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- Thread starter Apollo5
- Start date
Do you mean strictly materials costs, or are you looking for estimated time and energy costs as well?
- Jun 6, 2004
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- Owner and builder Clementbass
for a bass with a solid alder body with maple neck and EMG p'ups?
Or for a bass with a AAAA spalted burled top, flamed mahogony core, tigerstripe back, 7 stripe bloodwood/ebony/wenge/birdseye neck, stabilized spalted fingerboard, 1 lane poor and 1 darkstar p'up w/custom preamp, handtooled sweedish meteorite bridge/tuners, and gold plated strings?
Makes more of a difference than 4/5/6 string.
(my point being that there's no strict cost per bass, even within your brackets.)
Or for a bass with a AAAA spalted burled top, flamed mahogony core, tigerstripe back, 7 stripe bloodwood/ebony/wenge/birdseye neck, stabilized spalted fingerboard, 1 lane poor and 1 darkstar p'up w/custom preamp, handtooled sweedish meteorite bridge/tuners, and gold plated strings?
Makes more of a difference than 4/5/6 string.
(my point being that there's no strict cost per bass, even within your brackets.)
- Dec 20, 2004
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- Player-Builder-Founder: Honey Badger Pickups & Regenerate Guitar Works
depends on the specific model and target player.
Actual materials can range from $500 to well over $2000 ... and both basses would appear to be "identical" to an uninformed casual observer.
Do you want a custom designed/machined bridge? That's big $$$ over a $20 Gotoh 201.
Do you want a custom carbon fiber composite reinforcement system in the neck (i.e. not your ordinary dual carbon fiber stiffening rods)? That's huge $$$ for design, custom tooling, and a one-of custom job at a place with the needed autoclave/tooling. End result - no real visable difference between this custom neck and a $15 piece of flatsawn hard maple to the casual observer.
I think you get the picture ... it's all in the details or specs and customer requirements
all the best,
R
Actual materials can range from $500 to well over $2000 ... and both basses would appear to be "identical" to an uninformed casual observer.
Do you want a custom designed/machined bridge? That's big $$$ over a $20 Gotoh 201.
Do you want a custom carbon fiber composite reinforcement system in the neck (i.e. not your ordinary dual carbon fiber stiffening rods)? That's huge $$$ for design, custom tooling, and a one-of custom job at a place with the needed autoclave/tooling. End result - no real visable difference between this custom neck and a $15 piece of flatsawn hard maple to the casual observer.
I think you get the picture ... it's all in the details or specs and customer requirements
all the best,
R
- Dec 20, 2004
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- 2,481
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- Player-Builder-Founder: Honey Badger Pickups & Regenerate Guitar Works
Apollo5 said:
OK ... if I average the two extremes it comes down to about $3500 for materials
now ... would you like to get into a little more of the specifics?
all the best,
R
You can actually pull it off for less than 500$ even using high quality hardware and pickups. The most I've spent for a 5-string bass is about 850$, including bartolini pickups and 3-band preamp, hipshot b-style bridge, gotoh tuners, and both a decent top and back.
- Dec 20, 2004
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- Player-Builder-Founder: Honey Badger Pickups & Regenerate Guitar Works
interesting, Phil ...
just goes to prove that more detail is needed to get a reasonable average, as I'll have about $1500 into the current Alder body P-bass project I am building when it runs out the door. Does your investment include finishing (I outsource), case, etc ...?
all the best,
R
just goes to prove that more detail is needed to get a reasonable average, as I'll have about $1500 into the current Alder body P-bass project I am building when it runs out the door. Does your investment include finishing (I outsource), case, etc ...?
all the best,
R
- Jun 6, 2004
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- Owner and builder Clementbass
Rodent said:
For demonstration purposes I'll make a quick run through my last bass and see how it adds up:
- Body wood = 50$
- Top = 50$
- Back = 60$
- Neck wood = 40$
- Fingerboard = 15$
- Pickups = 150$
- Preamp = 150$
- Tuners = 50$
- Bridge = 60$
- Random hardware and electronic stuff = 40$
- Shipping and customs = 150$
So that all adds up to 815$, and I kinda pushed it on the shipping costs. I buy all my wood at a local lumber store, so it turns out a lot cheaper than buying from luthiery suppliers, except for the top and back, which are actually acoustic guitar backs. I also don't have a case with that, mainly cuz it's my own bass, and I just use my gigbag. Regarding the finishing process, I don't outsource my finishing, I usually not finish them at all! I do have the equipment to do it, but I just suck at it currently. So I just end up using some tung and lemon oil. I also usually put on old strings at first to check intonation and high spots. If I like it I'll buy a new set. I've ignored here tooling costs, cuz up to a certain point, unless you're working with stuff that's really hard on tools, I don't feel the cost goes up that much. But I'm probably wrong about that last part.
