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The Pedulla Club!

I definitely think that is a good thing, but in the process of telling us he is back to building all the basses himself, did he just kill the resale value of his previous work?

well i think the problem was that he had to constantly show the other builders how to do things and whatnot...i doubt he would have let anything leave his shop that he wasn't satisfied with.
 
Me and my girls:

Link Removed

I hope that works.

i assume these pictures meant you want to join the club...here is your number! (if i missed anyone let me know)

p0k - #1
kobass - #2
michael case - #3
Tom7 - #4
Lonnybass - #5
westrock - #6
bgartist - #7
robwren - #8
kojak - #9
mikekim - #10
Rick Auricchio - #11
hiderebirth - #12
nalapit13 - #13
jmorbita - #14
jmcgliss - #15
Munjibunga - #16
coreyfyfe - #17
lamonica78 - #18
krrt - #19
BlacksHole - #20
rockdoc11 - #21
Chebass88 - #22
BigRedX - #23
Thunderchief - #24
steve4765630 - #25
BadJazz - #26
cetera - #27
kaputsport - #28
swpyne - #29
Kawai-chang - #30
kdog - #31
Russell Bergum - #32
mburd - #33
Soulfishing13 - #34
zoomduck - #35
Fawkes007 - #36
pondscum29 - #37
NL5 - #38
Mike - NJ - #39
eshears - #40
Eminor3rd - #41
wallybill - #42
chrisp2u - #43
Chunk-O-Funk - #44
WayneP - #45
rhs1856 - #46
rb1 - #47
robisbass - #48
ZachB - #49
baconeater - #50
Pedulla? - #51
 
well i think the problem was that he had to constantly show the other builders how to do things and whatnot...i doubt he would have let anything leave his shop that he wasn't satisfied with.

I'm sorry for what I'm about to say... regardless, I'm sure this really means better basses.
But is pedulla going back to building every bass by himself because he wants to make better basses, or is it because his sales are decreasing? (I'm just thinking out oud here, I've no idea wether the sales are decreasing or not...)
Forgive me for having this thought...
 
He told me that he kept having to fix mistakes, so that in the end it was him making the basses anyway. He said that he doesn't make as many as he used to, but he doesn't have to because he doesn't have to meet a crazy payroll budget either. I've played several of his basses over the years and they were always great, but the 07 and 08 that I have are what I think the best I've played. Michael Tobais brags that he's backordered for a year and a half. The truth is he'd never have to work another day because of his import business. I think it's very tempting these days to get an import line going. It's very easy to do, doesn't cost that much money to get it going and is fat cash once they start rolling off the assembly line. MTD, Ken Smith, Lakland, Curbow, Elrick, Fender, Ernie Ball (OLP) and many others have given in. I don't blame them, but I respect Pedulla for staying small, finding a niche and cranking out some seriously great basses.
 
I'm sorry for what I'm about to say... regardless, I'm sure this really means better basses.
But is pedulla going back to building every bass by himself because he wants to make better basses, or is it because his sales are decreasing? (I'm just thinking out oud here, I've no idea wether the sales are decreasing or not...)
Forgive me for having this thought...

yeah, i really have no idea, but i wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't get as many orders because of how low the resale value is...for me i would just assume buy a used one because i can get it for WAY cheaper. Not that they aren't worth what he charges, its just weird that they don't go for as much used.

I don't think he JUST started making them all by himself again...didn't that happen years ago?
 
He told me that he kept having to fix mistakes, so that in the end it was him making the basses anyway. He said that he doesn't make as many as he used to, but he doesn't have to because he doesn't have to meet a crazy payroll budget either. I've played several of his basses over the years and they were always great, but the 07 and 08 that I have are what I think the best I've played. Michael Tobais brags that he's backordered for a year and a half. The truth is he'd never have to work another day because of his import business. I think it's very tempting these days to get an import line going. It's very easy to do, doesn't cost that much money to get it going and is fat cash once they start rolling off the assembly line. MTD, Ken Smith, Lakland, Curbow, Elrick, Fender, Ernie Ball (OLP) and many others have given in. I don't blame them, but I respect Pedulla for staying small, finding a niche and cranking out some seriously great basses.

+1, i definitely respect the fact that he is staying small when he could be getting rich off slapping his name on imported basses.
 
+1, i definitely respect the fact that he is staying small when he could be getting rich off slapping his name on imported basses.
+1

Too many handmade bass labels are quasi-production lines now.

I have zero desire to own a Fodera NYC, or a Sadowsky Metro for that matter.

I'd like to see a new line from Pedulla though... something that distinguishes this new era for his company.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if Mike P. got tired of delegating, supervising, administrating, dealing with Guitar Center corporate stooges, etc. and just wanted to get back to building great basses with his own two hands. I love my 2 Raptures and am interested in checking out the fruits of post-2008 Pedulla production.

