Or, once the whole band is playing, and the crowd is doing its thing, no one could tell the difference between a $800 bass and a $8000 bass. Maybe in a really nice studio, and then later playback through a quality system, one might tell the difference by listening too closely. Once you're at $1000 anymore only appeals to the eyes, and the feel to the player. The amp, and your playing ability, will have much more affect on tone
So damn true. Better off getting a Squire or similar jazz bass, (I have a chinese knockoff J bass that sounds great) mod the hell out of it and save a ton of money.....
As someone trained in instrument making, when you're paying custom luthier prices, you're paying for being able to ask for specific needs to be met, not really for some magical quality. Wood is wood, and while I can make something slightly better than a mass-produced instrument, I can't make ash or mahogany anything more than it is. Only buy custom instruments if you have unusual requirements that mass-produced instruments don't meet (maybe you want the frets laid out to support an unusual temperament, or unusual materials/hardware configurations) Otherwise, you're usually better off buying a more reasonably priced instrument, and getting it tweaked to suit you, which is much cheaper generally.
@CuriousKey I agree with you on this, I've got a a short scale bass that has a purpleheart fretless fingerboard and a fat D shape neck and I wasn't gonna find that neck at my local guitar center. Had to get it from warmoth.
A very good instrument doesn't change your playing DIRECTLY, but it did to me indirectly: I realised some of the flaws I could hear came from me and not from the instrument, which motivated me to practise. Thanks for the advice. :)
Great video! There are a few things important about custom basses/instruments. One, do not buy it because you want to sound like an artist. Cause you won't unless you play exactly how they play which is near impossible. Two, beyond a certain point you are paying for aesthetics and getting to provide input on what you want (woods, finish, pickups, etc). That in and of itself to me is worth it. I can bring my idea to life. Be warned, it's very addicting once you get one! There is something to be said about the craftsmanship and it way exceeds any production model out there (I imagine that depends on the builder). Three, exactly what Scott says about an instrument "inspiring you" to play. That's likely because the craftsmanship whether it be the neck construction, body contour, resonance, or whatever just clicks with you. That is a very REAL thing and you have to experience it for yourself! I will say $11k is insane though. I own a few $5k-$6k instruments and they have things about them that certainly put them in that category because of the sheer amount of hours it took to build them. With Fodera, you are paying for the name IMO. I've played one and while it's a fantastic instrument... it didn't even have anything aesthetically going for it in terms of some crazy mastergrade top or have anything that really set it apart from competition. Same would go for any custom builder unless you are getting actual gold/platinum/diamonds inlaid or if they are truly making you a custom body shape or overall design from scratch.
CrudeRow if the wood is fine you can make a 150 dollar bass sound amazing. Check out the channel guns and guitars he makes awesome basses from kits worth 80 bucks he buys some pickups and stuff and makes it beautiful
Yari Bins, yeah, man, I'm subbed to him. He's just awesome and I'd really like to build one DIY myself. 150$, though, is my monthly budget. I'd have to be saving for a year or so to afford even a DIY. I mean it.
I was lucky enough to be able to build my own basses... With some friends of mine. All from scratch. Great experience and my instruments are "the best" in my mind. And I did some huge gigs with them, the ones you can't afford to fake. (to fail) The one on my profile picture is our own design. Fretless.
Can you do a video on Bass VI type basses, from the point of view of a bassist? Nearly all online reviews of them are by guitarists who play them like guitars.
Excellent tips! I just got my custom Wal Bass after almost a 2 year wait. Since I am a lefty, I couldn’t play one beforehand so it was a huge gamble. But, since Wals are so unique I knew mostly what I was getting before I received it. My only other tip would be to buy something that is worth it to you! I had a hard time justifying buying a custom bass with great woods but off the shelf hardware, pickups, and other specs. For me, the value came in custom pickups and handmade hardware.
Glad the Moollon is back. Appreciate the post, good advice. P.S. That F-bass is gorgeous. I personal like having a PJ configuration in the arsenal. It's an all purpose bass.
Yeah, but with a custom bass you don't have to send it to college or bail it out of jail. Plus, if you don't like your custom bass, you can sell it. Can't do that with your kids....I've tried. "Bwhahahahahaha......"
Kool video. Much props to you for this. Scott, you hit it on the head with this one. I too have done this custom bass thing and many times got rid of it with in a year. Just wasn't what I was looking for in tone. I even went as far as changing out pickups and preamps. No dice. So over all ladies and gents. Don't get hooked on the look of a bass or guitar before doing a little work in checking if it will do what you are looking for it to do. Use the old ears. They won't fool you as the old eyes will.
If I had the oppertunity to have my custom guitar, my choices would be: Manufacturer: Strandberg Base model: Boden Woods: swamp ash body, flame maple top, roasted maple neck and ebony fretboard Sizes: 7 strings, 25.5"-26.5" multiscale scale length, 16"-20" compound radius Pickups: Fishman Fluence Moderns Electronics: volume knob, 3 way pickup selector switch, 2 way mini switch for changing the voicing (because of the Fishmans), 2 way mini switch to be used as a kill switch, 2 3 way mini switches to control the coil splits with the ability to select the coil that I wanna be on, one for each pickup. Finish: either something like a bright blue burst, purple to turquise burst or blue to green burst, all of which are satin and transperent
For me, I bought a Warmouth P-bass body. Maple body, flame maple top, dyed blow. Neck, pickups, pickguard, all from a Steve Harris signature model but active tone control. That is a 13 lb beast. I love that there really isn't anything else exactly like it.
Glad to know that your Moullon is back. Agree that custom basses are mostly personal taste and serve as inspiration. What comes out, whatever bass you play, is your musicality.
I bought a Modulus Flea 4 string with Lane Poor pickup from my bass teacher in high school. I quickly learned that the graphite neck and low action made me a better player than on other basses, including Fenders. Now, I commissioned a 5 string bass from Joe Zon that will have two double coils with a switch to go single, pickup mix, and the graphite neck but with satin finish not sticky gloss. It will be the most versatile and fastest playing bass I've ever held, and it will be worth every penny.
Have had a Carl Thompson on order for about 2 and a half years now and I just got the call last week that it’s done and will be shipped by the end of this week. It’s currently 4 A.M. because my excitement will not allow me to sleep, so here I am!
If you're lefty (like me), top-brand instruments are so much more expensive (if offered at all) that you might as well buy a custom. Bad part is, you can't usually play a similar model beforehand; a righty won't give you the feel you need to judge, altho' you can judge the build-quality overall. I'm glad there are custom-makers out there; if not for me, for folks like me. (PS- A lefty custom holds its value for resale a lot better than a righty custom; bc we have fewer options and can and will adapt when we need to to upgrade).
Hi, I am left handed naturally but made the decision many years ago to play a right hand bass. I have not regretted it. The left hand covers the finger board and the right hand has the " easy " job of the strings. Just something to think about. I am pleased the stolen Moolon bass is back and I hope the thief was caught.
Well, you are a special person. If right-handed players followed the same logic; they would play like me, instead of like you. 'Handedness' connotes as much to strength (or the perception of same) as it does to dexterity. Hence, the right handed player should pick with his 'stronger' hand; as I do with my left. Your choice is valid, for you. It is not for many of us. Just something to think about.
John Ciriani I also chose this approach for hockey as well as bass as I am left handed 13 years ago i picked up my.first bass. I have even tried playing left handed instruments friends own from time to time, but it just feels so wrong lol. However we can express the grooves I suppose!
I plan to buy a blank body without any finish, so I can paint on the body, and later coat it with finish. Install the passive pickups etc. Biggest DIY ever for me. Might need some professional help tho :D So much for custom basses. I encourage you to do the same. Creativity rules !
