Out With The Warwick, In With The ???

[Darkstrike]

SX?

First Act?

C'mon man when are you gonna get the good gear like COMPLETE Rawks?

Come and go to Hoogie Boogie Land. Blah, Bluh WEEEEEE! UH!





God Bless, Ray

Now that you mention it... First Act, their Custom Shop is pretty dang badass, if you like stuff like Gibson RD's, and vintage style hollowbodies.

IIRC they done some pretty wild Ricky style builds too.

 

[RocketMusic]

Yeah, I avoid conflicts with GC, but I'll go toe-to-toe with WalMart!

Thanks for all the input guys, very interesting indeed... I have no idea what to do. If I let my own taste and view of the market drive things, Lull and Modulus seems like the safest bets. But I'm not the one ultimately buying the basses, so I appreciate your input!

Gadow and Tuttle are a given. They're already here (or almost here in the case of Tuttle), and I can certainly add more basses from them over time. Gerard Melancon does basses, too. If his guitars are any indicator, his basses are probably pretty nice!

Of course, we're still looking at buildings and trying to squirrel away cash as best we can... so doing nothing is always a short term possibility, too. That's probably the wisest course of action, as well, just not the most fun and exciting...

 

[Mike Dimin]

I'd say take a look at Zon. Not only are their USA models top notch but the newer import line is a great bass at a great price

 

[LilRay]

Yeah, I avoid conflicts with GC, but I'll go toe-to-toe with WalMart!

Thanks for all the input guys, very interesting indeed... I have no idea what to do. If I let my own taste and view of the market drive things, Lull and Modulus seems like the safest bets. But I'm not the one ultimately buying the basses, so I appreciate your input!

Gadow and Tuttle are a given. They're already here (or almost here in the case of Tuttle), and I can certainly add more basses from them over time. Gerard Melancon does basses, too. If his guitars are any indicator, his basses are probably pretty nice!

Of course, we're still looking at buildings and trying to squirrel away cash as best we can... so doing nothing is always a short term possibility, too. That's probably the wisest course of action, as well, just not the most fun and exciting...

I'd be the last guy to give ya any real advice, but I might present your case to Suhr, letting him know of the Warwick change and your wish for a 35" 5-String. All the while subtly hinting at Lull being able to provide a similar instrument.

John won't take his #1 dealer possibly being "overridden" by a similar competitor lightly. At least if he has good business sense (which I know he does).



God Bless, Ray

 

[bestfrets]

Yeah, I avoid conflicts with GC, but I'll go toe-to-toe with WalMart!

Thanks for all the input guys, very interesting indeed... I have no idea what to do. If I let my own taste and view of the market drive things, Lull and Modulus seems like the safest bets. But I'm not the one ultimately buying the basses, so I appreciate your input!

Gadow and Tuttle are a given. They're already here (or almost here in the case of Tuttle), and I can certainly add more basses from them over time. Gerard Melancon does basses, too. If his guitars are any indicator, his basses are probably pretty nice!

Of course, we're still looking at buildings and trying to squirrel away cash as best we can... so doing nothing is always a short term possibility, too. That's probably the wisest course of action, as well, just not the most fun and exciting...

I'm already starting on the next bass design,5&6 string tilt back headstock,the headstock will be 3+2 and 3+3,multy lam neck.


Michael.
www.tuttleguitars.com

 

[CrashClint]

Lakland was bought out by the Korean company that was making his imports. I am not sure if you will ever see another American made Lakland.

I like Mike Lull for the Fender style basses, I know the resale isn't the highest but I think you get a nice instrument for the price.

Mike Pedulla is a cool dude and makes excellent basses but I think his used resale is low as well.

My vote would be for KBR Designs. The new line of Fender style jazz basses made in America with parts also made in America. KBR is a subsidiary of a well know bass company and has decided to start producing high end American Jazz basses. They are priced to compete against USA Fenders. I think they are located in Greensboro, NC and possibly could be using a contractor in Durham, NC but I am not 100% sure..

 

[RocketMusic]

Hah! God forbid Keith ever passes on to the great work bench in the sky... but I could totally see Gard buying the company and keeping it alive as KBR Designs...

or maybe Gardulus Basses... known for their sushi necks... kinda slimy, but super stable!

 

[CrashClint]

I tried talking Keith and Gard into a business relationship with Ryan at Gadow a year ago to produce a Fender USA Killer. The problem is, the basses would have to be built for about $450 each, a Roscoe rep would have to QC the basses and then you would have to offer them to a dealer for around $750 so the dealer could sell them for around $1250 to make a profit.

