Who's Your Favorite Custom Builder???

[west*coast*bass]

Mark Garza of Garz Guitars. He is one of the best builders out there and a great guy to deal with.

My bass is a 33" scale 5 string - Alder body, maple/wenge/maple neck with rosewood board, basslines and an Aguilar OBP-3 with passive tone. This bass is awesome in every way.

 

[eekmeg]

I vote for Greg Yancey. He has crafted some great basses...one of which I own. Rob Elrick, Michael Tobias, and Jens Ritter are also in my top 4.

 

[denchiq]

...and no Dan Lakin yet???

 

[needmoney]

Bud LeCompte - LeCompte Basses

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[bassplayer1960]

Rob Allen ( roballenguitars.com)

Awesome experience!

 

[mimaz]

Crook Custom

Bill Crook built what is hands down the best bass I've ever owned (and I have a few nice ones ). Bill has primarily been a guitar builder, but he's doing more basses now, and it sounds like he plans to continue expanding his bass offerings.

 

[mark beem]

Favorite boutique builders:
Nino Valenti
Mike Lull
Roger Sadowsky

Favorite custom builders:
Chris Stambaugh
Bill Conklin
Vinnie Fodera

 

[Deburgh]

Another plug for Alembic. The quality of the bass they built for me far exceeded both my own expectations, and any other bass I've ever owned. Susan, Mica and Ron are wonderful people to deal with!

 

[fretster]

Another vote for Carey Nordstrand, and his mighty luthier crew!

 

[ursus]

Fodera
Rob Allen

 

[Brad Johnson]

Brubaker.

 

[amadeusex]

+1 for Mr. Greg Curbow (got a 7-string fretless and it just looks like a statue ... and sounds awesome)

also

Fodera (i want one badly ... maybe next year)

Jerzy Drozd (got two of them - flawless work astounding quality and superb sound and playability - perfect basses ... )

Kenneth Lawrence (awesome instruments)

Bill Conklin

Jens Ritter

Wassilios Nikolaidis (Invalid Link Removed take a look !)

 

[tdurden]

What no love for David King?
He builds awesome basses and he does it by himself. He is the one who answers the phone, replies to mail and builds the thing. I was unsure of what I wanted and was able to speak with him at length. Get hand made basses, nice guy and great value.

 

[sei24bass]

Wow, us bass players have soo many amazing talented luthiers...positively spoilt for choice!

Can't say I've tried them all, but SEI (Martin Petersen) is the make of bass I just seem to keep coming back to, time and time again!

 

[dlmarquez]

I have 3 nominees:
Rob Allen who builds IMHO the finest piezo only bass I've ever had the pleasure of playing
Mike Lull, who has the P/J thing down to perfection, and fellow TB'er who made my custom...Rodent (aka Skuttlefunk basses)
absolutely beautiful custom dark star/piezo!

 

[atheos]

Matti Nevalainen from Finnish Guitar Works/Flying Finn Guitars has absolutely the best personality on the planet If I ever get rich I'll make him build my custom bass, played a couple of his custom P's and they are waaaaaay better than Fender originals. Must get a snake skin pickguard too, they're awesome (he uses genuine python skin). Here's the URL: Link Removed

 

[12stringbassist]

An excellent builder is Brian Eastwood.
http://www.brianeastwoodguitars.co.uk

He builds from the sublime to the ridiculous...

Here's the ridiculous:

 

[insomniac2295]

Clement!

 

[godofthunder59]

John Diggens of Jaydee in England ! He built me a exact replica of Jim Leas's one of bass.

Jimmy even put his bass up as a pattern !

 

[pedulla-2007]

Brain Barrett has to be the undisputed champion here.Not many guitar builders are into trading their works of art IMO, I would think that they would work pretty much on cash or credit card basis. But my friend Brian sticks his neck out on a daily basis to get his product out there, even if it means trading for vintage instruments in a soft vintage market. How many boutique bass builders carry their work home with them on the weekends to negotiate a bass trade. Now to workmanship and attention to detail,CHRIS BENEVENTE electronics are unlike any other preamp I have played in my 30 yrs of playing. I met Brian this weekend in ARLINGTON, TX this weekend and this dude is young, and wise beyond his years. When I was his age all I was worried about was something to smoke,HA! Mr. BARRETT you have changed my whole out look on bass playing, and now I want to practice! TRULY MY FAVORITE.