Im Just No Gettin The Boutique Thing

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

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.

What is important is the tone the feeling and the finishing ... I agree with OP... what do I do with tigerwood and all other fancy woods if the bass’ tone is a sterile amass of frequencies driven by an anemic preamp? If I want a bit more manhours spent on the instrument I may explore the CS route although, even in that case, the end bass tone may not be that different from that of the standard production runs ..

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

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.

You’re right ... fact is that I’ve never heard a Fodera sounding like a bass ... lots of high mids and highs to make them sound like guitars for virtuosos but if you wanna seriously groove nothing will be more suitable than a jazz or a P bass ... ask Marcus for example eh eh ...

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

The only boutique bass I truly appreciate the tone of is the Alembic Series 1 or 2 .. those instruments rock under all point of view for me

 

[trickyric]

You’re right ... fact is that I’ve never heard a Fodera sounding like a bass ... lots of high mids and highs to make them sound like guitars for virtuosos but if you wanna seriously groove nothing will be more suitable than a jazz or a P bass ... ask Marcus for example eh eh ...

again, that is subjective. Has nothing to do with my post.
You should start a thread comparing Fenders to boutique basses if that is what you want to discuss.
FWIW,
I personally love my fender Elite. I also like the sound of the Yin Yang. I think they are both worth their price tags

 

[interp]

I’ve owned very high end boutique basses and a slew of much cheaper basses. I don’t correlate price with quality; to me, these things are only incidentally connected.

What I am really tired of is people bragging about what they don’t like.

 

[JGbassman]

There are a few high end basses I'd love to have, but the funds and practical aspect don't align in my life. At this point I am not doing much, if any, recording and my playing is part time on the weekends. I do some national acts openers occasionally, but I'm pretty much covering songs in smaller clubs these days. My needs are mostly in the live music relm.

Tonight's choice of bass for the show was an older beat up fender Precision I bought used for less than 300.00, did some mods to to get it right for me, and made some money to boot.

I accidently banged it on a cymbal and on a light stand during the show. I didn't think twice, and a new dent or scuff was born. I won't lose any sleep over the mark, as I just see them as a little collateral damage in the line of duty.

My dream bass is a Fodera (which is most definitely a boutique bass) which I would probably feel sick it I took it to a gig and I got a dent on it.

To each their own, but that kind of Money spend on a bass isn't practical for me right now.

So you all with the nice basses, I'm a little jelly, but it's just not something that makes good business sense for me these days.

 

[Slevage]

The Elrick obviously

Negatory—— plenty to be had

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

again, that is subjective. Has nothing to do with my post.
You should start a thread comparing Fenders to boutique basses if that is what you want to discuss.
FWIW,
I personally love my fender Elite. I also like the sound of the Yin Yang. I think they are both worth their price tags

No sorry it’s not like that ... I can put together a Ying Yang with a the same electronics (strange that Fodera doesn’t make recourse to proprietary items in this regard) at a much lower price in terms of bass design concept (PJ) without maybe the patented wood glueing and jointing techniques, which effect on the bass tone nobody's able to assess, and which I presume makes part of the price tag of Fodera’s instruments and without the AAAA flame maple top, the butterfly mother of pearl logo etc. etc. ... that’s exactly the point ... basses of undoubtful quality in terms of assembly, different story in terms of tone (an Elite PJ sounds better for me and I’m not afraid of saying this) and value for the money which is exactly the OP’s concept .. of course everything is subjective as you say .. in thd end everyone has to get its stuff

 

[mojacko]

Hi, Based on my experience owning both boutique & non-boutique :

My MTD 535 sounds like no other else, played like a dream, balanced across all frets, no deadspots, no muddy sound on high frets. worth the money, sound & playability wise.
but I will only bring it for live if I know I’ll have very good soundman, though MTD always have its place in the mix, poor soundman skill will make it sound not like an MTD

if I’m not sure about the soundman skill, I will bring my sadowsky RV4, easy to dial the tone, always cut through and always sound like it should be. also played like butter.

my other two basses also nice, not boutique, not so very special. playability is below MTD & sadowsky, but always get the job done very well, never dissappoint me.
its stingray 4 piezo + P bass with Ti Flat.

FYI, I’ve modded several bass :

- MIA jazz + sadowsky preamp
- Geddy lee jazz + J-Retro
- Squier VM + MIA pickup, MIA bridge
- Cort B5 + usa bart + aguilar OBP3

yes, sometimes its an improvement, but sometimes the worst thing can be happened, mike tobias philosophy can be real :

electric bass basically is an acoustic instrument, if acoustically sounds bad, adding high end pickup and preamp will just amplified it.

