basses has always sounded amazing. Mind you, Marcus has played enough boutique basses over the years to know what he likes and what he doesn't like. That said, it doesn't take much effort to get a better tone than he has so I suppose it's a case of horses for courses.[/quote] Funny...I think Marcus' tone is awesome,whereas Victors is a lot thinner and not as nice. I'd reckon that Marcus has an extremely high standard when it comes to his sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I think Marcus has a great tone too. You don't always need the most expensive stuff to get the tone you want. I play a relatively cheap bass because it plays and feels the way I like it, and soundwise it works perfecty with the rest of my gear, some of which is expensive, some not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='Chris2112' post='1327680' date='Aug 4 2011, 07:41 PM']Marcus Miller has played a jazz bass as his main bass for years...reason to suspect he doesn't have the highest standards of tone...confirmed when you listen to him![/quote] Ahh, MM's lack of standards! That explains why he's one of the most recorded and revered bass players of all time I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Hmmm, I think his comments are more about the player and less about the bass...don't believe the hype...maybe even, don't go blowing a load on an instrument if you think it will make you sound like him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Well since I have never spent $5,000 on a bass I am unqualified to comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SisterAbdullahX Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 [quote name='Chris2112' post='1327680' date='Aug 4 2011, 07:41 PM']Marcus Miller has played a jazz bass as his main bass for years...reason to suspect he doesn't have the highest standards of tone...confirmed when you listen to him! Victor Wooten on the other hand, with his brace of Fodera basses has always sounded amazing. Mind you, Marcus has played enough boutique basses over the years to know what he likes and what he doesn't like. That said, it doesn't take much effort to get a better tone than he has so I suppose it's a case of horses for courses.[/quote] Marcus doesn't have high standards of tone, you say? It doesn't take much effort for you to get a better tone than him, you say?? Go and dig out "The Nightfly" by Donald Fagen, have a listen to "Maxine" and "The Goodbye Look" and reconsider those statements. Then post something you played on that demonstrates how you get a better tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SisterAbdullahX Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 (edited) [quote name='gjones' post='1327862' date='Aug 4 2011, 09:56 PM']Well since I have never spent $5,000 on a bass I am unqualified to comment.[/quote] No, but you did buy the '62 Reissue that I gave you 450 quid for, which I absolutely love! That's it for me, I wouldn't spend 5 grand on a bass, even if I could afford to, because there's just no need! It wouldn't give me 10 times the tone or make me 10 times the player than the Jazz does. Another thing to consider is my '62 will always be worth 450 quid, whereas a 5 grand bass will lose 2 grand as soon as it leaves the shop. Edited August 4, 2011 by SisterAbdullahX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sime17 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Love it! Goodonya Marcus. You mean the £10k Fodera I saw in a Thomann advert last week won't make me a better player? Really?! The try and borrow it for a gig advice is brilliant - Martin at the Gallery used to offer a 'leave something here as a guarantee and you can take it away to try' approach, which I could never do 'cos I live in the middle of nowhere and was never gigging in london village- but a what a top geezer, it makes me wish I'd bought something with him recently! The sound in the mix at a gig is something I can never guess at from a noodle in a shop. I was wondering if it was just me... I think this vindicates my view that all those little oiks slapping the crap out of pointy stuff in the corner of music shops EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME are actually just jacking off and need to go and play actual music with people. I was offered a gig once by the bird who used to run our local guitar shop - she was a classy guitarist and her band was really well regarded locally but I had to laff cos all the time she was talking to not-flash-but-reliable me she was totally ignoring this victor-wannabe kid who was constantly looking over and turning the 'slappy-noise' knob up...as if to say ask me! ask me! I had to go then but I hope she went and unplugged the little muthaflipper. I didn't take the gig either cos I was too busy Sorry, I don't get out much... (except to gig). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.