Best Build Quality in your opinion

[TH63]

Been playing for a long time…have had Squiers (3), Fenders American and Mex (4), Nash (1), Ricks (4), Gibson (1) and a couple of assorted Basses long ago and far away.

For me the Ricks have been the built built Basses I've had.

Hoping to try Sadowsky some day .. but haven't owned one yet.

I am interested in hearing from the men and women of Bassdom.. what brand of Bass has the best build quality in your opinion ? I am talking about fit and finish, how they resonate / feel in your hands, how they stay in tune, and how they sound to you.

Thank you - Happy weekend.

80s Japanese Yamahas.

 

[TH63]

I agree with you on the early 80's high end Matsumokus(See my picture). There is no best. It's what works for you.

Yup. Greco from Japan too.

 

[stevieg]

I would have to say that the most surprising build quality in my experience is the Epiphone Korea-made instruments. Understand that this experience is limited to my lovely gold-top Jack Casady Signature. I wasn't sure what to expect. When it arrived I was very impressed. Flawless.

Steph

 

[GeorgeBassPlay]

Thanks again to ALL for your comments. Good to read about everyone's experiences and favorites. Bass on Brothers and Sisters.

 

[Bassworship1]

Out of all the basses I've owned so far...

9 Custom Warriors
4 Roscoe
1 STR Custom
1 Custom Benavente
1 Ristola
2 Custom Handmade Bacchus Woodlines
5 Ibanez Prestige
10 Ibanez Premium basses
1 Lakland
3 Custom Devon basses

The best I've owned for flawless build, playability, and tone has been the 3 Devon basses I have had. I still have 2 of them and they are my main players and simply flawless in every way.

 

[Dave Neal]

For factory basses, I would have to say MIJ 70's up to the present day. Yamaha, Bacchus, MIJ fenders... and many many more. For handcrafted basses, they hold a top spot too.

 

[naetog]

Of the basses I've actually owned/played, Skjold & Pedulla stand out.

Newer Custom Shop/Masterbuilt Warwick are among the best I've seen too.
Admittedly not as funky and weird as the old ones, but it was brilliantly finished and it was incredibly tidy all around.

 

[Dave Neal]

My Yamaha bb1000 was the best build. Sold it because my korean 2001 ns2000/4 spector plays and sounds better. One day i might put Schaller tuners on it, but I hardly ever have to tune it, nor adjust the neck- carbon reinforced or something.

I have to agree with you on the BB1000. Here's my 78 BB1000, a truly excellent bass qua build and tone.

 

[stevieg]

Actually, I have found Carvin instruments to be extremely well made.

S

 

[bottomzone]

In my experience, Alembic and Ken Smith. The USA Peavey Cirrus basses are not too far behind.

 

[mark beem]

Been playing for a long time…have had Squiers (3), Fenders American and Mex (4), Nash (1), Ricks (4), Gibson (1) and a couple of assorted Basses long ago and far away.

For me the Ricks have been the built built Basses I've had.

Hoping to try Sadowsky some day .. but haven't owned one yet.

I am interested in hearing from the men and women of Bassdom.. what brand of Bass has the best build quality in your opinion ? I am talking about fit and finish, how they resonate / feel in your hands, how they stay in tune, and how they sound to you.

Thank you - Happy weekend.

Valenti and Mike Lull for me without a doubt. Fit form and finish is top notch!

 

[skeeneyman]

My experience isn't very wide, but given that I've sampled Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Univox, Squier, Kay, Danelectro, Hagstrom, Epiphone, Rogue, Schecter, Dearmond and Turser...

I'd give the top marks for build quality to Gretsch in their professional bass line, and Schecter close behind.

Love my Schecter.

 

[avi]

I've Warwick Thumb (My all time favorite) (Sold for a flat screen TV when I bought my second house)
Gibson Thunderbird/w EMG's(Still own - Anniversary gift)
Kubicki Factor (Sold for my Warwick)
2 Vintage 78 Jazz basses
1978 Musicman Stingray
G&L L-1000
Vintage 64 Jazz bass
Epiphone Les Paul bass
62 reissue Jazz
90's US P-Bass
Tele headstock P-bass (built from parts)
Steinberger
USA Spector with a Kahler
Zon with a Kahler
Korean Spector
2 BC Rich Innovators
Aria Explorer (second bass)
Washburn P-bass (First bass)
Heavy Ibanez fretless neck through active bass from the 80's?
German stand-up bass
Rickenbacker 4001(Paid $275 with a broken neck)
BC Rich Warlock - That was $10 at a garage sale - Don't judge
Robelli 8 String (Not built well at all but super fun!)
Yamaha BB 404 (Current main bass) Upgraded with EMG's

I would say Alembic Essence was the bass that I lost it when I played it. Built so well, played so well, sounded so good, smelled so good...

