Do you own the most expensive bass on Basschat

[OutToPlayJazz]

My electric basses are quite reasonable...

Status S2-Classic Walnut - £1750
Status S2-Classic 5 Myrtlewood - £1925
Status S2-Classic 5 b/o Cocobolo - £1700
Status SII cocobolo - £1000
Status Streamline £1000
Status Groove 5 - £260
Yamaha TRB-6 II - £450
Warwick Triumph EUB - £1600

But they're nothing compared to the insurance values of my clssical instruments.

German 4/4 Double Bass c.1880 £10,000
Ronald Prentice violin-shouldered Double Bass #1 (1974) with C-extension £22,000
Ioah Luca Cello 1979 #3 - £10,000
Frank Penny violin (1948) - £2,500

But at the end of the day, it's all numbers. As long as they're working instruments that earn me a living, I don't worry about the numbers

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='427808' date='Mar 7 2009, 03:02 AM']I should've known you'd be the first one with his head over the parapet![/quote]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='427808' date='Mar 7 2009, 03:02 AM']It's unfortunate that you didn't compare it to Warwicks,[/quote]
I sold a 1987 thumb thru to buy it. they don't compare in my view although I agree they are great basses especially the streamer SII

Edited March 7, 2009 by jakesbass

[4000]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='427802' date='Mar 7 2009, 02:09 AM']According to an eBay listing I read once, just the Alembic electronics cost £6000. That gives you a pretty good idea of what a total f***ing rip-off they are.

If you have to pay six grand for two pickup, a hum-bucker and a preamp, you're doing it wrong. How many hit records featured a bog-standard Fender and how many showed off an Alembic? f***ing mugs.[/quote]

This is one of the funniest posts I've ever seen. I hope it's ironic. More people drive Fords but that doesn't mean there's not a market for Ferraris.

[4000]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='427808' date='Mar 7 2009, 03:02 AM']So two grand for the pickups? Three?



Countless more country tracks feature Fenders, I imagine those records sold better too. Fusion doesn't sell all that well, except to bass anoraks.



I should've known you'd be the first one with his head over the parapet!



It's unfortunate that you didn't compare it to Warwicks, because I bought my Warwick for dirt cheap and it pisses all over your Alembic and doesn't look as gay. Incidentally I don't pay any tax through PAYE, most of my tax is collected through corp. tax as I'm a company director and take most of my earnings through dividends. I'm glad you got a silly-priced bass though, even if you did justify it to yourself as tax-deductible. You still could've saved yourself thousands and got a bass that sounded and played just as good and looked a lot less stupid, if you hadn't got suckered by the name and the blingy wood on the front.

f***ing mug.[/quote]

I've had 4 Warwicks (3 Dolphins and a Streamer, 2 of which were the "better" older ones from '91) and my 2 Alembics were so much better than them as to be a joke IMO, although they were good basses.

Edited March 7, 2009 by 4000

[Dr.Dave]

I'll tell you this much. I own 5 basses inc a vintage Fender and a Shuker custom and I work them all but the 2 that earn me the most money are the two cheapest , less than £500 for the pair and that was within the last 2 years. My Status , inc the custom added top, cost £500 and that comes third on the earnings list. The Shuker and the old P are way behind - though the P's semi-retired to be honest.

So as not to sound like a total bread head, by saying they earn me x amount of money I'm really meaning they get gigged more/most - but the cash analogy makes the most interesting point , esp to younger players who can't yet afford some of the fancy products some of us own.

Message - don't starve , sell your body parts or go without a life to buy a bass you probably don't need in order to make your musical ambitions a reality. Save the expensive bass for your mid life crisis rather than wrap yourself round a lamp post on a Harley.

I'd take a Squier played well over a clown with a Shuker any day.

