Who REALLY makes your bass?

[JohnArnson]

As long as you get something of a quality that equals what you pay for and expect from that company for I don't see the problem here.

Neither did I really think it was much of a secret.

I mean my Ibanez Mikro bass saying Made in China, ought to make it obvious that it wasn't actually build by Ibanez, who are a Japanese company.

It was designed by them though.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Less than two minutes in he spells Squier incorrectly, I'm done!

 

[nerkoids]

Ah yes, the Philip McKnight video. Kinda out of date.

Incidentally, Fender at one time did make their own in house bass tuning machines -- namely the lollipop and fat elephant ears style tuning machines in 1966 to 1975. Schaller came out with a version that was easily reversible and cheaper to make (at the time) so Fender went with them.

With the exception of the AO, Classic reproduction MiMs, and artist models that use Gotoh and Hipshot, Ping-Well (Taiwan) and HC Tuner (Korea and Taiwan) make pretty much all of the tuning machines from the VM Squiers up to the American Professionals.

 

[bholder]

None of the above. My last 3 new basses were made by specific individuals:

• @Dadagoboi
• @Christopher DBG
• Dave Wendler

And my next one will have been too (@Scoops). Thanks, guys!

 

[nerkoids]

Also Ping Well and JihHo ( Korean manufacturer who makes the Wilkinson stuff) pretty much make modern day Kluson and Grover. Both companies rely on both manufacturers depending on the model and type.

 

[pedroims]

This a normal business practice, if NASA rockets are made with parts made on several countries, I don't see why Fender cant build a bass with pickgaurds, tunners, screws, trees, pots, caps, knobs, etc made anywhere but USA.

 

[Reedt2000]

This was posted in another thread here but thought it deserved its own. Very informative video that had me thinking and just reinforcing my belief that you are mostly paying for the name on the headstock. Some of you may know this but there are a lot here who don't. Thoughts?

 

[CallMeAl]

"Names... names... I dont know why I'm writing this, but I am."
That about sums it up!

 

[interp]

Only own two basses at the moment. I’m pretty sure my Fender Roadworn P was made at the Fender facility in Mexico, and I’m 100% sure my Marleaux Contra was made by Gerald Marleaux at his luthier shop, as I’ve seen pictures of the bass in the production process.

 

[mikeoso]

Hello Mikeoso! is that Jose Mota Portuguese or descendant?

He's Portuguese, from the Azores. Lives in Rhode Island, and built the bass for use in fado...he's apparently well known in that circle.

 

[jd56hawk]

what do you mean...?

I mean I'm the one who plays them and I'll play a bass someone put together in their garage if it sounds good and feels right.
When I first started playing I learned on a Dean Hillsboro and a Squier VM Jazz. I didn't care that I wasn't playing a Fender Custom Shop bass.

 

[Amano]

This is the way all modern company’s do business. All company’s with a decent size use suppliers. The same with your phone, your computer, your car. Any product. Its not who made it or where it was made, but who designed it and did the quality control. Good or bad.

 

[I am Soma]

made it 30 seconds and couldn't finish it.

 

[40Hz]

We had this same conundrum (to me) in the world of r/c race cars. There was a company that was found to be buying designs then contracting the manufacture of kits sold under their logo. When this was revealed so many drivers jumped ship they started selling race kits under the name of the company doing their injection moulding. Nothing actually changed but the name on the box but most racers who abandoned them over their “deception” returned to the fold once the name change occurred.

Yeah. I recently read an excellent op-ed essay that asked an intriguing question about what type of person you are.

The question was:

“Would you rather be informed - or outraged?”​

I’m guessing most people would say the former but still prefer the latter. Righteous indignation has become our new national pastime.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

 

[cnltb]

I mean I'm the one who plays them and I'll play a bass someone put together in their garage if it sounds good and feels right.
When I first started playing I learned on a Dean Hillsboro and a Squier VM Jazz. I didn't care that I wasn't playing a Fender Custom Shop bass.

Ah, ok. I think I get it.

 

[GretschWretch]

All my basses are made by deep-elves under moonlight in the mystic woods. Their warranty and customer service leaves a bit to be desired, but oh, the tone....

This sheds megawatts of light on one thing: Mothman was made by the Balrog.

 

[GretschWretch]

Yeah. I recently read an excellent op-ed essay that asked an intriguing question about what type of person you are.

The question was:

“Would you rather be informed - or outraged?”​

I’m guessing most people would say the former but still prefer the latter. Righteous indignation has become our new national pastime.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

Courtesy of the media relations firm Bitch and Moan. Their clients are everywhere.

 

[bholder]

This sheds megawatts of light on one thing: Mothman was made by the Balrog.

(Ahhhh, but which Balrog? By the Third Age, the one called Durin's Bane may have been the sole survivor, but back in the First age, there were a whole bunch of them, let by Gothmog, Captain of Morgoth's Armies. Read up on how the Siege of Gondolin was broken - Balrogs riding Dragons over the Mountains! BALROGS RIDING DRAGONS OVER THE MOUNTAINS!!!!!!))

 

[GretschWretch]

(Ahhhh, but which Balrog? By the Third Age, the one called Durin's Bane may have been the sole survivor, but back in the First age, there were a whole bunch of them, let by Gothmog, Captain of Morgoth's Armies. Read up on how the Siege of Gondolin was broken - Balrogs riding Dragons over the Mountains! BALROGS RIDING DRAGONS OVER THE MOUNTAINS!!!!!!))

Ah! I see you are more deeply immersed in JRRT than am I. Right now the age I most am confronting is old age.

 

[RichardW]

He misspelled Squier, lol.

He could have made this same video about beer. Who cares?