I can tell all of you, from experience, that to build a custom bass, from scratch, with premium quality hardwoods, using the best hardware and electronics available, requires- if building alone with a minimum use of machinery, a lot of time and effort. If you add some CNC machines, a Plek machine, a helper or two, and some production aids, and you still have a fairly expensive process. On a limited mass production line, several thousand dollars for a mostly hand built to order instrument is a bargain. Add features, a 'name' brand builder, and exotic woods, and you have a 12k bass, or possibly a 25K bass. A buddy of mine just bought an orchestral string bass- and paid 20K, like it was not expensive. He's right. This is 2025- family sedans, are like 50k and up now. Pickup trucks are 80-100K+.
I simply refuse to calculate my hours for a build. I don't build many basses, or sell them. With overhead, like rent, utilities and maintenance for a large workspace- labor, and the outrageous costs of parts and materials, the 'retail' price would be pretty high.
This is my last build- a 'Davenbacker' that's all highly flamed maple and walnut, scratch built gold anodized pickguard, truss rod cover, jackplate and battery cover. It's 34" scale, and has features I wanted in one, but likely not possible to obtain. It looks like a Rick, and has some of the tonal characteristics- but it is nothing like a stock Rick. I simply do not know in a dollar amount, what it cost me to build it
