Make vs. Buy

[LarryGK]

Been casually looking at 5-strings. Rather than diving in hard I looked at choices such as Ibanez SR305, and Sterling Music Man (just an example) in the low to mid $300 range. Used.
I like to build sh#t so a big part of this is hands on project, so looked at some kits like by Vibeworks. My conclusion: by the time you throw away the terrible electronics and replace with good stuff you are back at the $300 plus range. And still may end up with baseball bat necks. Any comments to this on your kit experience and costs?

 

[Bodeeni]

Virtually, all my basses are parts basses. It is a lot cheaper to get something off the shelf. All the little parts add up. It is fun to do. As to a parts package, I would expect too much to be sub par especially with the hardware. I just played a Squire classic vibe 5er that was really good. It would cost double to build a similar bass from parts.

 

[lug]

Build for fun, not for profit.

 

[Bent77]

The basses that I’ve built, I’m much happier with than the store bought ones

 

[Whale]

When I first started building instruments I went with a cheap bass kit. Making the instrument was certainly fun and my bass turned out well, but just about everything about it was rather sub par. As you also plan to do, I replaced all of the hardware. The thing is, even though the wood for the kit used maple for the neck and alder for the body, it felt very light and airy. The overall weight would have been a big plus for most bassists, but the wood was so light that the bass felt as though it might snap in two should it fall from a stand or incur some rough handling in the case. I've played a few other basses made from inexpensive kits and they, too, conveyed a feeling of "cheap-ness".

All of that being said, I have a P Bass made from parts sourced out of Warmoth. That bass is spectacular!! It is the equal of any USA Fender and could compete with most Custom Shop basses.

So yeah... if you do go with a cut rate bass kit I'm sure you'll have fun building the bass. Just prepare yourself for an instrument that feels equal to the amount you paid for the kit.

 

[Markmann]

If resale is important keep on mind that you won't get the same return with a kit. If you buy a used guitar you can flip and not lose. I've built a few guitars, some turned out great and others didn't. It's hard to know exactly how they will sound and what pickups will sound best. If the guitar turns out to be a dud you're either stuck with it or sell for a loss.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Been casually looking at 5-strings. Rather than diving in hard I looked at choices such as Ibanez SR305, and Sterling Music Man (just an example) in the low to mid $300 range. Used.
I like to build sh#t so a big part of this is hands on project, so looked at some kits like by Vibeworks. My conclusion: by the time you throw away the terrible electronics and replace with good stuff you are back at the $300 plus range. And still may end up with baseball bat necks. Any comments to this on your kit experience and costs?

With my skills? I’ll gladly pay a lot more than $300 to get an instrument that checks all the boxes.

 

[JRA]

Any comments to this on your kit experience and costs?

i don't have "kit experience" per se, but every one of my 7 axes is an instrument made from parts (e.g., buy a body, buy a neck, buy the hardware and electronics, and assemble all of it). in my case(s), none of that has been particularly cheap, but: i haven't paid 'fender prices' since i started the parts assemblies, so i've gotten better axes (where things are just the way i want them, no quibbling) for less than off-the-shelf comparables: i figure i'm paying somewhere between 25% - 50% of what i'd be willing to pay for a branded instrument with the same features.

i'd advise getting a neck you like and go from there. but if you go ahead with a kit, be sure to share your experience. and tinkering to produce your own playable ax is its own reward so have some fun while you're at it! good luck!

 

[darwin-bass]

Cheap kits are a fairly new thing so I haven't gone that route. I'm picky about my basses so I build using Warmoth parts. I prefer it to buying commercially made instruments. I get what I want, what they don't offer and usually for less money for equivalent quality.

I've always felt that buying lower cost instruments and then swapping parts is not a good value. Others love it. Good for them. For me, a cheap bass with better pickups is still a cheap bass. By the time I've changed the pickups, electronics, tuners, bridge, strap buttons, pickguard ... I might as well have paid more to buy a better bass from the start.

 

[ardgedee]

Been casually looking at 5-strings. Rather than diving in hard I looked at choices such as Ibanez SR305, and Sterling Music Man (just an example) in the low to mid $300 range. Used.
I like to build sh#t so a big part of this is hands on project, so looked at some kits like by Vibeworks. My conclusion: by the time you throw away the terrible electronics and replace with good stuff you are back at the $300 plus range. And still may end up with baseball bat necks. Any comments to this on your kit experience and costs?

You can split the difference by getting a low-priced bass that's got good bones, as they say, and mod it to suit you. Like a Soundgear neck but want a MusicMan pickup? Buy a Soundgear and put a new hole in the body! Like the feel of a Musicman but want soapbar humbuckers? Buy a Sterling and start cutting! Quality of finish is up to you - you can fill any unused pickup holes and with some care and paint it's going to be hard for anybody besides you to know what kind of hacking away you've done.

