Is it wrong for bass builders to charge for certain options?

[Rickett Customs]

Being a lefty, i'd rather charge more for a righthanded instrument

No, lefty or righy.....same price.

An unlined fretless is pretty much the same as a fretted, if it's lined (or dotted), there is an extra charge for that though.

 

[Kwesi]

Having only built a few lefties I can say as a right handed player they are a real bitch to test drive. Because as a very small builder you get used to doing things in a certain way they did slow me down considerably. Just my opinion.

I gotta say, that pic is hilarious!

 

[Gomeztool]

I sure hate to speculate, but seeing as Sterling (is Stuart a nickname??) has done a stellar job with that company on many levels, I'd have to wonder why he would lie about the costs and labor involved in creating left handed instruments? It can no doubt be connected to some sort of deep seated hatred for left handed people.

Scottbass' assumption that a factory can just stop making righties one day and run a batch of lefties is also wrong as far as EBMM is concerned. They don't make an instrument until TPB/BC/GC/MF/any other dealer orders it. There is no warehouse in San Luis Obispo full of surplus instruments waiting to be snapped up.
So yes, making a lefty does have a significant impact on production because there might be situations where they have to adjust the line just to make one lefty. And stoppage = money.

I think EB offers lefties but only in their regular, bread and butter line.

 

[bassmonkeee]

A lined "conversion" with inserts in the slots I can understand because that's a bit off the beaten path (you have to do inserts rather than frets). But an unlined would seem to me to be less work? Apart from the different dots or maybe a different fingerboard specifically for the FL model, seems like manufacturing it would actually be just as simple. Pull the neck before it goes into the slot cutter and you're done . Maybe it's the fingerboard dressing that has to be done?

You do understand that the side dots are in an entirely different place on unlined fretless basses, right?

Again, this shouldn't be difficult to understand--If I can do 10 things one way at the same time, and then have to switch everything out to do one thing an entirely different way, it's going to take longer. Why shouldn't that cost more?

 

[MrWalker]

This is an interesting discussion, and I guess the answer is what have been said a few times, the number of instruments made will affect the price in the end.

What puzzles me more, is that I have never in my entire life seen a trumpet player, tuba player, piano player, violin player, cello player, double bass player, saxophone player, etc., play "lefty". Somehow, all the left-handed people of the world who are playing other instruments than guitars and bass guitars, seem to be adjusting to the "tradition" of the instruments they play, rather than their "handiness." And correct me if I'm wrong, but... don't we use both hands? So why is it important at all?! And in reality, since the preferred hand should be the more accurate one, why don't we prefer to fret with that hand? Woudln't that actually give left-handed people an advantage, playing a so-called "right-handed" instrument?

Does left-handed people read from right to left? Do they dry themselves from the feet up after a shower? OK, so the last was kinda lame, but.... you get my point.

Sorry for derailing the topic. *lol*

But why left-handed in the first place, is my question? Just cause Hendrix hadn't studied violin before he picked up (and smashed) his Fender?

 

[TolerancEJ]

If making lefty insturments is so much more expensive, how is it that Carvin and G&L can sell everything they make lefty for no extra charge - that includes all colors, options, pickup combos etc. I think it's a matter of niche marketing, some manufacturers cater to lefties and some don't. I'm lefty so I buy from the companies that cater to me.

I'd say that Carvin and G&L are probably already charging the full value of the instrument regardless of left- or right-handed. They've determined the maximum (i.e. if left is more expensive), then that is probably their base price regardless of dexterity.

 

[Rickett Customs]

But why left-handed in the first place, is my question?

Some folks actually feel more at home, when their right hand is fretting and their left is plucking. As i've stated before, I attempted playing right handed ,in my first year......did not go very well. my motor skills are hardwired from my brain and playing right handed was very awkward.

 

[gjbassist]

I don't see the logic in charging more for fretless. There is less material and labor involved in making a fretless neck, so why charge more? I have seen it the other way around though, were a company that builds mainly fretless basses charges extra for fretted necks. That makes more sense.

 

[MusicBear]

My experience with this sort of thing started when I was going to order a Warmoth neck. Don't get me wrong, their a great company with excellent products, but I don't think it is right to charge extra for NOT drilling the heel of the neck or for drilling a 15mm hole for tuners instead of the standard (no charge) 17.4mm.

Anything that disrupts the flow of work on a production line may cost extra. When someone has to stop and pull one item out for special handling it slows the operation down.

 

[MrWalker]

Some folks actually feel more at home, when their right hand is fretting and their left is plucking. As i've stated before, I attempted playing right handed ,in my first year......did not go very well. my motor skills are hardwired from my brain and playing right handed was very awkward.

I understand, and I realize that it must be that way. However, in more classical instruments, it doesn't seem to play into it, I assume "the school" says you play that way, and not the other way. So it can obviously be trained? I always think of this when I'm hearing the discussion about left- vs right-handed.

Coming from cello into bass, it was never really discussed. Ok, I am right-handed, but have several musician friends who are left-handed, and only guitar players would ever consider swapping their axe around.

It's more of a philosophical question than anything, it has obviously something to do with the tradition of the guitar... sort of being a "free" and "bluesy" instrument.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

A maker of a *thing* can charge whatever they want... no one is forcing anyone to pay, you know...