So for me, yes I gettin the boutique thing. but I still don’t gettin with fodera, hahaha

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Having bought played and sold many “boutique” basses over the years a realization struck me. In most cases you can easily buy any of the components off the shelf, that all the boutique builder names use. Also they often sub out much of the woodwork, so in essence become assemblers.

Well I have a nice Fender American Deluxe Jazz. Nice quality, plays nice but the pups/preamp are lacking, So after researching the many boutique component options I decided to go with Fralin/Audere. So now I have a good quality bass the sounds and plays as good as any. Sure there are no swirls or stripes in the wood, or exclusive nameplate, but it does all I need and more, at a fraction of the cost with quality upgraded where its need. so why would I want to by something I can frame on the wall thats not going to be any improvement where it counts?

Ultimately Ive learned that its methodical consistent practice and musical growth that wins above all else. All the rest (instrument, rig etc) are just tools to facilitate your musical expresion.

I agree. There is a lot of money waisted on snob appeal, and not just musical instruments either. In over 50 years.

I have never had somebody suggest that I needed a better sounding bass, and I’ve never had a boutique bass. About as close to one is my older somewhat vintage German built Warwick Corvette that retailed for over $2,000 which I bought for less than $600 a couple of years ago.

Of course, spending $800 on a Rick 4001 in 1974, might qualify based on pricing (P-Basses were selling for about $250 at the time) and there weren’t anywhere near as many alternatives back then.

 

[Kmonk]

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.

I agree but some of the lesser known builders are basically using parts or kits and calling them "boutique" or "custom".

 

[Nev375]

There was a Pedulla Rapture 5 string for sale in my local pawn shop for $400.

I played it and I'm not going to lie it REALLY hurt that I didn't have $400 at the time.

 

[xnewyorka]

There was a Pedulla Rapture 5 string for sale in my local pawn shop for $400.

I played it and I'm not going to lie it REALLY hurt that I didn't have $400 at the time.

Sorry to hear you wanted a bass you couldn't have. Did you post an alert here on TB so someone with the means could snatch it up? (Is it still there?)

 

[Nev375]

Sorry to hear you wanted a bass you couldn't have. Did you post an alert here on TB so someone with the means could snatch it up? (Is it still there?)

Nah this was months ago. I doubt it's still there.

 

[InternetAlias]

The only 'boutique' bass I'd really want is a strandberg, and it has nothing to do with fancy woods or the price tag, just that the thing is absolutely ergonomic and catering to a "performance before looks" type of a guy like me.

 

[JSBassman61]

I've owned a few, closest I own to a boutique Bass right now would be my Elrick Gold Series Bass, Their Nice, I got mines second hand so I was able to hear and feel them before purchase and like someone else mentioned I paid way less that retail value for them. I had my fun with them, ended up being offered more than I purchased for them and sold em. my fear was like someone else mentioned, being stuck with em for life, lol. I own some nice basses but at the end of my ability to perform out, I intend to have a liquidation sale, only keeping one and a nice practice amp so I want them to be able to move quick I'll be 57 in September so I'm thinking roughly 10 more years or so

 

[rhysbishop]

I would love to have a Fodera, I'm not going to lie. Kudos to all you guys that made a big commitment to play what you want to play. Nothing but love to the boutique bass owners.

Buy mine!

 

[trickyric]

Buy mine!

do you have it posted?

 

[rhysbishop]

For Sale - Fodera Imperial Elite

 

[phillipkregg]

I own some boutique basses, but they are the "classic" style: Sadowsky, Valenti, Xotic jazz basses, etc.

For my own tastes, I lean more towards classic Fender styling. I honestly can't stand the aesthetics on most boutique basses.

An example is Ritter Roya.

It doesn't get much more boutique than that. It's a very interesting looking instrument - also very expensive - but in my personal opinion it's ugly as sin and I wouldn't be caught on a stage with it.

That being said, CNC technology and music industry manufacturing training has gotten so much better in the past 10 years that my $600 Sire V7 is sometimes in close competition with my Sadowsky.

The biggest benefit that boutique basses bring to the table these days is their weight factor. All of my boutique basses have weighed in around 8 pounds. My Sire weighs in almost 11 pounds.

If budget manufacturers can get a handle on the weight aspect, it will take the whole bass guitar industry to another level and I would really have to rethink my need for a boutique style instrument.