 

[Minimalist]

Build for fun, not for profit.

This cannot be stressed enough.

 

[Wfrance3]

I haven't built a kit before but I've heavily modified a few basses and have that experience...
I'm currently rocking an Ibanez 205 that is getting the 5 string job done. I didn't really plan to buy a bass, but went to a music store one Saturday and found This little Ibby with a great neck that was not too heavy and was super fun to play. I ended up taking it home and put in some delano soapbars I had been hanging onto. The onboard amp ended up getting pulled in favor or a VVT setup with an Series/Sc/Parallel switch for each pickup.
There were only 4 holes for potentiometers in the bass and I wanted a switch for each pickup so I did a Vol-Tone stack in the first spot and a Vol in the second. The remaining two potentiometer holes are re-purposed for the two switches. I probably could have lived with the Ibanez pickups because especially for the price point, they really weren't too bad. I just remembered what the bass I took the delanos out of sounded like so was worth it to do a little soldering...
All in all, the 250 was like a $300 bass, I had one of the 250K pots, a knob for it and an orange .047 cap, Spend $20 on an alpha 250K stacked pot and stacked knobs for it that were a good match. Oh, I stuck schaller strap locks on it but also had those...
I guess if you had to buy everything but the pickups I put on that bass, would probably have been around $60 excepting the delanos...
Am pleased with how it turned out. Plays great and being able to change the pickup voicing with those switches is bomb.
I guess there was a little crafting involved but nothing near the level of what would have been involved with building from a kit.

 

[LarryGK]

If resale is important keep on mind that you won't get the same return with a kit. If you buy a used guitar you can flip and not lose. I've built a few guitars, some turned out great and others didn't. It's hard to know exactly how they will sound and what pickups will sound best. If the guitar turns out to be a dud you're either stuck with it or sell for a loss.

Thanks. Yeah this is primarily to learn how to play a 5er, not for resale, although we all know how that can go......

 

[KevInDaBassment]

I think you're on the right track OP...but I'd still try a few different neck sizes at a store to see what works best for you.

You DID mention avoiding "Baseball Bat Necks", so I'd say moving towards Ibanez SR basses will keep that fear at bay. Sooo many used Ibanez basses have excellent "bones". Something as simple a string swap, or even just some pickups or new preamp will make it phenomenal. If you can do your own standard setups (intonation, action, saddle adjustment, etc.) you've got little to fear

 

[Arkamsrazor]

Been casually looking at 5-strings. Rather than diving in hard I looked at choices such as Ibanez SR305, and Sterling Music Man (just an example) in the low to mid $300 range. Used.
I like to build sh#t so a big part of this is hands on project, so looked at some kits like by Vibeworks. My conclusion: by the time you throw away the terrible electronics and replace with good stuff you are back at the $300 plus range. And still may end up with baseball bat necks. Any comments to this on your kit experience and costs?

Id rather buy a cheapy from a well established brand than a kit anyday of the week

 

[overit]

Thanks. Yeah this is primarily to learn how to play a 5er, not for resale, although we all know how that can go......

If your goal is to learn to play a 5, try a bunch to see what necks and string spacing you like first before buying. Kits and parts basses are for when you already know what you want and you wanna be a part of making it. Definitely not to save money.

 

[grimjim]

All of that being said, I have a P Bass made from parts sourced out of Warmoth. That bass is spectacular!! It is the equal of any USA Fender and could compete with most Custom Shop basses.

I built a Warmoth p-bass as well and it's also my favorite. Ended costing about $2,000. So, well out of OP's original budget.

Just my opinion but, I would just buy a finished bass if your budget is only $300. It may turn out okay, but I would probably not be happy with the hardware/electronics.

 

[JenderBazzFass]

Unless you have all the parts already and you just need a neck or a body, it's a lot cheaper to just buy off the rack.

 

[IceBlueBoogaloo]

Parts sourcing for large manufacturers is so thoroughly optimized that you’ll find it tough to beat the price by your own means. I tinkered with my Squier VM Jazz for years but finally settled on just a few mods, shielding, some new electronics and a good setup to get a sound I really like out of it.

My Warmoth P-Bass OTOH was a parts project that I had (have?) a lot of fun doing but came in a hair over $1000. Which for the quality I got is genuinely fantastic.

 

[Thumpin6string]

If you can't build from scratch, I suggest building with used parts. I built this 6 string fretless for just under $400. Details are in the link in my sig.