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Online custom bass build luthiers

S

superkubot

May 31, 2022
36
20
#1
Hey folks,

I recently picked up a Mexican Fretless Jazz Bass and, honestly, I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed by the quality. I've decided to send it back and am now looking into building a custom PJ Fretless instead. I've heard great things about Warmoth, Maruszczyk, and Sandberg, but I'm leaning more toward Maruszczyk at the moment. Their prices seem reasonable and customers seem happy.

I've had the pleasure of playing a Sandberg before, and it was an amazing experience but slightly expensive, and not many options available on their configurator. However, I've never tried a Maruszczyk bass. Has anyone here played one before? What are your thoughts? Would you recommend it? I'm also open to suggestions for other luthiers - just keep in mind that I'm located in the UK.

Thanks, everyone!
 
#2
Well, Warmoth you would need a builder to do the assembly or assemble it yourself (which you may very well be capable of doing) vs. some of the other builders...
A few questions that will dictate your options:
1) Price range?
2) How "traditional" do you want the instrumental aesthetically and functionally?
3) How long are you willing to wait for delivery?
 
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#3
superkubot said:
Hey folks,

I recently picked up a Mexican Fretless Jazz Bass and, honestly, I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed by the quality. I've decided to send it back and am now looking into building a custom PJ Fretless instead. I've heard great things about Warmoth, Maruszczyk, and Sandberg, but I'm leaning more toward Maruszczyk at the moment. Their prices seem reasonable and customers seem happy.

I've had the pleasure of playing a Sandberg before, and it was an amazing experience but slightly expensive, and not many options available on their configurator. However, I've never tried a Maruszczyk bass. Has anyone here played one before? What are your thoughts? Would you recommend it? I'm also open to suggestions for other luthiers - just keep in mind that I'm located in the UK.

Thanks, everyone!
Click to expand...
You have a number of good options right there in the UK. Sei Bass comes to mind. Jon Shuker (I have a couple of his). AC Guitars. Watson. I'm sure there are plenty others.
 
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#4
DaveParker39 said:
Well, Warmoth you would need a builder to do the assembly or assemble it yourself (which you may very well be capable of doing) vs. some of the other builders...
A few questions that will dictate your options:
1) Price range?
2) How "traditional" do you want the instrumental aesthetically and functionally?
3) How long are you willing to wait for delivery?
Click to expand...

Good points! I'm looking for something around

1. 1.5k£ - 1.9k$
2. I like the vintage P bass or J bass style and
3. I would be willing to wait max 6 months!
 
#7
superkubot said:
Hey folks,

I recently picked up a Mexican Fretless Jazz Bass and, honestly, I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed by the quality. I've decided to send it back and am now looking into building a custom PJ Fretless instead. I've heard great things about Warmoth, Maruszczyk, and Sandberg, but I'm leaning more toward Maruszczyk at the moment. Their prices seem reasonable and customers seem happy.

I've had the pleasure of playing a Sandberg before, and it was an amazing experience but slightly expensive, and not many options available on their configurator. However, I've never tried a Maruszczyk bass. Has anyone here played one before? What are your thoughts? Would you recommend it? I'm also open to suggestions for other luthiers - just keep in mind that I'm located in the UK.

Thanks, everyone!
Click to expand...
Is Overwater out of your price range? They make beautiful basses. Chris May is very easy to work with and his basses are spectacular.
 
#8
My Maruszczyk is great quality and at a reasonable price. I ordered my custom made one through Bass Direct took around 16 weeks to get it. A friend of mine who builds guitars himself thought the Maruszczyk was excellent.
 
Last edited:
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#9
superkubot said:
Good points! I'm looking for something around

1. 1.5k£ - 1.9k$
2. I like the vintage P bass or J bass style and
3. I would be willing to wait max 6 months!
Click to expand...
Maruszczyk checks all these boxes. I own a J bass copy ("Elwood") and am pretty happy with the build quality. If you are not sure about something or are looking for something that is not in the configurator, you can always talk to Adrian.
 
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#11
superkubot said:
Hey folks,

I recently picked up a Mexican Fretless Jazz Bass and, honestly, I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed by the quality. I've decided to send it back and am now looking into building a custom PJ Fretless instead. I've heard great things about Warmoth, Maruszczyk, and Sandberg, but I'm leaning more toward Maruszczyk at the moment. Their prices seem reasonable and customers seem happy.

I've had the pleasure of playing a Sandberg before, and it was an amazing experience but slightly expensive, and not many options available on their configurator. However, I've never tried a Maruszczyk bass. Has anyone here played one before? What are your thoughts? Would you recommend it? I'm also open to suggestions for other luthiers - just keep in mind that I'm located in the UK.

Thanks, everyone!
Click to expand...
Maruszczyk builds awesome basses, I’ve owned 2 and still have one that I custom ordered.

checkout the owners thread here
The Official MARUSZCZYK CLUB!

if you’re in the US go through Randy at Bass Spotlight to order, he’s great to work with and will save you money vs the Configurator.
 
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#13
My main bass is a Maruszczyk Frog 5a. I ordered it after I was dissatisfied by all my other basses in a live setting. I tried a vintage (1984) Squier Bullet, a custom PJ, a modded J Bass, and a fretless P. They're all great basses that I consistently use when recording (except the Squier which I traded away, still love that bass though), but live they didn't do what I needed.

I ordered the Frog direct from Adrian after playing with the configurator for a few weeks. Ordering was easy, the price was great, and since I'm not in the EU I didn't have to pay the VAT. The bass was exquisitely built and has completely satisfied me onstage...I've been using it for a year and a half now and I honestly haven't found a single deficiency. I love it so much that I still go back to the configurator all the time. My next bass will be a Joker 5.
 
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#15
lug said:
LeCompte is another option:
LeCompte Electric Bass (lecomptebass.com)
Click to expand...

The OP will have cost of the bass ,shipping to the UK, 20% VAT on bass + shipping, 3.6% import duty then likely the courier's 'tax collection' fee. Once they've paid that there's still getting hosed on exchange rates and bank/CC transfer fees.

LeCompte start at $2200, other stuff bounces it to near twice his budget.
 
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#16
Barticus said:
Maruszczyk builds awesome basses, I’ve owned 2 and still have one that I custom ordered.

checkout the owners thread here
The Official MARUSZCZYK CLUB!

if you’re in the US go through Randy at Bass Spotlight to order, he’s great to work with and will save you money vs the Configurator.
Click to expand...
Glad to hear so many positive responses! I live in UK so it should be relatively cheap to order from Germany. I def like the configurator and plethora of options and also there are so many bass demos on their youtube that sound very cool.

Many other interesting suggestions as well so I will get some time to digest it all :)
 
#17
superkubot said:
Glad to hear so many positive responses! I live in UK so it should be relatively cheap to order from Germany. I def like the configurator and plethora of options and also there are so many bass demos on their youtube that sound very cool.

Many other interesting suggestions as well so I will get some time to digest it all :)
Click to expand...
There are TONS of Maruszczyk videos for you to checkout too… that should provide way more data than just about any other builder on what they can do! :thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
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