Value for money?

[Painy]

I very recently sold my much loved Warwick streamer Stage1 5 string to raise some funds but with part of the proceeds also bought myself a Cort Artisan A6 as a replacement. Now bearing in mind the Warwick new would now cost over £4000 and the Cort around £800 I have to say there really isn't that much difference in quality between the two that I can see. Sure there are a few fine details on the cort that aren't quite as refined as the Warwick but I certainly couldn't say the Warwick was five times better!
My question really is can you justify the additional cost of high end basses and does anyone else have a similar experience where a relatively budget bass they've owned has held it's own against a much more expensive one?

[Judo Chop]

Edit: Double post sorry

Edited May 10, 2013 by Jack Cahalane

[Judo Chop]

Not quite in the same league as yours, but my Squier Vintage Modified precision (£270) is as good as the Fender (£480) I bought as an upgrade.
Maybe I got a dud?

[SpaceChick]

I have to say my very simple Ibanez SR300 is a cheap and cheerful bass..... However, it performs!!

I have tried some very expensive basses, and 95% of them I find I prefer my bargain Ibanez!

Equally, if I had a bass worth in the thousands, I'd be terrified to take it out of the house and gig with it!!

[Earbrass]

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1368190071' post='2074272']
I have tried some very expensive basses, and 95% of them I find I prefer my bargain Ibanez!

Equally, if I had a bass worth in the thousands, I'd be terrified to take it out of the house and gig with it!!
[/quote]
This.

A few years ago I "upgraded" from a cheapie Peavey Milestone III to a Japanese Fender Aerodyne bass. It was no better an instrument, though cosmetically it looked flasher. Sold it again and stuck with my Peavey.

[Dave Vader]

Yep, still keep going back to my much buggered about with Sunn Mustang, which was about 89 quid from and Argos Catalogue 25 years ago. Oh i've tried to love other bases, but it's so nice to play, and it sounds right.

[Cameronj279]

I prefer Musicman Sterlings to Stingrays. I'd say it depends on the persons preferances in all honesty

[fumps]

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1368190071' post='2074272']
I have to say my very simple Ibanez SR300 is a cheap and cheerful bass..... However, it performs!!

I have tried some very expensive basses, and 95% of them I find I prefer my bargain Ibanez!

[/quote]
+1000

I have the same Bass & my mate who plays a bass worth three times what I paid for mine, would not believe what the Ibanez SR300 cost me. Also this bass impressed Mr Shergold Snickers & he has a beautiful custom bass that I can only dream of owning.

I think sometimes people confuse cheap things and things that cost's less. There is often a big difference.

[Painy]

Seems I'm not alone then. In all fairness my new Cort does seem a lot of bass for the money but it has still left me wondering where the money I spent on the Warwick actually went.
Obviously its a lot about what suits you though. For so many people the ultimate bass is still a Fender P, of which there a plenty of very fine examples available for a fraction of what I paid for my streamer.

[PaulWarning]

it's the law of diminishing returns, plus everybody likes to think they've got a bargain

[chrismuzz]

All of my Peavey basses cost between £50 and £339 and I've never played anything else that felt better!

[Twigman]

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1368197354' post='2074383']
I prefer Musicman Sterlings to Stingrays. I'd say it depends on the persons preferances in all honesty
[/quote]

So do I but own neither.
It's the narrower neck width on the Sterlings that swings it.

[RhysP]

I used expensive basses for many years, Zon Legacy models mainly. I gave up playing bass last year but a few weeks ago a friend of mine asked me to play some bass on some studio recordings he was doing. I used a Mexican Fender Precision with stupidly high action that was knocking around in the studio. Everyone was happy with what I played (including me, which is rare) and the bass sounded really good.

If I ever buy another bass I'd be quite happy just to pick up a secondhand Mexican Precision & use that rather than spend time trying to find another "dream" bass.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1368197354' post='2074383']
I prefer Musicman Sterlings to Stingrays. I'd say it depends on the persons preferances in all honesty
[/quote]

BUt that's just two different models, and the MM Sterling is actually a bit more expensive... or am I missing something?

I have 3 Jazz basses. A Japanese Fender, a Korean Squier and a clone by Vintage. The Squier is probably the best of the three, and the Fender is the one I use the least!

