2023... Not the year for gear

[Backwards]

Trick is to put in an order for a bass with a 7 year build time..then one with a 6 year build time...same for 5, 4, 3, etc.

Then by the time a new year comes around and you're thinking of a new bass, one's always just about to arrive.

I see no flaws with this plan.

Life Expectancy.

 

[WG Plum]

Who knows if I'll even have fingers or a brain in 2025.

Hayzoos.... 2025 is two years away. That just cooked my noodle a little bit.

 

[ole Jason]

When I was shopping around for a custom last year 18-24 months seemed to be the average expected build time for most people I contacted. I would guess that time will start to diminish as the effects of COVID hopefully start to wane although China is still being heavily affected.

I eventually went with a build from Manne who completed it in 3-4 months! He builds in batches and I was lucky enough to contact him just before a new batch was being started for the model I wanted.

 

[Waltsdog]

30% down... um, okay
Build time: 2.5 YEARS!!

Talk to John Fox, he'll have a much quicker build slot and will take a smaller deposit. www.johnfoxbass.com/dingwall

My last order with him took 5-6 months.

 

[2thAche]

ATM I wouldn't wait. I'd want something that's going to come next week.

I suppose if I really got a bug that I needed a custom order, and nothing else would scratch that itch, I'd begrudgingly wait maybe up to 8-12 months. I wouldn't be ordering any fancy-@$$ fanned 7 string made of wood recovered from the Santa Maria, it would be more like a NY Sadowsky. I think that wait is 12 months for those.

 

[Rib 13]

for me, 6 months max....and thats still pushing it lol

 

[bassGtar]

Three generations, if it were a really good bass.

 

[Barticus]

Last year I ordered 2 custom basses, due to electronic supplier issues one of the basses took 6 mos instead of 3.

Out of that frustration, and impatience, I started building my own… and built 3. Then looking at the custom order costs, vs cost to build, I decided the better investment (for me) was to add to my arsenal of tooling by moving from doing everything by hand and buying a new CNC. Not for everyone, I know, but now custom orders, for myself, take only a couple of weeks now and I get exactly what I want!

 

[MingusBass]

Is that 2 and a half year wait in Canadian or American?

 

[funkinbottom]

How long would you be willing to wait for a bass build?

Long answer....A couple weeks or so for the materials to be shipped to build my own. I gather parts during the winter months, like hardware, pickups/electronics, fret wire etc. As soon as I decide what woods for body and neck, I will order those materials, so I can start as soon as it warms up a bit. Not that it's so cold here, but just more pleasant and fun when its warmer.

Short answer: A few months.

 

[JRA]

How long would you be willing to wait for a bass build?

i wait for parts these days (no more custom builds), so maybe a few weeks/months.

being young = lots of years ahead, but less patient.
being old = fewer years ahead, but more patient.

it's a conundrum!

 

[Zooberwerx]

I just buy stuff from you jolly-jokers and slap it on my existing basses. I usually wait 4-6 weeks to start the actual work so I can commiserate and b*&^% & moan about the backlog, build time, delays, and the unresponsive builder.

Riis

 

[Spidey2112]

being young = lots of years ahead, but less patient.
being old = fewer years ahead, but more patient.

 

[gazzatriumph]

Four month wait for my custom Maruszczyk was long enough I don't think I could wait any longer than that.

 

[dawind99]

Who knows if I'll even have fingers or a brain in 2025. I made my first custom order for anything last month when I ordered a cabinet from RevSound. I've been fretting that I picked the wrong color/configuration ever since.

Someday, I'd like a custom bass, but I'm not really into the mystique of a coveted instrument that takes an extra-long time. OTOH, try before you buy might be overrated. Out of 6 instruments I currently own, one was purchased sight unseen on TB, three were used on Reverb. One was a Craigslist ad for a baritone guitar that I was gonna buy no matter what as long as it wasn't defective, and one I bought in a store. Plenty of guitars and basses that I thought were love at first play have come and gone in the interim.

If it's not covered let's change it! You need to love it.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I actually tested a Dingwall fanned fret bass, yesterday at a GC.Really great instrument. Appreciate the innovation of it, but it just isn't my thing. The only custom order job I would consider would be a US Lakland P style, a Fender custom shop Sean Hurley with different paint or a US Lakland J Sonic.

 

[ScottfromCalgary]

I recently inquired with both Serek and Wilcock on a short scale bass build and was quoted "just over a year" and 10 months, respectively. A day later a Serek was listed in the classifieds that fit the bill so my current wait time is now just tied to USPS and Canada Post

edit - to answer the original question, I probably wouldn't wait more than a few months.

 

[Root 5]

I waited ten months for my Rickenbacker 4003 and twenty-four months for a 4003FL fretless!

 

[ScottfromCalgary]

I love my current bass. Famous last words, I know. I got a Bass on TB and fell in love when it arrived. So much so that I couldn't even be mad that it hadn't been disclosed that the seller had created a new control cavity using only their bare hands, and possibly a sharp rock, and then covered it up with a pickguard.

I don't know how to respond to this one...thumbs up, lol, or to get mad! You're happy with it so that's what matters in the end, I guess.

 

[J-Mags]

If it's not covered let's change it! You need to love it.

Naw it took me long enough to decide on it. Thanks for the offer, though! There was a surf green bass that I wanted to get, and then I was thinking, now THAT + red would be a mess! I considered calling you up, and then changed my mind about the bass anyway.