Production or custom? Where do you draw the line?

[MultiScaleMale]

When you go custom, I've found that going in with a list of specs and essentially saying, "Build this" results in a nice bass but if you go in with goals and listen to the builder's opinion and experience you will end up with a great bass. They will know if swamp ash or alder will work better for your goals than what you (or I) have read online.

 

[Silky Johnson]

If you go new custom you better know exactly what you want down to fret size and radius, neck dimensions, so on...if you dont know all of this ahead of time then just buy used and sell if they don't work out.

 

[two fingers]

Although I have owned numerous basses that cost a lot more (most of which I enjoyed but none of which I miss much) ,I can find all the features/specs I want in a 5 string bass easily at the 3k mark, and for much less if I search carefully. I have also come to understand and accept that apart from certain basic parameters I have settled on over the years (passive, 34" scale length, 19mm bridge spacing, weight under 9 lbs, a body shape that provides a decent forearm rest when seated, generous distance between the board edge and neck pickup), my aesthetic taste and the tone I seek vary over time/ change with my mood and the music I'm playing. I have several basses I love, and I rotate through them because I enjoy the fresh side of the pillow. As an example, unless you insist on a very atypical body shape, almost any feature can be had in an affordable, superb quality custom on the Maruszczyk site for <3K US.

This. Both the concept and the advice at the end.

Go to their website and play around with their custom bass builder. I dare you to NOT find what you're after

 

[BassToGoGo]

Been there, done that. A few thoughts:

IF you get a custom piece, BE ABSOLUTELY SURE you are dealing with a reputable business, with a long track record, customer service you can reach. The TB pages has more than a few unfortunate threads about guys who fell in love with a slick website or online review, sent bags of cash to so-called luthiers . . . . and they bought vaporware, they will NEVER see their instrument, or get any of their money back. It's real easy to do this, but complicates things in that you have no recourse with someone in a different part of your country, or even another country. DON'T DO THAT.

I think this advice from @J Wilson is the best I've heard so far. I have never commissioned a custom bass build, and I would not unless it was from someone that had a stellar reputation. If you have any builders that you admire and they are near enough for you to visit I would think that would be the best place to start.

If I had the money my personal choice would be MTD followed by Brady Muckleroy (a smaller builder here in the states that does stellar work and has a great rep.) but I would imagine with all of the builders on your side of the pond that you could find someone closer and not deal with the hassles of overseas shipping.

I saw that someone mentioned builders that are no longer offering custom (client driven) builds. This make sense to me as I feel that it would be almost impossible to find someone to perfectly capture one's ideas and turn them into reality. Just my opinion.

It sounds like you are fond of Stuart Spector's basses, that may be the best since you are already aquainted with their instruments. Whoever you choose try to find at least one of their instruments that you can play to see if the overall design/construction/sound fits what you are seeking.

You are definitely on the right track; asking questions and doing research. Good luck to you in your search, finding the perfect bass for your needs is indeed a wonderful thing.

 

[BassFalcon]

When you go custom, I've found that going in with a list of specs and essentially saying, "Build this" results in a nice bass but if you go in with goals and listen to the builder's opinion and experience you will end up with a great bass. They will know if swamp ash or alder will work better for your goals than what you (or I) have read online.

I Totally agree! Some of the best nights out I’ve ever had resulted from going somewhere and asking the bartender or chef “make me your favorite thing” or “make me what you are best at” and letting the experts be the experts. Find a builder who’s general aesthetic and philosophy resonate with you, tell them your desired end result and let them decide how to get you there. They can do it better than you. If you are gonna get hung up on things as insignificant as headstock shape than maybe just stick to a production line model, but if you are gonna go the custom route you need to trust the builder to make better informed decisions than you, the builders in the price range you’re talking, the $5k area, usually have decades of experience and thousands of instruments under their belt. A lot of what you’re paying for at that price is that experience, so why wouldn’t you want to make full use of it. Let go and enjoy the ride, or don’t and buy production line. It’s up to you.

 

[sonojono]

I’d look into a G&L M2500 or L2500 if you’re looking for a bass with a lot of knobs and switches with the endless possibilities of tone shaping to your arsenal.

 

[CryingBass]

For your budget +1 for Marleux. It doesn’t get any better, only different.

