Which bass guitar company has the best QC?

[A-Step-Towards]

I am pretty impressed with japan made fenders

 

[Calaverasgrande]

I own a Lakland Skyline 55-02 and haven't noticed any of what you describe. It's a beautiful bass, even if it isn't my #1.

Also, if you don't know how to do your own setups, it would probably pay to learn how. Counting on the factory to set the action to your liking is like buying a car and expecting the drivers seat to already be adjusted perfectly for you. Same with a soldering iron. The electronic components in most electric basses are pretty simple, a very modest investment in a soldering iron will pay for itself over and over. All the info you need to do almost any repair is on the internet, usually straight from the manufacturer.

I actually have put the butter on my bread in the lean times doing set ups and minor electrical repairs on instruments. I think any serious musician should be able to do all their own maintenance.
I also think some basses are never going to set up well, while other "brand S" basses are over setup to the point that they play nicely in the store, but sound awful.

No new instrument should require you to warm up the iron though. Maybe a few tweaks of action for preference but not major setup and intonation.

 

[MrWalker]

The thread is worthless as information from a buying perspective. This is nothing but a customer poll and the question it asks is not about QC but "Which bass company are you most happy with?"

There will always be production errors and design flaws in a series of produced instruments. Even from well known custom shops. QC should be measured in number of serious errors are being put out on the market per produced entities. The lower the number, the better the overall production quality is. QC is only a part of that. If the workers produce crap, and the QC is good, there wont be much exciting the factory. And if the workers are producing excellent stuff, you can have a crappy QC dept without putting too many lemons on the market.

And these numbers can't be produced without going through a high number of basses to find statistically correct and comparable selections.

Your discussion is based on personal perception, nor statistical facts.

 

[ilikebass7]

Isn't this entire forum based on personal opinion and experience?

 

[MrWalker]

Isn't this entire forum based on personal opinion and experience?

Of course
Just pointing out that the information presented cannot be used to decide which bass you should get from eBay. That's all. We're answering another question than the one being asked.

 

[Evil Undead]

Spector. When you send a bass to be PLEK'd and they tell you no improvement can be made, nuff said.

Yep.

And although Grendle won't like this, Warwick have excellent QC.

Sorry Grendle but it's true!

 

[ilikebass7]

The thread is worthless as information from a buying perspective. This is nothing but a customer poll and the question it asks is not about QC but "Which bass company are you most happy with?"

There will always be production errors and design flaws in a series of produced instruments. Even from well known custom shops. QC should be measured in number of serious errors are being put out on the market per produced entities. The lower the number, the better the overall production quality is. QC is only a part of that. If the workers produce crap, and the QC is good, there wont be much exciting the factory. And if the workers are producing excellent stuff, you can have a crappy QC dept without putting too many lemons on the market.

And these numbers can't be produced without going through a high number of basses to find statistically correct and comparable selections.

Your discussion is based on personal perception, nor statistical facts.

I guess this seems more like a thread of who have you consistently had good experience with? Your correct not accurate statistically at all haha.

 

[audiomitch]

I actually have put the butter on my bread in the lean times doing set ups and minor electrical repairs on instruments. I think any serious musician should be able to do all their own maintenance.
I also think some basses are never going to set up well, while other "brand S" basses are over setup to the point that they play nicely in the store, but sound awful.

No new instrument should require you to warm up the iron though. Maybe a few tweaks of action for preference but not major setup and intonation.

I must have misunderstood your previous message:

Some may have mediocre action and great finish (kinda common these days!). Other guys put a lot of energy into the action and playability, but the electronics are held together by spit and paste.

I read that to mean the action from the factory. Either the internet is a poor means of communication, or I'm just getting old (or both).

Re: electronics. No brand new bass should need repair right out of the box. But I don't fear electronics issues, and wouldn't base my buying decision on it. In fact, I'll sometimes buy a "broken" bass on the cheap because I'm confident I can get it going again. It's a good skill to have, especially with those used "Craigslist treasures". The quality of the components make a difference, the actual "spit and paste" are merely an annoyance.

 

[gary mitchell]

You Get What You Pay For Most Of The Time, I know it ain't First Act.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

Isn't this entire forum based on personal opinion and experience?

^this all day long!
I see so many times on talkbass people getting bent out of shape over opinions. Hey guys it's like politics or religion, you cant change someones mind for them!
Tube v SS etc.
We all just like to spout our opinions, and some of us dig reading other folks opinions. Dont like someones opinions move on!

 

[Calaverasgrande]

I must have misunderstood your previous message:



I read that to mean the action from the factory. Either the internet is a poor means of communication, or I'm just getting old (or both).

Re: electronics. No brand new bass should need repair right out of the box. But I don't fear electronics issues, and wouldn't base my buying decision on it. In fact, I'll sometimes buy a "broken" bass on the cheap because I'm confident I can get it going again. It's a good skill to have, especially with those used "Craigslist treasures". The quality of the components make a difference, the actual "spit and paste" are merely an annoyance.

Heck yeah I have an Adcom power amp that I picked up for nothing because it was "broken". But if we are talking about QC I assume it regards new basses, not yardsale fixer uppers.
You can hardly base your opinion of a brands QC on a softly beaten used instrument.