Valenti

[Peter Parker]

Which leads me to the point of my post - I simply do not choose to invest the time and passion in learning to build or assemble these instruments. Nino, I would love to know the sheer amount of hours you spend on a particular instrument...say Poon's #15 that I now own? I'm betting that the amount of time is significant - that's time that I choose to woodshed and play with my various musical projects, concentrate on worship vision and leadership at my church, studying as I complete the master's (finally!), and be with my wife and wonderful children - never mind the day job. Roger (for decades) and Nino have both established a reputation for an intense passion for their assembled instruments...attention to detail/fit and finish/signature sound/etc. For that matter, although I'm not famililar personally with your instruments, you seem to possess a fine reputation for quality work on this bulletin board. For me it is simply more profitable all around to let those with a passion for building/assembling do that and provide quality instruments for a reasonable cost.
Jay

And this is a completely valid point that I totally agree with. I'm sure most people would rather play the bass than build one, leaving it up to the people that do it well, such as Roger and nino. But I think a guy like you, one with the aptitude to learn the skills involved in assembling a bass is in the majority, not the minority. But thankfully there's plenty of folks out there willing to buy these beautiful basses that Nino and Roger build.

 

[Peter Parker]

Holy crap... Get over yourself!!!!! "I'm a builder.. wah, wah, wah." Are you jealous cause I use kits and sell basses and you build from scratch, and do what, not sell 'em? Grow up!!!!

Nah, not jealous at all. I've sold a few local, just through word-of-mouth, haven't really tried to get in the game. I might if I come up with something that I think adds something to an already crowded market. I'm working on a couple unique ideas right now. If the prototypes work like I hope maybe I will try to do this a little more full time. I have absolutely nothing against what you, Roger, Lakland and many other's do. I think it's a great idea, one that clearly has a market. If I didn't have a luthiers inclination I would definitely consider a Valenti.

 

[king_biscuit]

All this animosity. Nino, all Peter is saying is that assembling a bass from pre-cut, painted, drilled and fitted parts is not all that difficult. I agree. Perhaps you are the one that should get over yourself.

 

[syciprider]

IBTMFL.

 

[jokerjkny]

I disagree with the last post. It is by no means "easy" to bolt a neck and body together and get the type of results that Nino or Roger get from their basses. If that were the case both would be out of business. Skills like that are learned over time. Ask Nino or Roger how much time and money they spent to get results like they do now. I've played both basses numerous times and both are top quality instruments.

+1

[broken record player on]

i've played a few other so called parts fenfer style basses, and nothing really comes close to the sadowsky mystique. the sound, fit, finish, attention to detail, and overall vibe are unparallel. its one of the few parts basses that satisfy me in oh-so many ways, and why i'd easily plunk down the cash for an NYC yet again.

[broken record player off]

still, what nino is doing is quite awesome, and IME, his accomplishments are nothing to shake a stick at. try a valenti, and you'll understand why it just pwns most other parts basses in its class.

 

[jokerjkny]

I build basses from raw wood, not premade kits. I know a thing or two. It is easy. maybe I'm smarter than most (I doubt it). The skill is in the premade parts and the tolerances of the CNC. A lot of the Warmoth and US Custom parts are predrilled for the necks and body's, no real danger there. The placemnt of the bridge can be done very easily with a 90degree tool and the center line of the body. I've seen several of the Warmoth bodies predrilled for certain bridges. Even if they weren't, drilling the holes is a pretty easy job. When I build a bass the hard work is in the shaping of the neck and if a hard clear coat finish is used, that takes a bit of skill. Fretwork, installing, leveling, and dressing is not that easy but get's easier with every attempt. As I understand it, Valenti does no fretwork, I'm not sure what Roger does. This is no big deal either, especially considering the Warmoth necks I've seen all had pretty good frets that were decently level straight from the factory. The rest is pretty easy. When I finish a basses, the neck has been sprayed, the body has been sprayed and all that is left is to assemble, if my work is good before this step anyone can do it. Again, I am not knocking either Nino or Roger, I've played Sadowskies that I thought sounded and played great. I've not played a Valenti but I'm sure it plays well, too. You folks need to have a little more confidence in your own abilities. If anybody lives near Greensboro and wants to learn how to set-up a bass, including how to assemble one from parts, I would be happy to show you for free. Probably only take 30 minutes or so. I think all musicians should know their instruments inside and out and that includes knowing how to maintain them for themselves. trust me, it's not as hard as some would have you believe.