 

[Deleted member 365158]

@Katoosie
I suggest you find a base bass that has a look you like and feels good, then mod the heck out of it to your liking, upgrade hardware and electronics if needed.
I know in the few years I have been messing around with modding I’ve landed on a few aspects that i dig. I like mm style pickups blended with split coil as well as mm/JJ for example. I doubt i would have figured this out with something off the shelf and I certainly would not have known what to tell a custom builder.
I have put together 4 unique basses and each was under $500 said and done (my time not included) and I play the heck out of them. I usually pick them over the production basses i own for noodling around.... i play a kit bass i put together in my band and love it!!

Of course, you do you though

 

[elgranluis]

I draw the line right here : can I afford it? Yes/no.

be advised , most builders will not change their headstock shape, if that is one of your criteria.

If you’re already into, say, warwicks, why not just mod one ? I bet you can get a nice exotic top , and all those switches that you want for less than 2000 bucks (bass not included, of course). If you also want exotic wings , then make it 3000 bucks. Well, you get the idea.

 

[40Hz]

I’ve currently set my maximum outlay around $5K USD regardless of what bass it is, even for a custom or boutique builder instrument. For a production model, I’d go $2500, or half what I’d consider is my absolute top price.

My priorities are: sound, playability, and build quality - in that order. I don’t care at all about the name on the headstock, the model or model year, fancy woods, exotic electronics, or whatever. Obviously I’d like for it to look nice. But that’s more of a plus for me than an absolute requirement. All that matters to me is that it sounds really good, is acceptably comfortable to play, and holds a setup. Beyond that, everything else is just a nice extra to have.

But I’m more function driven than romantic when it comes to musical instruments. To me, an instrument is a tool for producing music. And in the case of a bass, the instrument is only one third of what makes up what I think of as: “The Bass.” The other two parts are the player and the amp. So my formula is:

Player+instrument+amp = the bass.

At least to me. But that’s just me. If a custom or high end production bass appeals to you then by all means follow with your heart and what you can responsibly afford.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Heya TB!

I have been brainstorming and considering some changes to my bass arsenal, mainly selling my two and getting one that would fit me more and take less space. You know, downsizing.
Changes. GAS.

Thing is, I'm not really sure which way to go - should I stick to the production line models or go custom at this point?

I've been considering the BFR FL Stingray, Le Fay Schwarz, Franz, F bass, Human Base and so many others... All of them around the 5k usd range, give or take.

Thing is, almost none of them fit me in some way - could be a headstock shape or the tuners or the knobs or just your "normal" choice of woods. I'm not in a rush but I have been looking around for a while and it seems like what I'm looking for would be probably more in the realms of a custom shop build rather than production.

- 5+ string
- fretless/fretted
- preamp with a lot of options, switches for modes of operation
-premium/interesting colours and woods
- lightweight tuners
- wooden knobs/custom knobs
- wooden/matched pus'
- good ergonomics

Plus, the prices are kind of all over the place. I saw basses with more interesting options for say 4000 than one for 8000 and at that point I was asking myself what is it exactly that I am paying for here?

I understand that it's the whole diminishing returns thing with high cost instruments, but where do you draw the line between "yeah I would buy that" to "that's too fancy for bass' sake!"?

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My production Dingwall probably represents the level today where I’m happy to buy a production bass. Most I’ve ever spent on a bass was $2800 for a new Warwick nt5 back when guitar center parted ways with warwicks early distributor Dana b goods. I liked that bass a lot and it was my main player for a decade but I wouldn’t have paid the sticker price which was like 5k or something crazy like that. I only got such a good deal because gc was trying to unload them. Anything more expensive and I want what I refer to as a at made to order bass. Doesn’t have to be 100% custom shape and all that but I do want to be able to pick everything from a list of listed options.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

Talk to Brady Muckelroy.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Heya TB!

I have been brainstorming and considering some changes to my bass arsenal, mainly selling my two and getting one that would fit me more and take less space. You know, downsizing.
Changes. GAS.

Thing is, I'm not really sure which way to go - should I stick to the production line models or go custom at this point?

I've been considering the BFR FL Stingray, Le Fay Schwarz, Franz, F bass, Human Base and so many others... All of them around the 5k usd range, give or take.

Thing is, almost none of them fit me in some way - could be a headstock shape or the tuners or the knobs or just your "normal" choice of woods. I'm not in a rush but I have been looking around for a while and it seems like what I'm looking for would be probably more in the realms of a custom shop build rather than production.

