Custom build pros and cons?

[DaveMFM]

I've been thinking about getting a bass from a custom builder (hoping to spend in the 4k range) instead of buying something a bit cheaper off the rack. The idea of a unique instrument is pretty appealing, and if I'm going to spend money, I like the idea of it going to a small-shop craftsman.

Two questions: for those who have customs, what's the payoff in terms of instrument quality, vs. nice factory stuff? Do you love your bass? And second, what builders come to mind in that rough price range? Not looking for anything too far out of the ordinary, but I'd love to hear ideas. (In particular, what builders have good reputations, because this recent thread makes me twitchy.)

 

[Slevage]

Resale will be an issue.
I love my Elrick (a $3000+ bass that I got used for $2000). I think I could sell it without getting hurt too badly, but I have no immediate plans to do so.
I recently acquired a used Sadowsky Metroline at a fair used price. I love it too, but I’m sure it would sell if necessary.
IMO, find something used at a good price that checks enough boxes for you.

 

[Jeff Scott]

My custom builds are superb in all respects.

Martin Keith is the builder.

Martin Keith Guitars

Handmade custom acoustic & electric guitars, basses. Adjustable neck design, vintage restoration/repair

www.martinkeithguitars.com

If you're looking at getting an FSO, you might want to look elsewhere.

 

[JonathanPDX]

Both my basses are custom builds by Chris Stambaugh, many years apart. I've had the opportunity to play a lot of custom and high-end boutique instruments over the years which gave me a good sense of what was out there and how high-end builds feel compared to off-the-shelf instruments.

The #1 factor in being happy with your custom build is knowing exactly what you want. Every feature, every measurement, and telling the luthier how you want it to feel and play so they can advise and adjust your plan to match your goal. If you don't know every element of what you want, and have a good reason for it, you are greatly increasing the odds you won't be happy with what you ultimately get.

If you just want a really good bass that plays well there are tons of instruments in the used market that will cost less than a custom build, and if you buy it and don't like it you'll take less of a financial loss from it than trying to sell your one-of-a-kind custom build. Plus, you can try it out first to see if you really like it. Even spending a few hundred bucks on a trip to a store that carries boutique instruments might save you money and time over waiting 12-18 months for your custom build to arrive.

So if there are tons of great instruments already out there, why go custom? There are a few reasons:

You want something that just doesn't exist on the market. For example, my wacky 30" tenor bass with 3 pickups, 8 knobs, and 4 switches. The only way to get that specific bass is to have it custom built.

The available instruments come close but don't check every single box, and you are willing to pay a premium for those additional features.

What you want does exist, but not at the high quality level you are after. Though, at this point if the features are common you are likely to find something in the used boutique market that fits. There are a lot more high-end basses out there than there were 30 years ago.

You want something that looks unique and are willing to pay for having something truly one of a kid.

The process of design, choosing woods and features, and waiting for updates as it is built sounds like a fun journey which you would like to experience.


If you do decide to go forward with a custom build, call several luthiers, ask lots of questions, and get estimates. Tell them what your goals are, not just what specs you like. If you want to tap and play solo gigs, tell them! If you want to play death metal with a pick, let them know! And ask what features or specs they would recommend for your goals. They probably have a lot more experience designing basses than you do.

As for luthiers, I have had positive experiences with Chris Stambaugh and both my custom basses are gorgeous and play very well. I've also played some Marleaux basses that were very impressive and if I was having something built I'd put them on my list for sure. I have heard very good things about Adomovic and some top level players are big fans of them, so I'd put them on the list as well.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I have 3 custom builds...none were mine, all secondhand. I've also purchased a few "in stock" builds where I had no say and, for the most part, was happy with the product(s).

Riis

 

[Gopherbassist]

Pros: you get exactly what (you think) you want

Cons: pricey
No resale value
What you order is what you get, so if you overlook something, you're stuck with it

 

[UNICORN BASS]

Pros: you get exactly what (you think) you want

Cons: pricey
No resale value
What you order is what you get, so if you overlook something, you're stuck with it

This. Bear in mind i am a self professed cheap skate!

 

[ardgedee]

What you order is what you get, so if you overlook something, you're stuck with it

Alternately, if it ended up better in your imagination than it does in real life, you're also stuck with it.

Your dream guitar is not anyone else's dream guitar.

 

[ad9000]

The two custom instruments that I've owned were MTD's. They came out great, but I no longer have them because my preferences changed over time - that doesn't really have anything to do with the custom process, though. There was an element of trust involved, but with builders like Mike Tobias or Martin Keith it's hard to go wrong. My biggest negative was just the wait time (12 and 18 months respectively).

