Underrated guitar companies???

[bass40hz]

Kiesel.
Great quality versus price (as good IMHO as instruments costing 2x as much, I mean but really, you reach a point of diminishing returns before that I think), quite a selection of custom options and customer service (at least in my experience) was great.

 

[redwingxix]

Godin makes really great guitars in USA and CA. I've never played their basses

 

[Rib 13]

I've got time.........Eastwood

057912

ive got my eye on one of their flying v basses

 

[HubbardsFate]

I've wanted to get my hands on some Fernandes models for a few years now...

Also, Cort...some of the stuff they have been putting out the past while, at least from an aesthetics perspective, has me really intrigued...

 

[el jeffe bass]

Who has the extra time on their hands to rate guitar companies?

That would be me. I not only have the time but am often welded to the couch with nothing else to do but engage in such internet folly. So that having been said, Carvin/Kiesel are very well made instruments for the money, better if you can find what you like used.

 

[Muttleybass]

Yamaha.

 

[TuneIn]

Kaur

 

[Modler]

How about Chowny?
It puzzles me that almost no-one are talking about them, and very few people seems to have played one.
I have quite serious GAS for several of their models (especially the Retrovibes), they look incredibly nice and they are very affordable as well.

 

[Tom Bomb]

Moon

 

[Goofball Jones]

Reverend and G&L. It's so hard to get any information about G&L though, like serial number dates. But a quality instrument.

 

[dxb]

G&L should be more well known than it is. I've always preferred their version of the strat and tele over Fender's.

 

[LBS-bass]

OP mentioned Fender and Gibson, two mass production companies. If we're also including boutique builders, that's a whole other level of stuff. I mentioned Schecter because they've been around for a long time, been through several reorganizations but still cranking out some high-quality stuff.

I also bought a Diamond Series from them, recently, because I wanted a bass that I wouldn't be terrified of losing at a club, and I'd always wanted a tele style bass, so I went for the Model T Session. Way nicer bass than I was expecting when I ordered it. I've known people who played Schecters since the 70's, they've always had a quality product.

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

Gibson (yeah i said it! fight me! )
Birdsong
Muckelroy
LTD

 

[Madhouse27]

With the influx of Japanese sellers on EBay, I'm seeing quite a few Bacchus and Greco basses. Haven't had an opportunity to play either, but they look to be of high quality.

 

[michael_t]

Yamaha.

Beat me to it.

A well-known company for quality musical instruments, yet a relatively quiet player in the bass world.

 

[GretschWretch]

Dillion.

 

[NorseBear0903]

how about Peavey basses? Cirrus is pretty sweet

 

[armybass]

US Made Peaveys of yesteryear.

 

[Element Zero]

Literally everything but those 2 companies. Trips me out how much Fender is worshiped on this site.

 

[B-Lo]

Schecter and LTD make great guitars for the price. Their basses are decent as well.

Agreed...a lot of great companies listed so far, but IMO these two mentioned above hit way above their weight class.