This is extremely accurate. As soon as I get a guitar - used or new - I like to unscrew everything, take it apart, clean up or sand the neck joining surfaces, exchange/upgrade a few parts, make all the bridge & intonation adjustments, and let it ‘marinade’ with a new set of strings: DAddario XL for guitar & Rotosound for bass. After a couple of weeks the guitar I wanted starts to emerge. Patience, grasshopper...
AWESOME!!! You got your Moolon back. You are a lucky boy Scott, very lucky. Cheers! So somebody named Eddie bought your bass on eBay and just sent it to you? I guess his nickname is "Deep Pockets Eddie", eh?
I sort of had that "it's okay..." moment when I got my Lakland Skyline. Not a custom by any stretch but it is probably the most high-end bass I've ever owned. I got it for a song on Amazon and I was so stoked to get it... Until I played it. I was just kinda, meh. I couldn't believe people paid nearly $1500 for this thing! But the more I played it, the more I saw how versatile it is. I now have Rotosound tapes on it and it is a dub style monster, fun to play Motown tunes with as well. I'm kind of glad I ordered it online too because I might have been tempted to take it back to a brick and mortar. I saw someone mention diminishing returns and I definitely think it applies to custom instruments. The first few hundred pays for the wood and hardware, the last few thousands pay for all the time to make it a true work of art.
I just sold a custom bass on reverb, luckily I only took a $50 bath on it. Now I'm just looking for a good old American or European production bass that is simple and classic in its aesthetic..
I'm a luthier, i build instruments and i will say custom basses aare not a scam IF you are buying one because you wnat the feeling that no holds were barred on the craftsmanship of your instrument... on the concept of getting a gig worthy playable instrument most of the time you can find it in a MUCH lower priced production model EXCEPT when you're like me... and looking for something no one does. i have two basses (well 1 3/4 the second will be done in about 2 weeks) #1 is a bowable fretted 6 string electric upright in sapele and maple, the 2nd is an 8 string (octave) bass with a 12 string super terble harp attached to the side.
I know Scott probably won't read this, but I just had a bass made by Chris McIntyre in Edinburgh, can't recommend him highly enough. A J-bass with 18mm spacing and 44mm nut, the preamp is the John East J-sound, passive tone is great and the capacitors are easy to change. Worth a look.
Scott, I absolutely loved your last comment. When I started playing bass, 15 years ago, I was unsure if it would work out. I'd already tried other instruments, but they never felt like my vibe. So I got a $100 bass (here in Brazil). It was the cheapest playable bass (I brought a professional bassist friend to evaluate it) I could find. I adjusted it myself and got good strings. This was my main bass for 8 years. After I was confident, I changed the pickups and the sound improved, but only because that was already my instrument. Later I went and bought a $700 Cort A5, which is great. So great I almost don't play my older bass anymore... But my $100 still sounds great and I am not ashamed at all of it! Its action is as low as I love, the Fender Pickups I added have a nice punch... Still best purchase I've ever did! (or maybe the second, because I also love my A5)
you are so right about geeking out and investigating the tone that you want, i was going to buy a fender high mass for my american special p-bass because of the sustain, but i saw several videos and it looses the tone we all p-bass lovers love, it makes it sharper an brighter, so i prefer now leaving the vintage bent metal bridge
I JUST finished building my first custom bass :) Funny I run into this video. Hoping to market them eventually, so far so good. And there is something special about knowing your instrument was made by hand. I don't know how 'scam' would be the right word, I mean, they might not get you the sound you want, but unless they are claiming to create a specific sound, it is more like caveat emptor. And while different woods will surely sound different, the fretboard is the last thing to worry about, the pickups do a lot more of the work :)
The bass master. So full of bass wisdom. You inspire me to be better dude and very educational video as always. Take it easy and keep em comming. Peace brother
Have you ever had Carl Thompson or Jen's Ritter build you a bass? If not play a Carl Thompson or look into what this man can do with wood. These basses are pure works of art.
I love the looks of your new F-Bass! For me, it has that late '70's Bernard Edwards BC Rich vibe. Great sound as well. But that's no surprise, for a F-Bass. I own some custom made (P) basses and (too much) production built basses myself, and I think you're totally right about all of them species in your video. Kind regards, Admar
The only reason to get a custom made bass is simply so you basically have a one of a kind instrument. Meaning you want a LOOK that is all yours as an artist, and the sound is exactly how you like it, but a bit secondary in some ways.
Here is another thing I have learned over the years. No matter the bass, no matter the amp, the speaker combination I use or even the EQ settings it still basically sounds like me. I can sit down and concentrate at picking or fingering and get my tone to change but when the lights come up and the drummer counts it down. It’s back to my sound.
You *can* make any bass better by setting it up correctly and it's not hard. There are plenty out there with rough fret ends, or frets out of level, or with deep wear grooves. Sorting these out is a bit harder, and I'd never recommend experimenting with fret work on your favourite instrument, but a little UA-cam research you can turn a cheap instrument with a good vibe into something that plays really well.
Great video Scott! I love the in depth points and discussion of choosing a custom bass and also many of these points can be used when choosing a stock bass as well.
My wife got me a custom-built Mike Lull PJ5-24 two years ago for my 40th Birthday. I had gotten fantastic deals on both their Modern 4 & Modern 5 numerous years before, and after trying just about every J-style bass I could get my hands on (stopping by every high-end and bass-only shops every time we were in town for concerts, road trips and vacations) I knew they were *the* Jazz Basses for me, but that the 90%+ they were in my book could hit 100% by some custom changes. Mainly the biggest change I wanted from most of their Basses was an Alder body and Maple fretboard, as opposed to the classic Alder/Rosewood or Swamp Ash/Maple combinations of woods. I prefer the evenness of Alder as opposed to the natural mid-scoop that Ash has, but prefer the brightness and snap of a Maple fretboard compared to the muted upper frequencies that Rosewood gives you. I would say the other major choice I picked was to get the new-at-the-time “PJ5-24” model as opposed to the “Modern 5” Jazz Bass. Basically it’s a P/J Bass top-routed with a pickguard and control plate, but I went further and had the neck pickup routed universally for both 5-string Precision and Jazz pickups and wired with an EMG-style quick-connect harness so that going from P/J to J/J only takes the removal of pickguards and gives me a ton of options for recording. Some other choices of mine were a Birdseye Maple fretboard with no face dots, aluminum Hipshot Type-A string-thru Bridge and HB6Y Ultralight Tuners, custom Mike Lull/Seymour Duncan Bassline Linear Humbucking Pickups and Bartolini NTMB (@18V) 3-band Active/Passive Preamp w/ push-pull Vintage Tone Control and wired Volume/Volume as opposed to Volume/Blend. And that says nothing about having a master luthier such as Mike Lull building a custom instrument: he spent a few weeks tapping on blanks of Alder to find one with even responsiveness and low-B support but light weight (total weight ended up at 8.4 lbs!) as well as his fantastic PLEKed and hand-finished fretwork! Are the above a HUGE difference compared to what he usually makes? I suppose that depends on the player. However, I’ve rarely picked up my Modern 5 J-Bass since my custom was delivered, and I’d love to replace both my Modern 4 & 5 with Alder-bodied versions and the same hardware and set my Candy Orange to permanent P/J status. 5-10% may not be a ton added to an “average” instrument, but the difference between a great Bass and one that’s *perfect* is an amazing change!
I had my customshop in 2006. I was very precise about size specs, woods and electronics (18v active with swipe med filter and piezo bridge). Still considering it my favorite ❤️.
A custom made bass, a well made one, can be thought of as a work of art in itself. There are infinite numbers of prints or pictures you could hang on your wall which will make your room look to suit your taste, but having a 'real' painting hand done be an artist, whoever it may be, is a more valuable item simply by the fact that a real person spent time and thought creating it. Its function may be secondary but if it may have some extra mojo that inspires the player.
