How many working hours would you say it takes an experienced luthier to build a bass from start to finish? Let's say for just a simple Fender style P. And you're starting with rough lumber.
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Average build time?
- Thread starter tmc2300
- Start date
Are we talking just pure "build time" here, not factoring in "wait time" for ordering stuff (including hitting economic order quantities) and waiting for the stuff to arrive and other non-productive times?
I read somewhere it takes a pro 80 hours and an amateur 100 hours. It seems to take me more than 100 hours...
On top of that a pro needs to factor in time such as meeting with customers, emails, marketing, etc etc
On top of that a pro needs to factor in time such as meeting with customers, emails, marketing, etc etc
Hopkins
Commercial User
I would guess actuall physical work time would be in the range of 40-60 hours. The majority of the time building is waiting for glue and finish to dry.
- Jun 6, 2004
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- Owner and builder Clementbass
I have been asked this question so many times and I still after over 300 instruments don't know how to answer it so I say about a week.
Thanks guys. I'm thinking about building a bass, but I see these build threads that span years to completion. The outcomes are impressive, but man, that's a long time to wait before you get to hear how it sounds! And what if you hate the sound! 
The working hours you guys posted puts things in perspective.
Ok, so I have a followup question: How many instruments did you build before you created a really good (or great) one.
I might take a stab at a first built this winter after I spend more time tinkering with doing setups, refrets, cutting nuts, etc on some of my cheapy basses. For practice, I even thought to just build a new body for one of my basses and maybe a few different necks for another bass. I figure my first couple tries probably won't be great and I don't want to agonize over it. I just want to get it done so I can learn and get better. That way maybe by my tenth build, I'll have something special. Practice makes perfect, right?
The working hours you guys posted puts things in perspective.
Ok, so I have a followup question: How many instruments did you build before you created a really good (or great) one.
I might take a stab at a first built this winter after I spend more time tinkering with doing setups, refrets, cutting nuts, etc on some of my cheapy basses. For practice, I even thought to just build a new body for one of my basses and maybe a few different necks for another bass. I figure my first couple tries probably won't be great and I don't want to agonize over it. I just want to get it done so I can learn and get better. That way maybe by my tenth build, I'll have something special. Practice makes perfect, right?
I can tell you that I spent more time thinking about the first build than I did building it. This was also true for one of my friends. Agonized over every detail.
The first one came out very nice. Plenty of room for improvement in areas like having tighter joints, better finish, etc. some things have to be learned over time. But to have an instrument that is custom tailored for my playing style and built by myself turn out to be a very playable and sound good....well that is something special.
It's good to have an idea of what you are going to do, but the real learning happens when you get your hands dirty. Good luck!!!
The first one came out very nice. Plenty of room for improvement in areas like having tighter joints, better finish, etc. some things have to be learned over time. But to have an instrument that is custom tailored for my playing style and built by myself turn out to be a very playable and sound good....well that is something special.
It's good to have an idea of what you are going to do, but the real learning happens when you get your hands dirty. Good luck!!!
This same issue is standard in the homebuilt aircraft and kit car arenas. It gets back to a fundamental question:
Do you want to build something because you want the process of building, or do you want to use what you built?
I'd _guess_ that in the amateur-built instrument area, you should be able to have some pretty good idea of whether you like the sound and playability long before the build is completed. I get that the final finish can affect the sound, but if you built up a concept and it had poor balance and sounded bad, I'd guess no amount of further tinkering would effect the required level of improvement.
(The rule of thumb in homebuilt aircraft is that you'll have built the equivalent of 3 to get the 1 you wanted originally, by the time you factor the do-overs...)
You could start with a full fanned-fret neck-through design if you want to jump off the deep end. Or maybe you can take baby steps and build up just a body that takes a 'known-good' neck.
I like the process of building stuff, but I also believe some things are better (for me...) left to professionals. I don't have the place, the tools, the time, and the patience - all of which are prerequisites - for this activity.
And I think that for me, even if I valued my time at minimum wage levels, I'd be money ahead on an instrument I'd really like if I just commissioned a Roscoe, or a Zon, or another of the really fine low-volume makers who have already posted in this thread.
So - do you like the process and want a learning experience? Or do you want to play a bass?
Great question! I actually love both. I love playing the bass and I actually just began a more serious practice regiment to up my level. I also love building stuff. For example, I just completed finishing my basement and I'm about to build a solid bench to do some more woodworking projects and maybe try building a bass. So yeah, I love the learning process. As much as I'd love to go out and just buy a Sadowsky or Lull or any of the many other fine makers, I think it would be a lot of fun building a bass from rough lumber. Yeah, I know it's not going to be in the same league...those guys have spent years perfecting their craft!
But yeah, I just want to get a sense of the amount of time a typical build takes and how long it took before you started producing really good instruments. Was it on your first try or did it take a couple before you really got the swing of it?
Thanks for the reply!
It always seems to take me about a year. But then each instrument has been radically different from the one before, and I'm not interested in Fender clones, and I do it for fun, and I don't sell them.
Cool. So how many hours would you say go into each build? Are you only putting in a few hours on the weekends? Just curious. Thanks!
Hopkins
Commercial User
My very first bass sounds and plays amazing, my lack of experience in finishing at the time is very obvious. But the bass is pretty great overall. I have had a few dud since then though.
Thankfully, I had a great one on my first try. It can't be tuned and it only has 3 strings, but the googley-eye action is superb.
Good luck with your build, though! Make sure you post lots and lots of pictures.
Thankfully, I had a great one on my first try. It can't be tuned and it only has 3 strings, but the googley-eye action is superb.
Good luck with your build, though! Make sure you post lots and lots of pictures.
Fantastic!!
I definitely will post pics once I get started. Thanks!
Nice! That's great that the first one worked out. Obviously if you're going to put in some serious time on a build you'll want to enjoy playing it. Yeah, I'm actually most worried about the finishing process. Lots and lots to learn there. What was it about the few duds? What happened? Anything learned?
Whether your first one comes out great or is a stinker, you'll most likely be planning your second before your first is done. It's too late for you, you might as well take the plunge and sign up for a line of credit at Grizzly.
Hopkins
Commercial User
One was a fretless 5 string that was just ugly, and had an epoxy finish that was full of witness lines. I took it apart and used the electronics and hardware on a new bass.
The other is a northern ash Jazz that is just too heavy. I am going to do some more neck carving and do some heavy chambering and glue a new back on it. It should be fine after that.
