To build, or not to build

[Zombbg4]

Hello TB Luthiers and luthiery supporters, I have a bit of a dilemma I'm hoping you can shed some light on. The question is should I build a bass myself or have one built for me? Ok, now here's the problem- of course a bass built by a well experienced luhtier is going to be of much better quality than I would be able to make, but I REALLY want to start building basses. The ideal life for me would be building and playing, I know I wouldn't be a wealthy man by any means but I'd be doing two things I love. I'd intend on the bass I would build to be one my main axe as would the custom bass.

The other question is aside from quality of craftsmanship, how much would a custom bass differ in tone than one I would make myself? I know this is hard to judge but any help on this matter would be great. Building it myself would be less expensive as I wouldn't be paying for labor and I would get a start on building my own basses.

Thanks for you time and help in advance!

[vbasscustom]

well, i say go for it. and you can have a wicked bass when you do it yourself. the only question is, do you have access to tools, and are you a very patient person. when you take your time, as with anything, it will come out better then if you rush. and really, the tone doesnt change depending on who builds it. a profession cant coax a certain tone out of a bass. its whatever its going to sound like, witth the woods you use, and the electronics you use. so yeah, go for it. read up on all the stuff in the sticky, and ask questions. good building to you
peace

[mikeyswood]

Originally Posted by Zombbg4

...be doing to things I love.

GRAMMAR POLICE: Two

BTT - 90% of your tone will come from the strings and the pups. That last 10% is what varies from instrument to instrument. And 90% of that 10% is in the player.

The experience that a luthier brings is the ability to give an instrument feel. Build your own and when it feels right your done.

I can guarantee that there is not a single qualified luthier here that will say that he has built a bass that feels perfect. If anyone says that they have, then do not buy one of their basses.

We are all trying to get our feel better. As your instrument feels better to you, it will be you that is getting more tone out of every instrument you play.

I say build one and join us on this path. You will catch up to us and maybe even pass us along your journey.

Bass wishes,
Mike

[Ric5]

It is a lot of fun building your own basses ... I like to build my own parts basses ...

[mkrtu9]

Originally Posted by mikeyswood

I say build one and join us on this path. You will catch up to us and maybe even pass us along your journey.

Bass wishes,
Mike

Or you will be like me and try and build a bass, fail, then figure out that you can build a house by yourself but can't build a bass.

At least I know I tried.

[Zombbg4]

Originally Posted by mikeyswood

GRAMMAR POLICE: Two

BTT - 90% of your tone will come from the strings and the pups. That last 10% is what varies from instrument to instrument. And 90% of that 10% is in the player.

The experience that a luthier brings is the ability to give an instrument feel. Build your own and when it feels right your done.

I can guarantee that there is not a single qualified luthier here that will say that he has built a bass that feels perfect. If anyone says that they have, then do not buy one of their basses.

We are all trying to get our feel better. As your instrument feels better to you, it will be you that is getting more tone out of every instrument you play.

I say build one and join us on this path. You will catch up to us and maybe even pass us along your journey.

Bass wishes,
Mike

So I didn't type a W, it's not like I don't know how two spell!

Well, it's both exciting and scary but I think I'm going to go ahead and go for a build! I don't have all the tools but luckily my friends dad makes classical guitars as well as electrics sometimes, so when I need to use a ban saw ect. I'll hit him up.

Once I get the woods and parts together expect quite a few questions from me...

[Zombbg4]

Originally Posted by Ric5

It is a lot of fun building your own basses ... I like to build my own parts basses ...

Nice!! I really like that body shape and that's a beautiful top.

[vbasscustom]

coolio, post some design pics and such, and also, in progress ones too

[mikeyswood]

Originally Posted by Zombbg4

So I didn't type a W, it's not like I don't know how two spell!

I hope that everyone here is able too speel

[mikeyswood]

Originally Posted by mkrtu9

Or you will be like me and try and build a bass, fail, then figure out that you can build a house by yourself but can't build a bass.

At least I know I tried.

There is no failure. You have simply found a way that did not work. Correct what does not work and you will succeed.

[chasplaybass]

Originally Posted by mikeyswood

There is no failure. You have simply found a way that did not work. Correct what does not work and you will succeed.

I like that. Can I have it?

[chasplaybass]

Originally Posted by Zombbg4

Hello TB Luthiers and luthiery supporters, I have a bit of a dilemma I'm hoping you can shed some light on. The question is should I build a bass myself or have one built for me? Ok, now here's the problem- of course a bass built by a well experienced luhtier is going to be of much better quality than I would be able to make, but I REALLY want to start building basses. The ideal life for me would be building and playing, I know I wouldn't be a wealthy man by any means but I'd be doing two things I love. I'd intend on the bass I would build to be one my main axe as would the custom bass.