- Dec 20, 2004
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- Player-Builder-Founder: Honey Badger Pickups & Regenerate Guitar Works
And here's my current 4-string project breakdown:
Body/Neck
Body core, Alder = $55
Body finish, 3-tone sunburst = $250
Neck core = $20
Fingerboard = $25
Trussrod = $20
Carbon fiber rods = $25
Side dots, pearl = $5
Neck finish, satin gloss = $75
Logo, decal application = $10
Hardware
Tortoise pickguard = $50
Pickguard screws = $5
Neck plate, chrome = $4.50
Neck plate mounting pad = $2
Nut, unbleached bone = $6
String retainer, chrome = $2.5
Bridge, Hipshot Type A, alum core, chrome = $110
Screws, neck, chrome = $1.5
Tuners, Ultralight, chrome = $75
Fretwire, 6150 = $6
De-tuner, Ultralight, chrome = $90
Screws, pickup = $2.5
String ferrules, chrome = $4
Knobs, chrome = $5.5
Strap locks, Dunlop, chrome = $18
Soft case = $100
Electronics
Pickups, Dark Star DS-3 = $175
Pot, 250K = $5
Pot, 500K = $5
Cap, .047uf = $.50
Shielding, copper foil = $20
Jack, 1/4", mono = $2.5
Misc wire, solder, etc = $3
Strings, 4-string set = $25
this does not include shipping or taxes paid on purchasing these materials, or any kind of tooling or consumable supplies like sandpaper/glue/electricity/etc
without any upgrades or compensation for my time I'm at a smidge under $1200. On this specific 4-string there are a couple of upgrades I'm not including in this breakdown. All totaled, this won't leave here under $1500 ... which is a pretty incredible bargain considering the significant investment in time I have in this bass.
Worst part is ... if this wasn't a custom build, I'd have to spend a long time trying to convince your average Joe 'I play an overpriced $200 Squire' Bassplayer to fork over $1500 for a non-Fender P-bass ... sad ... really, really sad
all the best,
R
p.s. If instead this were an active 5-string, add in these additional expenses:
Tuner, Ultralight, chrome = $25
Battery box, dual = $17
Pre-amp, OBP-1 = $100
Ferrule, string, chrome = $1
Batteries = $3
Strings, upcharge over 4-string = $5
Carbon fiber rod, upcharge ove 4-string = $5
Any pickup upgrade from a single DS
Body/Neck
Body core, Alder = $55
Body finish, 3-tone sunburst = $250
Neck core = $20
Fingerboard = $25
Trussrod = $20
Carbon fiber rods = $25
Side dots, pearl = $5
Neck finish, satin gloss = $75
Logo, decal application = $10
Hardware
Tortoise pickguard = $50
Pickguard screws = $5
Neck plate, chrome = $4.50
Neck plate mounting pad = $2
Nut, unbleached bone = $6
String retainer, chrome = $2.5
Bridge, Hipshot Type A, alum core, chrome = $110
Screws, neck, chrome = $1.5
Tuners, Ultralight, chrome = $75
Fretwire, 6150 = $6
De-tuner, Ultralight, chrome = $90
Screws, pickup = $2.5
String ferrules, chrome = $4
Knobs, chrome = $5.5
Strap locks, Dunlop, chrome = $18
Soft case = $100
Electronics
Pickups, Dark Star DS-3 = $175
Pot, 250K = $5
Pot, 500K = $5
Cap, .047uf = $.50
Shielding, copper foil = $20
Jack, 1/4", mono = $2.5
Misc wire, solder, etc = $3
Strings, 4-string set = $25
this does not include shipping or taxes paid on purchasing these materials, or any kind of tooling or consumable supplies like sandpaper/glue/electricity/etc
without any upgrades or compensation for my time I'm at a smidge under $1200. On this specific 4-string there are a couple of upgrades I'm not including in this breakdown. All totaled, this won't leave here under $1500 ... which is a pretty incredible bargain considering the significant investment in time I have in this bass.