After those experiences, which were a few years apart, I decided that I really prefer to get my hands on an instrument as opposed to doing a custom build. I could see there would be advantages with doing one if you need something really specific.

 

[JC BASS 91]

There was a post recently that raises a huge con.

A guy went to a small builder. Paid $1000 down and was given a time frame. Now, years later, the small builder is now not responding to messages. There are lots and lots of stories like this.

My own story with a custom builder is a harrowing mess that delivered me an amazing instrument, but the builder finished it, and then left it to me to get it shipped to me from outside the US, which was a three month long nightmare of dealing with a VPN client to create the shipment order from "inside the UK" with UPS (because it couldn't be done from the US), then dealing with all the US Customs forms and taxes and duties and fees, and blah blah blah.

Needless to say, as nice as the bass is and as much as I'd love to have another one from him, I won't do it because I am not going to navigate that shipping mess ever again.

 

[Altitude]

Resale is the main issue, as others have said. I’ve got three basses from the same builder and bought the first of them in 2006. I don’t imagine I’ll ever part with them, and if I did it would be at brutal loss. That’s OK.

Behind that is the general inability to try one. It can be hard to find specimens from your builder in the wild. And if you do, they might not be very similar to the one you’re commissioning. So there is a leap of faith there.

 

[FullumMusic]

Pros: you get exactly what (you think) you want

I was going to say this:

Pro: You get exactly what you think you want.
Con: You get exactly what you think you want.


Also, if you get an already-made bass, you can play it before you buy it.

If you get a custom, there's always the chance you get it and it's not as amazing as your wallet says it should be, and by then it's too late. And that isn't necessarily because the build is bad. It's just every bass is different and it could be built perfectly to your specs and then when it's in your hands and ears it just doesn't gel with you.

I've had 5 custom basses made for me. LOVED three, meh on one, and kinda hated the other. That "hated" one was a Carvin 6 string in the 1990s that i saved up a bunch of money for and then ordered how i thought i wanted it, and then compromised a bit for other things due to budget reasons, and i loved that bass because it was my 6 string, and it was my money, and it was my custom. And i hated it because, i kinda hated how it played and how it sounded. And for decades it was one of my two basses. I had no way of playing a Carvin before i ordered. It was what it was, i wanted a 6 string because Les Claypool, and in the 90s, obsessively re-reading their catalog must have had an effect on me.Turns out, when you think you know exactly what you want when you're 16, you don't.

With my Olintos i knew pretty much what i was getting even though it was custom because i played a bunch of their basses in the shop before i ordered mine, and talked a whole bunch with Eric and Jimmy before ordering about what i like and don't like and why.

My Maruszczyk Frog fretless i got sight-unseen and when it arrived it was everything i hoped for. But spent a lot of time thinking about what i want from a fretless, and learned a lot from buying the Carvin. I had a clear vision for it and every decision played into that vision.

The "Meh" custom was sight-unseen, and it was kinda my own fault because i didn't have a clear vision. It was also a Maruszczyk and it was built properly and all. I just wanted a bass and had the money, and it arrived and it was a fine, well made bass that i just didn't love. I was experimenting with the options i picked. It was a model i hadn't played before. Somebody else might have loved it but it just didn't speak to me.

 

[ColinR]

Perhaps playing every major brand bass you can find and buying the best option with plans to make mods to electronics, etc? You might be better off in terms of resale, time to get, warranty, etc.
I'm sure there are fine makers who will be honest with you, but do your homework to avoid the ones that aren't.
The Low End Bass Shop in Nashville might be a good place top start....

 

[nonohmic]

If you've spent the time to know exactly what you want it's 100% worth it.

 

[Phreaky Phriday]

As someone who builds his own, my advice is to have your idea flushed out - what's the objective of the build, what electronics, specs, etc. presumably you are going custom because you want something that isn't found off the shelf

 

[MCS4]

I'm not sure if it counts, but I have a Zon that is almost certainly "one of one" based upon a combination of options I requested at build time due to my needs back then and they luckily agreed to (lefty, 32" scale VB-4 with set neck and truss rod, and to my understanding they ended up having to modify the body slightly from the standard VB-4 due to the scale length change, and I have no idea if they ever had reason to use the modified body for any other build).

