I think I stop believing in expensive basses!

[fenderhutz]

the M word

I lul'd.

 

[THand]

So do the midgets build the expensive basses? Is that why they cost so much?

 

[Buster Brown]

honestly, i think little people were fine with being called midgets until billy barty came along and told them they shouldn't be called that.

About 6 years ago we were playing in San Antonio, Texas. During a break a News Crew was preparing to interview us for the local nightly news. The "young blonde" reporter was talking with one of the folks who was attending the show and she asks this guy ( a "little person" or "midget" or whatever the PC word is..) what the proper "name" for him was, was it "Dwarf" or was it "Midget" or was it "little person"....what should she call him....he looked at her for a second and said..."John"

I walked up and shook "John's" hand....

 

[low2groove]

Boutique to me is from a compay that doesn't CNC everything, like Fender doing 10 bodies at a time in under 10 minutes.

More of a hands on type deal.

Everything I build is a one off, hand done and one of a kind.

And you could say that everything is basically one of a kind because of the nature of the instrument no 2 will ever be exactly alike. But... mass production is another thing.

Look at the Roscoe vids on you tube. I still consider that hand built.

I can actually talk to Roger Sadowsky or Kieth Roscoe if I want like a lot of the smaller builders.

Try that at Fender or Ibanez!

I think Boutique means more care and attention to detail and I believe that is why I am always so down on especially Fenders.

Though some may not like the sound or looks of an Ibanez bass their construction and QC among other things far surpasses what Fender calls an instrument. I believe Ibanez to be the best bass out there for the money if you're looking to spend under $500 or so.

 

[FunkyMan]

If you actually believe that the quality between a squire squier and a ken smith is the same, clearly you are not looking close enough.

Not the whole bass, the piece of wood used can be the same quality, i swear i've seen squier, stagg, etc with nice and stable maple necks!!

The thing is that sometimes we speak just from looking at the instrument, but it would be great to hear from a wood expert if there's good or poor maple, i really don't know if all maple is the same or some parts of the tree that are of poor quality!

I really appreciate the good work, and attention to detail from boutique basses, but I will not be fooled by the multiple layers, or fancy tops!

 

[JimmyM]

About 6 years ago we were playing in San Antonio, Texas. During a break a News Crew was preparing to interview us for the local nightly news. The "young blonde" reporter was talking with one of the folks who was attending the show and she asks this guy ( a "little person" or "midget" or whatever the PC word is..) what the proper "name" for him was, was it "Dwarf" or was it "Midget" or was it "little person"....what should she call him....he looked at her for a second and said..."John"

I walked up and shook "John's" hand....

nice!

 

[Handyman]

about a year ago i posted that i was done with the dirt cheap cheapos. i was wrong. i'm not only not done with them, that's about all i use anymore.

Says the man with the vintage SVT and fliptop.

 

[MikeBass]

Only in TB could it go from expensive basses with comments by cutting edge Pros' (Mike Pope) to midgets all in one thread!!!!!

GOD I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JimmyM]

Says the man with the vintage SVT and fliptop.

lol! true dat, but i just loaded up my micro vr rig for my gig today

 

[Tom Howland]

Good thread.
I walked this fine line for a long time.
Don't get me wrong, I've owned MTD. Roscoe, Stambaugh,
Lakland USA, Padulla, all are wonderful basses.
But and off the rack Fender, G&L, Gibson, orwhat ever, can be great as well.
I've come to conclusion, that you have to judge each bass on it own.

 

[UncleMattGuy]

Good thread.
I walked this fine line for a long time.
Don't get me wrong, I've owned MTD. Roscoe, Stambaugh,
Lakland USA, Padulla, all are wonderful basses.
But and off the rack Fender, G&L, Gibson, orwhat ever, can be great as well.
I've come to conclusion, that you have to judge each bass on it own.

+1
the same holds true for midgets

 

[Duplo42]

That above, and the fact that some instruments get better with playing.

By 'some', i mean, if the bass is made of some seriously crappy wood/workmanship, it will sound the same no matter the playing, but i.e. my plywood fretless p-copy was totally dead when i got it 15yrs ago, but now it has a vibe in it, and whoever picks it ups, goes 'whoa, i honestly never came up with lines that your bass just 'made' me play them'...

That, and your fingers ofc.

 

[AtomicPunk]

I guess Rickenbacker is close to being a boutique company then too...although they recently started CNC'ing their bodies and necks. But a lot of work is done by hand. I like that, and I think it shows in the finished product. Unfortunately, it also shows in the price tag.

 

[kraigo]

Not the whole bass, the piece of wood used can be the same quality, i swear i've seen squier, stagg, etc with nice and stable maple necks!!

The thing is that sometimes we speak just from looking at the instrument, but it would be great to hear from a wood expert if there's good or poor maple, i really don't know if all maple is the same or some parts of the tree that are of poor quality!

I really appreciate the good work, and attention to detail from boutique basses, but I will not be fooled by the multiple layers, or fancy tops!

There are many different types of maple and a luthier like Ken Smith will have a lot of wood around drying for a few years before he makes a bass out of it. The drying is really an important step that takes attention to detail, which is one good reason that boutique basses can be better than their off-the-shelf competition is.

KO

 

[aqsw]

I hope people don't hate on my daughter later this summer when her Dingwall Super J (exotic) arrives. (University Graduation Present for Jazz Performance). I feel it's a bargain compared to her Double Bass I bought her 5 years ago.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Someone inevitably will. That's how sour grapes work.

Jealousy is a funny thing. Many don't even realize they are.

 

[aqsw]

Someone inevitably will. That's how sour grapes work.

Jealousy is a funny thing. Many don't even realize they are.

Ain't that true!

 

[WoodyG3]

But when I see a Ferrari on the road I don't long to own or drive one and I assume that the person driving it is most likely a tool. Same with boutique basses.

When I read a post like this I assume the poster is a troll.

 

[chuck norriss]

was there something particular about jaco's bass or jimi's strat? or did they just take the most common instruments in their fields & turned that sht inside out

 

[willsellout]

There are many different types of maple and a luthier like Ken Smith will have a lot of wood around drying for a few years before he makes a bass out of it. The drying is really an important step that takes attention to detail, which is one good reason that boutique basses can be better than their off-the-shelf competition is.

KO

Exactly, and if you don't know what goes in to making a custom bass from start to finish, it would be easy to shove it in with every other bass.

When I had my custom made by Pete Hanewinckel, I was fortunate enough to visit his shop on numerous occasions. He's had wood in a temperature/humidity controlled room for years. Some of the pieces, he'd had for over 10 years. I think that makes a difference. This and the fact that good luthiers can choose woods by hand. Whether you believe it or not, all wood is not created equal and I firmly believe that custom makers can tell exceptional wood from ordinary wood, and use it.

I think you do what you want, play what you want, and be happy. Whether you require a 10K Fodera or a 300.00 Squier shouldn't matter. They all do the same thing, in the end.