Im Just No Gettin The Boutique Thing

[/\/\3phist0]

Let me know when you are ready to ditch that Dolphin! Sold mine and really regret it

I don't expect to part with it anytime soon

I also don't expect to have much trouble selling it if I DO..

or not :/

 

[Ric5]

I am really loving my $135 stingray clone these days … I sold off my expensive basses years ago.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

7 years ago, my wife bought me a new MIA Jazz Deluxe. I loved the sound but noticed that when I switched to passive mode, the output level dropped drastically. It was much lower than my passive basses. I removed all of the electronics and installed Lindy Fralin pickups, over-wound 8%, to get more lows and mids. The bass sounds great.

As far as "boutique" basses are concerned, the fact is that many "boutique" builders buy inexpensive kits and then charge a lot of money for the end product.

I wouldn’t doubt some do that but I do not believe makers with serious reputations do this. I do not believe Performance, LowEnd, Lull, Suhr, Sadowsky, Olinto, AtelierZ, etc. would have their reputations or clientele if they were just assembling Warmoth parts.

 

[bikeplate]

You dont have to get it. Different people like different things

 

[superdick2112]

I gig with a Mexican P-Bass, a USA Spector, and a few others that fall somewhere in between.
I love them all.
There's a time & place for every bass.

 

[Blaze Barlow]

People with an excess of money like to spend it.

well..you cant take it with you..so yes..spend it..life is for enjoyment and experiences..and the older you get..the more you will realize its true..to each his own..my family started poor after WW2..now I have plenty of cash..more than I can spend..and it keeps rolling in at a steady pace..I worked hard to get to this point..and I buy what I want..but I never waste anything..I have one american fender jazz..a gibson victory artist..and a keith brawley bass..I could have many more..but I am good right where I am..I like the elrick jazz bass..and the Wyn bass guitars..and the fodera bass guitar..but havent bought one..I wouldnt mind having another fender jazz bass..but I havent bought one..I did buy a jaguar F type supercharged sports car to cruise in with my supercharged girlfriend..and I always show up at the gig with my cadillac road car..its good to be the king..

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

Good for you!

 

[vin*tone]

You're paying for quality control. Anyone can throw together a kit but I'd pay an expert to do it properly.

 

[petrus61]

 

[JW56789]

Often, when it comes to handbuilt or individual builder basses, the dirty secret is that most of them are out of necessity going to buy pickups and electronics and hardware off the market, and while they may sport some amazing woodwork or finish, they can all end sounding a lot alike. Few have the wherewithal to fabricate their own bridges, tailpieces, and electronic packages, so the ones that can do this you can almost count on one hand. Of course this makes them even more expensive, but bespoke from start to finish just turns out that way.

 

[bassbenj]

well..you cant take it with you..so yes..spend it..life is for enjoyment and experiences..and the older you get..the more you will realize its true..to each his own..my family started poor after WW2..now I have plenty of cash..more than I can spend..and it keeps rolling in at a steady pace..I worked hard to get to this point..and I buy what I want..but I never waste anything..I have one american fender jazz..a gibson victory artist..and a keith brawley bass..I could have many more..but I am good right where I am..I like the elrick jazz bass..and the Wyn bass guitars..and the fodera bass guitar..but havent bought one..I wouldnt mind having another fender jazz bass..but I havent bought one..I did buy a jaguar F type supercharged sports car to cruise in with my supercharged girlfriend..and I always show up at the gig with my cadillac road car..its good to be the king..

I agree. You can't take it with you. Sometimes you just have too much money and have to get rid of some, but you never have too much knowledge! Hence, after you've tried all the cheaper basses it's time to start learning if the more expensive basses mean anything to you or not. Hey, I love my SX basses and I know just exactly what they can do, but they do NOT do the same things as my Modulus, Alembic or Ken Smith. It takes some money to buy that knowledge (or a job in the right kind of store). So why Boutique? Hey, all violins are just some wood and glue, right? Wrong. Some builders know what each detail does and exactly how to bring out what THEY think should be brought out. And they charge plenty for doing it. Now if you agree with their opinion, you plunk 'em down and buy one. If you don't, you keep looking. It's that simple. Tone is where you find it.

PS. Used to own an E type Jag roadster. Performance (when working) was incredible. Also was the biggest piece of crap as a car I ever saw! Sometimes "boutique" is that way too.

 

[Blaze Barlow]

I agree. You can't take it with you. Sometimes you just have too much money and have to get rid of some, but you never have too much knowledge! Hence, after you've tried all the cheaper basses it's time to start learning if the more expensive basses mean anything to you or not. Hey, I love my SX basses and I know just exactly what they can do, but they do NOT do the same things as my Modulus, Alembic or Ken Smith. It takes some money to buy that knowledge (or a job in the right kind of store). So why Boutique? Hey, all violins are just some wood and glue, right? Wrong. Some builders know what each detail does and exactly how to bring out what THEY think should be brought out. And they charge plenty for doing it. Now if you agree with their opinion, you plunk 'em down and buy one. If you don't, you keep looking. It's that simple. Tone is where you find it.

