Ghost Builders............

[millsbass5]

I'm sure the majority of you players have heard the term "ghost builder" before. For those of you that haven't,read this:

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But,I couldn't hardly find a whole lot of info on ghost builders that builds basses. Seems I read once upon a time that Michael Tobias "drafted" one Michael Pedulla to build some of his original Tobias Standards,I think it was?
Anyways,I've found a pretty good article/website on a fellow that builds some pretty close replicas of some of the most desirable US built guitars & basses,for considerably less cash. Anyone heard of this fellow below? I sure wouldn't mind trying out his take on Tobias,and Music Man Basses,for sure. All of the reviews on his instruments have been very,very positive. At least the ones I've read.

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Here's another interesting article on replica builders:

The Les Paul Quest Part 1 - The Guitar Column

If there's any wrong info,fell free to correct me on it. Yeah,like I needed to type that.......

 

[millsbass5]

A BUNCH OF TB's gave this man hell (R.I.P.),but I really respected how spoke what was on his mind.

Rants - Ghost Builders - Ed Roman Guitars

 

[Bruce Johnson]

The "ghost builder" thing sounds mysterious and dramatic, but it's actually pretty common around the industry. The larger name guitar companies will often hire specialty luthiers like me to build one-off, prototype, or promotional instruments for them. Sometimes it'll be an experimental variant of one of their existing models. Like make a 5-string version of their current 4-string bass, so they can display it at the NAMM show and see what the reaction is. Or, they may sign up a new endorser, who really likes their bass, but wants it in a different scale length, or a different wood, or some other changes. So, we get the order and we essentially make up a copy of their instrument, but with changes. They pay us and provide us with parts or information or sometimes a sample instrument to copy. Many of the manufacturers have been forced to downsize or close their own custom shops, and it sometimes makes more sense to hire independents like us to do the work. When those instruments eventually get sold off into the general market, they can drive the historians nuts! They may be counterfeits, but they are genuine, authorized counterfeits. And, yeah, they are often better sounding and playing than the production models.