[Painy]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1368222102' post='2074740']

I have 3 Jazz basses. A Japanese Fender, a Korean Squier and a clone by Vintage. The Squier is probably the best of the three, and the Fender is the one I use the least!
[/quote]

I know a few guitarists who rate an old squire strat over a new fender so not that surprised to hear this. Even Hank Marvin's signature strat is a squire - although not sure that was his choice

[JTUK]

My basses aren't cheap and they ooze quality and class...IMO.
Am I happy to pay the premium..?? yes...!! and for the right bass, I'll do so again.
Do I think I could find something as good for less money...maybe. in some
instances, but overall, no.
That is the decision I make when buying...others may have priorities elsewhere.

There is a reason things are made in certain countries... and that is because productions costs are cheaper.
If the maker works for £30k a year, then that puts an hourly build cost at such and such.. if they work for £2k pa without any
employment rights that we regard as a given, then that can be passed on.

If you asked me where the money goes on certain production basses, I'd say the saving goes straight to the shareholder...
and you may not see a marginally better bass.

[the boy]

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1368189573' post='2074254']
Not quite in the same league as yours, but my Squier Vintage Modified precision (£270) is as good as the Fender (£480) I bought as an upgrade.
Maybe I got a dud?
[/quote]
Vms are awesome.

[White Cloud]

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1368197470' post='2074385']
+1000

I have the same Bass & my mate who plays a bass worth three times what I paid for mine, would not believe what the Ibanez SR300 cost me. Also this bass impressed Mr Shergold Snickers & he has a beautiful custom bass that I can only dream of owning.

I think sometimes people confuse cheap things and things that cost's less. There is often a big difference.
[/quote]
My Ibanez SR1205 (whilst not exactly being cheap) is on a par in all respects with my Alembic that I sold a couple of years ago...and it was the opposite to cheap let me assure you!

[AntLockyer]

My Squier Jazz is not as good as my USA Precision. It plays really great and I'd have no issue having it as my only bass, then you pick up the P and it is obvious. My Aria makes them both feel cheap.

[lowdowner]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1368201240' post='2074437']
it's the law of diminishing returns, plus everybody likes to think they've got a bargain
[/quote]

Definitely true. For each little extra bit of quality/finish materials you pay a lot more. In the end, it's only the 'feel' of the thing that appears to be different and that's subjective. I ilke my Thumb's wood and grain, and the way it is shaped, and I know the wood and construction are expensive things to pay for. To me it's worth it.

Mind you, if I owned an Ibanez I think i'd like that too - I seriously looked at one a few months ago as a 'gigging' bass and was sorely tempted. Nice bass, and definitely could make me happy

[lowdowner]

Oh, and the other thing is that as a beginner who doesn't know about basses, buying an 'expensive' bass like the Warwick gives me confidence I'm not wasting money on a dud (without experience how do you know except that other bass players are willing to part with serious wonga to buy one)? After a few years I know Ibanez are decent and well worth the money, but I'm more confident now. Coming from an orchestral instrument world where 4-5K isn't expensive, what I paid for my Thumb seemed a bargain. If I were starting out again today I may well go down the Ibanez route

[crez5150]

I think a lot of it comes down to individual playability of an instrument....... I've played cheap basses that are fantastic (mostly Corts), I've played expensive basses that are horrendous
(mostly Fender).... the mid priced market are fairly good and manufacturing these days is fairly consistant

[Maude]

I'd love to own a really top end bass but can't justify the outlay to myself when some inexpensive basses are so good.
I also like to tinker so enjoy making a cheaper bass better and then it's a little more personal too.
I bought an Aria STB Series P bass copy for £40, I'd heard the necks were good and they are, I fancied a 'classic' P bass (in my eyes), it was a nice sunburst so I put a tort scratchplate and a bridge cover on it, 1\4 pounder PU's in, a set of Chrome flats and made a foam mute for under the bridge cover. A really good clean, set up and sorting any bits I wasn't happy with later, and there weren't many at all really, and that bass is awesome. A mate has a Fender P, not sure what exactly but it's around the seventies somewhere and he reckons my Aria is nicer to play. It's one those never sell basses as it's not worth anything but it cost less than £150 all in. It's like it plays itself, can anyone tell I love that bass :0)

Edited May 12, 2013 by Maude