Hand made - non CNC basses

[slugworth]

China's 'stuff' (just about everything) has become increasingly better - as is such the case iwth the SX instruments.

>>>> Probably with the aid of CNC MACHINERY!!!!

Just remember the value of the Chinese currency...and the fact that it barely goes up each year.

>>> True, but I still don't know how the price could possibly
be so low.... Less than $150 for a Tele that sounds good, looks good, and plays well??? Insane...But I'm not complaining!!!

Slug

 

[Marlat]

Worked up?

Easy there hoss.

I guess it's because, from what I have seen, most manufacturers use hardware and electronics that are made by someone else.

If you don't mind, name the few who manufacture there own hardware and electronics. I would like to know so I can do my own comparing.

Warwick (MEC pickups are made by Warwick) (not sure if the machine heads are proprietary)
Alembic
Fender

Pickups but not hardware:

Nordstrand
Hotwire
Ritter

 

[Lowtonejoe]

Small steps, small steps


If you want to learn the insides and the truth behind everything I can offer a few address's of builders that will be more then happy to have free labor for a week or two.

...snip...

Dude! That would be so cool!

Man, I would gladly take a weeks vacation and go to work in a bass shop for free!

That would be without a doubt an awesome life experience!

Your a mean guy!



Joe.

 

[Lowtonejoe]

Warwick (MEC pickups are made by Warwick) (not sure if the machine heads are proprietary)
Alembic
Fender

Pickups but not hardware:

Nordstrand
Hotwire
Ritter

Thanks Mark,

That's good to know.



Joe.

 

[BurningSkies]

I find this to be weird...I bought a Squier Affinity Telecaster to noodle around on. I paid $148 NEW for this guitar. It is built very well. It plays well, it looks good and it sounds like a Telecaster should. My only gripe is the pickup selector switch feels a little flimsy, and there are a couple of mineral stains in the wood. Believe it or not, the fretwork
is very, very good, and the action is better than a lot of guitars I've played at 5 times the price. I'm still astonished at the price, in fact I think it's even underpriced. It's made in China, likely with a ton of automated machinery. The amount of actual human labor is probably minimal...How could this guitar be so inexpensive? With the parts, labor and shipping, how could there even be any profit in it?
Weird
Slug

Nice strawman argument.


This has nothing to do with CNC or hand crafted. It has everything to do with cheaply manufactured parts (pickups, tuners, pots) and the fact that you're basically getting a cheap instrument on the backs of the poor.

Yup. Its easy to churn out a ton of cheap basses (see that economy of scale you were 'schooling' us on earlier)...when you can pay anyone in the factory pennies instead of dollars and you don't have to pay for insurance or healthcare...not to mention the lack of safety regulation in such places...The cost of living is much cheaper, the standard of living is much lower and the governmental oversight is much less.

So what's your point and how does it have anything at all to do with CNC use for high end basses.

 

[JimmyM]

Seen one yet Boom?

Seems like we argued about intent also...

Intent? You mean like using it for a $50 guitar or bass? Yeah, I remember that. And no, I still refuse to pay $20 for some sandpaper and a bent piece of aluminum.

 

[Gard]

Dude! That would be so cool!

Man, I would gladly take a weeks vacation and go to work in a bass shop for free!

That would be without a doubt an awesome life experience!

Your a mean guy!



Joe.

You want mean? PM me anytime you wanna come push a broom and watch it happen.



(I'm betting I happen to be the GM of one of the shops to which Brian refers )

Bottom line, NONE of the guys making "boutique" instruments (personally, I really dislike that term... ) are getting rich, some are doing OK maybe, but no one is driving a Ferrari that I know of. Brian made some excellent observations, there is SO MUCH MORE to the equation than how the bodies and/or necks are rough cut or routed or both. Being in my position, I see ALL of the costs of running the business, and it's heartbreaking, in all honesty, some days. However, everyone I know in this business is here because we LOVE what we do, and all of the frustration, long hours, insanely low pay, and other irritations don't make us feel any less love for our work.