Edited March 7, 2009 by Dr.Dave

[jakenewmanbass]

Dr Dave you make an interesting point and I was only thinking about this last night.
I bought a Platinum pro Eq and on my DB gig last night went direct to the PA with it, so thats cheap ply bass into underwood pick up in to platinum into PA and it sounded awesome. Now a more expensive bass would have sounded better (sky being limit with uprights) but what struck me was the importance of being happy with your sound because as a result of sounding good to me I played my ass off.
(I would therefore encourage young players to work hard to get a sound they are happy with high cost or not)

In electric terms I have only achieved that with the Alembic.
I've had, Fenders Wals Warwicks Blade and copies various, I've tried Musicman Smith Sadowsky etc etc (the list really does go on) but anywhere I plug that Alembic in up to and including Indigo 2 at the O2 and many top notch studios and BANG the sound is killer.

Edited March 7, 2009 by jakesbass

[Hutton]

It doesn't matter what the title of the thread is. We so often get round to comparing basses and that's ok as long we always recognise that what one player thinks is a killer tone may not be what another thinks. Thank goodness there is a huge amount of choice out there to suit all tastes and pockets. IMHO there is no bass better than another. They are all different and if you find your 'baby' then well and good.

[Prosebass]

I find this thread Crass beyond belief....

Whats next who has the biggest c**k ?
Or should that be who is the biggest c**k ?

[ped]

[quote name='Prosebass' post='427941' date='Mar 7 2009, 12:11 PM']I find this thread Crass beyond belief....

Whats next who has the biggest c**k ?
Or should that be who is the biggest c**k ?[/quote]

I don't know why you would think that, I find it quite interesting. As some people have said, their basses are relatively cheap, mine included, so nobody is saying really expensive basses are better or that it makes them better than anyone else.

Here is that Alembic, I can't believe it would cost $10k but the online price generator is on their site somewhere... I think this bass was 1991 (can you remember Kiwi?) I am sure Kiwi's graphite Alembic would be worth FAR more though now, this Alembic was being bought/sold for about 1k here...



Cheers
ped

[Prosebass]

[quote name='ped' post='427949' date='Mar 7 2009, 12:21 PM']I don't know why you would think that, I find it quite interesting. As some people have said, their basses are relatively cheap, mine included, so nobody is saying really expensive basses are better or that it makes them better than anyone else.

Cheers
ped[/quote]

I have a genuine problem with discussing "price" as opposed to "worth"

In the words of Benjamin Franklin
[quote]Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is really selling himself to it.[/quote]

Plus I'm just filling in for my mate BBC .......

[ped]

[quote name='Prosebass' post='427956' date='Mar 7 2009, 12:30 PM']I have a genuine problem with discussing "price" as opposed to "worth"[/quote]

OK so why post!!

[Prosebass]

[quote name='ped' post='427958' date='Mar 7 2009, 12:32 PM']OK so why post!! [/quote]

You could ask that question to 50% of the postings in a lot of the threads.
Thats how I think and you won't change that.
Its not a personal attack on anyone and everyone has the right to reply.

Just reminds me of conversations in the pub regarding how much do you earn, how big is your house and how much was your car ?
It just appears ostentatious to me. The gear porn thread is fine as there is never any mention of how much the basses cost.
Just my thoughts.

[Delberthot]

What does a guy with a 2 foot cock have for breakfast?



























this morning I had a boiled egg


Boom Boom. I thank you

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='Prosebass' post='427941' date='Mar 7 2009, 12:11 PM']I find this thread Crass beyond belief....

Whats next who has the biggest c**k ?
Or should that be who is the biggest c**k ?[/quote]

I don't object to you expressing your view but I think to a certain extent it's a bit pointless to step into a thread like this if your sensibilities err the way yours appear to.
For me the subject of value of instruments is much less ostentatious than simple work minded as they are my tools, granted I have an emotional attachment, probably a little more than one would expect of a carpenter with a saw, but they are still tools. For me it just happens that the bass that sounds like I want it to sound is an expensive one, if it were a cheap one (like my workhorse ply upright which lives in a van permanently) I'd be happy too, as I am no spendthrift.

