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what do you consider a "boutique bass"?

#22
zortation said:
I make a distinction somewhere with boutique...for me, a boutique bass is something that involves non-traditional woods and/or techniques, or non-traditional specs, with a focus on aesthetics. So anything resembling a cookie cutter slab body made by a certain mass producer of iconic bass brands would be exempt.

But that's just me....or maybe others feel the same way?
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I can go with that.
 
#27
Solarmist said:
The Carvin custom shop isn't boutique??? :confused:
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I haven't played all boutique manufacturers offerings, but every one I have played is leaps and bounds ahead of carvin in terms of quality. Don't get wrong, I love my Carvin but it doesn't hold a candle to a Roscoe, Dingwall, Elrick, Lakland, so on and so forth.

I don't think something that isn't an absolute world class player can be considered boutique either, otherwise SX and Wishbass could fall into that category.
 
#29
Great discussion guys. I agree with most of these opinions. When I think of boutique basses, it brings to mind $$$$ combined with superb craftsmanship and sound. I also envision a bass that looks like a work of art. Beautiful, highly figured woods, etc.
 
#30
kevteop said:
Boutique means made to order, but for me a 'boutique bass' means one that is built without regard to good taste and decency.

So something with too many strings and/or a hideously figured top. Something so over-specified that it becomes notable more for its vulgarity than its musicality.

Very nouveau riche.
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I'll agree with this. My Modulus certainly had a 'boutiquely' priced retail tag, but it isn't a boutique bass despite it being able to compete with boutique offerings.
 
#31
I've thought a little more about this. A company that searches for it's wood specifically for looks and quality(Fodera, Alembic, Carl Thompson) instead of buying it stacked on pallets from a vendor...is boutique.
 
#32
DiabolusInMusic said:
I haven't played all boutique manufacturers offerings, but every one I have played is leaps and bounds ahead of carvin in terms of quality. Don't get wrong, I love my Carvin but it doesn't hold a candle to a Roscoe, Dingwall, Elrick, Lakland, so on and so forth.

I don't think something that isn't an absolute world class player can be considered boutique either, otherwise SX and Wishbass could fall into that category.
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Arrrr, how dare ye criticize our beloved Carvin, arrrr....

But seriously on the topic, "boutique" brings to my mind the idea of a small shop run by a few celebrity luthiers or something along those lines.

And again in all seriousness, there's a reason a boutique bass like a Fodera costs the wife and the 2 kids - they don't charge that just because they can. It's actually really hard to make an instrument at that level of craftsmanship and they need that compensation in order to do it more than once.

In terms of quality and meticulousness, the nicest boutique I got to play was a Ken Smith 6 string many years ago. I wish I remembered which model it was, it was one of the higher-end neck throughs. Their fatal flaw is the pickup placement - too close to the bridge leading to that KS nasal tone.

But truly when you actually pick up a boutique and look it over, you see why it's a "boutique". Each one is like practically a custom made instrument in terms of craftsmanship.

I don't have the musical talent to justify an investment like that as a player (tho if I were rich, perhaps as a collector), so in terms of playing boutiques aren't distinguishable, for me, from my poor-man's boutique Carvins.

But you got to respect small operations run by experienced luthiers, and that tends to be what I think of as truly boutique.

LS
 
#33
To me it's any builder that gains populaity through word of mouth, does almost no marketing and is privately held and run by one or a few more people. I would not consider anything out of Fender, Warwick, Dingwall, etc as boutique - that is not to say there aren't magical things being built there however. There is more risk and thusly romance on the boutique side in my view. ...but that's just me.
 
#37
Boutique is just that, something you would only find in a Boutique. Boutiques are usually run by a small amount of people, have a single location and is the only place you'll find the product.

In the bass world I think Price and Name recognition have more to do with the "Boutiqueeness" than anything else.

I don't consider brands like Warwick to be "Boutique", or parts assembled instruments. While they may be high end and high cost, they are still "Production" instruments.

Fodera is probably as close to the borderline of Production/Boutique as I would go. They remain a small shop(kind of) and produce a relatively small amount of instruments, but are on the verge of becomming a production shop.

There is a distinct difference between "Custom" and "Boutique", and I think limited quantity and price/performance have a lot to do with it.
 
#38
Honestly the way I see boutique instruments is that they're not production made, but more custom. Possibly from a small store, possibly not. Like my Warwick is a German made production line bass. It's fantastic and certainly high quality but not boutique. My Spector ReBop is production line also, fantastic quality and also not boutique. I would almost consider my Euro 5 LX boutique as it was custom constructed to my tastes, but it's also a pre-made shape, available from a production line like setting with the highest of quality. I say almost, it's a custom bass. But if it were a signature model made by Spector with my own specs (string spacing, woods, scale length, nut width etc) I'd consider that a boutique bass, no matter who made it.
 
#39
Lot's of spot-on specifics unfolded so far so only want to add a general perspective that I have when considering the topic. I feel that a boutique instrument is one that is of limited production (not mass-produced) and generally tailored, meaning more considered choices of all parts/not cookie-cutter. Whether it's made of exotic wood/parts or basic tried and true woods and pu's/electronics etc, I usually consider such boutique. Maybe not the exact/correct use of the term by the dictionary, but I think it's use is expanding to include a more general genre of product-level.

As a spin-off, these instrument producers help raise the bar for everyone as all the mega production companies (Fender/Gibson/Ibanez et al) all have introduced "boutique" instruments within there product line as a marketing/selling point. The nature of the market place. Whether or not one spends the higher cost involved is subjective to the players needs, wants and personal financing.
 

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