Is King Double Bass Gone?

[Wyzird05]

Does anyone know what's up with King Double Basses? Their website, www.kingdoublebass.com, is no longer bringing up their page.

[Gearhead43]

They are re-doing their website I believe.

[Bass]

My pal Lolemite received his beautiful new tuxedo King Double Bass this summer. And another guy I know has a King Double Bass arriving shortly, next week he thinks.

So they're not gone but goin strong.

[Tejano Bass]

. . . http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...iendid=8401134

[Wyzird05]

Thanks.

[moles]

Yeah, that website was way out of date anyway. Didn't they still have NAMM pics up from 2004, showing as "new products"? (2005 maybe?)
New stuff to look at will be nice.

[mattzink]

Hope they get it back up soon - My Space pages are an infection and aren't really that professional.

[Clark Fulcher]

In September of 09 I gave King Double Bass a deposit of $1000.00 for a custom bass, after waiting a year to find out they had no record of my order due to Brad one of the company owners stealing deposits and writing fake invoices as Jason the other owner told me. They went ahead and made me a bass that I paid a total of $5267.99 but When I received it... Was poorly assembled, they put it together with features I didn't want due to being out of the parts I requested, it Was broken and also falling apart in my hands. When I called them, Jason Was rude and used vulgar language, we decided that I would send the bass back and they would refund me. I have not received a refund and Was told three separate dates that the money would be back in my account, they started avoiding my calls and would only answer When I would block my number and know their number has been disconnected .

[hdiddy]

I dug around online just out of curiosity and found this: http://www.artofslapbass.com/artofslapbass/

"I am sad to announce that I am no longer with King Doublebass. This decision was forced on me since my professional reputation was threatened by management’s shady business practices.

It is unlikely that King can or will fill any outstanding customer orders. As a professional gesture to these customers, I have leased the shop next door to complete these outstanding orders out of my own pocket.

Through this unfortunate chain of events, I have been offered an opportunity with a company seeking my expertise in designing and manufacturing a new line of handcrafted upright basses and electric guitars.

During the last eight months, I’ve been working with this company on new instruments and electronic designs scheduled for release later this year. I am excited to say that these new instruments are my best work to date. These new instruments will combine vintage acoustic tone, road-ready durability and better feedback control that will make any soundman happy.

The official company announcement will be released in July, with photos depicting some of the instrument prototypes and accessories, shortly there after.

Please contact me at (714)664-0436 with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Jason Burns"

[wdnewman]

Rule one:
Only buy from established companies that have been doing business for several years and have a solid reputation for quality and service. Rely on recommendations of customers and not flashy advertising or websites.

Rule two:
You don't usually have to worry about rule two if you follow rule one.
Never, ever pay money in advance for someone to build something for you. Any company that needs your money up front to "buy materials" is on shaky footing, and may no longer be in existence when delivery time rolls around.

Just following either of these two items will allow most purchases to be happy ones.

[davidAaronCarte]

Originally Posted by wdnewman

Never, ever pay money in advance for someone to build something for you. Any company that needs your money up front to "buy materials" is on shaky footing, and may no longer be in existence when delivery time rolls around.

It's pretty common practice to ask for a deposit on a custom instrument...

[Steve Swan]

The recession has been awful hard on musical instrument manufacturing and retail stores. I would estimate that 40% of the mom & pop retail music stores that were in business in 2007 are gone now. A number of manufacturers have also gone away. How many will rise from the ashes? Only time will tell.

[Eric Rene Roy]

Originally Posted by Steve Swan

How many will rise from the ashes? Only time will tell.

OK...not a Phoenix...but close, no? Calling Mr. Norton, Mr. Norton...opportunity is knocking.


The King deal is too bad, they had a good thing going. I've gotten some calls and eMails about the "shady" stuff...I feel really bad for some honest bass players who got caught in the crossfire.

[Chuey13]

I'm w/ WDNEWMAN. I had Englehardt Link (Who has been in business forever, and has thousands of happy customers world wide) build me a custom bass. Took six months, and Tom didn't ask for a penny prior to it being delivered. I was blown away when I got it. I followed both rule 1 & 2. As a result, I am a very happy customer.

[oldfretless]

Speaking generally, any company that makes it though these times will be a good company to deal with. So many have found the business they were practicing does not fly in this economy, and have closed. I see posts crediting a dealer with great service, and think, that's why he's still in business! Customers will dictate who survives. Different business, but I don't take deposits, because I hate working hard and not seeing the big reward at the end.

[Sam Sherry]

Originally Posted by wdnewman

Never, ever pay money in advance for someone to build something for you. Any company that needs your money up front to "buy materials" is on shaky footing, and may no longer be in existence when delivery time rolls around.

I respect the fact that you have developed this opinion over the course of a life well-lived but we disagree.

I run a small business. Most of the time I effectively lend my customers money by doing their work today, mailing them an invoice at the end of the month and getting paid, god willing, sometime next month. But if I feel like something might get a little sketchy I ask for a deposit up front. It separates "pro bono" (donation by choice) from "pro bozo" (getting stiffed).

Every serious luthier that I have ever worked for or with has requested a deposit before starting to build a commissioned instrument. "Custom" means "built your way." "Your way" means "not everybody else's way" and often "not anybody else's way." If you have been able to persuade someone to build your bass, your way, without paying them a dime in advance you are dangerously persuasive!

[Don Higdon]

Originally Posted by wdnewman

Rule one:
Only buy from established companies that have been doing business for several years and have a solid reputation for quality and service. Rely on recommendations of customers and not flashy advertising or websites.

Rule two:
You don't usually have to worry about rule two if you follow rule one.
Never, ever pay money in advance for someone to build something for you. Any company that needs your money up front to "buy materials" is on shaky footing, and may no longer be in existence when delivery time rolls around.

Just following either of these two items will allow most purchases to be happy ones.

Except for the second sentence, these are unsupportable generalizations.

[Jason Sypher]

$5200 for a King? You could have a New Standard made by Arnold that would kick the Kings butt. Get that money back bass brother and buy a great bass from a top notch dealer! I can't see why you can't get your money back? Small claims court?

[MEL_BASS]

King doublebass was bought out and is now called Blast Cult basses!

[powerbass]

Here is some info about Blast Cult Basses. Very cool that they make all the components in house.
The Rise of Blast Cult