Edited March 7, 2009 by jakesbass

[Clarky]

I don't have a problem with this thread - its all relative. The more expensive basses, likely to make most of us go Ohmygawd and how-come-you-paid-that-much (eg Celinders, Sadowskys and such like), still cost a lot less than the average car or motorbike (and I bet many or even most on this site own a car or bike). And of course I realise a car has many more uses than a bass .... but the pleasure we all patently get from basses has to be thrown into the equation

I wish I could afford to buy a Shuker JJB but I can't throw £1,500 (or whatever it is) around right now .... but if I had the money I wouldn't baulk at paying up for a beautiful quality hand-made instrument like that. I would just send the children to the workhouse to pay for it

Edited March 7, 2009 by Clarky

[small_lump_of_green_putty]

[quote name='Prosebass' post='427941' date='Mar 7 2009, 12:11 PM']I find this thread Crass beyond belief....

Whats next who has the biggest c**k ?
Or should that be who is the biggest c**k ?[/quote]
Well if you make a living out of selling cheap basses, that's not very surprising. You wouldn't win, would you?

Edited March 7, 2009 by small_lump_of_green_putty

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='427808' date='Mar 7 2009, 03:02 AM']So two grand for the pickups? Three?



Countless more country tracks feature Fenders, I imagine those records sold better too. Fusion doesn't sell all that well, except to bass anoraks.



I should've known you'd be the first one with his head over the parapet!



It's unfortunate that you didn't compare it to Warwicks, because I bought my Warwick for dirt cheap and it pisses all over your Alembic and doesn't look as gay. Incidentally I don't pay any tax through PAYE, most of my tax is collected through corp. tax as I'm a company director and take most of my earnings through dividends. I'm glad you got a silly-priced bass though, even if you did justify it to yourself as tax-deductible. You still could've saved yourself thousands and got a bass that sounded and played just as good and looked a lot less stupid, if you hadn't got suckered by the name and the blingy wood on the front.

f***ing mug.[/quote]

That's ridiculous. For a start it pisses me off so much people who use the word "gay" as an insult it suggests to me that you're homophobic.

As has been said, you might like a warwick as much as an amlebic but the warwick is a mass produced bass whereas the amlebic is a custom built bass. It's like saying "How could anyone be so stupid to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on a car by Chip Foose? It's not as if it drives any better than a NORMAL car!" Well clearly you'd pay that much because it's hand built and therefore the quality is going to be a lot better. Same with this.

My bass cost £200.

[ARGH]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='427839' date='Mar 7 2009, 08:33 AM']I don't think so. Have you checked the factory tour video?[/quote]
Yeah..its his old cleaning factory,I think he may have moved since...less than 20 staff actually building the instruments (we talk REAL Smith's here),and Ken doing the setups...and attitude.Nowt like the old days eh?

Maybe I should have said Fodera or Bee or Nordstrand

Edited March 7, 2009 by ARGH

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='428064' date='Mar 7 2009, 03:59 PM']That's ridiculous. For a start it pisses me off so much people who use the word "gay" as an insult it suggests to me that you're homophobic.[/quote]

I thought it fit the rant quite well, that's why I used it. Most of my friends work in theatre, if I was scared of gays I'd have nobody to talk to.

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='428064' date='Mar 7 2009, 03:59 PM']As has been said, you might like a warwick as much as an amlebic but the warwick is a mass produced bass whereas the amlebic is a custom built bass.[/quote]

To me the prices are insane. I can understand people spending five figures on an acoustic instrument (although I don't play upright myself), but when you can get a perfectly servicable bass guitar for a few hundred quid that will play and sound great, I don't see the point in paying much more. Two or three grand for something really special, maybe, if you've just fallen in love with the thing, but ten grand? They're having a laugh.