For the basses that I've owned I would say my Kubiki was built great and the neck never changed and then my Warwick Thumb was my all time favorite bass that I've owned.

For inexpensive basses I have to give it to Yamaha. Built well, sound good and easily upgradable. Workhorse instruments. My BB404 is the lowest in the Nathan East line but is still made of very resonate Alder just like my 64 Jazz was. And the neck is more stable than any of my Jazz basses. Live in a wintery climate so in and out of clubs, guitars in cars - that kind of stuff so build matters. Lots of changing temps at certain times of the year.

 

[Tall Low End]

Fodera is simply without peer in so many ways, most definitely including build quality. They are not cheap, but they are worth every penny.

 

[reubart]

Oh the basses I've known and loved. I'm one lucky guy. I'd have to say that, having been fortunate enough over the years to have owned an Alembic, a Sukop, a pre-Gibson Tobias, a Lakland, a Kinal, a few EBMM Stingrays, one 70s MIA Precision, 2 NYC Sadowsky and one Metro, a bouquet of Ibanezes (I still have my SR505 as my camping bass and gig occasionally with my SR805), the best build quality comes consistently out of the boutique shops. In my personal experience (I guess that's really the only kind), my award for BBQ goes to Roger who consistently turns out flawless instruments. Even my Metro, the Japanese Sadowsky, earns this distinction. Stellar in every regard. I can't think of a single improvement they could make. But hey, maybe I'm just easy to please. I've been called worse.

Been playing for a long time…have had Squiers (3), Fenders American and Mex (4), Nash (1), Ricks (4), Gibson (1) and a couple of assorted Basses long ago and far away.

For me the Ricks have been the built built Basses I've had.

Hoping to try Sadowsky some day .. but haven't owned one yet.

I am interested in hearing from the men and women of Bassdom.. what brand of Bass has the best build quality in your opinion ? I am talking about fit and finish, how they resonate / feel in your hands, how they stay in tune, and how they sound to you.

Thank you - Happy weekend.

 

[LowEndOperative]

Of all the basses I have owned, it was my USA Fender Dimension. Compared to non-USA Fender/Squier basses I've owned, the craftsmanship was top-notch. This isn't dissing my non-USA Fender/Squier basses, but compare them side by side and the differences in fit and finish are noticeable. That bass was built like a tank.

 

[J-Mags]

There's a certain amount of luck involved in "the best" instrument. There a zillion lucky cheap guitars out there, and even custom builders must have pieces where the sound came out darker or brighter than intended, or it didn't have quite the complexity the builder anticipated. Everyone's quality control is somewhere south of perfect, and it's amazing the consistency that manufacturers seem capable of.

I've never had any trouble keeping myself in inexpensive, well made instruments. But just once, I'd like to get a bass or baritone from someone who knocks on a piece of wood and starts thinking about an instrument they'd like to make out of it. When you get to the best of those people, they're really is no one best, especially since every musician wants something different.

My favorite production instruments (different from best) are mid-late 70s Ibanez and 80s Japanese Fender.

 

[silvermk4]

Daion. Every instrument in their bass line was meant to compete head-on with the competition's next higher line of basses. And they pulled it off, with absolute consistency of quality.

Well said! I have a 1983 Power mark xx and it's on a par with Alembic which I also owned being a !983 Distillate with Exploiter body. Most unknown guitar around but Built by craftsmen in Japan.

 

[Dan Knowlton]

Just sticking to basses I own or have owned -

Fodera and Ken Lawrence in a tie
Roscoe
MTD (USA)
Regenerate
Pedulla
Acacia (original company, not the recent one)
Sadowsky

As always, my opinion and $5 will get you a cup of coffee at the 7-11!

Dan

 

[Ian Lewis]

Been playing for a long time…have had Squiers (3), Fenders American and Mex (4), Nash (1), Ricks (4), Gibson (1) and a couple of assorted Basses long ago and far away.

For me the Ricks have been the built built Basses I've had.

Hoping to try Sadowsky some day .. but haven't owned one yet.

I am interested in hearing from the men and women of Bassdom.. what brand of Bass has the best build quality in your opinion ? I am talking about fit and finish, how they resonate / feel in your hands, how they stay in tune, and how they sound to you.

Thank you - Happy weekend.

First For Finish, Fit, Feel =

InFinity ​

(Warwick).