2023... Not the year for gear

[mikeswals]

Exactly this time last year I received a Wal after a 38 month wait. I ordered it on newyears 2019.
During that build, in fall 2020 I threw down a deposit for another one. So knowing 36-ish month wait, will be finished later this year.

 

[Green Knight]

Just finished an office remodel. Next month we're doing new hardwood floors in our home. Bruh! No money for basses.

But just for fun, I thought to myself, if I could have any new bass, what would it be? After some thought, I decided it would be incredible to have a custom-made Dingwall. Think about it, fanned-frets, custom top, Glockenklang or maybe even a Darkglass pre. My mouth started watering. So I reached out and just got an email back.

Price is about what I expected (a lot!)... okay
30% down... um, okay
Build time: 2.5 YEARS!!

Even if I wanted to buy one, I wouldn't have it til mid-2025! Good grief, I'd change my mind 68 times before it was done.

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

Eight months tops. That's why I went with a very small local-ish operation. My specs are hardly as involved as your average Dingwall though!

PS: And even in that time I've reunited with standard scale, making the new build a little obsolete--but that'll change when I get it, because it has to! Hey I think I contradicted my original response in the time it took to type this.

 

[Green Knight]

Before I commissioned the build, I did what I always do: I went on ebay and looked for an 80s Japanese bass that already has those specs, because those guys built in so many configurations and shapes and sizes all the time. If you want a crazy rare scale or "more is better" approach to pickups, click that Japan box in your filter! Sometimes someone else has even done the same mods you would. This build was a last resort for me. Now, you COULD pay someone to build you an "inspired by" bass--Thingwall, perhaps? --faster than that and probably for less. That's what I'm doing with another bass for this build. But will it scratch the itch?

 

[OJ Dorson]

But just for fun, I thought to myself, if I could have any new bass, what would it be? After some thought, I decided it would be incredible to have a custom-made Dingwall. Think about it, fanned-frets, custom top, Glockenklang or maybe even a Darkglass pre. My mouth started watering. So I reached out and just got an email back.

Price is about what I expected (a lot!)... okay
30% down... um, okay
Build time: 2.5 YEARS!!

Hey tb-player - I don't know if someone had already said this, but I was drooling over the idea of a custom Dingwall build and I talked to Jason over at FretNation and he can get it done in about a year. Have you talked to them? If you really want it, Jason can make it happen.

 

[tb-player]

Hey tb-player - I don't know if someone had already said this, but I was drooling over the idea of a custom Dingwall build and I talked to Jason over at FretNation and he can get it done in about a year. Have you talked to them? If you really want it, Jason can make it happen.

Oh nice. I've worked with Jason before. I'm not in the market for any gear right now, but I may reach out for info. Thanks!

 

[Michael Grant]

Hey tb-player - I don't know if someone had already said this, but I was drooling over the idea of a custom Dingwall build and I talked to Jason over at FretNation and he can get it done in about a year. Have you talked to them? If you really want it, Jason can make it happen.

First I’ve heard of this. I’ll have to look into it, thanks!!

 

[GIBrat51]

Just finished an office remodel. Next month we're doing new hardwood floors in our home. Bruh! No money for basses.

But just for fun, I thought to myself, if I could have any new bass, what would it be? After some thought, I decided it would be incredible to have a custom-made Dingwall. Think about it, fanned-frets, custom top, Glockenklang or maybe even a Darkglass pre. My mouth started watering. So I reached out and just got an email back.

Price is about what I expected (a lot!)... okay
30% down... um, okay
Build time: 2.5 YEARS!!

Even if I wanted to buy one, I wouldn't have it til mid-2025! Good grief, I'd change my mind 68 times before it was done.

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

Well... how does 30 years grab ya? I made a list of basses - left handed basses - that I wanted in my herd, in about 1997. Over the years, I've only had 3 actually made for me. A Warmoth Mini-Precision, which took about 4 months; a custom-shop lefty Eastwood Flying Vee bass - which took about 6 months; and, a short scale Serek Sacramento - which I ordered in the beginning of March, and is supposed to be finished in April 2024. I waited about 4 months for a Guild Starfire I Bass (got it a couple of weeks ago). But, I've searched a lot longer for some of the basses I have. I've wanted a 4HH Stingray since they were introduced, but it wasn't until late 2019 that EBMM made a handful of them. Danelectro didn't make lefty's until 1998 or so (I snagged 2 of those)... It took me about 5 years to find a really clean, playable Rick 4001; a heavily played '73 Jetglo that I payed thru the nose for (gotta love that Lefty Surcharge!). But the one I looked for the longest? Took me 18 years to find a left handed Gretsch bass - that wasn't a conversion, or a stupid expensive '50's custom. My '94 Gretsch G6119BO-LH Broadcaster came from the Terada factory; so, they did make leftys. I've never seen another one, though... And, yes; I'm still looking. After 3 decades? It's kinda become a habit. Looking is all it is, though. The short scale neck-thru Serek fills the last empty spot in my herd. It took a long time, but I did 'git 'er done' before I died of old age... So, yeah; I suppose I'm willing to wait a long time, for a bass I want...

 

[shade_1313]

This was absolutely worth the 16 month wait. Would have still easily been worth 2.5 years.