My goal was to get a top-quality bass that could do the same "both pickups-full-on superjazz" sound as my trusty Carvin LB70 with Aero pickups, if not better, but at a drastically lighter weight and possibly slightly better playability (although the Carvin is not bad at all on that front) due to some physical issues I was having. The good news is the bass is extremely well constructed and has the best overall playability I've ever seen, so it's a total win from the ergonomic standpoint that was the biggest component of why I went with the build. The bad news is that I don't like the sound of it nearly as much as my Carvin, so even with the ergonomic benefits it couldn't de-throne the Carvin (which cost 1/3 as much even accounting for the pickup upgrades) as my main gigging and recording bass, so it is instead a very premium backup bass and still gets the nod if the Carvin's weight gets to be too much. It also took something like two years to build, likely in part due to complications from the custom order, but there's also a whole thread on Zon wait times etc. that can be consulted for other things.

 

[Leisure Weaver]

Sometimes, you may be able to find basses from boutique builders that are available mid-production. That allows you to give some input on the finishing touches (pickups, finish, etc.). That's how I came to be the owner of my Birdsong bass. I saw photos of it and the description that it was up for grabs. I knew instantly I had to have it, and did so in a much shorter timeframe than if I had ordered from scratch.

Birdsong, and their head lutherie, Jake Goede (Goede Guitars), both offer basses that are complete or near complete in addition to custom builds. Birdsongs are strictly short scale basses, but Goede Guitars make regular scale as well. I am a really big fan of my Birdsong, so I sing their praises whenever I get a chance. Here's a couple links to what's available now:

Birdsong Basses

Goede Guitars

 

[Evanforbass]

I had a custom bass built by Walsh Guitars. The process was great as he shared a spreadsheet where I decided on every detail. We collaborated on some details at the outset and mid process. His work is excellent- boutique 60s-70s quirky Japanese/European kinda design. Great guy and business all around.

The permanence of the instrument as everyone has noted is unavoidable--though, I had him rout for the body for P90 pickups, which I thought would give me some flexibility in case I didn't like the pickups we put in. Turns out that was wise as my first pickup choice didnt suit me well, and it was an easy replacement for something I love now (Serek B90s)

 

[ravlin]

I had the bass in my avatar custom made by Mike Saint Germain, not to be confused with St. Germain. I found him on Reverb and he is a one man shop out of NH. My reasons for getting a custom were the right reasons for me, can't say for you...

• Non-normal Spec. I wanted a 1 11/16 nut, flatter fretboard (13" radius), specific pickup positions, wood preferences. Built with alternate tuning in mind.
  • So many "custom shops" are just paint shops. I've spent years looking for the Spec. I wanted on the websites of custom shops. If they can't do a 35" scale 4-string, it's not custom in my book.
• Normal Spec that I knew: Neck thickness, 24 frets, fret material, graphite rods, etc. from doing a couple Warmoth basses.
• Value: direct purchase from a good builder is the same or better pricing than store bought. I paid less than a nice American Fender for a significantly better bass (to me).
• Acknowledged limitations: I didn't expect any of the mysticism of Fodera or Sadowsky NYC or any of that. I'm not such a great player that the 3% improvement that doubling the price might give me would actually make me any better. I knew that after playing it for a year I would have at least slightly different Spec in mind if I were to do it again. (I do)
• I wanted to talk to the builder for sanity check on my eccentricities.

Now that I've had the bass for a couple years as my main player, I'm preparing to get a hold of Mike again.

 

[SunByrne]

My custom:

Is it wonderful? Do I love it?

Yes and yes.

The process was also a lot of fun. Picking all the options—especially the wood—getting updates from my luthier as the project progressed, etc. Great experience. My luthier was Dany Anka, Anka Custom Guitars and Basses. He's more or less local (about an hour's drive) and he does all my setups/repairs/mods, too. For instance, he did a de-fret for me of an L-2000 tribute, also sanded the neck and re-finished it satin instead of gloss.

But having said all that, I think @JonathanPDX is right, you have to consider this carefully. You need reason for a custom that's better than "ooh, a custom would be cool." His list was a good start. My reason was that I wanted something close to a Wal in terms of sound (hence those massive pickups), but I didn't want the lead time or expense of an actual Wal. Oh, and I wanted redwood—which came out pretty much just like I'd hoped.

Would I do it again? I might. I kind of want a Spector NS-2, but those run $7-8k. I can have Dany build me something awfully close for probably about half that, and again I'd get to pick wood/finish/neck profile/etc. I don't know if Dany has ever done a Spector-style curved body but he'd probably be into the challenge.

But, of course, both my current one and that Spector-style project would be worth very little in resale relative to what I paid. I tend to hold onto basses and not re-sell, so this is less of a concern for me than for others, but it's definitely a factor to consider.

I wouldn't do it if I wanted essentially a P or a J just with fancy wood. I kind of want a fretless EBMM StingRay but for something that close to "off the rack" I'd probably buy a BFR rather than go fully custom.