tegs07

I can’t be bothered anymore. Sadly it’s unraveling as expected. Inflation picking up and right wing tosspots being elected by the financially illiterate. If anyone is interested though here’s the next phase: https://youtu.be/zd43_cPhHk8?si=iR15LBQfoaaoAQF3

I basically agree. Playing the guitar with your teeth, behind your back, doing the splits or back flips whilst singing etc etc. A long history of technical achievements that engage an audience and make a show more interesting but don’t really have much to do with the music. The primary purpose was to hook the audience in and stand out from the crowd. TikTok etc have put this requirement on steroids as there is so much noise to compete with. IMO a Bach cello suite played on a fretted bass at 200bpm is likely to get more clicks than a background member of a world famous orchestra playing it normally (unless they were hot and doing it in a swim suit whilst riding a unicycle). As for whether it’s musical? I guess that’s down to personal preference. Are Polyphia musical? Sounds like arse to me but I like iDLES!

I think the gist of the response is being missed. No matter what angle this is viewed from it is showboating for attention. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Hendrix used to get frustrated about questions about gimmicks (playing with teeth etc). It’s all part of grabbing an audience’s attention from the days of the juke joint and beyond. Arguably the likes of TikTok have amplified this requirement to another level. It doesn’t mean that the various artists can’t play or have no merit but it is pyrotechnics and theatre to hook people in. The fakery and theft is a darker side of this phenomenon. Each to their own with the consumption of creators online content. I guess good luck to them, but it’s not for me.

Do you have a bikini you could wear?

Could be worse it could lead to an entire country turning into a reality TV show. Ermm OK that’s already happening.

My perspective on this topic is you can walk into Fortnum and Mason and browse through all the delicious cheese. If you then walk out with some processed cheese straws and get all bent out of shape because they taste sh1t there is not much to say. Yes they taste sh1t. Choose something better.

Despite any other concerns the description alone is so vague and non committed that I would not consider it

I don’t think that there is any doubt that Indonesian or Chinese or Korean manufacturers can make instruments, cars or fairly soon aeroplanes or spacecraft as well as the Americans. Hence the current tariffs and other short term noise. Edit: There will obviously be some flexibility to this point in terms of budget. At the very bottom end corners will be cut wherever something is made and over time things will balance out. Wages, property prices etc will increase in the Far East as these countries continue to become more affluent.

They have only doubled in price if you are paying in paper currency that has experienced the effects of “printing” When priced in gold, bitcoin or even a currency like the Swiss Franc then the issue goes away.

I honestly don’t see the point of buying knock off chinese instruments for £200+ plus. There are loads of used instruments on Basschat marketplace that will be loads better for the same price and will still be worth what you pay for them 10 years later. The Ali express knock offs will most likely be firewood.

I would add the Nate Mendel P bass to this list of relatively low cost, good quality instruments that would serve the needs of a bedroom player right up to a headline stadium band. The biggest factor being labour costs and volume of production.

Basschat sometimes cracks me up. Generally folks aren’t interested in the cause of inflation but are very concerned about prices. Generally people want higher wages and better living conditions and environmental standards but are shocked when there are annual price increases, whether this is the price of a pint or a bass. We want jobs but when even relatively benign companies like EBMM position themselves in a market place to make sure that they turn a profit and keep their staff in work we shout corporate shills and greedy capitalists. FWIW yes MusicMan basses are expensive but for relatively low production run, quality instruments made in the USA IMO the price point is what I would expect.

Thanks. Having watched this it looks like a considerable amount of time and attention to detail went into this bass. Is it worth the price tag? I guess the people who buy it will think so.

I don’t think it’s possible to rationalise the collectibles or memorabilia market. It’s certainly not logical for grown men to get excited about train sets or wearing football shirts! It’s the eccentricity that makes the world a less dull place IMO so if you get your kicks from a pino replica bass or Hornby dining car (if that’s a thing) good on you. Keep the world weird.

There is a local luthier I have used on occasion that fits this description. He used to have a bigger shop and employ people. Now retired and working out of his garage. Very reasonable and working as a hobby really.