How much does a [Proper?] Bass cost?

[PerfectionBG]

I've just looked in the 'For Sale' section of the forum, and it seems that there are several £1000+ basses for sale, so many infact that they are all I saw for the first 6 topics!

This made me ponder, is ~£1000 about the cost of a bass used at professional level? i.e. for gigging or for ownership by professionals?

I recently tried out Fender American Deluxe Jazz and Precision basses, and I have also played an american MM Sterling and a Stingray and german Warwick in the past all of these cost a similar price and they seemed like very nice basses, and I understand their popularity from their play-ability.

Though, I played my Jaguar after playing these £1000+ forerunners of the bass world and could hardly notice the difference other than some tonal differences and comfort.

Are these expensive basses really worth the money? Or do we buy them for the fact they did cost that much money, and that makes us psychologically assume that they are better? Anyone have an answer?

I'm seriously intrigued about this!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, you haven't got what I'm trying to say.

Does one have to spend x amount of money on a bass, for it to be considered a.. ermm.. bass?

Confused yet? Well. The MM Stingray is between 1-2k new, as is the American deluxe fenders, and many warwicks, and Rickenbakers.

Why this price? I'd say, a bass costs 1-2k becuase of that reason above.

You may think a bass costs ~£500 as that is how much you need to spend to get a very decent, proper bass. Maybe more, maybe less. If you don't understand the question, tell me, it's not vague - but it can be read that way.

It's hard to explain, I might just give up on this and think about it myself in my own encrypted, messed up mind!

Edited August 15, 2011 by PerfectionBG

[Evil Undead]

I voted £600-799 but that's in the used market...

[flyfisher]

I'd suggest the poll question is too vague to be particularly useful because it doesn't take proficiency or likely use into account.

It's a bit like asking how much a car costs.

[stingrayPete1977]

Some of this will depend on what level player you are and possibly more importantly how often you gig it, My 2002 Ray cost me £1285 in 2002, It's done god knows how many gigs yet has never needed any repairs or setups (it's been altered to suit my taste but not because it needed it). It's still worth what? £750ish and probably not going to go much lower in future. Like most things though the lines of need/want become blurred.

I personally would want something like a used mij jazz or a USA standard jazz for the level of my playing/quantity of gigs I do, I'd class that as good gear for an average player like me. My gear is better than it needs to be but I don't smoke anymore and drink maybe 2 pints a week, my car cost £930.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1341261' date='Aug 15 2011, 10:22 PM']I'd suggest the poll question is too vague to be particularly useful because it doesn't take proficiency or likely use into account.

It's a bit like asking how much a car costs.[/quote]

Ha that's what I was trying to say, You did it better in a tenth of the words while a was typing!

I voted £1500-2499 as that's what I have spent on the last two buying with my heart, answering with my head would be more like £800.

Edited August 15, 2011 by stingrayPete1977

[Coilte]

I agree with "flyfisher" that the poll is too vague, but not because of proficiency. If a person is fairly wealthy (rare these days, I know !!), he might like to indulge himself with a top of the range bass, even if he does not know the notes of each string. Depending on your wealth and enthusiasm, the sky is the limit IMO.

Edited August 15, 2011 by Coilte

[bythesea]

Whatever you are willing to pay and can afford.

[Coilte]

[quote name='bythesea' post='1341277' date='Aug 15 2011, 10:34 PM']Whatever you are willing to pay and can afford.[/quote]


+1.

[PerfectionBG]

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1341261' date='Aug 15 2011, 10:22 PM']I'd suggest the poll question is too vague to be particularly useful because it doesn't take proficiency or likely use into account.

It's a bit like asking how much a car costs.[/quote]

Yea, understandable. Yet car prices can range from 5k new to over £1million new, this isn't really that sort of scale.

I'm just thinking, so many basses are priced so similarly is there a 'price' that a bass should cost? It's hard to get your head around, but you will if you think about it.

It's rather hard to explain.

[OliverBlackman]

the thing i find is the differences between the "mid" priced basses (3-800) and those that are £1200+ are very small. BUT, most 1200+ basses are much like the mid range basses but with every part a little bit better.

When your a professional you need to have no worries about your bass, it needs to work and work consistently. It also needs to suit the need of the gig/ session. And finally it needs to allow your sound to be equal or better than other bass players. If you lose a gig because someone elses sound is better then it will almost make all the work you put into getting the chops redundant, until you get a bass that works.

[Ian Savage]

I've never been in a position to pay more than a few hundred quid for a bass (and would always buy used, as without blowing my own trumpet I've got the skill to repair/tweak almost anything which might be untoward on an electric bass), so I've gone for £100-399. That's not to say I haven't played and appreciated basses worth much more, but they've never been so significantly better than my £100-300 fixer-uppers that I'd EVER spend more, even if I had the money.

I guess the other thing is that I gig my basses (EDIT: in some pretty shithole venues, often ), and I'd actually be happier with a cheaper one that I wasn't having to be utterly anal about looking after pre/post gig over an expensive one that I'd be paranoid about someone dropping something on/knocking over/whatever.

Sure, if I won the lottery I'd love to have an ex-Bill Wyman/Sid Vicious/Phil Lynott/whatever bass around the house as a little treat and as an investment/conversation piece, but that's hardly likely.

