Kiwi

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1381685295' post='2242300'] I have an NS CR5- even better with a B. I also have a Yamaha attitude. That's quite meaty, too. Warwick Fortress MM 5 gets my vote, but that's because it has two preamps, one for each coil of the HB, and you can dial in stupid amounts of bottom end. [/quote] Yep but the OP specifies 4 strings only

The old all valve 400 series are super clean. I don't know much about the newer walkabouts. For grit or grind, Ampeg SVT would be the thing.

Bass guitars: Steinberger XL2A - huge lows which is why they were so popular with dub and reggae players for a while. Uprights: NS CR4 - the 42" scale provides monstrous lows with the right set up.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/121641-quite-firm-laurence-cottle-youtube-video/page__p__1117307__hl__cottle__fromsearch__1#entry1117307"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/121641-quite-firm-laurence-cottle-youtube-video/page__p__1117307__hl__cottle__fromsearch__1#entry1117307[/url] drop this guy a line?

I have multi effects rack units but to be honest the Zoom B3 is about as portable a solution as I could imagine for chorus, octave and compression. Anything requiring processor power and I might as well use Guitar Kontrol Rig. The multi effectvs units have a switchable effects loop though which still means they're useful for combining multiple inputs.

The neighbor who keeps ringing up the council complaining about all that screaming and the smell of burning?

Your link has [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/216825-spiritualismmediums/page__st__370"]page__st__370[/url] at the end. A link which doesn't have the decimal places has page__st__360 at the end. I wonder if this has something to do with why...?

Stunning from scratch build! I'm slightly in awe of the fact that he has access to a CNC machine, laser engraver and pickup winder...

Westone Spectrum II - nowhere to rest my thumb, the ply body sound lacked depth and sustain. The only thing going for it was that it was a two pickup bass and black. My next bass was a Jaydee Supernatural MK which was a revelation by comparison.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1380556131' post='2227027'] Changing wood is the easiest thing to change though! Having said that, due to the nature wood, two basses made from the same wood, even from the same tree can sound vastly different. Wood is not uniform. Instuments may sound identical, similar or vastly different. Nobody can tell for sure what an instrument will sound like until it's strung up. Any luthier will be able to tell you that. Any luthier that says otherwise is a liar. Woods have characteristics yes but they can vary so much, sometimes it's not even worth talking about! People like Status have probably the best approach to getting similar sounding instruments - their construction is from a much more consistent material. Of course, the more active you go, the less important the choice of woods as the sound is coming more from the circuit and the pickups... Changing body shape, unless it's things like the radius of edges or similar, is a different kettle of fish completely. Changing scales, number of frets etc, can result in a lot of rework in the jigs... far more than just changing the wood of an instrument. [/quote] I agree in principle about the wood but there are some manufacturers out there like Chris Celinder, who get remarkably consistent results from passive wooden instruments. I don't think the pickups or preamp have much effect on the sound of a bass at all outside of very coarse adjustments. I've tested the outer limits with at least two pickup suppliers and preamp manufacturers and am pretty confident I know what can be achieved. Re: jigs, I'm talking about expectation management not build process.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1380553596' post='2226982'] I can completely relate to this. Even when the problem was resolved (and when I say resolved, the product itself was still not right), I felt no affinity with the completed instrument. [/quote] This is the main drawback of custom instruments. If a builder already produces an instrument that someone likes the sound of, its a relatively small jump for them to alter physical aspects such as body shape, string spacing and neck dimensions. Its a completely different ball park to specify a certain wood combination and expect the luthier to produce a specific sound from it that is unfamiliar to them. Sometimes that doesn't happen with some woods for any number of reasons. Finding a luthier who already makes basses that have 'The Sound' saves a whole load of hassle. Whether they are prepared to accommodate a specific set of ergonomic requirements at reasonable cost is another matter however. The more specific someone is about what they want, the more responsibility they relieve the custom builder of. It also takes a certain learning curve 'for a player to find their sound. It;s taken me 25 years, thousands of pounds and I'm just about there...and its got nothing to do with alder bodies and maple necks funnily enough. "My" sound is very different from that.

I've had the same reply from a very well known luthier when I suggested the pickups might be microphonic (after hearing myself speak through them at a gig). We all still have a choice about whether to proceed with the sale if someone doesn't deliver against their initial assurances. Be careful to distinguish between a quote and an estimate though. FWIW Jon Shuker gets my vote for incredible engineering. Just be aware that the more demanding and non standard an order is, the longer it will take for most luthiers to get parts.

