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Long Wait List Custom/Boutique Brands

#41
Lo end PUNCH said:
Well lets see..

I ordered a Status graphite 6 string MK sig(first one EVER built), I was told wait time was 3 mo. I got it in 11.5

I ordered two customs from Bud LeCompte with wait times of 3-5 months, got them both in less than four.

Ordered a Bee Bass seven with a wait time of 6 months, got it in 6.

I believe that ANY wait time should produce a great quality instrument...there is a myth that the longer the build time the better or guarnteed quality. No bass to me is worth waiting over a year for...thats just me. To each their own.
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No offense to Bee Basses, but I think I recall the wait being a litte longer these days.
 
#45
PRUNEFACE said:
Well Im not particularly worried about affording, just dont like to waste my money calling international to find out that the build time is well, super quick or super long.
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If you're worried about the $ from a phone call, the price might make you....... It reminds me about the old story about a yacht salesman hearing a customer asking what kind of mileage it got and how much gas was. "If you gotta ask, you can't afford it".

Again, if you're going from Sadowsky to Wal, I think there's too much "dream" in your dream bass and not much reality. I still stand by my theory that you're just in love with the idea of a custom bass, but don't really know what you want.
 
#46
spade2you said:
If you're worried about the $ from a phone call, the price might make you....... It reminds me about the old story about a yacht salesman hearing a customer asking what kind of mileage it got and how much gas was. "If you gotta ask, you can't afford it".

Again, if you're going from Sadowsky to Wal, I think there's too much "dream" in your dream bass and not much reality. I still stand by my theory that you're just in love with the idea of a custom bass, but don't really know what you want.
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Once again, I havent defined a dream bass. I cantell you exactly what I want and how I want it done. I have everything planned out. Its just a matter of finding who can get me the closest. I personally wont be getting a Sadowsky until they get some more "hi tech" electronics and move away from the whole Fender thing. And unless they would be willing to build me a total custom job without it costing WAY more than a not so custom custom then I dont think I wouls buy one. I just love their playability, even though they dont give the sound that I want. Thats why Im looking towards Wal or possibly Ritter. They simply combine that playability with the soubd I am looking for.
And once again, Im not hurting for cash, but I am a stingy SOB.
 
#48
PRUNEFACE said:
Once again, I havent defined a dream bass. I cantell you exactly what I want and how I want it done. I have everything planned out. Its just a matter of finding who can get me the closest. I personally wont be getting a Sadowsky until they get some more "hi tech" electronics and move away from the whole Fender thing. And unless they would be willing to build me a total custom job without it costing WAY more than a not so custom custom then I dont think I wouls buy one. I just love their playability, even though they dont give the sound that I want. Thats why Im looking towards Wal or possibly Ritter. They simply combine that playability with the soubd I am looking for.
And once again, Im not hurting for cash, but I am a stingy SOB.
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I don't mean to sound arrogant, but if when you whip out the big guns like Wal and Ritter, 99% of the population are just looking at the name and popularity. I'm not a betting man, but my gut tells me you haven't played either of those brands. Based on your profile, you're either in high school or college. This isn't an insult, but it's almost pointless to invest that sort of $ into a bass when you really haven't played a wide range of stuff and your tastes are likely to change.
 
#49
spade2you said:
I don't mean to sound arrogant, but if when you whip out the big guns like Wal and Ritter, 99% of the population are just looking at the name and popularity. I'm not a betting man, but my gut tells me you haven't played either of those brands. Based on your profile, you're either in high school or college. This isn't an insult, but it's almost pointless to invest that sort of $ into a bass when you really haven't played a wide range of stuff and your tastes are likely to change.
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I actually have played several Ritters at the LowEnd. And you are right about one thing; I have NOT had the oppurtunity to play a Wal. If youve noticed, though, that Wals virtually never go down in value.
It would be a decent investment -not to mention that I love the tones coming from everyone who plays one (well not everyone, but Karn, Lee, Chancellor, and McCartney while he used one.)
 
#50
While a new Wal may be on my radar for the future. They are back in production, but I don't know of anyone who has a new one, thus nobody knows how good the new crop will be. Given the sort of coin we're talking, I'd prefer to wait until someone else gives feedback and/or the exchange rate improves.

Again, I think you need to spend a lot of time before you pull the trigger. I was your age not so long ago and my tastes are completely different. It sucked that my parents wouldn't help me get my dream gear, but it has since then changed dramatically.
 
#51
spade2you said:
While a new Wal may be on my radar for the future. They are back in production, but I don't know of anyone who has a new one, thus nobody knows how good the new crop will be. Given the sort of coin we're talking, I'd prefer to wait until someone else gives feedback and/or the exchange rate improves.

Again, I think you need to spend a lot of time before you pull the trigger. I was your age not so long ago and my tastes are completely different. It sucked that my parents wouldn't help me get my dream gear, but it has since then changed dramatically.
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Well I truly appreciate your advice, but I am not looking for a true end all bass -I listen to literally ALL kinds of music (With exception of country/Rap) and am proficient in many different styles. I just need a little work on my funky groove.
 
#54
PRUNEFACE said:
Once again, I havent defined a dream bass. I cantell you exactly what I want and how I want it done. I have everything planned out. Its just a matter of finding who can get me the closest. I personally wont be getting a Sadowsky until they get some more "hi tech" electronics and move away from the whole Fender thing. And unless they would be willing to build me a total custom job without it costing WAY more than a not so custom custom then I dont think I wouls buy one. I just love their playability, even though they dont give the sound that I want. Thats why Im looking towards Wal or possibly Ritter. They simply combine that playability with the soubd I am looking for.
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Wait a second, time out...

You know "exactly what you want and how you want it done" and you want a "total custom job"

Whatever gave you the impression that a Wal fits that description?

Wals are limited-production boutique instruments. They are made to order. They offer some options as far as woods and accoutrements. But they are not custom.
 
#55
Hoover said:
Wait a second, time out...

You know "exactly what you want and how you want it done" and you want a "total custom job"

Whatever gave you the impression that a Wal fits that description?

Wals are limited-production boutique instruments. They are made to order. They offer some options as far as woods and accoutrements. But they are not custom.
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that came out funny... What I was trying to get across was that unless I could get an almost 100% custom bass for less than a "boutique" bass and it had the same playability etc. then sure, I'd look at other makers. Wal IS custom -they (supposedly) will make adjustments to their designs for you and you have a wide range of options when it comes to woods (or at least you did.) I don't so much want a total custom job as I want "exactly what I want" and how I want it.
 
#58
PRUNEFACE said:
Wal IS custom -they (supposedly) will make adjustments to their designs for you
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Semantic quibble: To me a "custom" instrument is one that is entirely customizeable and every aspect is specified by the client & luthier brainstorming together. I'm not sure what "adjustments to their designs" you've heard Wal will make, but to the best of my knowledge they will not

- use any pickups other than that one model of their own
- use any electronics other than that one model of their own
- use any bridge other than that one model of their own
- offer any more than (2) pickups...and probably any less than (2) also
- offer non-standard body shapes
- offer more than (6) strings

...and I've never heard of a Wal with anything other than 34" scale length, though I'm not certain that isn't one of the options that is available.

As I said, they're a limited-production, made-to-order, top-of-the-line boutique brand...but if they can't accomodate those options I listed they're not really "custom". And I'm not making a judgement because of that, it's not like "custom" is better than "non-custom", its just that the word "custom" implies a substantial amount of potential variability from one instrument to the next that just isn't available on a Wal.

As I said, it's a semantic quibble. Fighting the good fight for consistent meaning in today's vocabulary!
 

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