Do you tend to own basses with a similar price/quality range, or a wider spread?

[Oomo]

Mostly just curious - do your basses tend to be in a certain price/quality range, or do you have a wide variety, and why?

 

I've always wanted to try out a 6-string someday, and that got me thinking about what price/quality I'd look for.

 

On the one hand, if I got a fantastic top end model, that I'd just want to play that due to sound/comfort (and sunk cost...), regardless of whether I got on with that many strings.

On the other hand, a budget model might just be horrible to play in comparison to my other basses, and might put me off regardless of number of strings.

 

Which also got me to thinking... if I ever got a really top end custom bass, would that ruin my other basses for me?

 

 

[Lozz196]

My main basses are all the same value, only the backups are cheaper. There is a difference in quality but not as much as the price tags would suggest.

[Machines]

Until recently - all of my instruments are in the £250-£400 range. I've been through the £1500+ stuff and yeah it's good, but i'd rather have several cheaper instruments than 1 expensive one. For me - the extra cost doesn't translate in to my experience of using them enough.

 

The recent expensive one is a Spector Euro LX - this one does translate.

[neepheid]

Varies - I've had bitsas made of junk, and I've had basses which cost four figure sums.  First digit always a 1 though - I'm not loaded!  Why?  Always been a bass butterfly, if I like it, and I can afford it, I want it

 

Right now I guess my "cheapest" bass is my Epiphone Les Paul Standard - fourth hand now (that I know of, and I was owners 2 and 4), been modded, the fact that it's tricked out with EMG guts will mean hee haw.  Can't imagine it would fetch more than £250 if sold, can't remember what I paid for it (either time).

Next up it's a G&L Tribute LB-100 - these are around the £400 mark new.

Then it's an Epiphone Jack Casady 20th Anniversary - new JCs are around £700

Finally I've got a G&L CLF L-1000 - you're looking at around £1500 for these new depending on finish

Edited February 23, 2022 by neepheid

[Jack]

All over, and the prices don't always reflect the quality.

[Lfalex v1.1]

Even as some instruments have come and gone,  I've always had a broad spread of types, styles and prices.

[Purchasing second hand distorts the picture further,  as many of my "cheaper" Basses were second-hand and more costly when new.]

 

Oddly, it's been the more initially expensive instruments that have been sold on and replaced with less costly but arguably more suitable instruments, even if not directly. 

 

I think a lot of it is tied up in not knowing exactly what you want when you start out.

As you progress,  you refine your selection process to more accurately reflect your preferences,  and this may not always lead to more expensive basses.

 

Personally,  I've never found a single bass that covers all the,  uh.... bases, so variety is king.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[T-Bay]

One expensive one and few crazy cheap acquisitions.

[Doctor J]

I don't think there is that much of a correlation between price and quality, certainly not in the used market and that's where I operate. Over the years, I've had some very expensive instruments, plenty of much less expensive instruments and those inbetweeners. In my experience, the price is often more associated with the brand name than the quality of the instrument. My favourite basses over the years have usually been picked up used for around the 400-600 quid mark, often less. I've bought much more expensive instruments, going on myth and hype, which were utter rubbish, not just as an instrument but in terms of build quality too. When you've been around long enough, you see how the price follows hype rather than quality. Did Japanese Squiers only become good in the last couple of years? The prices now compared to 10 or 20 years ago, relative to other instrument prices, certainly suggests so. And then there are 70's Fenders... wow 😂

[Cat Burrito]

My basses are both varied in what they do through to how much they cost - so ranging Gibson Thunderbird / USA Jazz / Rickenbacker 4003s through to a uke bass and a Burn Bass VI. The variety reflects the different range of projects I do and the costs reflect whether it is a main instrument or something just to muck about on. 

[jd56hawk]

Top two are relatively inexpensive.

Bottom two are relatively expensive.

If you know what you're doing, if you know how to get the most out of a bass, there's really no difference.

I'll recommend $300 basses just as much as something that costs a thousand or two.

(By the way, budget basses, starter basses, entry-level basses, whatever you want to call them...other than cheap, are better today than ever before. Just take a look at the Harley Benton MB-20 SBK or MB-4 SBK.)

Edited February 23, 2022 by jd56hawk

[LeftyJ]

1 hour ago, Jack said:

All over, and the prices don't always reflect the quality.

This, for me too. 

Nearly everything I currently own was bought used. My most expensive bass purchase was a brand new Rickenbacker 4003 in Mapleglo from Guitar Guitar, which cost me £1516 + £35 shipping back in 2009, but it was nowhere near my "best". 

[Paul S]

I've never spent massive amounts on basses but, even so, seem to be slowly but surely decreasing the amount I spend.  Time was I'd spend £1K +/- but nowdays I tend to cap at around £400. 

The most I paid for a bass was £1500 4 years ago for a custom spec lightweight Maruszyzck Jake 5.  Same spec now would be £2000.  I sold it once my need for a good 5er had passed.  