[quote name='Scooby' timestamp='1380550414' post='2226906'] I have to agree with Molan's sentiments above about naming those luthiers who do what they promise. Although I do understand the desire to name and shame, I much prefer the 'Name and Fame' approach. In other words, celebrate those who do what they promise to do. Surely, those luthiers with frequent mentions will attract further custom and so on. However, and here is the rub, almost all of the luthiers are very small businesses with an obvious limit to their time. The more they go out to promote the less build time and, unfortunately, delays. I would really like to encourage players to help in a positive manner and, if they are genuinely happy/thrilled/ecstatic then say so - often! I have no problem in praising the work and commitment of ACG, Ritter, and Marleaux - hopefully add Douglas at Eve to that list too. The more promotion we do for these luthiers the less time they have to go out and promote themselves. Although, I also have to agree that, at times, a name and shame is necessary. Could I suggest that before anyone parts with any amount of folding money that they post a query in the appropriate forum? Any reply doesn't have to be public but simply a PM - unless you really feel that strongly C'mon folks, praise where praise is due... [/quote] Purely from a defamational perspective, I completely support this approach.

I know of a few luthiers who are dependent on pick up and hardware suppliers for builds. But they're also custom builders and it doesn't make sense for them to stockpile for custom options. Thats just how it is. I like Wal, Ken Smith and Jaydee - they are more manufacturers than luthiers although they do have the luthiery skills to fall back obviously. But they offer their product warts and all on a take it or leave it basis. This means they can pre order components and can be a little more accurate with delivery.

Simple bass lines aren't lost. They're everywhere.

Wow...what a history. You sound like an industry veteran! Welcome aboard!

But is the Brown Bass chambered as was suggested in 4000's post?

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1380451459' post='2225337'] Mine had rosewood facings, which were standard on the SCD. Bear in mind it was solid-bodied whereas the Brown Bass is hollow; I once played a BB and it felt far lighter. [/quote] The Brown bass is a Series bass and all standard/omega shaped Series basses are chambered to reduce weight. I'm not sure if other body shape variants (like the Entwhistle bass above) are.

cheers

Tsk...bass is out of tune at 2:13 (sharp A-string?) I can't like them no matter how good they are...

[quote name='TomRichards' timestamp='1357317590' post='1920981'] Since I have a relationship with one of those super high end builders, I can tell you that yes, to a degree, price is subject to the market, which is driven by the endorsing players. Fodera was probably the second boutique builder in, AFTER Alembic, who was clearly first. Fodera slogged until the day Anthony Jackson walked in the door, and then literally blew up after Vic Wooten came along. I know Jason, Joey and Vinnie and they really do build boutique basses with amazing amounts of attention to detail. Does it justify the price? To some maybe no, to me, yes. if they truly weren't worth the dough no one would buy them. [/quote] Pedant/ON I'm not sure your timelines are totally clear. I undertood Victor Wooten had #037 bass that Joey and Vinne made in 1983 and they gave it to Victor on the understand he'd pay them back for it when he could. Originally, Vinnie had started working for Stuart Spector and (according to Ken Smith) was also involved in Smith basses as they were getting established. Spector, Smith and Steinberger all worked out of the same co-op in Brooklyn for a while. Vinne met Joey there who was a local player and sales repping for Smith at the time. Pedant/OFF BTW here's my Alembic being played. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbEKzxu7MVU[/media]

The last job of the day, before I had to catch my train, was sanding the tops smooth. Jon borrowed an industrial orbital sander from a neighbour and I set to work with some 100 grit sanding discs to take out the rasp marks from the surface of the facings. [attachment=144767:DSC09467.JPG] A lot of dust was created so the shop vac came in useful but the orbital sander made short work of removing the markings. Hopefully I didn't chew too much wood away from the finished surface! So the end result looked something like this: [attachment=144766:DSC09468.JPG] And just to get an idea of how the instrument was developing, I decided to fit the neck as well. [attachment=144768:DSC09469.JPG] Jobs still to do - final carving of the contours into the top using a mini plane (which is what violin makers use) and final sanding, plus edge binding inside the f hole, rout and fit the special bridge assembly and holes for the wiring. I'm already thinking of how I might be able to improve the instrument. I tried Urb's Sei last weekend and loved the sound of the maple/wenge combination. So at some point may well decide to build a wooden neck from those woods just to see how it compares to the Moses necks.