I got a sweet bass on Talkbass for $200! Squier Short Scale. Seller buys them, mods them (changes out the P pick up, changes the pots & capacitors, shaves down the head and puts on lighter tuners *to eliminate neck dive - and it does*, and puts on round wounds)...it made me a better player the first day I got it!
Hey Scott! Idea-- could you do a segment on comparing the same type of bass, with different woods? Play the same song with same settings. P to P, J to J, but only different woods. Could be interesting!
To me, the big problem with those bass is the price, and not in the usual way. I used to own some high end instruments (bass and guitar) at a time, but it sterilise my playing, I was so concious of the price of those things that I cannot actually play right because I can not relax and let myself go. So I sold them and get the regular low to mid middle priced (400 to 600) instruments and I am happy now!
Never understand paying more for relics. Just get creative and you can do it yourself for free. Even installing most hardware and electronics isn't that difficult.
Piet Muijs if your job pays you 100usd an hour, the every hour you spend on putting together your bass will cost you 100 USD for each hour you spend on planning, building and buying the equipment. Also the different parts and tools will cost you a whole lot too. If you don't own everything already, it can often be cheaper to buy a custom one, than building it. It all depends on your situation and interests.
folia_rock people value their spare time differently, people have different hobbies, and some people can get paid efforts at any hour if they want to. If they enjoy their job more than they enjoy building a bass, then I would value each hour building a bass the same as what my job pays me. My point is that that opinion doesn't apply to everyone, as we all have different lives. To some, their spare time is when they choose to lose money. A choice they can count with lost dollars per hour. I'm not one of them. But I can understand it.
Gonna weigh in on the relic thing... You know when you get a new pair of jeans and they feel a bit stiff and uncomfortable, but after a few outings they have relaxed a bit and feel great? For me, a relic bass is exactly that. Aesthetics aside, it just kinda has that worn in feel that instantly feels more comfortable, especially on the neck. So a bit extra for a more comfy instrument? Fine by me...
The other ingredient that most luthiers have that the average buyer does not is the experience of building instruments. There are all sorts of situations that come up when building and finishing an instrument that a luthier deals w/ on a daily basis that most woodworkers do not. Unless you want to gain the experience, it may not be worth doing a full custom build. As folia_rock mentions, the cost of your time only applies if you can charge for it.
@Will Tiley I totally agree with the broken in feel. I also think that Relics are simply a type of finish. No different to a rare wood top, Matt, oiled or any other. People do not buy relics to fool other people that its old. They just buy them because they like the finish, the feel and the vibe. Also, relic owners don’t cry like babies when they ding their basses. I know players that have sold a bass because they cannot live with a ding. 😂
Custom basses are absolutely worth it, provided you do your research. I think before ordering one it is important to have played a lot of different instruments and understand why certain basses sound the way they do. Pickups, tonewoods, etc. Do this so you can learn what you like and what you don't. For example, I just had the chance to play an NYC Sadowsky yesterday. The workmanship was top notch, the playability was phenomenal, and the bass was a beast tonally. It was used and was going to be sold for around 4k. I probably would not purchase that particular instrument though because I am not the biggest fan of Sadowsky preamps. I also believe custom is a good option when production basses won't meet your needs. I ordered a bass from a builder in Europe, 32in 5 string. Not really available on the mass produced side of the market so the purchase made sense. Again, custom basses are worth it, just do your research, educate yourself and don't make impulse decisions on these. Many of the builders I have dealt with are usually more than happy to answer questions and work with you through the process.
Seen so many players buy a certain name bass because they want to appear “cool” and have to adapt their playing style to play it versus playing the right bass . Example… I have always played Warwicks , I love the neck thru feel and tone. Picked up. ESP 4 string and it just felt and sounded perfect , then I saw the price tag . $250 and took it home . Tried several other ESP’s and never found another that remotely came close. Somehow the manufacturer made the one and only perfect custom bass that fit me and my playing style
1st - EDDIE IS THE MAN! He bought the bass and returned it to you?! Huge props to you, Eddie. Concerning custom basses, I have owned one custom bass. It was a Carvin fretless kit that I put together with my dad about 15 years ago. I fell into the trap of "stuff", and I eventually sold the bass to someone who fixed our mistakes, and still plays the bass to this day. I feel custom is fine for those who choose to drop the cash on it. For me - I get everything I need from my collection of off the shelf Ibanez guys. To Scott's point, I just bought an Ibanez TMB105 Talman 5-strong for $250. It is a traditional style PJ guy, and this bass kicks ass! Tone monster! You don't have to drop thousands of dollars on an instrument to sound good. 😀 #sbl #goodquestion #basscommunity
While a more expensive bass does not make you a better player, I do think you need to find a bass that fits your style though as he said. I went to buy my first high end Bass and really wanted a fender jazz, But when I played them they just didn’t feel right. I ended up playing 12 different bases and it came down to the Music man basses. I bought a ray 34 for 800 bucks a lot less expensive than the fender I wanted and it gave me the sound and feel that I liked. As much as I would love a Getty Lee signature, the stingray just felt right to me. The stingray also made me play a little better because I liked it and it was comfortable it’s a bonus that it looks great!
Like with cheap ones, it is always about the marriage of the pieces of wood. Sometimes you get it lucky, sometimes not. Once I had a chanche to play on a Fender Customshop Strat and it was dreadful, while some other, cheaper ones was just fantastic. Yes, I do play guitar AND bass!
in addition to getting a better deal, you have a lot more choice. you can have literally any body shape you can design. guitar pickups. sympathetic strings. hybrid fretless/fretted boards. custom electronics setups. a pickguard made of a stop sign. fender's custom shop won't even let you put in reversed pickups!
I know the feeling. Both with becoming a dad and just getting my C5 apocalypse (closest to a custom i'll ever have). I saw it and angels sang... But being my first five string, trying to play took the geek out of me quick.
But have you played a Valery Olegovich Gulyaev bass? Sergey "Grebstel" Kalachev plays one that took the luthier 3-5 years to make. It's an unlined fretless 6 string with 3D carving, a MIDI pickup system, and custom recessed bridge system. The headstock has a Russian Italic Г(Ge), which looks like a backwards S.
I had an Elio Martina 6string in the early 90's around 2k. Really superb instrument. Nowadays I play a Harley Benton 6string also neckthru and it's almost as good. Greetings and appreciation from Amsterdam.
Great video, as usual, Scott! This particular subject is a sore spot for me. I would like to share my experience to help others be wary. Some companies will offer an artist sponsorship to very small artists, and give a minuscule discount. I had an experience in which I received an “artist discount” from a “sponsorship”. I had to hound the company down about listing me on the website. The instrument itself frequently has issues. I took it in for repairs to them three times, and it still doesn’t play like I want it to. I dropped a large sum of money on a custom bass, and it does NOT play or sound like the amount of money I dropped into it. I would advise people to please do your research, play a guitar from the maker you’re looking into (as you advised), and to be wary of any company that is frequently “sponsoring” small bands. Some companies are doing it to help out and for mutual exposure; others are using you as their main source of income. I saw the company regularly having sales for discounts greater than I received as one of their artists!
Thanks for Your fantastic channel & SBL Scott! Have You tried a Dingwall fan fretted bass? Beautiful instrument & fantastic electronics! Alessandro Stellano plays one. Love to see You do a review. Keep up the good work & see You all in the shed :)
A friend of mine that was in a band called, Einstein's Car (before that, he was in Squonk Opera) got a Pedula. Ever hear of or use one of those? My brother used to have one of those old fancy Ampeg basses with the scrolled head and the F-holes cut through the body and the pick-ups were also the bridge. So far, I've got a 5-string Steinberger Spirit, a Steinberger copy by Kramer called, The Duke, an Ibanez Ergonomic 5-string and a Hofner Beatle bass. Maybe, some day, I'll be able to get my hands on a Rickenbacher 4000 and a 12-string Chapman Stick.