I'd also like to see him at least offer some electronics options besides the all Bart/all active EQ lineup. IMO a passive Rapture with single-coil J pickups would rawk. Also hope he'll change the truss-nut design to something more conventional, and make battery compartments (or at least threaded control-cavity screw inserts) standard.
 
When I got my Pentabuzz, I found that the case really smelled awful (I had started another thread on that problem). I tried finding ways to correct it for a month, using sprays, airing it out, bounce sheets etc. all to no avail. Some here on TB suggested it may be a lost cause. I contacted Christine at Pedulla who put me in contact with Daneen at TKL (they make the Pedulla cases). She asked me to send them the case and they would check it out. They agreed - it smelled bad and it was their fault - they just sent me a new case. I may be out a couple of dollars for Febrize and shipping the case, but it really wasn't very much - empty cases weigh less and TKL is fairly near, so I am happy how this all turned out.
 
Welcome aboard, Bushwood. I'm not the father of this thread, but I know that usually you have to post photos to get a number and official membership, so we are all looking forward to seeing that cherry buzz!

You'll love talkbass; there are an amazing number of really great people here who have taught me a LOT!
 
Hi guys. I have a quick question. I have a Pedulla Rapture, but I was also checking out the Thunders(Bass & Bolt). Something I noticed was that on my Rapture, the battery compartment is separate from the rest of the electronics. Obviously this is because a) the electronics are under the pickguard, and b) it makes battery changes easier. But this quick-change compartment doesn't exist on any of their other, more expensive basses? Is there a passive by-pass in case of a 9V emergency? Just curious. I never really understood making a bass active with neither a bypass or quick access battery compartment - especially in that price range (but then if you're paying that price, you should be able to afford to put a new battery in prior to each gig, I guess).
 
Hi guys. I have a quick question. I have a Pedulla Rapture, but I was also checking out the Thunders(Bass & Bolt). Something I noticed was that on my Rapture, the battery compartment is separate from the rest of the electronics. Obviously this is because a) the electronics are under the pickguard, and b) it makes battery changes easier. But this quick-change compartment doesn't exist on any of their other, more expensive basses? Is there a passive by-pass in case of a 9V emergency? Just curious. I never really understood making a bass active with neither a bypass or quick access battery compartment - especially in that price range (but then if you're paying that price, you should be able to afford to put a new battery in prior to each gig, I guess).


hey pondscum, you're right none of the other models have the battery compartment, but if you just make sure you change your battery every 6 months or so i would think you should be fine (unless you play ALOT), an active passive bypass would be nice, but I know lots of builders who don't put them in...not sure why.
 
Thanks for the quick reply. I practice about 2h a night, and I have a nasty habit of leaving mine plugged in the whole time, like during breaks. I've had my battery die twice during band practice. The one time I had a battery with me in my pocket, and I was back online in 10 seconds, but the other time I was down until I could get a new one. So much for that "be prepared" boy scout training I had as a kid. ;) Without that compartment, I'd need a screwdriver too. I wonder why Mike doesn't put the compartment on all his basses. Oh, well - a question for him, not you. Thanks again!
 
The lack of battery compartments in expensive basses is a deliberate and frustrating shortcut luthiers take, and it shows little respect for customers, especially customers who are willing to pay more to have better.

It's not just the hassle of finding your bass battery is dead, or having it fuzz out on you before it does, it is the hassle of needing a teeny screw driver with you where ever in the world you might be when you need to change it. Also, with most of these basses, there is some risk of stretching a wire too far when you change the battery and inadvertently doing something that is going to kill your bass until you have it repaired.

Like others, I often change the battery when it doesn't yet need it, luthiers pretty much force us to, but that's a DUMB solution. It's like buying a car with no gas gauge, and insisting that if you just pull over for gas every so often, you'll be fine.

Basses costing much less seem to be able to afford them, why not higher end basses?

I have one bass, a Nordstrand Nordy, that has a battery check light every time you plug in an instrument cable, but that is a function of the Audere preamp, not a Nordstrand perk. You still need a screw driver to change the battery because the luthier sees a battery compartment as an option he can charge more for.

If General Motors charged extra for cars that you didn't have to pop the hood to refuel, they'd have been out of business long ago.

I have tens of thousands of dollars invested in high end basses including a Fodera, 3 Fbasses, and a Nordy, and none of them have battery compartments. At least they all have a passive mode, but I'm looking forward to the day when one of them finally cares enough about their customers to make a battery compartment standard.

End of rant. :D
 
That was kind of my take - albeit a bit less ranty. ;) If Ernie Ball can put battery compartments in their basses, why not people like Pedulla, Fodora, F-bass, etc.? It would be ideal with both a batt comp & passive bypass. Working in elec/mech manufacturing, I know a batt comp costs ~$5. Add in some router time, which is negligible since you're already set up to router the electronics cavity - and you're done. Good car/gas gauge analogy, Tom7.
 

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