Of those I still own the next most expensive outlay was £780 on a Gibson LP Jnr DC soon after they came out. 

My most valuable bass is a Squier JV Precision, worth around £800 in the unlikely event I sell it.  One day, I guess.

Other than that, all sub-£400 and down to £70 I paid for a new HB PB Shorty.  I enjoy and play them all and honestly can't see me paying much more in future.

Unless the sub 8lb Rickenbacker 4001 comes along, anyway   

[JapanAxe]

My 3 Ps each cost between £1,450 and £1,666. The outlier is my Kala U-bass at around £300.

[Newfoundfreedom]

Yes. All mine are in the same price bracket. 

 

Cheap!

[Doddy]

I've got basses in all different price brackets and played gigs on all of them. Most of my Fenders are either Japanese or Mexican Deluxe models. I've got a Sire V7, an Ibanez Gary Willis, and an MTD Heir which sit firmly in the low to midrange, but my main basses are all in the upper range- F Bass BN5, Roscoe LG3500, Tobias Standard 6, Warwick Streamer, and a Shuker Singlecut.

 

I've started selling a bunch of my lower range instruments, in favour of a few high end ones

 

 

[NT1991]

Good question!

Well until recently all the basses that I had ever owned cost less than £600 however my most recent bass cost around £1500 which was an Ibanez EHB1505ms. I do notice a difference between it and the more reasonably priced ones, however I would certainly be happy with just the other ones if I'm honest.

 

I certainly don't think that you have to have only really expensive gear, particularly given the great quality available at around the £400 mark these days.

[jezzaboy]

I think the most I have spent is £1300 but I have also bought Harley Benton`s at £100 and all price points in between so just whatever takes my fancy at the time.

 

I just bought a US MM Sterling and that was £1100. One of the reasons I bought this was the price of new and second hand  Musicman`s are just getting silly now and I had always fancied a Sterling.

Edited February 23, 2022 by jezzaboy

[tegs07]

My basses are in the £750/800 second hand bracket.  I’ve had cheaper ones that weren’t as pleasing to play and Bitsas that were excellent. Best bang for the buck was a Ray34. Most disappointing was a US Fender. The Mexican Vintera I had was much better.

 

[MacDaddy]

Nope. In terms of RRP under £400 to over £1k.

 

[Maude]

Money! How vulgar. 😉

 

 

Slightly more detailed answer, I've got two, three and four figure basses. 

A list of them from cheapest to most expensive wouldn't be the same list as worst to best, in either quality, playability or tone. 

A cheap bass can become an 'expensive' bass with an afternoon of fettling in all but monetary value. 

[theyellowcar]

I’ve never owned a bass worth more (based on the new sticker price at the time) than my Mexican Deluxe P. I have 3 Mexican Fenders, and a USA MusicMan SUB.
 

Thinking about it the SUB would probably be the most expensive of the lot if they were all corrected for inflation but I see it as being in a similar bracket to the MIM Deluxe. 
 

I’ve often thought about buying more expensive stuff, but I can’t justify it. I have more basses than I need, and the quality of each would be good enough to use to a professional standard (which I am not) 
 

Doesn’t stop me window shopping though 😉

[Sarlscharisma]

Most of my basses are between £1500 and £2000.  Mainly because they are just about all USA built.

[Woodinblack]

13 hours ago, Oomo said:

On the one hand, if I got a fantastic top end model, that I'd just want to play that due to sound/comfort (and sunk cost...), regardless of whether I got on with that many strings.

On the other hand, a budget model might just be horrible to play in comparison to my other basses, and might put me off regardless of number of strings.

 

No it wouldn't. You could get the most expensive bass ever and end up playing one of the cheapest.

I have basses from £100 (new) to £2000 (second hand), and the one that gets played most in the house is £700. Nothing to do with the price, sometimes you just instinctively pick up one because it feels right.

[TheLowDown]

Mine are in a narrow price bracket at the lower end of the scale, and the ones that I have serve their purpose. Probably the biggest obvious advantage of having a higher budget is merely having a wider variety of choice, but currently I don't have any reason to spend more than I have done.

Edited February 24, 2022 by TheLowDown

[machinehead]

I have around 15 basses.  Several are US Fenders - Jazz, Precision, 70s hotrod Jazz and a US Jaguar.  (The US Jaguar is a rare beast and increasing in value, but unlikely to be sold.)  A 2021 MIJ 51 RI Precision and a MIM Fender Flea Jazz.

 

I also have cheaper basses - Ibanez TM100 that is superb, Squier Jaguar, Warwick Streamer LX Korean, Squier Jazz fretless, Steinberger Spirit XS2, US SUB Stingray.

 

I baulk at spending more than about £1200.  Fender custom shop prices, whilst I could afford them, leave me feeling uncomfortable at the price.

 

I'm happy with cheaper basses but I also enjoy owning US Fenders for the history.  I enjoy playing the cheaper basses as much as playing the more expensive ones.  I don't think price always reflects on quality of playing experience and enjoyment.

 

Frank.