I have a Gamma bass made by Joey Milstein from New Jersey USA. It's got a J neck and a P body. Pickups are AWESOME. I'd say it's way better than an American Fender but for less money. Very, very happy with it. It's right purty too!!
Great lesson Thanks. Do you suggest Passive mode for groove playing as you said ? Active only for soloing? Would appreciate a clarification on that as I play an active bass and I never go in to Passive mode. Thanks in advance.
I think Scott is being conservative when saying custom basses are not a scam (of course he's gonna say that because in one way or another he's being sponsored, or at the least watched, by big boutique brand manufacturers). In my opinion, any bass beyond 2500-3500 dollars is a scam and you shouldn't buy it. And even Scott said it: a better bass won't make you play better. I have a fully custom bass and a mass production (but handmade) bass, and to be honest, the mass produced one sounds and handles better than my custom bass on most situations. Effect of the "tonewoods"? Negligible (unless its a wacky material like plexiglass or sheet metal, to me that's a marketing gimmick. What DOES affect tone is the pickups and the electronics. As others have already said: you take an entry level bass and swap the electronics and you get a bass that sounds like most boutique basses. Happened to me with a Washburn Lyon, my first bass, swapped the pickups for a DiMarzio Model P and a Basslines J and it sounded as a higher end passive Fender. Will I buy another custom bass? Yes, but I fully admit its just because I want a custom bass, not because I think it would give me the tiniest advantage over a decent, mass produced and much cheaper bass.
Agreed for the most part. When it comes to "the highest echelon", you pay for time and care put into the instrument. Of course, the law of diminishing returns comes here in full power, as it does with most things (notably vehicles). Instruments are luxury items and that's the mindest you should approach getting a custom with: a book-matched flamed maple top ain't gonna add 3k bucks worth of tone, simple as. If I were to get a custom bass, it'd be all about having an unconventional pickup configuration and placement, something I can't easily change on a mass-produced instrument.
I feel like a lot of the top tier basses are as much collector items as instruments. No one buys a 69 Mustang Fastback because it makes thier commute more efficient.
I´m a drummer, but the same apply. Yes a Sonor SQ2 set 6 piece is easily worth 10000++. They sound just a tiny bit better than kits half the price, but the craftsmanship, quality of materials and the sheer gorgeousness of the kit makes it a no-brainer.
Regarding the playing on a $200 bass, my first bass was a $250 Fender Squire that I still use often. I now also have a bass worth about $600 that I love, but it will never completely replace my Fender. Sure, a lot of that is sentimental, but I do use it for practical reasons. My newer bass is great for contemporary styles with a lot of low-end, but doesn't have that poppy tone of a jazz bass. I'm not much of a jazz style player, but it is great having the option of that kind of tone. Also, my $250 jazz bass can put out enough low-end to get by as a decent contemporary bass. Honestly, if I had to get rid of one today, it would be a tough decision, but someday in the far future when I'm more of an established musician then I will invest in a high-end quality bass to completely replace my $600, but I don't think I'll ever replace my Fender. P.S. What idiot would steel a bass from one of the most known bass players online and try to sell it online? So the thief may not of known who you were, but probably anybody big enough into bass to be getting one of your basses would know you. I am curious for more info on the story though.
A good guitar that is right for you, will almost certainly make you play better. If the size and shape suit your physical attributes better, and the tonal response and sensitivity match your personality etc, then all of this and more will add up to you playing and improving.
The body wood, neck wood, and fingerboard are all factors in tone. This is why builders like MTD use the same electronics on most of there basses and shape the sound with wood selection.
Hi Scott, first o all thank you very much for your work on youtube 👍 very appreciate. I have a question about backtracks. I need to find a solution to easily generate backtracks to work on chords and chorus. Have you got an idea or an advice on a software or a device for that ? Thank you very much for your support (sorry about my poor english 😊 as many frenchies) have fun and a nice week-end 👍 Stephane
Nmn Mnm Fodera yes...Fender & ESP not so much, would never pay that much for on of those. Also, here in US, custom Warwicks start at about $5k. They are super nice, but really pricey (i.e. www.thebassplace.com/product/warwick-masterbuilt-custom-shop-2018-limited-edition-4-streamer-nt-namm-display-first-usa/ , note that's a sale price, lol)
About the baby delivery thing, that's actually a fairly recent cultural (phenomenon?). Before the mortality of newborns dramatically decreased in the modern era, people wouldn't even name their child until around the first year or so, so they wouldn't become attached too quickly. So that wasn't an isolated thing for you, there's an episode of Adam Ruins Everything where that topic is brought up
I played an F bass once and it is worth it imo they're amazing people just don't realize how much better it is buying a higher end instrument. Everything about it was perfect and nothing I've ever played was like it.
May I ask you a weird question ? If I'm about to custom a bass in order to have B E A strings fretted and D G C strings frettless, how much will this cost ? Is this even a thing ?
I have an Alembic....it took forever to play cleanly on it. Every buzz, fret rub , tapping the pick up......just seemed amplified. Even in passive mode. However, it was beautiful, had a super fast comfortable neck, comfortable to hold, and as time went by, my playing and technique cleaned up out of necessity. I love my Alembic. But they aren't for everyone....
Spend $11,000 on a bass, only to see all your friends listening to their music on their phone speakers.
Or, once the whole band is playing, and the crowd is doing its thing, no one could tell the difference between a $800 bass and a $8000 bass. Maybe in a really nice studio, and then later playback through a quality system, one might tell the difference by listening too closely. Once you're at $1000 anymore only appeals to the eyes, and the feel to the player. The amp, and your playing ability, will have much more affect on tone
So damn true. Better off getting a Squire or similar jazz bass, (I have a chinese knockoff J bass that sounds great) mod the hell out of it and save a ton of money.....
As someone trained in instrument making, when you're paying custom luthier prices, you're paying for being able to ask for specific needs to be met, not really for some magical quality. Wood is wood, and while I can make something slightly better than a mass-produced instrument, I can't make ash or mahogany anything more than it is.
Only buy custom instruments if you have unusual requirements that mass-produced instruments don't meet (maybe you want the frets laid out to support an unusual temperament, or unusual materials/hardware configurations)
Otherwise, you're usually better off buying a more reasonably priced instrument, and getting it tweaked to suit you, which is much cheaper generally.
@CuriousKey I agree with you on this, I've got a a short scale bass that has a purpleheart fretless fingerboard and a fat D shape neck and I wasn't gonna find that neck at my local guitar center. Had to get it from warmoth.
@@honkytonkinson9787 no one can tell difference between 150 or 800 bass! :D
A very good instrument doesn't change your playing DIRECTLY, but it did to me indirectly: I realised some of the flaws I could hear came from me and not from the instrument, which motivated me to practise. Thanks for the advice. :)
Yay the Mooolon is back! So happy for you scott
Great video! There are a few things important about custom basses/instruments. One, do not buy it because you want to sound like an artist. Cause you won't unless you play exactly how they play which is near impossible. Two, beyond a certain point you are paying for aesthetics and getting to provide input on what you want (woods, finish, pickups, etc). That in and of itself to me is worth it. I can bring my idea to life. Be warned, it's very addicting once you get one! There is something to be said about the craftsmanship and it way exceeds any production model out there (I imagine that depends on the builder). Three, exactly what Scott says about an instrument "inspiring you" to play. That's likely because the craftsmanship whether it be the neck construction, body contour, resonance, or whatever just clicks with you. That is a very REAL thing and you have to experience it for yourself!
