• 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 freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Future of Build Offs Voting Thread

What short be the format of future build offs?

  • Same as usual, two per year

    Votes: 20 32.8%
  • One build off (January to April)

    Votes: 24 39.3%
  • One build off - any build completed during the year, entered into a LC bass of the year

    Votes: 17 27.9%
  • Carrots

    Votes: 11 18.0%
  • A sixth month build off starting in January

    Votes: 11 18.0%
  • An eight month build starting in January

    Votes: 3 4.9%
  • A traditional build off, but every eight months on a rolling cycle.

    Votes: 7 11.5%

  • Total voters
    61
  • Poll closed .
Hello good people of Build-Off land!

Soooo.... with some behind-the-scenes conversations with myself and @Alex Xander a plan is forming. :woot:

First off, looks like January to April annually is the winner, so it makes sense that becomes the new thing. The 'Annual Review' voting plan is also still a great idea ( @Bruce Johnson 's, so no surprise there!) with excellent merit, and can be revisited later in 2026 with an effort to pull things together into a vote in January 2027.

Because my own recovery has gone pretty well, and I've already got the structure of the build-off 'project' ready to go, I'm happy to post up the threads and keep things up to date with Alex's support. It would be great if we had a couple more volunteers who could also be involved behind-the-scenes and help monitor and keep things on track. This would not have to be a majorly involved role, it's mostly to help out if things go off the rails for me. My health is 'good' but there is still some tenuousness and I would feel terrible if I made things fail AGAIN. If you're willing to be one of these supports, please feel free to put your name forward here, or in a PM to me or Alex.

I have not heard concerns about the categories of the build-off, and they were developed iteratively, so I'm still of the belief that they capture pretty much every type of build that someone could come up with - if you have specific feedback on these, please bring it forward! The categories are:
Scratch Build​
Partial Build​
Assembly Build​
Non-Bass Build​

There is still copious information available in the Build Off wiki here for reference:

Huge thanks to @Flamingo21 for creation and maintenance of these wikis.

I'll dual post this to the two current WBO threads for reference.
 
Hi all, with seconds left to go, a theme has been decided, and a "Special Category" will also be included.

The Main Build Off Thread will be posted tomorrow morning January 1, 2026 around 0900h PST (UTC -8), which will mark the official start of the build-off! :hyper:

Theme: Run Whatcha Brung
A deliberately broad theme to include whatever it is you have in mind. You want to build it, we want to see it! Tell us your plans and let 'er rip!

Special Category: Unfinished Business
Got a stalled build in the corner? This special edition category is for you! Show that instrument who's boss by bringing it to the finish line. This must be an instrument which you have built, but is not finished for whatever reason. It must be your build to enter. In othe words, if you're completing someone else's unfinished work, that will go into either Partial Build or Assembly Build instead. But we're still rooting for you to finish it. :woot:

Questions? Fire away.

Wiki Page for Reference Information: https://www.talkbass.com/wiki/build-off-rules-guidelines-reference-info/

Wiki Page for Past Build Offs: https://www.talkbass.com/wiki/build-off-threads/