So, just a discussion point. Not here to start a flame war or bag on lower priced gear etc....
But, at what point do you feel you hit diminishing returns on an instrument. Be it a guitar, bass, piano, mandolin, etc.
Like everything made, there comes a point across the board where you have reached the top of quality and you're just primarily paying for a name.
That's a really good question. I think the point of diminishing returns is a subjective determination made by the person evaluating the instrument. It's relative to what a player thinks is important for what they're doing, their ability, and what they're willing to pay.
Part of the equation is, what are you listening for, and if you hear what you're listening for, do you have the ability to do anything with what you hear, i.e., take advantage or coax the nuance from the thing?
What are you looking for in terms of feel, touch and response? Well, what are your limits?
The great players, it seems to me, are listening very deeply to their instrument when interacting with it, often to deliver great subtlety. There's something of a hands > instrument > ears > brain > hands feedback loop involved.
That doesn't necessarily involve spending all your hard-earned cash. But sometimes, for some people, the balance skews more toward the expensive stuff if they're looking for a particular sound.
I'll reach a point of diminishing returns in piano choice long before Helene Grimaud or Daniil Trifonev, because they're able to do more with the instrument, and given their careers, probably need to be able to listen and concentrate more deeply on nuance when they play. As concert artists, they absolutely require a gorgeous sounding, six figure $, concert grand piano.
I would hit the point of diminishing returns at a much lower level. But I'm halfway decently trained to play piano, and I've been playing since the age of four, so I might not reach the point of diminishing returns as quickly as someone who's new to the instrument. Even if they can hear what the thing is doing, they might not be able to take advantage of nuance when they're playing at that stage.
As expensive as a Core or PS PRS is, compared to the instruments most orchestral players buy, it's chump change. I know players who've taken out mortgages on their instruments.
For me, the answer is, if I can hear a difference and do something with it, it's worth considering. But there really aren't, and can't be, any rules until you know exactly what you're dealing with by playing the instrument.
Edit:
There's the whole matter of inspiring one's creativity that I didn't explore.
There's also the possibility that if you
think you're playing better and sounding better on an instrument, well, maybe you are, and/or maybe the confidence helps!
