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Callowhill Basses? What do you think?

#81
Fretless5verfan said:
Apparently fender can build a better bass than a fender at more than twice the price...at least they think so :p.
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Yeah, but they don't have quite the attitude about it!

;)

Seriously, at more than twice the price, I would hope that ANYONE could build them better than Fender. Actually, you can buy a Fender, have it pleked and have one of the best playing instruments money can buy.
 
#83
I am not going to bang on Fender, but there are very few luthiers that don't stand behind their product. In a world of political correctness, I am glad for luthiers like Tim who are opinionated. If you dig just a little bit, you will find that most all the great bass builders out there think their basses are better than Fender, especially todays Fender. The point Tim was trying to make is exactly the point you said. Why buy a bass that (will) be great (if you change most everything about it) when you can have one that is great when you get it? I sell swamp ash to at least 150 different luthiers around the world and Tim is one the most pleasant people to deal with. Period. If you don't like the headstock or the shape or whatever else you might think of. Fine. Just make your point and go play your Fender, or any other bass you do like. I promise you if Leo himself was pleased with Fenders, he would have never started G&L or been a part of Musicman.
 
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#84
Mr. Majestic said:
I am not going to bang on Fender, but there are very few luthiers that don't stand behind their product. In a world of political correctness, I am glad for luthiers like Tim who are opinionated. If you dig just a little bit, you will find that most all the great bass builders out there think their basses are better than Fender, especially todays Fender. The point Tim was trying to make is exactly the point you said. Why buy a bass that (will) be great (if you change most everything about it) when you can have one that is great when you get it? I sell swamp ash to at least 150 different luthiers around the world and Tim is one the most pleasant people to deal with. Period. If you don't like the headstock or the shape or whatever else you might think of. Fine. Just make your point and go play your Fender, or any other bass you do like. I promise you if Leo himself was pleased with Fenders, he would have never started G&L or been a part of Musicman.
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Well said sir! There's always room for improvement and change.
 
#87
Mr. Majestic said:
I am not going to bang on Fender, but there are very few luthiers that don't stand behind their product. In a world of political correctness, I am glad for luthiers like Tim who are opinionated. If you dig just a little bit, you will find that most all the great bass builders out there think their basses are better than Fender, especially todays Fender. The point Tim was trying to make is exactly the point you said. Why buy a bass that (will) be great (if you change most everything about it) when you can have one that is great when you get it? I sell swamp ash to at least 150 different luthiers around the world and Tim is one the most pleasant people to deal with. Period. If you don't like the headstock or the shape or whatever else you might think of. Fine. Just make your point and go play your Fender, or any other bass you do like. I promise you if Leo himself was pleased with Fenders, he would have never started G&L or been a part of Musicman.
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Not exactly my point. My point is simple: for $2600, I would hope that ANY luthier could build a better Fender. Why? Because that price is more than two times the amount of a new Fender (or G&L, or EBMM, take your pick). With that price disperity, a real Fender and any of it's boutique knock-offs aren't really even in the same category. For the luthier to make that comparison (and dig) on his website is a bit sad, at best. Maybe your client just mispoke, or typed that in a bad moment, but I would hope he would see the difference between his high-priced instrument and the mid-priced real thing.

If he really wants to tout his product, why not knock Sadowsky, or Lull, or one of his true competitors.

Are we now going to argue that Leo didn't like Fenders, either? ;)
 
#88
guy n. cognito said:
Not exactly my point. My point is simple: for $2600, I would hope that ANY luthier could build a better Fender. Why? Because that price is more than two times the amount of a new Fender (or G&L, or EBMM, take your pick). With that price disperity, a real Fender and any of it's boutique knock-offs aren't really even in the same category. For the luthier to make that comparison (and dig) on his website is a bit sad, at best. Maybe your client just mispoke, or typed that in a bad moment, but I would hope he would see the difference between his high-priced instrument and the mid-priced real thing.

If he really wants to tout his product, why not knock Sadowsky, or Lull, or one of his true competitors.

Are we now going to argue that Leo didn't like Fenders, either? ;)
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Kinda tired of the exaggeration. Just a FYI, Callowhill J5 = $1950.00, Stingray 5 = $1,609.00-$1,869.00, Fender Deluxe J5 = $1,499. Same league.

Anyway, back OT:

Anyone want to see the carved body to my P/J?

l_197b45780764244156464feb33e23a15.png
 
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#89
Fretless5verfan said:
Just a FYI, Callowhill J5 = $1950.00, Fender Deluxe J5 = $1,499.
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I apologize for using the wrong number. BUT, to compare apples to apples, a Callowhill Junk 5 with preamp will cost at least $2,100, while a Fender Jazz Deluxe 5 can be had for $1,300 new, an $800 difference. That price difference stays the same even if you keep both basses passive. That's assuming you don't negotiate the price of the Fender, which is easy enough in most retail locations.

So, at $800 difference, I would hope the Junk bass would be a better bass, without the attitude. ;)

I'll stop now, as I've made my point and really can't add any more to the conversation. I hope the Junk bass is a successful line for CallowHill.
 
#91
I wonder why Sadowsky, Mike Lull, Suhr, Valenti, Dingwall, Fodera, F-Bass, Ken Smith, Lakland, Elrick, The Low End, Nash (especially Nash), Kinal, Bossa, and on and on and on felt the need to make a "J" type bass? Could there be a need that is not getting filled by the Big "F" company. Let's be honest. All of these builders have taken the time to "design" out the "perceived" inherent flaws that the Jazz basses had/have. Fender had a good thing going on when he first designed the P and the J, but something got lost in mass production and all of these builders appreciated the design but felt they could "do it better". Like I said way back there: You get what you pay for or you get what you settle for. Have you checked on the price of a USA made Sadowsky these days? Or how about that new F-Bass Jazz? You are not getting 1 of 100000 necks setting on a cart somewhere paired to 1 of 100000 bodies setting on a cart. You are getting a very carefully planned instrument made by 1 individual from start to finish. Personalized just for you. I just checked and a custom shop J-Bass, it could run you almost $3200. That is for a 4 string that is painted, not natural or nitro and without a figured top, and that is passive, not active.
This is not a thread started to bash on Fender or any brand for that matter, and I think Tim's comments have been completely misunderstood, and by the way were retracted here in this thread by him personally and changed on his website.
This point will no longer be an issue allowed here in this thread. Please just give us your opinion about the instruments, not "I hate his attitude" or "It's not as good as Fender".
Thanks
 
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