I'm thinking of building my own bass, but I wonder is it worth the costs and hours of labour?
Let's say you have build a jazz. Is it as good as a Squire, MIM or MIA?

greets, Martin

I built my white jazz from parts...and it is every bit as good as anything I've ever played.

I'm thinking of building my own bass, but I wonder is it worth the costs and hours of labour?
Let's say you have build a jazz. Is it as good as a Squire, MIM or MIA?

greets, Martin

Depends.... :D


You certainly won't build your first for less than a Squier or MIM, for that matter probably even MIA. Hell, my first cost me 1300 euros and took 12 months to build. Was it worth it?

Definitely.

Was is as good as a MIA?

Close enough. But it's more enjoyable to play than any other basses out there because I made it myself.

enjoyable to play... because I made it myself.

That's the reason to build one. Not just to say you did, but because you like that sense of accomplishment.

Not to mention, it's all yours, you can pick everyting yourself, on your time and budget, and have an instrument that really exudes who you are as a player and a person. It's sort of a selfish thing.

It was worth it to me, because I could build it to fit me perfectly and customize it to my liking in a way no mass produced bass ever could.

The thing you have to ask yourself is...

Are there things you are looking for in a bass that you can't find from any existing bass manufacturer?

For me, I wanted a body that was contoured specifically to my body. I was looking for total comfort and balance that I just couldn't find elsewhere. Not that it might not have existed somewhere...I just couldn't find one exactly as I wanted.

All you guys are forgetting all those hours having fun building you own bass!!

And the very first time you play it, you can close your eyes, and you already know every contour, ever scratch, dent, flaw, perfection, every single thing, and it's the first time you played it! That is worth every bit of effort and money you put in. It sent chills up my spine at the first gig!

all great points

And the very first time you play it, you can close your eyes, and you already know every contour, ever scratch, dent, flaw, perfection, every single thing, and it's the first time you played it! That is worth every bit of effort and money you put in. It sent chills up my spine at the first gig!

Well, no doubt about that. There is something so uniquely personal about a bass you made.

You can mod an existing bass, and you can even really love one and have it feel like it's your own personal bass, but one you made yourself adds new meaning to the saying "It's more an extension of me, than just being a musical instrument"...because it literally is.

For me, I found the journey to be the best part. Figuring out how to get past a problem that came up and still end up with what I wanted. Figuring out what I didn't like about the commercially available instruments and changing those things on my own instrument. Mine is not 100% finished yet... have to do final sanding and oil finish, but I couldn't wait. I put everything together, wired it, did a quick set-up, and plugged it in. It is most fun I have ever had playing a bass, knowing that it feels a certain way because I spent the time carving the back contour to get that shape and it sounds that way because I selected and installed those pick-ups and that eq. It got me so juiced that I can't keep ideas for another one out of my head. The best thing is having a place like "Talk Bass" to discuss ideas or problems with people from all over the world that are doing the same thing you are.

The best thing is having a place like "Talk Bass" to discuss ideas or problems with people from all over the world that are doing the same thing you are.

+1