Of course this price does not include a case.

 

[RocketMusic]

Dang, those profit margins almost make me want to get into Retail!!

 

[CrashClint]

Dang, those profit margins almost make me want to get into Retail!!

Had to leave wiggle room in the price so you could negotiate a deal so the customer could be happy as well.

 

[CrashClint]

Hah! God forbid Keith ever passes on to the great work bench in the sky... but I could totally see Gard buying the company and keeping it alive as KBR Designs...

or maybe Gardulus Basses... known for their sushi necks... kinda slimy, but super stable!

If Gard changed the name of the company it would be "Man Whore" Bass Company.

I could see the model names now. The SKB = "Big Juicy", LG = "Lil Ho", and the Century Sig would be "The Pimp". I think all these would have the New Orleans feel to them.

 

[RocketMusic]

Had to leave wiggle room in the price so you could negotiate a deal so the customer could be happy as well.

Nah, Roscoe's got it right... make it a more reasonable (i.e. smaller) profit margin and scrap the haggling. I hate haggling.

The biggest problem at that price point is that NOBODY is making any worthwhile money (not the manufacturer and his employees, or the retailer). You're using relatively high dollar US labor to compete with low dollar offshore labor. The only way to cut costs is to use more automation and to go cheap on the materials (wood, electronics, etc.). You end up with an inferior product made with US craftsmanship... I'm not not sure that balances out well in the end.

I say let Fender have that market. Somebody has to make a beginner/entry level bass, but it doesn't have to be Roscoe or any of the other names we're bantying about. Let Ford be Ford, and let Porsche be Porsche. Nobody wants a Porsche Pinto.

 

[Mike Dimin]

Brubaker Brute is a great bass at a great price point

 

[VroomVroom]

[Side Note Warning]

The Mike Lull resale comments are interesting. At the risk of assuming the driver is TalkBass classifieds, I'll offer the caveat that the marketplace here is amazingly artificial. As evidence...

- My local dealer sells Lull basses...and accordingly takes trades, sells used instruments, yada yada. In this space, the used prices are no different than what they are for any other brand.

- I've seen used stuff in the classifieds sell for more than it can be found new. MTD instruments seem to be the most common, but Genz Benz is another brand that comes to mind. Similarly...just put "Sadowsky" or "Fodera" in the title of a for-sale thread, and the price escalates to (IMO) territory beyond realistic.

- The corollary...for whatever reason (geography, I'm guessing) there are some brands that can't seem to gain traction on the TB classifieds. Mike Lull is one, and honestly, Roscoe is another. I've received (and occasionally leveraged) local offers that far exceed anything possible in this medium.

Point being, weigh your resources carefully, both in buying and selling. Or, more specifically, I'm obviously a big fan of Mike Lull's offerings, and I've never had an issue - buying or selling - for reasonable and realistic market values.

[/Side Note.]

 

[Gadow Guitars]

My vote is for more Gadow Basses!!!!! Maybe a new design between Gadow, Rocket, and the guys on this board......Im up to listening and colaboration.

 

[Darkstrike]

Lull makes some fantastic basses indeed, and I wouldn't worry about resale, the only issue for him I see, is that Greg already has Shur, who makes very similar products. Though Lull does have the 5ers, and scale options.

 

[CrashClint]

The biggest problem at that price point is that NOBODY is making any worthwhile money (not the manufacturer and his employees, or the retailer). You're using relatively high dollar US labor to compete with low dollar offshore labor. The only way to cut costs is to use more automation and to go cheap on the materials (wood, electronics, etc.). You end up with an inferior product made with US craftsmanship... I'm not not sure that balances out well in the end.

Yeah, that was the same point we kept hitting. Definitely don't want to see the fiasco of KSD or Toby. It was just a thought to figure out if we could get Roscoe a larger slice of the market.

I guess we could start up a company called Rosxico, Roscorean or Rosconeese and outsource the work.

 

[Darkstrike]

My vote is for more Gadow Basses!!!!! Maybe a new design between Gadow, Rocket, and the guys on this board......Im up to listening and colaboration.

Sounds like fun!

 

[CrashClint]

My vote is for more Gadow Basses!!!!! Maybe a new design between Gadow, Rocket, and the guys on this board......Im up to listening and colaboration.

I am all for a Crash model with a Rocket inlay at the 12th.

 

[LilRay]

I guess we could start up a company called Rosxico, Roscorean or Rosconeese and outsource the work.

RGD! Roscoe Georgia Division.

I've got access to woodworking machinery, and I need a job



God Bless, Ray