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What to call a put together bass?

#41
DougSkinner said:
Please excuse if this isn’t the correct place to post this:

Not a true new build, but if pairing a stripped down body with a new neck, and then replacing everything else custom, what would you consider this bass to be? For example, a Squier body, and a different Squier neck, and all custom hardware, electronics, etc... The headstock has a serial number. The major parts are Squier. But it’s a completely different bass. I’m not trying to misrepresent anything, or claim any particular brand, etc. What is the appropriate way to go here? (In addition to just being honest...) I could remove all labels and call it a complete custom job, but then I’m using Squier parts with no credit. If I leave the Squier name on it, am I misrepresenting myself?
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In this case, I would call it a Squier build or a Frankensquier.
 
#44
Mugre said:
That's a legal and marketing debate that Steinway has been waging for about 10-15 when they realized that like Fender and Marshall, their biggest competitor was not Bosendorfor or Kawai but their own used instruments. They've even coined a term for them, "Steinwas".
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Yamaha started the same argument with itself by convincing the Japanese market that pianos have a lifespan of about ten years. Enterprising capitalists decided they could get boatloads of these "useless" pianos from Japan and sell them here in the states. Yamaha came up with a load of garbage about those pianos being "built specifically for the Japanese climate" and called them "gray market" pianos..... not quite "black market".

OP, it's a "parts bass" or "Frankenstein" or "Frankenbass".
 
#46
I suppose every Guarneri, Amati and Strad should then be called Frankenfiddles as they've all had their original gut strings dumped, short necks replaced, soundposts replaced, neck angle changed to the point that the original makers wouldn't recognize the sound they make as steel strung modern remakes. I know there is only 1 Strad in a museum (don't remember which) that is unplayed and wholly all original. They're electric basses, get over it.
 
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#53
A mutt. If it's an especially good one that puts similar models of thoroughbred origin to shame, it would be considered a killer mutt. Depending on skill level, the quality of the parts used and that unidentified quality that has been labeled by some as "mojo" which elevates the instrument to a level well beyond others of the same construction, you could have either a modded Squier or a killer mutt.
 
#54
If you're selling it, call it a parts bass or a Frankenstein bass. Then list all the parts used in the description.

That said, the way to get the most return out of selling such a thing would be to sell all the parts separately.

If it's just your bass, and you want to know what to call it, well, it doesn't really matter what you call it. However, I would probably call it a Squier parts bass.
 
#56
When taking various parts and making a bass, I’d call it a parts-bass. (in the Fender guitar world, it’s called a partscaster) I typically go by the body and neck brand. Since yours are both Squier, I’d call it a Squier parts-bass.

I have a Blade B2 Tetra body mated up to a Warmoth pau ferro neck. I call it Matt. (Assembled it when my son was born, “for” him - but mostly to commemorate that time in my life.). I used Blade active preamp (translated the best I could!), and Fender Jazz pickups. I think I used Hipshot or Sperzel tuners... can’t remember now. Have to look.

I have made guitars with MJT bodies and Warmoth or Fender necks - call those MJT/Warmoth or MJT/Fender Stratocaster (and Telecaster).

Most important thing is if you ever sell it, be completely up front with the buyer. That said, there’s no telling if the buyer will be up front with the person he later sells it to.

I don’t like to remove nor add any headstock decals. All my Warmoth necks have blank headstocks, sans one with a Warmoth decal.
 
#57
DougSkinner said:
Please excuse if this isn’t the correct place to post this:

Not a true new build, but if pairing a stripped down body with a new neck, and then replacing everything else custom, what would you consider this bass to be? For example, a Squier body, and a different Squier neck, and all custom hardware, electronics, etc... The headstock has a serial number. The major parts are Squier. But it’s a completely different bass. I’m not trying to misrepresent anything, or claim any particular brand, etc. What is the appropriate way to go here? (In addition to just being honest...) I could remove all labels and call it a complete custom job, but then I’m using Squier parts with no credit. If I leave the Squier name on it, am I misrepresenting myself?
Click to expand...
Partscision!
 

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