SBL: When is a bass maker no longer boutique?

[Kubicki Fan]

I hope Scott and Co. don't get discouraged reading these comments. He is producing to a formula that works.
Live and let live.

 

[cxcxcx]

I hope Scott and Co. don't get discouraged reading these comments. He is producing to a formula that works.
Live and let live.

Scott's Porsche probably does wonders if and when he feels discouraged. Threads like this get him closer to another one to go with it.

 

[gln1955]

I hope Scott and Co. don't get discouraged reading these comments. He is producing to a formula that works.
Live and let live.

Scott will only be discouraged when his algorithm tells him to.

 

[5StringBlues]

Smell the glove

 

[N4860]

In case I missed it:

For the purposes of this thread, where can I find the working definition of botique?

From what I gathered listening to the 2 of them discuss in the background while working, they didn't really come to a formal definition. They suggested a boutique bass is usually made in a smaller shop with few employees, with options for customization but not always. They went further to try to make categories for boutique basses such as the following:

• FSO's - Fender Shaped Object boutique basses like those made by Sadowsky NY, Alleva Coppolo, Olinto, etc
• Customizable - brands that allow you to pretty much do whatever you can dream up - I think this is brands like Alembic & Fodera?
• Non-Customizable - brands that have a specific unique design that the builder is unwilling to change much of the formula aside from maybe tops, or colours. This would be brands like Wal, F Bass, Ken Smith, etc.

The interesting part I thought was in that they try to make exceptions to some of the rules they thought up and also addressed brand perception as being a big part of what makes something boutique. And also that this perception sometimes changes over time as a company grows. For instance, they said Fender CS is not boutique because the company/brand is too big. But a company like Sadowsky that now offers foreign made instruments would still be considered boutique (the NY shop at least). And a brand like Warwick was once considered boutique in the 90's (based on their perception at the time) but is now no longer boutique because they're too mainstream I guess.