its awful when builders indriectly mock other builders with their so called "explanations" and try to hide behind a thin veil of self effacement.

like school in the summertime...

 

[todd 4ta]

I build basses from raw wood, not premade kits. I know a thing or two.

Pics??

These aren't Wish basses are they?

 

[Andy Brown]

It's pretty when a cavity has nice wiring, doesn't effect playability and usually not the tone.

It does effect the tone when you can't figure out why you're not getting a signal after hooking up the labrynth of wire from an OBP-3.

As far as tight fit and finish, USACG and their finishers are to be thanked for that as well as whoever does Roger's basses.

I'm not talking strictly about the finish on the parts, but the overall finish. Roger and Nino do fretwork, setup, slot cutting/alignment, etc. as well.

Both do a good job at assembly for sure. I think everyone would be doing it if they realized how easy it truly is. It seems most folks on here don't give themselves enough credit.

Been there done that. I'm one of those who don't have the patience, and my projects (yes multiple) have not come out nearly as nice as either a Sadowsky or Valenti.

They've been told for years how hard it is and they just believe it without ever trying. I can see their hesitation, it's not cheap to get these parts in finished form to assemble themselves; pretty costly experiment if they fail. Do you rememer when neckthrough basses all cost so much more than a bolt-on and were only found in the high end makes? Everyone thought that it was because NT's were so much more difficult to build than bolt-on's thereby making them cost more. Now there are all kinds of very cheap NT's out there and as a builder i find NT's just as easy or maybe even a little easier than a bolt-on. I suppose from a mass production stand point at one time NT's were more difficult but not so anymore.

So you're a 'builder'? Funny how I've never seen Peter Parker basses out there at all. BTW - do you have any pics/clips of any of your creations?

 

[Nino Valenti]

I have absolutely nothing against what you, Roger, Lakland and many other's do.

Nothing against me but every post is how what you do is superior and what I do is inferior.

Bashing one's line of basses to make you own look better is flat out slimey!!!!!

 

[Nino Valenti]

All this animosity. Nino, all Peter is saying is that assembling a bass from pre-cut, painted, drilled and fitted parts is not all that difficult. I agree. Perhaps you are the one that should get over yourself.

I agree and I've said it in the past and will continue to say so but it's not what he's saying, it's how he's saying it.

 

[PilbaraBass]

Nothing against me but every post is how what you do is superior and what I do is inferior.

Bashing one's line of basses to make you own look better is flat out slimey!!!!!

Nino,

don't sweat it, man. Just sit back, relax, be quiet and let your work speak for you...LOUD AND CLEAR!

 

[Ed Goode]

With a few more posts on how the Valenti is as good or better than a Sadowsky the wheels on the whole Sadowsky mystique are going to fall off. Maybe folks will finally understand that it's not hard at all to bolt together a quality bass using quality parts. Spend just a little time and anyone can learn how to set-up a bass to play however they like. Very simple actually. ***In no way am I trying to knock Nino in my comments. I'm not really trying to knock Sadowsky either but I know it reads that way.***

I don't usually get involved with these back-and-forth threads, but I find it particularly annoying when someone says something like "it's easy, anyone can do it".

As far as tight fit and finish, USACG and their finishers are to be thanked for that as well as whoever does Roger's basses. Both do a good job at assembly for sure. I think everyone would be doing it if they realized how easy it truly is. It seems most folks on here don't give themselves enough credit. They've been told for years how hard it is and they just believe it without ever trying.

