Build it, or have it built?

[MonetBass]

Welcome to Valenti Basses

@Nino Valenti is a TBer and can make a bass to your specs.

 

[Jakedog]

Welcome to Valenti Basses

@Nino Valenti is a TBer and can make a bass to your specs.

Thank you! I will look into this for sure.

 

[wazzel]

Chat with Matt @ Better Mousetrap Guitars. He built my 50th B-day bass.

also at, Log into Facebook

 

[Gougedeye]

You should float this idea in the Luthier's Corner here on TB and see if you get any takers.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Since you have some time, if you decide on the Warmth route, keep an eye on their in-stock and smoking hot deals. You may get lucky. Since you want graphite rods instead of their usual steel you will probably need to order the neck to-spec from them.

 

[Ric5]

I will preface this by saying I am in no way ready to do anything at all for the foreseeable future. The very soonest this would happen might be a year? So I don’t want to mislead anyone. This is not something that’s happening right now.

Anyhow. I started looking at parts today to build myself a custom bass. I was on the Warmoth site, and spec’d out a neck and a body. Between the two of them I’m at roughly $900. By the time I buy pickups, electronics, hardware, control cover and pickguard, and a case, I’m at least $1500. By the time I consider my labor for assembly, final fret and nut finishing, and setup, which I have more than adequate skills to handle, I’m at $2k. That’s a lot for a DIY considering what I can buy off the rack for $2k.

I know in the guitar world, there are some very good custom guys who could make me Tele or Strat instrument that would make me very happy for $2k. And I wouldn’t have to do anything but play it. Ya see, I can do the work, but I’m kinda lazy.

I’m not as familiar with the bass building world. I’ve always just found a good one at the store and gone with it. Is the same thing possible? Are there people doing that?

I don’t want anything crazy. I’m not into exotic wood, or wild designs, or crazy electronics, or multi-scale stuff. I just basically want a mid-50’s P with the Tele style headstock. But a jazz neck, a PJ setup, a beefy string-thru bridge, rear route for controls, and a cool color (like seafoam or fiesta red) in nitro.

I do like some modern features. Like two-way truss rods and graphite reinforcement.

Im gonna be turning 50 in May of ‘23. I’d like to get myself something really unique. There’s still a chance I might just go hog wild and order up a Fender CS, or similar. But I wonder if there are some really good small builders that present a particularly good bang for the buck.

If you want to learn how to build a parts bass get one of the $200 kits and do that first ... I have built a lot of parts basses and none of them ever approach $1500, you can build a really nice bass for half of that.

 

[gln1955]

Where are these guys? I know the EU, but where specifically? Any history or background? Their stuff looks fantastic, and seems to be very fairly priced, but I’ve never heard of them. I’d love to get some more info. I’m very intrigued.

The company is run out of Germany, but the basses are made in Poland.

Check out the club pages...

The Official MARUSZCZYK CLUB!

 

[jamro217]

The advantages of you building it are: 1.) No excuses for cost overruns or delays. 2.) Hidden flaws. If you're the one routing the channel, you'll know if you slip. 3.) You buy the parts and won't inflate the cost. Even if you don't like building, these ought to make you think twice. Hope this helps.

 

[Tali33]

https://hotwire-bass.de/vintage-51-en Hotwire might be an Option to get it build , I know the names for their Basses are cringe , but the instruments themselves are quite nice. If you want to build it yourself, just get the neck, making a 55 Body is about the easiest body shape with ergo cuts you can do. . I'm planing to build something similar J neck shape on telebass as one of my next projects too. This time I won't mess up the neck pocket For getting a neck: I'm not 100% sure, but I think the squier 50s P got a neck that is close to Jazz C shape. Might be cheaper to just find one with a nice neck and use that for your build then getting one from warmoth.

 

[wheresmyric]

This wouldn’t be my first assembly or setup. I have skills. I thought I made that clear in the first post.


I have skills. I have tools. I have a bench. Nobody else has worked on one of my guitars or basses in decades ...

My apologies for not reading with closer attention and comprehension.

I was a few years late for my 40th year bass, turned out to be 44, but I ended up with Alembic. I couldn't help myself... Good luck with your search.