• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

CNC or not

CNC or not ?

  • I like my basses cut by hand.

    Votes: 8 2.8%

  • I prefer a cnc cut bass.

    Votes: 38 13.1%

  • I don't mind.

    Votes: 243 84.1%
  • Total voters
    289
  • Poll closed .
#141
Roy Vogt said:
What I absolutely love about your Youtube clip is how some well-meaning soul has given you advice about how to do it better!
"You know, Stanley, that tone's way too brittle!"
"Gee, Jaco, that fretless sounds out of tune to me..."
"You know, Miles, maybe you're using that mute too much after all...."
:D
Gotta love Youtube!
Click to expand...

...ahh, but their intentions are completely honorable and only to help improve us all....

...right? ;)
 
#144
robots don't make magic. lots of $hitty guitars are made with
junk wood and poor execution. just look at the Chickenbackers
and phony Les Pauls on the pirate chinese website .

sloppy . but that's what you should expect for $300.

whethermade by robot or drawknife, it's still junk.
 
#149
A good CNC machine can easily hold very tight tolerances all day long....as long as the operator pays attention to his job. Is he clamping the part properly? Does he look his work over? Is he checking his work and is he honest with his checks? Does he examine his tools for tool wear?

I say this as an inspector in a CNC machine shop. Yes, you can have repeatable, consistant quality as long as the operator cares.
 
#152
cnltb said:
So noone here would pay more for a bass because it was all made "by hand" I take it?
Click to expand...

Or pay significantly less? (Wishnevsky) ;)


Construction method has far less influence over final pricing than 'perceived value'. Economy of scale, overhead, market positioning, etc... arguably all combine to affect price more directly.

Me personally? Am I willing to pay more for an instrument solely because the builder hasn't invested in tooling? Nope.
Would I pay more for an instrument that clearly felt and sounded better - ignorant of tools used? Yup.
 
#153
cnltb said:
So noone here would pay more for a bass because it was all made "by hand" I take it?
Click to expand...

I do have a 1976 Alembic that was probably more "handmade" than my current instruments. I think for me it would just depend on the instrument. It also had some neck and hardware issues I had to deal with before it was a great bass, due to the variables of the Alembic shop at the time.
I remember Ron Wickersham of Alembic telling me about the CNC machines back in the mid-80s at a NAMM show and how it would revolutionize how instruments are built. Gard's probably right here, I don't think any of the major custom builders (Smith, Fodera, et. al.) avoid machines to help when it makes sense. I can't answer for smaller builders like Pete Skjold, Bee Basses, Stambaugh, etc.
I think the major revolution of the CNC technology is that I can walk into a music store and buy a bass that plays well and has nice active electronics (comparable on some levels to my 35 year old Alembic circuit) like a Peavey Millenium and it will cost about $300 street.
As I said, putting better basses in the hands of more players is a major win to me.:bassist:
 
#154
If I'm not mistaken, Alembic started to use CNC equipment somewhere in the mid '90s. (+/- 20Y) :p
Quotes from their site:
This is our new CNC (computerized numeric control) machine as it arrived on February 14, 1997. This is a specialty woodworking machine made by Thermwood Corporation in Indiana. We have a five tool automatic tool changer on this machine. The controller is on the work table.
The large table, 5'x5', will enable us to perform more tasks than on our previous CNC machine. For instance, we will now be able to make fingerboards up to 6" wide on the new fingerboard fixture. That is great news for people that want us to build extended range basses and even instruments that you couldn't classify.
Click to expand...
This is a CNC machine that is used for drilling the printed circuit boards used in all the Alembic products both for instruments and rack mounted products. We are very unusual in that most people don't make their own hardware, electronics and pickups let alone manufacture their own printed circuit boards.
Click to expand...
We manufacture all the brass parts on this CNC machine. Here we are drilling and tapping a solid brass bridge block
Click to expand...
Fingerboards are held in place by vacuum tooling. The CNC machine accurately slots the fingerboard for the frets, even custom scale lengths! It also tapers the fingerboards and the for the oval inlays if the model requires it
Click to expand...
Can be found: here

So my 2010 Elan should have seen a lot of CNC action, my '83 Spoiler not so much I guess...
Both are great instruments (all (my) Alembics are imho) I don't care how it's made, as long as it delivers :bassist:
Would be great if they could get a CNC PR device to speed up that process... :D
 
#155
FC Bass said:
So my 2010 Elan should have seen a lot of CNC action, my '83 Spoiler not so much I guess...
Both are great instruments (all (my) Alembics are imho) I don't care how it's made, as long as it delivers :bassist:
Would be great if they could get a CNC PR device to speed up that process... :D
Click to expand...


Yeah, your spoiler body was most likely made with an overarm pin router.
 
#156
cnltb said:
So noone here would pay more for a bass because it was all made "by hand" I take it?
Click to expand...

I simply do not care whether bass is made from CNC parts or sculpted by hand from a single log. There is no reason why I should care: method of manufacture won't affect quality or tone, luthier skill and selection of materials will.

I buy the best bass available within my budget, regardless of how it's made, as long as I feel it's reasonably priced. If I feel a bass is unreasonably priced or out of my budget, the "hand made" factor won't change anything. I would pay more for a "hand made" bass if it were better than the other options within my budget... not simply because it's "hand made".
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back