I will say $11k is insane though. I own a few $5k-$6k instruments and they have things about them that certainly put them in that category because of the sheer amount of hours it took to build them. With Fodera, you are paying for the name IMO. I've played one and while it's a fantastic instrument... it didn't even have anything aesthetically going for it in terms of some crazy mastergrade top or have anything that really set it apart from competition. Same would go for any custom builder unless you are getting actual gold/platinum/diamonds inlaid or if they are truly making you a custom body shape or overall design from scratch.
That is so awesome you got your bass back. It’s nice to know there still some decent people out there willing to help.
Whether they're scam or not, I don't have enough money to afford any of them. Moreover, I could afford only an "okay, playable" bass.
CrudeRow if the wood is fine you can make a 150 dollar bass sound amazing. Check out the channel guns and guitars he makes awesome basses from kits worth 80 bucks he buys some pickups and stuff and makes it beautiful
Yari Bins, yeah, man, I'm subbed to him. He's just awesome and I'd really like to build one DIY myself. 150$, though, is my monthly budget. I'd have to be saving for a year or so to afford even a DIY. I mean it.
Man honestly, just learn how to set up your instrument properly and I can assure you could get a Squire J bass to sound like a Fender, no joke
CrudeRow yea I'm just going to assume your somewhere around my age I'm 16 and just work your ass of that's what I'm doing :)
Yari Bins, I'm 20, I've got a job, but I live in Ukraine. So that totally sucks.
I was lucky enough to be able to build my own basses... With some friends of mine. All from scratch. Great experience and my instruments are "the best" in my mind. And I did some huge gigs with them, the ones you can't afford to fake. (to fail) The one on my profile picture is our own design. Fretless.
"Fretted, fretless... everything in between"
Half-frets?
Look no further: ua-cam.com/video/IUd-w5XQOqw/v-deo.html
Microtonal bass
Some crazy people have actually made half-fretless basses. Half of the fretboard has frets, the other half doesn't! I don't get the point of it.
Can you do a video on Bass VI type basses, from the point of view of a bassist? Nearly all online reviews of them are by guitarists who play them like guitars.
The Beatles used them as basses :)
Excellent tips! I just got my custom Wal Bass after almost a 2 year wait. Since I am a lefty, I couldn’t play one beforehand so it was a huge gamble. But, since Wals are so unique I knew mostly what I was getting before I received it.
My only other tip would be to buy something that is worth it to you! I had a hard time justifying buying a custom bass with great woods but off the shelf hardware, pickups, and other specs. For me, the value came in custom pickups and handmade hardware.
I have learned to buy a bass in the following order:
1) with your fingers
2) with your ears
3) with your wallet
4) with your eyes
Glad the Moollon is back. Appreciate the post, good advice.
P.S. That F-bass is gorgeous. I personal like having a PJ configuration in the arsenal. It's an all purpose bass.
Yeah, but with a custom bass you don't have to send it to college or bail it out of jail. Plus, if you don't like your custom bass, you can sell it. Can't do that with your kids....I've tried. "Bwhahahahahaha......"
lol Very true!
Funny!
If you’re having a problem with your kids you’re the one to blame for not raising them correctly, but yes, just sell the bass
Your kids, 😜 you don't want mine they eat to much, and can be mad lazy. Tee Hee,chuckle chuckle chortle chortle😂
Kool video. Much props to you for this. Scott, you hit it on the head with this one. I too have done this custom bass thing and many times got rid of it with in a year. Just wasn't what I was looking for in tone. I even went as far as changing out pickups and preamps. No dice. So over all ladies and gents. Don't get hooked on the look of a bass or guitar before doing a little work in checking if it will do what you are looking for it to do. Use the old ears. They won't fool you as the old eyes will.
If I had the oppertunity to have my custom guitar, my choices would be:
Manufacturer: Strandberg
Base model: Boden
Woods: swamp ash body, flame maple top, roasted maple neck and ebony fretboard
Sizes: 7 strings, 25.5"-26.5" multiscale scale length, 16"-20" compound radius
Pickups: Fishman Fluence Moderns
Electronics: volume knob, 3 way pickup selector switch, 2 way mini switch for changing the voicing (because of the Fishmans), 2 way mini switch to be used as a kill switch, 2 3 way mini switches to control the coil splits with the ability to select the coil that I wanna be on, one for each pickup.
Finish: either something like a bright blue burst, purple to turquise burst or blue to green burst, all of which are satin and transperent
Eddie is the MAN
I hope the low-life Moolon P-Bass thief (seller on eBay) will be found and prosecuted
For me, I bought a Warmouth P-bass body. Maple body, flame maple top, dyed blow. Neck, pickups, pickguard, all from a Steve Harris signature model but active tone control. That is a 13 lb beast. I love that there really isn't anything else exactly like it.
i got a $150 Squire PJ bass and upgraded the machine heads bridge and pickups then learned how to do a full setup on youtube and it plays pretty good.
Just bought 89$ p bass sounds amazing
Glad to know that your Moullon is back. Agree that custom basses are mostly personal taste and serve as inspiration. What comes out, whatever bass you play, is your musicality.
I bought a Modulus Flea 4 string with Lane Poor pickup from my bass teacher in high school. I quickly learned that the graphite neck and low action made me a better player than on other basses, including Fenders.
Now, I commissioned a 5 string bass from Joe Zon that will have two double coils with a switch to go single, pickup mix, and the graphite neck but with satin finish not sticky gloss. It will be the most versatile and fastest playing bass I've ever held, and it will be worth every penny.
Have had a Carl Thompson on order for about 2 and a half years now and I just got the call last week that it’s done and will be shipped by the end of this week. It’s currently 4 A.M. because my excitement will not allow me to sleep, so here I am!
If you're lefty (like me), top-brand instruments are so much more expensive (if offered at all) that you might as well buy a custom. Bad part is, you can't usually play a similar model beforehand; a righty won't give you the feel you need to judge, altho' you can judge the build-quality overall. I'm glad there are custom-makers out there; if not for me, for folks like me. (PS- A lefty custom holds its value for resale a lot better than a righty custom; bc we have fewer options and can and will adapt when we need to to upgrade).
Hi, I am left handed naturally but made the decision many years ago to play a right hand bass. I have not regretted it. The left hand covers the finger board and the right hand has the " easy " job of the strings. Just something to think about. I am pleased the stolen Moolon bass is back and I hope the thief was caught.
Well, you are a special person. If right-handed players followed the same logic; they would play like me, instead of like you. 'Handedness' connotes as much to strength (or the perception of same) as it does to dexterity. Hence, the right handed player should pick with his 'stronger' hand; as I do with my left. Your choice is valid, for you. It is not for many of us. Just something to think about.
John Ciriani I also chose this approach for hockey as well as bass as I am left handed 13 years ago i picked up my.first bass. I have even tried playing left handed instruments friends own from time to time, but it just feels so wrong lol. However we can express the grooves I suppose!
I plan to buy a blank body without any finish, so I can paint on the body, and later coat it with finish. Install the passive pickups etc. Biggest DIY ever for me. Might need some professional help tho :D
So much for custom basses. I encourage you to do the same. Creativity rules !
This is extremely accurate. As soon as I get a guitar - used or new - I like to unscrew everything, take it apart, clean up or sand the neck joining surfaces, exchange/upgrade a few parts, make all the bridge & intonation adjustments, and let it ‘marinade’ with a new set of strings: DAddario XL for guitar & Rotosound for bass. After a couple of weeks the guitar I wanted starts to emerge. Patience, grasshopper...
That F bass looks and sounds incredible. Bit of an aria pro vibe, and totally agree about the need for a passive switch and tone roll off. Love it.