"Hand made"??? No one I know truly "hand makes" bass guitars. Even if you just use a simple spokeshave and a chisel to do EVERYTHING, you're not "hand making" anything.

Where is the line?

To me: The care and love that those building the instrument put into every little thing that they do while building an instrument. What you are paying for is the difference in "mojo" between an assembly-line cookie-cutter bass that is built buy several hundred people that have no clue how to even play the instrument (which can still be a very viable instrument!) and the one built by a single person or small group of people that truly give a $h!t about the end result of every little thing they do in the course of building each and every instrument - the ones that come in at 6 am to start working, the ones that are there at midnight still working, the ones that are there on their "day off" to get something right instead of just punching a clock.

Who gives a rat's @$$ if they do it with their fingernails or a CNC machine - the end result is what matters.

 

[FenderHotRod]

I just like to buy American when I can.... For a poor man like me when it comes to buying music stuff it doesn't happen very often. So be it Cookie cutter, CNC,or hand made. If I can play it and it dosn't fall apart im happy.

 

[Lowtonejoe]

You want mean? PM me anytime you wanna come push a broom and watch it happen.



(I'm betting I happen to be the GM of one of the shops to which Brian refers )

If I could, I would. That's for danged sure.

Bottom line, NONE of the guys making "boutique" instruments (personally, I really dislike that term... ) are getting rich, some are doing OK maybe, but no one is driving a Ferrari that I know of. Brian made some excellent observations, there is SO MUCH MORE to the equation than how the bodies and/or necks are rough cut or routed or both. Being in my position, I see ALL of the costs of running the business, and it's heartbreaking, in all honesty, some days. However, everyone I know in this business is here because we LOVE what we do, and all of the frustration, long hours, insanely low pay, and other irritations don't make us feel any less love for our work.

"Hand made"??? No one I know truly "hand makes" bass guitars. Even if you just use a simple spokeshave and a chisel to do EVERYTHING, you're not "hand making" anything.

Where is the line?

To me: The care and love that those building the instrument put into every little thing that they do while building an instrument. What you are paying for is the difference in "mojo" between an assembly-line cookie-cutter bass that is built buy several hundred people that have no clue how to even play the instrument (which can still be a very viable instrument!) and the one built by a single person or small group of people that truly give a $h!t about the end result of every little thing they do in the course of building each and every instrument - the ones that come in at 6 am to start working, the ones that are there at midnight still working, the ones that are there on their "day off" to get something right instead of just punching a clock.

Who gives a rat's @$ if they do it with their fingernails or a CNC machine - the end result is what matters.

It appears to me that things are not they way I envision them (thanks to Brian and a few well meaning individuals).

I guess I just need to see it happen before I can say anything else.

Whi it would happen any other way than how I think is beyond me!



Joe.

 

[Benavente]

Dude! That would be so cool!

Man, I would gladly take a weeks vacation and go to work in a bass shop for free!

That would be without a doubt an awesome life experience!

Your a mean guy!



Joe.

Joe,
Profile says your in the Northwest. Good, so am I. I invite you to my shop to see just how it works. In fact, I invite anyone who thinks handmade is better than CNC to my place. I have a CNC Router. We can make two bass bodies, one we can use a router and a pattern (handmade??) and one will be done on the CNC. I have a feeling you'll be changing your tune.

 

[Lowtonejoe]

Joe,
Profile says your in the Northwest. Good, so am I. I invite you to my shop to see just how it works. In fact, I invite anyone who thinks handmade is better than CNC to my place. I have a CNC Router. We can make two bass bodies, one we can use a router and a pattern (handmade??) and one will be done on the CNC. I have a feeling you'll be changing your tune.

Chris, this particular arguement has never been about which one is better but if I ever end up in Grants Pass I will give you a call.

Maybe this summer sometime?



Joe.

 

[Benavente]

I was referring to time vs. cost...