[Golchen]

Ho hum, here we go again .............. a perfectly interesting and informative thread and some people choose to drag it down into the gutter.

I thought that this was an intriguing question so I posted it at another forum that I go to, three pages so far and no negativity whatsoever.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='ARGH' post='428110' date='Mar 7 2009, 05:17 PM']Yeah..its his old cleaning factory,I think he may have moved since...less than 20 staff actually building the instruments (we talk REAL Smith's here),and Ken doing the setups...and attitude.Nowt like the old days eh?

Maybe I should have said Fodera or Bee or Nordstrand [/quote]
Well the point I wanted to make was that the basses aren't really crafted in the sense that one instrument is made from scratch by one person as soon as the order comes in. Ken has a stock pile of bits and pieces that get assembled like a kit on an assembly line. The basses are sort of half way between being manufactured and being crafted, but admittedly that will probably help keep the prices relatively reasonable too. You do get very good quality at the end of the day. Despite my own personal opinion of the guy, I still think his instruments are good value.

[4000]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='428129' date='Mar 7 2009, 05:42 PM']I thought it fit the rant quite well, that's why I used it. Most of my friends work in theatre, if I was scared of gays I'd have nobody to talk to.



To me the prices are insane. I can understand people spending five figures on an acoustic instrument (although I don't play upright myself), but when you can get a perfectly servicable bass guitar for a few hundred quid that will play and sound great, I don't see the point in paying much more. Two or three grand for something really special, maybe, if you've just fallen in love with the thing, but ten grand? They're having a laugh.[/quote]

[i]You[/i] don't see the point in paying much more. Others do. Taking your argument to its logical conclusion means that you don't need anything better than a Squire with a decent setup. Which in a sense is true. But the reason for spending that money is to get a handmade piece of art that plays amazingly, sounds spectacular (if that's your thing) and has a unique aesthetic (again, if that's your thing). Nobody [i]needs[/i] a bass that costs more than a couple of hundred quid, the same way nobody needs a better car than one that can get you from a-b, or that nobody needs a painting by Van Gogh. That doesn't mean nobody should desire them or have them.

Do you (yes, you personally) buy the cheapest, most functional clothes you can? The cheapest functioning car? The cheapest functioning tv? The cheapest pc that actually works? Because your argument says you should and that anyone who does anything else is nuts.

[MB1]

MB1.
Just applying clear laquer to an Alembic takes 1 month...

[ARGH]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='428169' date='Mar 7 2009, 07:15 PM']Well the point I wanted to make was that the basses aren't really crafted in the sense that one instrument is made from scratch by one person as soon as the order comes in. Ken has a stock pile of bits and pieces that get assembled like a kit on an assembly line. The basses are sort of half way between being manufactured and being crafted, but admittedly that will probably help keep the prices relatively reasonable too. You do get very good quality at the end of the day. Despite my own personal opinion of the guy, I still think his instruments are good value.[/quote]
Wickersham does the same thing,as does Chapman....

[ARGH]

[quote name='4000' post='428170' date='Mar 7 2009, 07:15 PM'][i]You[/i] don't see the point in paying much more. Others do. Taking your argument to its logical conclusion means that you don't need anything better than a Squire with a decent setup. Which in a sense is true. But the reason for spending that money is to get a handmade piece of art that plays amazingly, sounds spectacular (if that's your thing) and has a unique aesthetic (again, if that's your thing). Nobody [i]needs[/i] a bass that costs more than a couple of hundred quid, the same way nobody needs a better car than one that can get you from a-b, or that nobody needs a painting by Van Gogh. That doesn't mean nobody should desire them or have them.

Do you (yes, you personally) buy the cheapest, most functional clothes you can? The cheapest functioning car? The cheapest functioning tv? The cheapest pc that actually works? Because your argument says you should and that anyone who does anything else is nuts.[/quote]
Bourgeois scum...worshipping currancy,buying revolution!