AWESOME!!! You got your Moolon back. You are a lucky boy Scott, very lucky. Cheers! So somebody named Eddie bought your bass on eBay and just sent it to you? I guess his nickname is "Deep Pockets Eddie", eh?
The guy who stole it probably had no idea how much it was worth and wanted to get it off his hands
I sort of had that "it's okay..." moment when I got my Lakland Skyline. Not a custom by any stretch but it is probably the most high-end bass I've ever owned. I got it for a song on Amazon and I was so stoked to get it... Until I played it. I was just kinda, meh. I couldn't believe people paid nearly $1500 for this thing! But the more I played it, the more I saw how versatile it is. I now have Rotosound tapes on it and it is a dub style monster, fun to play Motown tunes with as well. I'm kind of glad I ordered it online too because I might have been tempted to take it back to a brick and mortar. I saw someone mention diminishing returns and I definitely think it applies to custom instruments. The first few hundred pays for the wood and hardware, the last few thousands pay for all the time to make it a true work of art.
I just sold a custom bass on reverb, luckily I only took a $50 bath on it. Now I'm just looking for a good old American or European production bass that is simple and classic in its aesthetic..
I'm a luthier, i build instruments and i will say custom basses aare not a scam IF you are buying one because you wnat the feeling that no holds were barred on the craftsmanship of your instrument... on the concept of getting a gig worthy playable instrument most of the time you can find it in a MUCH lower priced production model EXCEPT when you're like me... and looking for something no one does. i have two basses (well 1 3/4 the second will be done in about 2 weeks) #1 is a bowable fretted 6 string electric upright in sapele and maple, the 2nd is an 8 string (octave) bass with a 12 string super terble harp attached to the side.
I know Scott probably won't read this, but I just had a bass made by Chris McIntyre in Edinburgh, can't recommend him highly enough. A J-bass with 18mm spacing and 44mm nut, the preamp is the John East J-sound, passive tone is great and the capacitors are easy to change. Worth a look.
Scott, I absolutely loved your last comment. When I started playing bass, 15 years ago, I was unsure if it would work out. I'd already tried other instruments, but they never felt like my vibe. So I got a $100 bass (here in Brazil). It was the cheapest playable bass (I brought a professional bassist friend to evaluate it) I could find. I adjusted it myself and got good strings. This was my main bass for 8 years. After I was confident, I changed the pickups and the sound improved, but only because that was already my instrument. Later I went and bought a $700 Cort A5, which is great. So great I almost don't play my older bass anymore... But my $100 still sounds great and I am not ashamed at all of it! Its action is as low as I love, the Fender Pickups I added have a nice punch... Still best purchase I've ever did! (or maybe the second, because I also love my A5)
you are so right about geeking out and investigating the tone that you want, i was going to buy a fender high mass for my american special p-bass because of the sustain, but i saw several videos and it looses the tone we all p-bass lovers love, it makes it sharper an brighter, so i prefer now leaving the vintage bent metal bridge
Scott always love the Baby Blue Fender Bass with the Tortoise shell pick guard. Such a cool look!!
I JUST finished building my first custom bass :) Funny I run into this video.
Hoping to market them eventually, so far so good. And there is something special about knowing your instrument was made by hand.
I don't know how 'scam' would be the right word, I mean, they might not get you the sound you want, but unless they are claiming to create a specific sound, it is more like caveat emptor.
And while different woods will surely sound different, the fretboard is the last thing to worry about, the pickups do a lot more of the work :)
You're the reason why I started playing bass, love the videos!
The bass master. So full of bass wisdom. You inspire me to be better dude and very educational video as always. Take it easy and keep em comming. Peace brother
Have you ever had Carl Thompson or Jen's Ritter build you a bass? If not play a Carl Thompson or look into what this man can do with wood. These basses are pure works of art.
I am happy that the Moollon is back! Great video as always!
I love the looks of your new F-Bass! For me, it has that late '70's Bernard Edwards BC Rich vibe. Great sound as well. But that's no surprise, for a F-Bass.
I own some custom made (P) basses and (too much) production built basses myself, and I think you're totally right about all of them species in your video.
Kind regards,
Admar
So did the eBay seller get caught?!! More details!
YES! The rest of the story, please!
If you go onto basschat you can search and get the story.
We need to know!!!
I've bought stuff from him before in classifieds he's a really great guy. Builds cabs and has some sweet basses. Lucky it was him who bought it!
The Moollon is back!, Congrats!
The only reason to get a custom made bass is simply so you basically have a one of a kind instrument. Meaning you want a LOOK that is all yours as an artist, and the sound is exactly how you like it, but a bit secondary in some ways.
Here is another thing I have learned over the years. No matter the bass, no matter the amp, the speaker combination I use or even the EQ settings it still basically sounds like me. I can sit down and concentrate at picking or fingering and get my tone to change but when the lights come up and the drummer counts it down. It’s back to my sound.
This is so true. I got a new bass recently and it took some real breaking in, in order for my tone to emerge
You *can* make any bass better by setting it up correctly and it's not hard.
There are plenty out there with rough fret ends, or frets out of level, or with deep wear grooves. Sorting these out is a bit harder, and I'd never recommend experimenting with fret work on your favourite instrument, but a little UA-cam research you can turn a cheap instrument with a good vibe into something that plays really well.
Great video Scott! I love the in depth points and discussion of choosing a custom bass and also many of these points can be used when choosing a stock bass as well.
My wife got me a custom-built Mike Lull PJ5-24 two years ago for my 40th Birthday. I had gotten fantastic deals on both their Modern 4 & Modern 5 numerous years before, and after trying just about every J-style bass I could get my hands on (stopping by every high-end and bass-only shops every time we were in town for concerts, road trips and vacations) I knew they were *the* Jazz Basses for me, but that the 90%+ they were in my book could hit 100% by some custom changes.
Mainly the biggest change I wanted from most of their Basses was an Alder body and Maple fretboard, as opposed to the classic Alder/Rosewood or Swamp Ash/Maple combinations of woods. I prefer the evenness of Alder as opposed to the natural mid-scoop that Ash has, but prefer the brightness and snap of a Maple fretboard compared to the muted upper frequencies that Rosewood gives you.
I would say the other major choice I picked was to get the new-at-the-time “PJ5-24” model as opposed to the “Modern 5” Jazz Bass. Basically it’s a P/J Bass top-routed with a pickguard and control plate, but I went further and had the neck pickup routed universally for both 5-string Precision and Jazz pickups and wired with an EMG-style quick-connect harness so that going from P/J to J/J only takes the removal of pickguards and gives me a ton of options for recording. Some other choices of mine were a Birdseye Maple fretboard with no face dots, aluminum Hipshot Type-A string-thru Bridge and HB6Y Ultralight Tuners, custom Mike Lull/Seymour Duncan Bassline Linear Humbucking Pickups and Bartolini NTMB (@18V) 3-band Active/Passive Preamp w/ push-pull Vintage Tone Control and wired Volume/Volume as opposed to Volume/Blend. And that says nothing about having a master luthier such as Mike Lull building a custom instrument: he spent a few weeks tapping on blanks of Alder to find one with even responsiveness and low-B support but light weight (total weight ended up at 8.4 lbs!) as well as his fantastic PLEKed and hand-finished fretwork!
Are the above a HUGE difference compared to what he usually makes? I suppose that depends on the player. However, I’ve rarely picked up my Modern 5 J-Bass since my custom was delivered, and I’d love to replace both my Modern 4 & 5 with Alder-bodied versions and the same hardware and set my Candy Orange to permanent P/J status. 5-10% may not be a ton added to an “average” instrument, but the difference between a great Bass and one that’s *perfect* is an amazing change!
