Boutique basses

[jim777]

I am GAS'ing HARD for a Roscoe Century Standard 6 JJ though...

That is an absolutely superb bass

 

[abstractart06]

I used to be a custom suit maker. I took the time to select the custom factory, and also hand selected the materials and accessories we provided. We also provided the personal service of meeting our clients when and where it was convenient for them.

New customers would ask me what the difference was in a $300.00 off the rack suit and our $1500.00 custom suit. I would look at them and say, "about $1200.00 dollars. I kept records of my clients measurements, preferences, lifestyle, and knew what he had in his closet.

You can't really put a price on personal service. Anytime you have a say in how something is made, you are getting more than what you pay for.

 

[punkjazzben]

I think that what I've discovered from this conversation is that owning a boutique or custom bass is an entirely personal matter, but only if you can pay. If you can't afford it, however, a boutique bass is either a faraway dream or is an altogether completely ridiculous concept.

 

[Phil Smith]

I think I'll add this to the discussion. The reason many of the "boutique" builders have added import lines is specifically for this reason. That is, to introduce the player who normally can't afford or can't see buying a boutique sight unseen or played to the unique features of his or her high end basses.

Isn't it just to make more money and create more "brand" recognition? Also what about the impact of the "import" on the American worker?

 

[zon6c-f]

I own a Zon, Rick , Fender P, as well as as a Squier active 5 Jazz.

I bought my first Rick when I made minimum wage in 1972..$2 per hour. I was in my teens and living at home.

At that time. Rickenbacker was THE ULTIMATE. This was before I ever heard of Alembic. Although I have never owned one; Alembic was my intro to Boutique basses.

Decades later and due only to a small inheritance, I was able to buy a Fender P, which I believed to be a workhorse of the industry, and a little later, as 5 strings became more mainstream, I ordered the Zon; mine is a 6. I anticipated performing again and I had the best basses imaginable, in my opinion.

9 years later and no gigs, a band needed me as they had fired their bassist. By this time, I realised that my Zon was a "tabletop" and not to be "exposed to the elements of smokey clubs", so my wife gifted me with a Squier Active 5 Jazz. I was going for a $1700 MM, again too precious for that environment. Astonishingly, the Squier near equalled the MM in every way except price and slight fret sharpness on edges. I don't play on edges..so, no real issue there.

Zon, MM and Squier: All active, 3 tone and have detant positions on all controls. Main difference IMHO?... Pawn Shop value.

Although at that time, when I ordered my ZON, I would have never considered a Squier. Had Squier come out with Active 5 and fretless, I could easily have bought 2 or even 3 and still saved $ thousands.

OK..Customer service? Never had any issues with Rick, Fender, ZON ...or Squier, so I only presume all would be excellent. Do I believe Joe Zon and company to be excellent craftsmen? Absolutely and I highly recommend ZON to anyone..who can REASONABLY afford one. As for kids in GC shopping for their first electric bass? I show them a Squier as soon as I see that they are overwhelmed by selection and pricing and refer them to my fave sales rep and walk away...

I was friends with Greg Curbow...R I P.. and could have bought his 6 string fretless with Bartolinis, esentially same as my ZON, for $2000 more than my Zon, but I balked at that. Main difference is that Curbow was totally in-house, whereas ZON can save %$$ by subbing some things out.

 

[chadds]

I used to be a custom suit maker. I took the time to select the custom factory, and also hand selected the materials and accessories we provided. We also provided the personal service of meeting our clients when and where it was convenient for them.

New customers would ask me what the difference was in a $300.00 off the rack suit and our $1500.00 custom suit. I would look at them and say, "about $1200.00 dollars. I kept records of my clients measurements, preferences, lifestyle, and knew what he had in his closet.

You can't really put a price on personal service. Anytime you have a say in how something is made, you are getting more than what you pay for.

I have never found a dress shirt off the rack that actually fit. If the sleeves were long enough and the collar or body length correct then three people could fit in it. Suits? I'd need the coat from one suit and the pants from another. Then they had to be tailored.