 

[MusicBear]

And in reality, since the preferred hand should be the more accurate one, why don't we prefer to fret with that hand? Wouldn't that actually give left-handed people an advantage, playing a so-called "right-handed" instrument?

Sombody please page Steve Morse...

 

[Alkali Ike]

Anything that disrupts the flow of work on a production line may cost extra. When someone has to stop and pull one item out for special handling it slows the operation down.

This is like a prime directive for manufactured goods. Anything out of the ordinary does impact your cost and justifies charging extra.

 

[Bob C]

This is an interesting discussion, and I guess the answer is what have been said a few times, the number of instruments made will affect the price in the end.

What puzzles me more, is that I have never in my entire life seen a trumpet player, tuba player, piano player, violin player, cello player, double bass player, saxophone player, etc., play "lefty". Somehow, all the left-handed people of the world who are playing other instruments than guitars and bass guitars, seem to be adjusting to the "tradition" of the instruments they play, rather than their "handiness." And correct me if I'm wrong, but... don't we use both hands? So why is it important at all?! And in reality, since the preferred hand should be the more accurate one, why don't we prefer to fret with that hand? Woudln't that actually give left-handed people an advantage, playing a so-called "right-handed" instrument?

Does left-handed people read from right to left? Do they dry themselves from the feet up after a shower? OK, so the last was kinda lame, but.... you get my point.

Sorry for derailing the topic. *lol*

But why left-handed in the first place, is my question? Just cause Hendrix hadn't studied violin before he picked up (and smashed) his Fender?

Sorry for contributing to the sidetrack, but since you brought it up (and there is a recent lengthy SX "handedness thread currently going on too) ...

1 There actually have been lefthanded keyboards made. There are also lefthanded banjos, mandolins, steels, violins, etc.

2 Regarding trumpets, etc, maybe those instruments are more geared toward ambidextrousity. Or maybe not everyone can adapt to every instrument. Some lefty bassists can play righty; Some can't. Some, but certainly not all batters can switch hit.

3 There ARE lefthanded golf clubs, bows, tools. It doesn't pertain to just musical instruments. And it shouldn't NECESSARILY be a moot point just because it doesn't pertain to ALL musical instruments.

4 I'm not disagreeing with the capitalism/supply and demand/availability discussion of this thread. I understand that. However Kwesi's main point was about custom builds - not production lines.

 

[Steve-Mo]

Sombody please page Steve Morse...

You rang?

 

[tylerwylie]

I don't mean huge corporations but the smaller outfits. It just doesn't seem quite right to me to charge for options like letfy basses of fretless basses. I know next to nothing about building basses but is a lefty really that more difficult to build? Is a fretless bass really any harder to design? My guy says no but who am I? I wanna hear what you guys have to say!

They can charge you for whatever they want, and if you don't want to pay it you can tell em to go to hell.

 

[Mulebagger]

Akward covers it

It's tricky doing some things left handed and other things right handed.

Once I could have snagged a Modulus Q6 TBX lefty for $800, but I didn't want to relearn to play lefty so I passed.

If I had a sense of economics I would have bought it, sat on it, and sold it later.
But sometimes I'm just a dumbass

 

[BasHermus]

I fear that in many cases they charge more because they can. Certainly for a small luthier. For larger corps. anything different form the run of the mill costs more...

Some time ago I had Marszcyck built me a few basses, so I visited him in Germany (which is not that for away if you live in the Netherlands).

He was (and is) very open and honest about what options cost. And I wanted many things non-standard.

But, since the basses are hand-made (more or less) left hand, ebony fingerboard fretless, different neck dimensions, and many other things (like a very thin maple top on an ash body, to increase articaltion) do not cost extra.

With modern CNC techniques, making a lefty shouldn't cost more either.
Nothing easier than flipping dimension in a computer.



By the way, saying that lefties should learn to play right-hand is nonsense (and I'm a righty).
Certainly if the reason would be because they are a minority, and they must adapt.
There are way more guitar players than bass players. Should the bass players all learn to play the guitar instead as well....

 

[Jared Lash]

"Wrong" is a tough word to use. Businesses can charge whatever they want for whatever they want and consumers can decide what they want to pay for and what they don't.

I think what Kwesi is getting at (and has gotten some good answers for already) is "why do builders charge more for these options and is that 'fair' to their customers or are they overcharging them?"

As many have stated, that's not an easy question to answer. It really comes down to whether it costs the builder more to make basses with those features. If not, then they are overcharging. But again, it's hard to really know whether or not it costs them more or creates more difficulty.

One way I've always checked to see if I felt builders overcharged for options is to look at the upcharge for black or gold hardware. Assuming all the knobs and tuners come from the same place, the only upcharge should be what the dealer pays for the gold or black hardware vs the chrome since the installation is exactly the same. And yet, I've seen companies that charge $100-$200 or more to change to gold hardware.

Again, that's their perogative, but while I have no issue with companies passing along real costs for upgrades (as fretless and lefty models may be for many of them) if I think they are just taking advantage of me I'll either not select those upgrades or buy a different brand altogether.

 

[DigthemLows]

I've only built 5 basses so I can't really contribute much, although....Frets can be pretty forgiving and leave a lot less surface area to make sure it's level. Getting a fretless neck perfect can be extra work. Plus side dots are in a different place, lines/no lines, any of those things may be a different jig or process??

Makes sense to me.............charge more if it costs more or takes more time..........