I had my customshop in 2006. I was very precise about size specs, woods and electronics (18v active with swipe med filter and piezo bridge). Still considering it my favorite ❤️.
So glad to hear that you got your bass back!
A custom made bass, a well made one, can be thought of as a work of art in itself. There are infinite numbers of prints or pictures you could hang on your wall which will make your room look to suit your taste, but having a 'real' painting hand done be an artist, whoever it may be, is a more valuable item simply by the fact that a real person spent time and thought creating it. Its function may be secondary but if it may have some extra mojo that inspires the player.
Totally agree with the need for passive tone control on active basses, I don't get how that ends up missing from almost every active bass.
I got a sweet bass on Talkbass for $200! Squier Short Scale. Seller buys them, mods them (changes out the P pick up, changes the pots & capacitors, shaves down the head and puts on lighter tuners *to eliminate neck dive - and it does*, and puts on round wounds)...it made me a better player the first day I got it!
Hey Scott! Idea-- could you do a segment on comparing the same type of bass, with different woods? Play the same song with same settings. P to P, J to J, but only different woods.
Could be interesting!
To me, the big problem with those bass is the price, and not in the usual way. I used to own some high end instruments (bass and guitar) at a time, but it sterilise my playing, I was so concious of the price of those things that I cannot actually play right because I can not relax and let myself go.
So I sold them and get the regular low to mid middle priced (400 to 600) instruments and I am happy now!
Never understand paying more for relics. Just get creative and you can do it yourself for free.
Even installing most hardware and electronics isn't that difficult.
Piet Muijs if your job pays you 100usd an hour, the every hour you spend on putting together your bass will cost you 100 USD for each hour you spend on planning, building and buying the equipment. Also the different parts and tools will cost you a whole lot too. If you don't own everything already, it can often be cheaper to buy a custom one, than building it. It all depends on your situation and interests.
folia_rock people value their spare time differently, people have different hobbies, and some people can get paid efforts at any hour if they want to. If they enjoy their job more than they enjoy building a bass, then I would value each hour building a bass the same as what my job pays me. My point is that that opinion doesn't apply to everyone, as we all have different lives. To some, their spare time is when they choose to lose money. A choice they can count with lost dollars per hour. I'm not one of them. But I can understand it.
Gonna weigh in on the relic thing...
You know when you get a new pair of jeans and they feel a bit stiff and uncomfortable, but after a few outings they have relaxed a bit and feel great? For me, a relic bass is exactly that. Aesthetics aside, it just kinda has that worn in feel that instantly feels more comfortable, especially on the neck. So a bit extra for a more comfy instrument? Fine by me...
The other ingredient that most luthiers have that the average buyer does not is the experience of building instruments. There are all sorts of situations that come up when building and finishing an instrument that a luthier deals w/ on a daily basis that most woodworkers do not. Unless you want to gain the experience, it may not be worth doing a full custom build.
As folia_rock mentions, the cost of your time only applies if you can charge for it.
@Will Tiley I totally agree with the broken in feel. I also think that Relics are simply a type of finish. No different to a rare wood top, Matt, oiled or any other. People do not buy relics to fool other people that its old. They just buy them because they like the finish, the feel and the vibe. Also, relic owners don’t cry like babies when they ding their basses. I know players that have sold a bass because they cannot live with a ding. 😂
Custom basses are absolutely worth it, provided you do your research. I think before ordering one it is important to have played a lot of different instruments and understand why certain basses sound the way they do. Pickups, tonewoods, etc. Do this so you can learn what you like and what you don't. For example, I just had the chance to play an NYC Sadowsky yesterday. The workmanship was top notch, the playability was phenomenal, and the bass was a beast tonally. It was used and was going to be sold for around 4k. I probably would not purchase that particular instrument though because I am not the biggest fan of Sadowsky preamps. I also believe custom is a good option when production basses won't meet your needs. I ordered a bass from a builder in Europe, 32in 5 string. Not really available on the mass produced side of the market so the purchase made sense. Again, custom basses are worth it, just do your research, educate yourself and don't make impulse decisions on these. Many of the builders I have dealt with are usually more than happy to answer questions and work with you through the process.
Seen so many players buy a certain name bass because they want to appear “cool” and have to adapt their playing style to play it versus playing the right bass . Example… I have always played Warwicks , I love the neck thru feel and tone. Picked up. ESP 4 string and it just felt and sounded perfect , then I saw the price tag . $250 and took it home . Tried several other ESP’s and never found another that remotely came close. Somehow the manufacturer made the one and only perfect custom bass that fit me and my playing style
1st - EDDIE IS THE MAN! He bought the bass and returned it to you?! Huge props to you, Eddie.
Concerning custom basses, I have owned one custom bass. It was a Carvin fretless kit that I put together with my dad about 15 years ago. I fell into the trap of "stuff", and I eventually sold the bass to someone who fixed our mistakes, and still plays the bass to this day. I feel custom is fine for those who choose to drop the cash on it. For me - I get everything I need from my collection of off the shelf Ibanez guys. To Scott's point, I just bought an Ibanez TMB105 Talman 5-strong for $250. It is a traditional style PJ guy, and this bass kicks ass! Tone monster! You don't have to drop thousands of dollars on an instrument to sound good. 😀 #sbl #goodquestion #basscommunity
While a more expensive bass does not make you a better player, I do think you need to find a bass that fits your style though as he said. I went to buy my first high end Bass and really wanted a fender jazz, But when I played them they just didn’t feel right. I ended up playing 12 different bases and it came down to the Music man basses. I bought a ray 34 for 800 bucks a lot less expensive than the fender I wanted and it gave me the sound and feel that I liked. As much as I would love a Getty Lee signature, the stingray just felt right to me. The stingray also made me play a little better because I liked it and it was comfortable it’s a bonus that it looks great!
So happy you your bass back... but details are required for the crowd!
Like with cheap ones, it is always about the marriage of the pieces of wood. Sometimes you get it lucky, sometimes not. Once I had a chanche to play on a Fender Customshop Strat and it was dreadful, while some other, cheaper ones was just fantastic. Yes, I do play guitar AND bass!
F basses are made in my hometown. George also used to make great guitars too. Great guys in the old days and still now.
DUDE!!! SCOT!!! That F-Bass is basically my dream come true in a bass. Beautiful! PJ configuration all the way.
really pleased you got your moulon back. the bass gods smile on you.
don't buy a custom bass from a big company. buy it from someone small but well-known like dan thompson.
in addition to getting a better deal, you have a lot more choice. you can have literally any body shape you can design. guitar pickups. sympathetic strings. hybrid fretless/fretted boards. custom electronics setups. a pickguard made of a stop sign. fender's custom shop won't even let you put in reversed pickups!
I know the feeling. Both with becoming a dad and just getting my C5 apocalypse (closest to a custom i'll ever have). I saw it and angels sang... But being my first five string, trying to play took the geek out of me quick.
im really happy for you getting the mollon back! in my country i would never see it again
But have you played a Valery Olegovich Gulyaev bass? Sergey "Grebstel" Kalachev plays one that took the luthier 3-5 years to make. It's an unlined fretless 6 string with 3D carving, a MIDI pickup system, and custom recessed bridge system.
The headstock has a Russian Italic Г(Ge), which looks like a backwards S.
I had an Elio Martina 6string in the early 90's around 2k. Really superb instrument. Nowadays I play a Harley Benton 6string also neckthru and it's almost as good.
Greetings and appreciation from Amsterdam.
Richard Degener Yeah it's weird how good some of the Harley Benton stuff really is!
So glad you got your bass back😊 I hope the ebay seller gets the full weight of justice
Great video, as usual, Scott! This particular subject is a sore spot for me. I would like to share my experience to help others be wary.