I am grown and can afford custom made shirts. I'll not go back!

Yes they have my every measurement. There is nothing like wearing something that fits you, you.

All of this is directly transferable to boutiques. I have personal ongoing correspondence with some serious makers. With Bergantino I just had to ask for a tweak and my plate amp came back an all new fellow.

 

[spector_boogie]

The most "boutiquey" bass I've had is an MTD 535. It was simply put, the best constructed instrument I've ever touched. And as much as I love my USA Spector, I think that MTD still had a lil extra. Was it worth what I paid? To me it was. Unfortunately the sound just didn't jive with what I was playing so I moved it on.
Was just amazing, though. I'd love to own a Ritter 5. I've only gotten to jam on them before.

 

[coyote1]

I played a Warrior 6-string last week.
It is every bit as awesome as my BTB1206 lol

Actually, the action is superb. As is the overall construction. But the knobs are very scratchy, and I'd be reluctant to spray contact cleaner anywhere near such an instrument.

 

[dukeorock]

Boutique basses primary market is of course rich and other peeps with money who like spending a lot on instruments. They are worth it to these people. The vast majority of world touring pros play regular basses with a good percentage of those playing an import model by whichever mfg they favor. Some boutique basses are sold mainly for customized bass that would be rather hard to get otherwise with excellent built and attention to detail.

Some boutique basses however to me are just gaudy things whose cost seems mainly based on their level of gaudyness. Like some alembics that to me look more like a jewlery display thing rather then a music instrument.

For the most part...lots of silly talk there...I am a touring pro...I see a little of everything out there...if it's worth it to you, then great. I personally agree that the looks of a lot of these boutique basses can be 'gaudy.' But that's just your (and my) opinion, and not really on topic...but what do I know, I love T-40's

 

[prd004]

Had a problem with my Lull recently. Swung it by the shop to drop it off, and Mike fixed it on my lunch break free of charge!
Great costumer service is one of the big bonuses of buying from Mike (and others like him I'm sure). You get more than just a great instrument.

 

[pasco jacorius]

Went boutique got disapointed. It hummed like crazy, it was a neck through with a tilt but not in the right direction (instead of slightly downward it was upward) couldn't get a decent action. There was definitely a shielding problem and a lutherie mess which was unacceptable on a 4000 dollars instrument. I asked for a partial refund and sent the bass back. Now the guy told me everything is perfect (of course he cleaned his dirt...). I said refund anyway. Took 2 years to build it, if it's not perfect you have to refund period(and dude has a CNC...). So going boutique doesn't always mean better.

 

[BuddhaofBass]

Horses for courses.

The build quality, aesthetics, and potential tonal possibilities of a boutique bass wouldn't make an ounce of difference in the situations I play in, which is why my Warwick or Fender will do just fine. If I were a session player or soloist, I would consider custom or boutique - but at the moment I just don't need the frills. It would be overkill and unjustifiable on my income.

Also, I like to think of instruments as either liabilities or assets; an $850 Fender will pay for itself in 3-4 weekend gigs at a pub, and will continue to help me make a profit after that, so it's an asset in those circumstances.

It would take me a lot more work to make my money back on a custom or boutique instrument, which is a further reason I wouldn't consider one unless I was playing and getting paid enough to a) make the investment comfortably, and b) turn the investment into profit in a relatively short period of time. I would also need to factor in the actual need of such an instrument, and ask myself "Will having this instrument get me more work/get me paid more for work?"

I think there are people out their who have a genuine need for these instruments, and who can reasonably justify the expense along the lines of what I wrote above. If it's a decision based on rational thought and economics, that's cool. I would imagine there are also a lot of people who just wanted a special bass or a collectors item, and that's cool too.

What I don't get are people who have no real need or appreciation of the instrument, but get it because it's expensive and no one else has one.

Spoken like a true business man!