Maybe not every luthier is a photographer. Maybe he hires a photographer with the final payment. I suck at pictures, and wouldn't want any of my own basses based on the pictures I take. 
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Question about Luthiers
- Thread starter benchpress11782
- Start date
Sounds like you're in to deep now to pull out so your going to have make the final payment. Did you sign anything or make any kind of a written agreement? Looks to me like you're being taken but you'll have to wait and see. If your really upset then hire a lawyer to send him a nasty little reminder. Be careful what you post about him, you might find yourself on the receiving end of a law suit.
Lots of builders are really good craftsmen, but lousy at customer relations. Running a business requires a diverse skill set and it's the reason many of these skilled craftsmen struggle or even go out of business.
Hope it works out well in the end.
Hope it works out well in the end.
Out of curiosity, you say he is a very famous luthier, so there must be plenty of people who have had basses built, have you tried asking someone if they received photos during the build?
" a well known luthier"
Not quite clear on somthing here...
There's a number of posts suggesting fraud, why this from a "well known luthier"?
Seems he would be well-known for fraud if that was the case.
The pictures issue seems strange to me, but I get why some builders don't have the inclination or time in their view.
I've seen basses documented from raw blocks of wood to finished products, but in the end- Its the instrument being jammed in the hands of the new owner that counts, although "scrapbooks" are fun.
IDK if the OP wishes to name the builder, or whether its appropriate or not.
Just seems strange that there would be an issue of getting the right instrument if the builder has a known history.
Not quite clear on somthing here...
There's a number of posts suggesting fraud, why this from a "well known luthier"?
Seems he would be well-known for fraud if that was the case.
The pictures issue seems strange to me, but I get why some builders don't have the inclination or time in their view.
I've seen basses documented from raw blocks of wood to finished products, but in the end- Its the instrument being jammed in the hands of the new owner that counts, although "scrapbooks" are fun.
IDK if the OP wishes to name the builder, or whether its appropriate or not.
Just seems strange that there would be an issue of getting the right instrument if the builder has a known history.
It would be a little awkward at this point to name the builder methinks. The OP should've been something like, "I ordered a custom bass from Herrick. I asked Herrick for a picture but he wouldn't send me one until the final payment is made. Does he usually do that? Kinda strange. Just wondering".
OP, are you aware of any other TB member(s) that had a bass built by this luthier? If so, did he/she/they get progress pics?
Edit: I see @JACink beat me to this comment.
Edit: I see @JACink beat me to this comment.
Last edited:
C'mon Herrick! Send him those pics!
Nah mang. I want full payment!
doesnt matter if he sucks at taking pictures. Unless he doesnt have a camera, it should be very possible to make a few photos of the bass.Maybe not every luthier is a photographer. Maybe he hires a photographer with the final payment. I suck at pictures, and wouldn't want any of my own basses based on the pictures I take.
The part about not sending photos until full payment has been received sounds odd to me. Not exactly a demonstration of good will on the luthier's part.
This is an odd situation! When I had the bass in my avatar built, I received over 40 pictures along the way that started with the luthier standing with the planks of wood he chose for the bass through completion. I didn't give him the final payment until the bass was completed, so I saw the entire process from beginning to end before the bass was completely paid for. I have 17 of the pictures in a gallery here, and most were posted before I received the bass.
It's totally possible, but I can see why a luthier- prolly working on several builds in different stages-might object to taking photos when he's got his work cut out for him building, installing, finishing, etc.
These guys generally do it for the love & craft, sometimes considering all, they make very low hourly wages, for their skill level.
Main thing is, this should have been nailed down in advance. Customer should ask for a record of his instrument as it progresses. If the builder says "NO!" then it may be time to switch.
I had a bass built by a luthier whom many were angry at, because their instruments were delayed-AND they had little or no responses. He had family issues & such, not a justification with paying customers, but life happens. He was never dis-honest; just behind schedule and lax at E-mails.
His basses were/are coveted, & I coveted one. I met him at NAMM, talked about our discussions & specs, & told him I would only proceed w/ a deposit if he guaranteed me a 6-month max lead time.
He did, and was only (2) months late! It needed some prototyping work, (it had a hexaphonic input).
I didn't mind the (2) months, and he let me know the whys & wherefores of the delay in build. I was/am really happy with this bass.
Never got pics, didn't ask.
wintremute
mediocrity at its finest
- Oct 16, 2014
- 6,942
- 29,551
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Langstrom Carrot Farms
Yeah, that was my question.
It seems strange and irksome, but if in the end you get the bass you ordered in the time frame specified, then it should be fine.
Being willing to send photos, but only after final payment is what would bother me and I assume what's bothering the OP. If the guy just said hey, I don't do photos, then what can you really say? But, saying hey, I do photos, but only after you give me one more payment is shady. If he is paying for professional photos as part of the bass price, then that should be clearly stated.
As a cranky, kind of curmudgeonly "artist" type myself, that's my guess as well.
Although I do see the OP's point and feel he is entitled to some visual confirmation that progress is being made. It's only fair.
Truth be told, it might be that a lot of progress has NOT been made since the last update because he has several other customers hounding his arse asking for photos of this and that and it has become a huge distraction. He might be wanting to scream at the customers "Do you all want instruments on time or do you want me to convert my shop over into a photo studio every other day and waste time and money doing something I'm not particularly good at?"
It's true that many of the best artists and craftsmen are poor at business and communicating. Art tends to favor the introspective introvert and business tends to favor the extroverts of the world.
Last edited:
"I feel that communication and good feelings about what they do is very important in choosing someone to build your axe."
I can definitely think of one, within these hallowed halls, who makes it an integral part of their mission to keep their customers happy and well informed...
If you have made any payments on this bass, he should be able to spare 15min to send a few photos. I wouldn't get upset until you get the call that it is not going to be ready in Sept.
I will give my response, but first you need to remit full payment.