Some companies will offer an artist sponsorship to very small artists, and give a minuscule discount. I had an experience in which I received an “artist discount” from a “sponsorship”. I had to hound the company down about listing me on the website. The instrument itself frequently has issues. I took it in for repairs to them three times, and it still doesn’t play like I want it to. I dropped a large sum of money on a custom bass, and it does NOT play or sound like the amount of money I dropped into it.
I would advise people to please do your research, play a guitar from the maker you’re looking into (as you advised), and to be wary of any company that is frequently “sponsoring” small bands. Some companies are doing it to help out and for mutual exposure; others are using you as their main source of income. I saw the company regularly having sales for discounts greater than I received as one of their artists!
Thanks for Your fantastic channel & SBL Scott! Have You tried a Dingwall fan fretted bass? Beautiful instrument & fantastic electronics! Alessandro Stellano plays one. Love to see You do a review. Keep up the good work & see You all in the shed :)
A friend of mine that was in a band called, Einstein's Car (before that, he was in Squonk Opera) got a Pedula. Ever hear of or use one of those?
My brother used to have one of those old fancy Ampeg basses with the scrolled head and the F-holes cut through the body and the pick-ups were also the bridge.
So far, I've got a 5-string Steinberger Spirit, a Steinberger copy by Kramer called, The Duke, an Ibanez Ergonomic 5-string and a Hofner Beatle bass. Maybe, some day, I'll be able to get my hands on a Rickenbacher 4000 and a 12-string Chapman Stick.
I have a Gamma bass made by Joey Milstein from New Jersey USA. It's got a J neck and a P body. Pickups are AWESOME. I'd say it's way better than an American Fender but for less money. Very, very happy with it. It's right purty too!!
Great lesson Thanks. Do you suggest Passive mode for groove playing as you said ? Active only for soloing? Would appreciate a clarification on that as I play an active bass and I never go in to Passive mode. Thanks in advance.
I think Scott is being conservative when saying custom basses are not a scam (of course he's gonna say that because in one way or another he's being sponsored, or at the least watched, by big boutique brand manufacturers). In my opinion, any bass beyond 2500-3500 dollars is a scam and you shouldn't buy it.
And even Scott said it: a better bass won't make you play better.
I have a fully custom bass and a mass production (but handmade) bass, and to be honest, the mass produced one sounds and handles better than my custom bass on most situations.
Effect of the "tonewoods"? Negligible (unless its a wacky material like plexiglass or sheet metal, to me that's a marketing gimmick. What DOES affect tone is the pickups and the electronics. As others have already said: you take an entry level bass and swap the electronics and you get a bass that sounds like most boutique basses. Happened to me with a Washburn Lyon, my first bass, swapped the pickups for a DiMarzio Model P and a Basslines J and it sounded as a higher end passive Fender.
Will I buy another custom bass? Yes, but I fully admit its just because I want a custom bass, not because I think it would give me the tiniest advantage over a decent, mass produced and much cheaper bass.
Agreed for the most part. When it comes to "the highest echelon", you pay for time and care put into the instrument. Of course, the law of diminishing returns comes here in full power, as it does with most things (notably vehicles). Instruments are luxury items and that's the mindest you should approach getting a custom with: a book-matched flamed maple top ain't gonna add 3k bucks worth of tone, simple as. If I were to get a custom bass, it'd be all about having an unconventional pickup configuration and placement, something I can't easily change on a mass-produced instrument.
BassForever44 I
I would say over 1000...
I feel like a lot of the top tier basses are as much collector items as instruments. No one buys a 69 Mustang Fastback because it makes thier commute more efficient.
I´m a drummer, but the same apply. Yes a Sonor SQ2 set 6 piece is easily worth 10000++. They sound just a tiny bit better than kits half the price, but the craftsmanship, quality of materials and the sheer gorgeousness of the kit makes it a no-brainer.
Regarding the playing on a $200 bass, my first bass was a $250 Fender Squire that I still use often. I now also have a bass worth about $600 that I love, but it will never completely replace my Fender. Sure, a lot of that is sentimental, but I do use it for practical reasons. My newer bass is great for contemporary styles with a lot of low-end, but doesn't have that poppy tone of a jazz bass. I'm not much of a jazz style player, but it is great having the option of that kind of tone. Also, my $250 jazz bass can put out enough low-end to get by as a decent contemporary bass. Honestly, if I had to get rid of one today, it would be a tough decision, but someday in the far future when I'm more of an established musician then I will invest in a high-end quality bass to completely replace my $600, but I don't think I'll ever replace my Fender.
P.S. What idiot would steel a bass from one of the most known bass players online and try to sell it online? So the thief may not of known who you were, but probably anybody big enough into bass to be getting one of your basses would know you. I am curious for more info on the story though.
YAY you got the Moolon back, great news...........to be able to afford fancy ads bass would be a fine thing.
That F bass your playing is gorgeous 🎸👍🏻😁
A good guitar that is right for you, will almost certainly make you play better. If the size and shape suit your physical attributes better, and the tonal response and sensitivity match your personality etc, then all of this and more will add up to you playing and improving.
A good set up makes you learn easier in my opinion
The body wood, neck wood, and fingerboard are all factors in tone. This is why builders like MTD use the same electronics on most of there basses and shape the sound with wood selection.
Commenting on tonewoods was a bold choice.
Can't help it but I love your army jacket!
good video should apply to every instrument you get whether custom or not
I love the way you explain things. I'm my self got the idea that if I get a expensive bass guitar I can play better and nop didn't happen!
Hi Scott, first o all thank you very much for your work on youtube 👍 very appreciate. I have a question about backtracks. I need to find a solution to easily generate backtracks to work on chords and chorus. Have you got an idea or an advice on a software or a device for that ? Thank you very much for your support (sorry about my poor english 😊 as many frenchies) have fun and a nice week-end 👍 Stephane
Hey you got it back! That's Awesome!
Warwick makes the best custom shop basses ! They use advanced technology for checking frets and in paintings as well they use high quality woods
and they charge an arm & a leg for their custom shop instruments as well
jtl1380
Lolo their prices is in range of other brands like fender Esp, fedora,... 3- 8k euro!
Nmn Mnm Fodera yes...Fender & ESP not so much, would never pay that much for on of those. Also, here in US, custom Warwicks start at about $5k. They are super nice, but really pricey (i.e. www.thebassplace.com/product/warwick-masterbuilt-custom-shop-2018-limited-edition-4-streamer-nt-namm-display-first-usa/ , note that's a sale price, lol)
Thanks for the bass knowledge
Big shout out for Jon Shuker’s work👍👍
Could you please make a video about how important is to control our breathing while playing? Greetings from Chile!
Brilliant you have it back
That fbass sounds amazing
So many sounds
About the baby delivery thing, that's actually a fairly recent cultural (phenomenon?). Before the mortality of newborns dramatically decreased in the modern era, people wouldn't even name their child until around the first year or so, so they wouldn't become attached too quickly. So that wasn't an isolated thing for you, there's an episode of Adam Ruins Everything where that topic is brought up
This Fbass is my new dream bass... Looks and sounds amazing
I played an F bass once and it is worth it imo they're amazing people just don't realize how much better it is buying a higher end instrument. Everything about it was perfect and nothing I've ever played was like it.
Thanks for the video Scott!
May I ask you a weird question ? If I'm about to custom a bass in order to have B E A strings fretted and D G C strings frettless, how much will this cost ? Is this even a thing ?
What pickups do you suggest for a pbass
I have an Alembic....it took forever to play cleanly on it. Every buzz, fret rub , tapping the pick up......just seemed amplified. Even in passive mode. However, it was beautiful, had a super fast comfortable neck, comfortable to hold, and as time went by, my playing and technique cleaned up out of necessity. I love my Alembic. But they aren't for everyone....