PS. Used to own an E type Jag roadster. Performance (when working) was incredible. Also was the biggest piece of crap as a car I ever saw! Sometimes "boutique" is that way too.

well...the E type jag is nothing like the modern f type supercharged jag...mine is new and has a bumper to bumper 6 year 60,000 mile warranty.. I can agree with everything you say about bass guitars..and tone varies in a big way from fingertips..strings..instrument..amp..and processing gear..also..I am not out looking for any bass guitars.. or dont have to get rid of some money just because I have money..I have seen grand funk railroad and many others rock the house with fender basses..and its good enough for me..who knows how many bass guitars others really have..or who even cares......I am in it ..and have always been in it..for FUN..and thats the way its always going to be..everybody has a different life..some take it too seriously..some dont..some know a lot..others know nothing..some live an exciting life..others have boring and restrained lives..some are married..others are not..some travel the world..others not so much..everybody has their reasons why they play..or not play any specific instrument or gear..doesnt matter to me..my world is mine..and everybody's elses world is theirs..

 

[trickyric]

If I saved long enough I could get a super fancy "botique" bass. But right now I'm pretty happy buying EBMMs and building out fenders. I will say that the joy in that is running thin. But the next logical step is get a few really really nice amp rigs going. Maybe a nice orange and a nice Aguilar rig. I can't hate on what anyone enjoys playing. Most of us do this for fun, so whatever makes you happy.

A fender elite is 2 grand. You can get a nice boutique bass (I prefer to call them custom built) for maybe a grand more. You can get a Birdsong for well under 3 grand.
It's not like we are talking 20- 30 grand difference.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I haven’t seen anything over $2000 where a big increase in price produced some commensurate audible improvement in tone, more about cosmetics. That’s cool, you can pay $50 or $5000 for a chair that fulfills the same function. I have huge admiration for boutique builders, in most cases they are making minimum wage or less, very few people are willing and able to pay what a hand made bass is really worth in hours expended. If you want value for dollar, buy a Squire.

Holy words IMO !

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I love my Elrick 5(rounds) and my SquierP5 (flats). Got a real nice, all original 1969
P about a year ago.

All 3 get played pretty regularly, one doesn’t go on gigs because it doesn’t do the job any better than the other two. Guess which one stays home.

The Elrick obviously

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

A fender elite is 2 grand. You can get a nice boutique bass (I prefer to call them custom built) for maybe a grand more. You can get a Birdsong for well under 3 grand.
It's not like we are talking 20- 30 grand difference.

The Fender Am. Elite Jazz Bass is absolutely a mass-produced, boutique level jazz bass, 2K or 3K it doesn’t matter ... it is decidedly a high specs. jazz bass with a characteristic, trademark sound coming from its long-time historical heritage ... sorry, but, which characteristic sound a Birdsong is notable or renowned for? I ask this because from your comment it is implicit that you consider the Birdsong a better bass and, hence, you justify the extra money required to purchase it in-lieu if an Am. Elite ... in all honesty I don’t know how a Birdsong bass looks or sounds like, however, when talking about landmark bass tones, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions too easily especially when the topic is, in substance, value for money ...

 

[trickyric]

The Fender Am. Elite Jazz Bass is absolutely a mass-produced, boutique level jazz bass, 2K or 3K it doesn’t matter ... it is decidedly a high specs. jazz bass with a characteristic, trademark sound coming from its long-time historical heritage ... sorry, but, which characteristic sound a Birdsong is notable or renowned for? I ask this because from your comment it is implicit that you consider the Birdsong a better bass and, hence, you justify the extra money require to purchase it in-lieu if an Am. Elite ... in all honesty I don’t know how a Birdsong bass looks of sounds like, however, when talking about landmark bass tones, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions too easily especially when the topic is, in substance, value for money ...

wait, you cannot be mass produced and Boutique at the same time. Fender may have tighter tolerances on that model but it is still mass produced.

 

[hypercarrots]

Im Just Not Gettin The Boutique Thing
Im Just Now Gettin The Boutique Thing

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I wouldn’t doubt some do that but I do not believe makers with serious reputations do this. I do not believe Performance, LowEnd, Lull, Suhr, Sadowsky, Olinto, AtelierZ, etc. would have their reputations or clientele if they were just assembling Warmoth parts.

Olinto ... mh... Olinto from LaBella ... what does an Olinto P bass have more than an American Professional? Nothing IMO, just a not so good-looking headstock, but the price is much higher ... not saying that is not finished well or whatever but, if I have to spend that money, I’d go with a Fender CS

 

[trickyric]

The Fender Am. Elite Jazz Bass is absolutely a mass-produced, boutique level jazz bass, 2K or 3K it doesn’t matter ... it is decidedly a high specs. jazz bass with a characteristic, trademark sound coming from its long-time historical heritage ... sorry, but, which characteristic sound a Birdsong is notable or renowned for? I ask this because from your comment it is implicit that you consider the Birdsong a better bass and, hence, you justify the extra money required to purchase it in-lieu if an Am. Elite ... in all honesty I don’t know how a Birdsong bass looks or sounds like, however, when talking about landmark bass tones, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions too easily especially when the topic is, in substance, value for money ...

actually, you are putting intentions on my words. I said nothing like what you are inferring.
I am stating that a person can get a boutique bass from a well known builder, for example Birdsong.
If you value picking the neck shape, weight, wood used etc it can be gotten at a reasonable price.
At no point did I ever discuss wether they are better or not than a Fender (BTW, that is so subjective it's not worth discussing)
If a person likes a Birdsong, or Fodera or any other boutique bass builder they can be had without selling your house.
FWIW,
You can get a Fodera for under 5 grand. They are a pretty premier brand.