- 5+ string
- fretless/fretted
- preamp with a lot of options, switches for modes of operation
-premium/interesting colours and woods
- lightweight tuners
- wooden knobs/custom knobs
- wooden/matched pus'
- good ergonomics

Plus, the prices are kind of all over the place. I saw basses with more interesting options for say 4000 than one for 8000 and at that point I was asking myself what is it exactly that I am paying for here?

I understand that it's the whole diminishing returns thing with high cost instruments, but where do you draw the line between "yeah I would buy that" to "that's too fancy for bass' sake!"?

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IMO, for $5K, find a highly regarded luthier and have one built for you with whatever you want.

 

[singlemalt]

A custom build is an expensive way to wait a long time to get what you thought you wanted. Then you can agonize over selling it for a loss. Or it can be a case queen, no matter how much you try to love it. Or maybe it’s your one and only forever bass.

Figure out the things that matter most to you as a player. This is going to take a while, maybe years. Best way to do it is play lots of basses. Not at the store for 15 minutes, but over months or years. With your gear, your favorite strings, your set up.

You will learn what matters most to you. Weight, string spacing, scale length, number of strings, heck maybe it’s just gotta be a great color.

Now cast your line into the river of used basses on TB. Get to know the market. Pay a fair price on the low end and you’ll be able to move it along for the same. Figure shipping costs when you move it along as the rental fee.

Maybe try assembling a parts bass.

Catch and release. They come and they go.

Enjoy the ride, the research, the bargain hunting and the surprises.

Or cut to the chase and buy a used Peavey Cirrus.

Ordering a custom is “swinging for the fences”. Maybe a home run, but maybe a strike out.

I like a bass that arrives next week, with no return period. If it wins a spot, it stays. If it sits, it goes up for sale. Never once in over forty years have I splashed out for new. They come and go for what I have in them or, occasionally, a profit.

Happy hunting!

 

[D.A.R.K.]

I've had customs built. Having custom work done, right now. However, you never know if an instrument will have the magic (for you) until you play it, so custom is a major risk. Having spent 7k on an instrument that ended up going to some one else (it had the magic for them, but not me), I'd say be prepared for the fact that the experiment might not work out in your favor. Every bass is different. I ended up finding the magic in a few instruments I still own, one was originally only a $280.00 investment, go figure. I've ended up with two amazing instruments that I'd never had even considered if I hadn't of gone out and blindly tried everything I could get my hands on. You don't get to play a custom until it's completed and paid for.

 

[fishdreams]

+1 to Martin Keith (i have 3 of his basses) but not quite in the area.

Marleaux is a great option. I had a great 6string i should have never sold. They are probably not too far from you, and like Martin Keith, are really custom-quality instruments, which to me means a level of playability and evenness of tone all across the fretboard you are not going to get out of something out of a factory (which can be great instruments).

On the other hand, every custom builder has a few signature principles they apply to all their builds, and as excellent as they are, may just not inspire you (for example, Alembics and Foderas usually are not for me, that said they are absolutely worth the money in terms of build quality etc)

So i would see if there is a Marleaux dealer not too far (or.visit Gerald Marleaux himslef) and just play the basses and see.

 

[Manticore]

Having a number of basses with initial acquisition prices ranging from $100 to $15k I can say the cost is a poor determinant of how to find what is just right for you. It can set boundaries to work within, but it is possible to find your dream in the lower price ranges.

There is nothing quite like a bass specifically made for you if you have a clear vision of what you want. Do your research on the company selected, and spend time talking to them about your vision.

Understanding your origin, I'd also pay attention the exchange rates between your home country and the origin of your new bass. When you near the upper end of your price range exchange rates can make a large difference in the price to you.

 

[AudioTaper]

.
Or cut to the chase and buy a used Peavey Cirrus.

I've mentioned Cirrus to her a few times, they are almost nonexistent where she lives.

As for switches and control flexibility? My Cirrus project says "hold my beer"

 

[mb94952]

Wow, that's a tough one ! Sounds like you'll need some ON HAND experience to touch and play a bass to your liking. I know Mark Garza of garzguitars on Facebook does totally custom work fast and inexpensively.

CHOCOLATE IS THE BEST !!!!

 

[Altitude]

The thing about custom instruments - and I have three - is that they are hard to sell later. They’re really expensive relatively speaking and you have to find a buyer interested in the same uncommon color, pickup configuration, or whatever features you were interested in when you ordered the bass.

So if you go custom, be ready to hold it for life or have a long wait to sell it. Aside from a small number of very well understood builders.