How much do I need to save?

[Jkeeley]

ok, I am looking to have a custom bass made sometime this year, but I want to get a rough estimate for what this will cost. These are the specs I am looking for:

4-string
35" scale
Mahogany body (double cutaway, top horn scrolled)
Unlined fretless (fretlines and dots marked on sides)
Epoxied rosewood fretboard
Ampeg aeb-1 style headstock
p style pickup @ neck
J style pickup @bridge

other options are up in the air.
anyways... any idea on a final cost? any of these options sound crazy?
thx

 

[7string]

This is just my opinion, but I'd scour the 'net and find luthiers' who's work you like the look of, then send them an e-mail detailing your ideas.

To me, the spec looks fine, but the scrolling on the top horn and the style of the headstock may (and this is only my 2 cents) be a problem to some builders.

I went through the same process at the back end of last year when I decided I wanted to go the custom route again. I managed to find a few builders and sent e-mails from there. Some replies were positive and some didn't reply at all !!

After I'd found a luthier, we then began the process of refining the specification before the build started.

Getting a custom made is a lot of fun, but equally a lot of research !!

 

[pilotjones]

Finding someone to do the Ampeg headstock could be a hitch.

If you're looking for not quite Ampeg, but tuners pointed backward, (and debatably at least as classy as Ampeg), try try our other friend from Scotland.

In the USA, check out GR Guitars (http://www.grbasses.com/). Plain, but in a straightforward, effective way, and maybe you could convince them to do an epoxy neck as a special.

 

[Jkeeley]

wow, i think that GR is exactly what i'm looking for, love those headstocks

 

[pilotjones]

I'd be interested as to whether GR is still in business, since their website is so old.

 

[Son of Magni]

How do you make an unlined fretless with fretlines?

 

[Jkeeley]

inlayed on the side only