Well, no it's not easy and not everyone can do it. I have reasonably good woodworking skills and a pretty darn nice woodworking shop, complete with fairly high end tools and equipment. I am very comfortable handling expensive wood and, frankly, rarely make any mistakes when working. However, I can not easily build a bass that would be considered anything other than sub-standard.

I don't have the skills and gifts that someone like Nino and the other "parts" guys (Lord, I hate that term) have. I'll never have them. And it's because of my background in both woodworking and music that I have such respect for these builders. They can do something that I can't, and they do it extremely well.

So, nope, not everyone can do it. And, nope, not most people, either. In fact, very few have this skill set and I wish the "it's easy" opinions would be limited to those who have a documented history of actually creating a high quality playable bass .....

 

[Peter Parker]

I know you guys can't detect the actual tone of a post from words on a page but I truly am not knocking Nino, Roger or anyone else in the hopes of building myself up. I never said anything of the kind of what Nino and others do as being inferior. The end product is all that matters, not how it reaches the end. If a bass plays and sounds great I don't care how it gets there. My only point in this and I will always stand by it, it is not hard to bolt a bass together and set it up. If someone does a poor job at putting one together due to lack of patience, well that's probably a personality flaw, but with a little time and care ANYONE can put together a Warmoth. Last I checked Nino doesn't do any fretwork, which is OK because I would imagine, like Warmoth, USCG necks come with pretty good fretwork. Nut slotting, if you can saw a piece of wood with a hand saw you can slot a nut. Measure the string spacing, mark it, take an appropriate file and run it back and forth until the proper depth, repeat. Pretty simple. The proper depth: press the string at the 3rd fret, when the string just clears the first fret with just a little light underneath, you're there. I show people at my job almost everyday how to set-up their instruments and have yet to come across anyone that couldn't do it. Anyways, Nino, calm down. I mean you no harm.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

What's the final word on this (purely out of curiosity).

Are Sadowsky bodies CNC'd? I'm sure Valenti or Sadowsky can tell

The pros and cons of CNC are a different can of worms that I'm not keen to open, but if someone else is, have at it

Both Sadowsky necks and bodies are CNC'd It keeps a high level of quality and consistency.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

What are the main differences between a Sadowsky and a Valenti? (other than price and options)

For starters Feel , a Sadowsky and Valenti 5 string feel much different in my hands when I play them and my personel preference is the Sadowsky. Tone , The electroics can vary greatly on valenti to valenti where as Sadowsky is allways the same pre amp with a few diferent pick up set ups.

 

[Kosko]

To be honest, I was pretty disappointed to find out Sadowsky's are parts basses. If because of nothing else than the price. Having never played one I can definitly say this opinion is totally unfounded, but it was my first reaction when I found out.

 

[msangster]

I meant Sadowsky Metros and Valenti.

 

[RunngDog]

For starters Feel , a Sadowsky and Valenti 5 string feel much different in my hands when I play them and my personel preference is the Sadowsky. Tone , The electroics can vary greatly on valenti to valenti where as Sadowsky is allways the same pre amp with a few diferent pick up set ups.

Out of curiosity, have you ever tried a Valenti with Sadowsky pre and pups? I'm considering this as an more customizable alternative to a Metro at more or less the same price.

 

[Marcus]

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I don't really care how it's made... I want one >_>

 

[mrbungle]

I don't usually get involved with these back-and-forth threads, but I find it particularly annoying when someone says something like "it's easy, anyone can do it".

Well, it is easy. Anybody with basic tools and understanding can build a kit bass in few hours, unless the parts are unfinished. Still, I see why somebody would want to pay for somebody experienced doing it and having quality product with good solder joints.

But IMHO without the builder picking out the good woods, having an influence on the neck profile, and doing proper setup with fret job and cutting the nut, it's not luthiery and should be advertised as a kit bass.