CertainBass? Anyone tried this?

for 700 i think i'd get something else?

 

He's been on TB a few times...a search or two will give you some info on his basses and the type of person you'd be doing business with.

 

I'd tell you not to, but he might come on here and try to sue me.

Actually, to hell with it - Don't bother.

 

Pass

 

Do not mention these basses in any negative form or fashion, he has proven on these forum he doesn't care about attacking those that do.

My opinion, not a guy I would do business with.

I would ask a mod to close this before it gets out of hand, again.

 

Although, I suppose it's a noble concept - A "to your specs" knockoff Fender for under a grand, but like always, there's money better spent elsewhere.

BTW, I noticed I'm in your sig, good man.

 

I'm sorta.. *ahem* .. uncertain about it.. (lol, sorry I had to).


They look relatively top notch but search for any similar topics for someone who might know and owner or own one.

 

The black on that sunburst seems to get awful thick up the top (in playing position).

 

I own one, and its by far my favorite bass. For the record, David's incredibly easy to deal with. He was in constant contact with me both by phone and email for any questions I had, had a relatively quick turn around, and the bass was amazing. His attention to detail is great. I bought one to replace an American '62 reissue p-bass I had regretted selling and I have to say I like this bass better. The sound is identical, the finish was perfect, and the neck plays like butter. I get a ton of compliments on teh bass, and have convinced some of my friends to buy them

Also, his basses start around $450, not the aforementioned $700. For that you get a standard no-frills bass that rivals an American Fender. When you get into fancier parts and electronics they go up. Considering what you get versus what you would pay for a comparable bass, its a hell of a deal. You can check his ebay responses and Harmony-Central. Not a bad word about the guy.

I have been playing for 16 years in jazz, blues, indie-rock, rock, and pop groups. I've owned everything from obscure Baldwins to G&L L2000s and American Fenders. I'm a bass hoarder and picky about what I buy, and I would definitely buy another one of these.

 

Yeah, that's an ugly sunburst.

 

Have no experience with his basses; they could be wonderful or crap.

I've read a few posts by him here on TB, and for personal reasons, I choose not to consider doing business with him. I feel like I can get a comparable bass for someone I'd be more comfortable interacting with.

 

I lol'd so hard when I read that, without reading who posted it. I lol'd even harder for being such an idiot. I think I was sigged by Atoz, Pre-Bass-Face fame atoz:!) as the case may be, for telling the tale of the time I set myself on fire. Life is good.

Now, not to hijack this thread, I'll say something relevant - I don't like CertainBass. So sue me.

*Do do tchhhh*

(Someone oughta get that one.)

 

Let me preface this by saying I don't want this to devlove into a negative thread. Having said that, why is there such a visceral response to Certainbass on this site? Everyone who's actually dealt with him in a business sense and tried his basses has nothing but positive things to say here, on ebay, and on harmony-central. Yet the people who have never personally interacted with David or ever touched his products seem to be full of negativity toward them.

The person who started this thread wanted to know if Certainbasses are good basses and if the proprietor for Certainbass is easy to work with. The answer is yes, everyone who has bought one and taken the time to issue a review has really enjoyed their bass, and noone appears to have ever had a problem dealing with him to have a bass made. That's the bottom line for me.

 

Because the man can't take criticism to save his life - He may make a fine bass, but I'll never buy one. The second he comes on here, threatening legal recourse against TB'ers simply because of their opinion, is the day I stopped respecting him. That, and he thinks he's better than everyone. I don't know, I'm out of this won't, don't want my ass sued.

 

you guys probably think that thankful is my shill.... no, my customers alert me when my name comes up on tb. so i like to come in here and stir the pot (of course with all due respect to my fellow bassists). i really do love all bassists and everyone who makes any attempt at all to play music of any kind.

look, please, DO NOT buy one of my basses. you can't afford one now. used to you could. i can't make enough basses. so instead of trying to manage a huge under-priced backlog, i just say no. so i don't care whether you buy one of my basses or not. frankly, i'd rather you not.

AND, my personality has nothing to do with the superiority or inferiority of the basses i make.

ONE QUESTION: Who has ever played one of my basses? even seen a picture of one? RAISE YOUR HANDS....

oh mmmmuh ooohhhhh.

end of story.

the only reason i come on here is that if you haven't played one of my basses when someone is asking about it, THEN YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO POST, simple as that. Anything else is innuendo. (it';s hard to sepll without spelck) That is my opinion, respectfully advanced towards your a hole.

if you think i got a little attitude, then you're right. this makes me a little snippy, someone slamming my bass without ever playing it (or ever), but i love you all, still.

if you buy one of my basses and you come on here and slam my bass, then cool! i'll take my lumps. But if you haven't played one, be quiet, please. the grownups are talking.