Edited August 15, 2011 by Ian Savage

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='PerfectionBG' post='1341248' date='Aug 15 2011, 02:12 PM']Are these expensive basses really worth the money? Or do we buy them for the fact they did cost that much money, and that makes us psychologically assume that they are better? Anyone have an answer?[/quote]
The people who market them have the answer and it is the more you pay the more you think it's worth. Marketers know that even though people will always say they want the best price in reality often they want to buy something expensive and will choose something to fit that expectation. I'm sure you've seen posts along the lines of I have between $1200 & $1500 to spend on a bass. That person is not likely to be happy with a $400 bass no matter how it plays and sounds.

As for the concept of pro level being more expensive I'd suggest it's the opposite. In general many pros use simple gear and much of the boutique market is sold to amateurs.

[OliverBlackman]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1341352' date='Aug 15 2011, 11:45 PM']As for the concept of pro level being more expensive I'd suggest it's the opposite. In general many pros use simple gear and much of the boutique market is sold to amateurs.[/quote]

pro's dont buy their basses they get given them

[Cyrene]

We all have our little foibles when it comes to quality 'stuff'. My passions are expensive and I should certainly just sell my most valuable goods to free up some cash.
However, they are [i]valued[/i]! No one else I know has such and such, and I get comments on my bike constantly, but as far as basses are concerned, for my skill level I couldn't conceive spending over a grand when a Squier CV does the job well.
One day I may have an expensive bass that functions on the same aesthetic level as my other 'stuff' and therefore give a different answer.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='blackmn90' post='1341340' date='Aug 15 2011, 03:31 PM']When your a professional you need to have no worries about your bass, it needs to work and work consistently. It also needs to suit the need of the gig/ session. And finally it needs to allow your sound to be equal or better than other bass players. If you lose a gig because someone elses sound is better then it will almost make all the work you put into getting the chops redundant, until you get a bass that works.[/quote]
I've never heard of someone losing a gig because someone else had a better bass tone. It's rare any one besides other bassists will even comment on tone. And non bassists are notorious for liking traditional tones that come from stock MIM Fenders.

I have seen people lose gigs for being too nutty about their tone and annoying everyone else or having a ridiculous hifi tone that's too upfront and not supportive. If reliability is important go passive, something rarely done on the high end.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='blackmn90' post='1341355' date='Aug 15 2011, 03:48 PM']pro's dont buy their basses they get given them[/quote]
False.

[acidbass]

I'm getting my new Squier Classic Vibe Jazz ready for gigging this weekend - at a total cost (including new strings and a few mods) of around £300, and it's a beauty!

[OliverBlackman]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1341361' date='Aug 15 2011, 11:53 PM']False.[/quote]

i didnt mean it as a factual statement, more of a joke.

[OliverBlackman]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1341360' date='Aug 15 2011, 11:52 PM']I've never heard of someone losing a gig because someone else had a better bass tone. It's rare any one besides other bassists will even comment on tone.[/quote]

i was given some gigs in April because the tone i produce was a lot fatter and suited the overall sound better than someone elses, it is also technique but when you've got a john east at your disposal that does help.

And you must be playing with either mute or deaf musicians because musicians i play with always make suggestions or comments on the tone. Usually the clearer it cuts through the better

[deepbass5]

I would pay up to 2k for a new bass I felt right for me, but i cannot see that a 3k 5k or 7k bass is that many times better than a 1 or 2k bass

My schack cost £1100 new, they're now £2.5k they are nice but there is lots of competition at that price
My second hand SS1 cost me £1k great price I would pay £1800 new not £2.5k
My second hand Shuker cost me £1k It is as good as any £2k bass

I think you can get a good working bass from between 500 - 1000 new and a very good second hand one from the guys on here

[Doddy]

[quote name='blackmn90' post='1341355' date='Aug 15 2011, 11:48 PM']pro's dont buy their basses they get given them[/quote]

No....Rock stars get given them.

Back to the OP....I really don't know what you are getting at. It doesn't matter how much money you
spend on an instrument-it's what you play on it that is important. Spending a fortune doesn't make you
pro-all it means is you spent a fortune.Likewise,spending a couple of hundred pounds doesn't make you
any less of a pro. Take a player like Paul Westwood,who has played with so many people both live and
on record...his main bass is a Hohner Steinberger copy.

I find the whole concept of 'pro-level' gear to be bogus and a pure marketing ploy to get people to
spend more money.

[TobyMunkling]

I bought a G&L TRIBUTE L-2000 and it was a revelation to me.

I then started thinking how much better the "real deal" handmade USA one must be.

I obcessed about it until I finally saved-up and bought one.

Maybe it was the different wood or just a bad day in the Californian factory, but I actually much preferred the tribute.

I even did "blind" tests on them and the Tribute came top for feel and sound (in my opinion).

I sold the USA bass and bought another Tribute.

I won't make that mistake again. If it looks cool, feels and sounds good, it doesn't matter how much it cost (although the Tributes are £700ish!)

[chrismuzz]

I said £400 - £599, purely because if I'd bought my bass, and the replacement pickups brand new, it would have fallen into that margin To be honest I believe I'm lucky to have found something that works for me at what some would call a relatively low price!

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='blackmn90' post='1341374' date='Aug 15 2011, 04:14 PM']i didnt mean it as a factual statement, more of a joke.[/quote]
Well then it's funny

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='blackmn90' post='1341378' date='Aug 15 2011, 04:21 PM']And you must be playing with either mute or deaf musicians because musicians i play with always make suggestions or comments on the tone. Usually the clearer it cuts through the better[/quote]I play a lot of funk and the feel seems to be the most important. I never try to cut through either, I always found that concept a bit odd for my style. My tone changes constantly but I only seem to get comments on the groove. I can't even get my band to give me feedback on which basses they prefer, they just say they all sound good I did have one drummer who really preferred fretless but that's a pretty big tone change.