Worst part is ... if this wasn't a custom build, I'd have to spend a long time trying to convince your average Joe 'I play an overpriced $200 Squire' Bassplayer to fork over $1500 for a non-Fender P-bass ... sad ... really, really sad
all the best,
R
p.s. If instead this were an active 5-string, add in these additional expenses:
Tuner, Ultralight, chrome = $25
Battery box, dual = $17
Pre-amp, OBP-1 = $100
Ferrule, string, chrome = $1
Batteries = $3
Strings, upcharge over 4-string = $5
Carbon fiber rod, upcharge ove 4-string = $5
Any pickup upgrade from a single DS
spalted maple of alviron - $15,000
solid alder (straight from the island of bees) - $20,000
iron bridge of thor - $25,000
blue steel gold infused claw tuners - $20,000
gauntlet of utopia pickups (x2) - $30,000
pirates gold frets - $15,000
preamp of the white dragon - $5,000,000
input jack of marmaduke - $30,000
jack and the beanstalk inlay - $10,000,000
just kidding
.
solid alder (straight from the island of bees) - $20,000
iron bridge of thor - $25,000
blue steel gold infused claw tuners - $20,000
gauntlet of utopia pickups (x2) - $30,000
pirates gold frets - $15,000
preamp of the white dragon - $5,000,000
input jack of marmaduke - $30,000
jack and the beanstalk inlay - $10,000,000
just kidding
.
- Dec 20, 2004
- 4,267
- 2,481
- Disclosures
- Player-Builder-Founder: Honey Badger Pickups & Regenerate Guitar Works
hey Phil (and others),
my prior post is definitely not intended to start a p***ing match on who spends what, or whose is bigger, etc ...
I was hoping to demonstrate the details of what goes into a typical 4-string bass that comes out of my shop. I know we all have different resources and sometimes significantly varying costs for the parts we purchase, so the cost will be different for each of us.
It just hurts to see my pricing and look at $3500 of tooling investments this past year, and then think of how long it'll take to recoup the investment $$$ ... but if I don't think of the $$$ and instead think of the quality/consistency/time improvements the tooling has allowed for - well then it's been worth every penny and then some.
all the best,
R
my prior post is definitely not intended to start a p***ing match on who spends what, or whose is bigger, etc ...
I was hoping to demonstrate the details of what goes into a typical 4-string bass that comes out of my shop. I know we all have different resources and sometimes significantly varying costs for the parts we purchase, so the cost will be different for each of us.
It just hurts to see my pricing and look at $3500 of tooling investments this past year, and then think of how long it'll take to recoup the investment $$$ ... but if I don't think of the $$$ and instead think of the quality/consistency/time improvements the tooling has allowed for - well then it's been worth every penny and then some.
all the best,
R
about $400, and that's with a bada**, one passive bart, one kent armstrong, gotoh tuners, and CF rods. decent quality stuff.
for woods, try your local lumberyard. i got a crotch walnut top, nice straight QS walnut back, and neck laminate, plus enough scrap for another scarfed neck lam, for about $30, though i had to resaw it myself.
for woods, try your local lumberyard. i got a crotch walnut top, nice straight QS walnut back, and neck laminate, plus enough scrap for another scarfed neck lam, for about $30, though i had to resaw it myself.
Last one: 9-lam padauk-maple-walnut-ebony neck-thru, StewMac dual-action rod, ebony FB, jumbo frets, walnut-ebony-bocote wings, Gotoh tuners, Hipshot A bridge, single Bart MM5, SD Basslines pre, Dunlop straplocs.
slightly over $1000 on the bass (no case yet).
Add $100 for finishing supplies (sand paper, Tru Oil, buffing pads, polishing compounds, etc).
Add megabucks for tools.
My vision and artistry? Priceless...
slightly over $1000 on the bass (no case yet).
Add $100 for finishing supplies (sand paper, Tru Oil, buffing pads, polishing compounds, etc).
Add megabucks for tools.
My vision and artistry? Priceless...
Hell, My first bass project cost me 50 bucks for wood, 20 bucks for ****ty tuners, screws, and pots off ebay, 25 dollars for a passive pickup, 20 dollars for string, 5 dollars for dye, and life with my parrents for the use of their shop.
But I am just a college student on a budget.
But I am just a college student on a budget.
