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Most Underrated Boutique Maker?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I don't think underrated would be the proper term for my current fav luthier but Jacob Marchlewski seems to have the "gift" for creating something very desirable in the bass category.
When the boutique builder reaches the year or more waiting list milestone I don't consider them underrated at all.
MTW.
When the boutique builder reaches the year or more waiting list milestone I don't consider them underrated at all.
MTW.
Wilser-Builder of Ramirez basses. (I've heard nothing but positive about his work, plus they look gorgeous.)
Nino Valenti-Valenti basses (give both Sadowsky and Mike Lull a run for their money)
Pete Skjold-Skjold basses (dude knows how to flat out build basses.)
Nino Valenti-Valenti basses (give both Sadowsky and Mike Lull a run for their money)
Pete Skjold-Skjold basses (dude knows how to flat out build basses.)
I find that the handmade Spector basses are underrated. People look at them and say "oh look, a Spector", but they really can hang with the likes of Fodera in terms of build quality!
I'd also say that Status Graphite basses are hugely underrated outside of Europe!
I'd also say that Status Graphite basses are hugely underrated outside of Europe!
Anybass maker that actually completes your bass and delivers close to on time (months not years).
My list....
Ray Rogers of R Basses. GREAT basses! Cheap on the used market. I'd love to find an early 4 string.
Pete Hanewinckel. He has the touch. Never played a bad Hane. On my short list of "gonna buy soon".
Jayme White...builder of Bone Basses. Killer builder!
Rob Elrick. A GIANT. He knows how to make a great bass.
Hugh McFarland...the "Land" in Lakland. If you can ever get one of the 1st 70 Laklands, they were largely done by Hugh. Best fretwork I've ever experienced.
Charles Cote. Unfortunately not building anymore, but his basses were FABULOUS, as long as it was a lighter weight one. I'd LOVE to find a 4 string Cote someday.
Ray Rogers of R Basses. GREAT basses! Cheap on the used market. I'd love to find an early 4 string.
Pete Hanewinckel. He has the touch. Never played a bad Hane. On my short list of "gonna buy soon".
Jayme White...builder of Bone Basses. Killer builder!
Rob Elrick. A GIANT. He knows how to make a great bass.
Hugh McFarland...the "Land" in Lakland. If you can ever get one of the 1st 70 Laklands, they were largely done by Hugh. Best fretwork I've ever experienced.
Charles Cote. Unfortunately not building anymore, but his basses were FABULOUS, as long as it was a lighter weight one. I'd LOVE to find a 4 string Cote someday.
I haven't tried a Lull, but 100% agree on the other part of the statement above.
I really liked the bass here below that I tested the other week. If it had an OBP-3 in it, it'd make seriously wonder about buying it....
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bongomania
Commercial User
+1, handmade USA Spectors are very bit as nice as any other boutique, but the massive liscensing has devalued their brand. This reminds me of that Sadowsky thread I did a while back asking why Roger won't go budget. I guess Spector has given me my answer.
Ah...but, Spector still command top dollar for the US made stuff and to those who have tried it, it's held in as high a regard as any other luthier! But Spector have also become the champions of the mid priced market with the incredible Euro series!
yeah, in Japan they have the Lakland USA series and Shoreline series.
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Are Bones being built again? I still have mine. Excellent builder.
Rob Elrick builds some of my favorite basses. And Brubakers are still relatively unknown outside of inner circles like TB.
Matt Pulcinella. I own 2 custom basses made by him,and I just bought back an early Level 5 neckthru that I sold a few years ago that he had built for himself and never played. Great basses at very resonable prices.
Sorry for the interruption:
But:
"Underrated Boutique Maker"
seems like a contradiction in terms.
They are all under-rated, it's what makes them "boutique".
Guys ignore them, therefore the product is rare, and if you buy into it: "boutique".
At least if you ignore the instrument part.
But:
"Underrated Boutique Maker"
seems like a contradiction in terms.
They are all under-rated, it's what makes them "boutique".
Guys ignore them, therefore the product is rare, and if you buy into it: "boutique".
At least if you ignore the instrument part.
There is no contradiction. A small maker can have a great reputation within a given strata of players or maybe recording engineers and producers, and the demand for such instruments maybe quite high like Fodera. Instruments can be rare because of price and the limited capacity of the maker to produce basses.
I think almost all these builders will be "underrated" and possibly unknown outside of Talkbass. I play a Rob Allen and a Birdsong and other musicians are always asking about them. Even other bass players have not heard of Rob Allen or Birdsong basses.