The other question is aside from quality of craftsmanship, how much would a custom bass differ in tone than one I would make myself? I know this is hard to judge but any help on this matter would be great. Building it myself would be less expensive as I wouldn't be paying for labor and I would get a start on building my own basses.

Thanks for you time and help in advance!

I started with a half build. I don't have access to a quality band saw or router so I purchased a cheap SX ash with a workable shape, customized it and added new PUPS and preamp using the tools I had available. I too thought about purchasing a custom bass but paying $2500 and up was not an option - for me. My build only cost about 600 the bass was only 139, remaining was electronics and burl top. Once I get some decent woodworking tools I will start from scratch, but I'm going to purchase the neck. I can take the sting of a G string snapping, but I think maple will hurt a bit more...

[mikeyswood]

Originally Posted by chasplaybass

I like that. Can I have it?

Sure.

That is my interpretation of Edison's "I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb."

[giacomini]

Go for it and build! You may not succeed at first, but one day you'll have to start...

I'm on my way to build my first instrument from scratch, I've got some tools but I still gotta get a nice jig and a place to set up my shop... Once I get my place I'm gonna work in a full bass project, but until then, I had some fun moddin some basses:

1st bass I owned was a Squier California Series P-Bass. Incredible neck, I took half an hour through the store's stock of Squier P-Basses to find the "perfect" one... I did not care about anything else but the quality of neck and woods. I can say the neck of this bass was better than any MIM Fender, real close to MIJ or standard MIA models. I did severe mods in this guy; Schaller tuners and bridge, CTS pots and Seymour Duncan pups, new pickguard, knobs, straplocks... It was all easy stuff but doing all this I learned a lot about bass set up and wiring, so this way I could move on further. I eventually sold it.

2nd bass I owned is still here and I haven't touched it (except for the set up I did right after it arrived and a couple of string changes). It's a cool wine-red Yamaha BB414. Cheap but perfect. Feels and sounds like it's worth at least 3 times it's price.

3rd bass I bought was an acoustic-electric Groovin' bass. This one I didn't finish yet, because I'm still improving my skills in acoustic finishing! (can be quite boring, you have to sand it with 1200, 1400, 1600, 2000 grit sandpaper... it really feels like you're rubbing paper onto the wood...) But this one I tried something new: defretting. Now it's a fretless and I can get it to sound like an upright when recording, but still has no finish and this is one thing I find really hard doing... I haven't mastered finished yet, but I'm working on it!

4th, 5th and 6th basses I owned I didn't mess with and I still have the 5th one ('02 MIA Fender Jazz Bass)

7th bass is the one I like more because I've done so many things on it that now it feels like my "signature" model. The neck is a MIJ fretless Fender Jazz Bass neck from the '80s that I've got on eBay. Once I got the neck I found out that the defretting work was poorly done, then I sanded it down to de-radius it and applied a coat of nitro finish, sanded, another coat of nitro (which got full of bubbles...), sanded the bubbles off then sprayed the last coat of nitro. It cured well and looks beautiful. I got all black harware, then I got to close the holes for the tuners screws and drill new ones - easy. I didn't have a body then I asked a local luthier to build a Jazz body routed for HH pickups (double size jazz pickups). He made it from 3 pieces of wood and it arrived with natural finish. All I had to do was put on the bridge and electronics, screw the neck and there was my cool HH Jazz Bass!

All this stuff was fun to do, but, as I said, I still want to be able to build from scratch, but I don't have all equipment...

If you can, do it, you'll enjoy it!!

[koobie]

Man, you're in Olympia? There are more luthiers in the NW than I can shake a stick at, seems like you might be able to meet up with one for some career advice. Maybe you could do an internship at one after completing some instrument building courses. I'd guess that many luthiers actually make the bulk of their living doing repairs rather than building instruments on commission. Good luck!

[Zombbg4]

Originally Posted by koobie

Man, you're in Olympia? There are more luthiers in the NW than I can shake a stick at, seems like you might be able to meet up with one for some career advice. Maybe you could do an internship at one after completing some instrument building courses. I'd guess that many luthiers actually make the bulk of their living doing repairs rather than building instruments on commission. Good luck!

Instrument building course, eh? When and where are these held? I'd love to intern and be taught by some experienced luthiers instead of hit-and-missing my way along.

I know that Mike lull is in Seattle and was talking to a guy in Pasco, but I wasn't aware of there being so many. Pretty cool.

[roberthabraken]

Absolutely: go for it!! I'm doing the same right now and it feels great .

Just take your time and read how other people solve specific problems and you should be fine, I'm sure it's going to be a great experience!