someone said warranty? if someone is not absolutely in love with their bass, of course i'll refund you or send you another bass for your approval. you silly person, you. if i can't make you the bass that makes you quit missing your old bass, full refund. and i'll work on it until i make you the bass that surpasses your favorite. as long as it;s a 4 string p or j (or pj or pp [yes, pp, the best]) you should want one of my PP's: two p bass pickups, fully hum canceling and a guaranteed real Fender jazz and precision sounds all in one bass and Jaco too. i don't do anything but 4 string bolt-on neck fender style basses. i make bolt-ons that don't feel like bolt-ons. that's all. no 5 strings. i will do left hand joyfully and for the same price as right hand.

thing about it is: i'm just a bassist making basses for bassists. i make them play very nicely, dig? like they're going to be mine and i'm the one who is going to have to play it. that is the main ingredient to my product. most bass makers don't play bass or play very well because they are too busy making basses to play a gig. i play the gig frst, then make basses. Leo Fender never played one note. He may have tried at one point. Say what you want to about Fender, he invented what we call the electric bass.

have you noticed how things got a lot more expensive at the store? fuel cost is gouging everyone, and i'm trying to provide a bass that plays better than basses costing 3 times as much. and try to provide it even cheaper. come on, fellas and ladies, i deserve a slap on the back at least.

for you teachers out there: aren't you tired of the junk your students bring you? that's why i started building. there is the under $300 market, then there's the $1200 plus market. just like the rest of America, there is no middle class. that's where i'm trying to be, the $450 to $950 range is where i'm at. and they play better, sound better than other basses in the $1200 plus range. i promise.

Hey, if you can't make a $150 bass sound good, don't bother getting a more expensive bass to solve this problem. with all due respect to my fellow bassists. dig? but if you want a ..... oh nevermind. i don't want your business anyway.

my greatest accopmplishment in bass making is to surpass my 1973 Fender Jazz bass (maple neck, mop inlay, black on black bod). I did it. I finally made the bass that makes me want to pick it up rather then my real Fender. about 2.5 lbs lighter, too. It's a prototype. baaad as heck. I think lighter is better, it liberates my playing. this is something Leo could not have thought about because he never played a 4 hour gig standing up all night. a heavier bass does not get a better tone, but you are more likely to play your arse off with a light weight bass, and that's a better sound overall, when you're really getting it on regardless of the bass.

I have many other prototypes. Have you ever seen a vintage, like a 1964 Fender with a bunch of weird routings experimenting with different electronic combos? that's basically what I'm doing but with vintage necks and new bodies. like walking in a music store in 1977. or 68. doing customizations on fender style basses.

now, i don't do bogus Fender decals anymore. I have my own headstock decal now. but the only way you get one of my decals is you purchase my optonal Varitone, the one i designed. yes, uhuh. it's called the Elita series. bone nuts, black and white cloth wire, CTS pots, switchcraft jack, American made bodies and necks. any pickups you want. AND a great Varitone (pronounced: ver- uh-tone [accent on the first syllable]). these are the only basses that i can put my name on. those have to be the best. i even have stereo basses. imagine that, please. so, anyway, i've prototyped some pretty hip stuff. trust me on this.

so that's the update on my operations since the last time someone started a thread on my product.

i suspect that a talkbass member will order one of my basses just to slam it here. guess what? you won't be able to slam it, you will love it. every time i make a bass, i think, oh.... this could be the one. so tb definitely has me minding my p's and q's. what if the one bad one i made, one of you guys got? this will keep me up at night.

but whatever you do, please don't buy one of my basses. they really suck. i'm sure i can't make it good enough for your high level of playing that you do.

free shipping to TB members.

peace,
david

how 'bout that 2-5?

 

canada? i can't take criticism? you do not know me.

have you ever played one of my basses? then, no, i cannot take the criticism of someone who hasn't played my product. that much is true. no one should. that is not valid criticism. duh? anyone have a problem with that?

unless you've played one of my basses, what is it exactly that you're criticizing? that i can't take criticism? of what? my bass? go ahead, criticize my bass. never played one? honey, hush. that's all i'm saying.

my output is very low so it is very unlikely people will have one of my basses. and if one's claim to fame in this thread is that one never played one, isn't this a waste of font?

 

David-
Thanks for coming onto Talkbass and participating.
Frst off, I didn't see anyone in this thread knock or put down your basses. The problem is that since you are a custom builder and your customers have to buy these basses without getting to play them first, your pre-sales attitude might turn people off, they may be thinking, "What happens when I get my bass, and it's really not for me? What is his post-sale attitude going to be like", since they couldn't try it out first.
I think the major complaint is the "Don't buy my basses, see if I care" attitude that puts people off. If you are going to be a completely custom builder and never want to see criticism on TalkBass, maybe, again, your pre-sales attitude should change a little bit. No one in this thread knocked your basses. They said that they wouldn't buy one based on your attitude in past threads (and in this one) here on Talkbass. Just completely IMO. That's just how it comes off to me.
Respectfully,
Scott C