Top builders/luthiers in the UK?

[briansbrew]

1 hour ago, LukeFRC said:

We're not as good at building up our brands and them creating brand equity as our US cousins? 

Some of the US brands also has a very distinctive core tone, if you want a Sadowsky sound you probably need a Sadowsky. If you want the Ken Smith thing, buy a Ken smith etc...

With the exception of Status and Wal a lot of our builders make instruments less focused on their core tone thing. Gus I guess unmatched visually.
I think that makes it a harder sell to get brand equity... Every single Overwater I've played and heard has been an amazing professional level instrument - and with a tone that could sit anywhere in any genre. I guess that's why so many pro players use them... but that tone that could sit anywhere also means it doesn't stand out as much? 
(I dunno, that's my theory, maybe I'm just annoyed I didn't buy that Overwater @briansbrew was selling last week?  )

I know, funny how you get regrets after selling a great bass, my loss I suppose. Agree with your comments @LukeFRC

[Oomo]

1 hour ago, LukeFRC said:

Some of the US brands also has a very distinctive core tone, if you want a Sadowsky sound you probably need a Sadowsky. If you want the Ken Smith thing, buy a Ken smith etc...

That's a really great point. If someone mentions some of those US builders, I can instantly picture a tone and look for the basses.

 

For a lot of UK makers, some have distinctive looks, but I can't really say what any of them sound like without video/audio clips.

[Stuart1982]

6 hours ago, eude said:

Another +1 for ACG.

I met Alan about 16 years ago, and it wasn't long after that I ordered my first ACG.

Since then, I have moved on all other basses, and I can't see me playing any other basses every again.

The build quality is as good as, if not better than any other high end bass I have played, and as mentioned above, Alan's patience and customer service is second to none.

I've now got 7 basses, plus 2 guitars, and of course I want more!

 

Here's a few of them...

 

 

 

 

A beautiful collection sir. 

[eude]

1 hour ago, Stuart1982 said:

A beautiful collection sir. 

Why thank you 😎

[WinterMute]

Another vote for ACG, Alan's a proper gent and his work is absolutely first class.

 

I've spent 25 years thinking about getting Wal to build me something, but the cost and the waiting list always put me off, last year Alan built this beauty, and I really can't imagine getting anything done of that standard and utility by anyone else now.

 

[Stuart1982]

5 minutes ago, WinterMute said:

Another vote for ACG, Alan's a proper gent and his work is absolutely first class.

 

I've spent 25 years thinking about getting Wal to build me something, but the cost and the waiting list always put me off, last year Alan built this beauty, and I really can't imagine getting anything done of that standard and utility by anyone else now.

 

That’s a cracker mate. 

[Stuart1982]

Here are my 3 ACGs. All spectacular basses. It’s already been said but I’ll say it again Alan’s work is absolutely first class. 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Phillips Cleartone Guitar Conversions yet with the trademark 'jaunty ballbags' tuners.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Jean-Luc Pickguard

[Oomo]

Now I'm really regretting not picking up one of those lefty ACGs that were up for sale a while back...

[BigRedX]

On 06/12/2022 at 07:46, BassApprentice said:

I could be wrong - but apart from Wal I think you'd struggle to spec a build from a UK luthier that would cost the same as the likes of Fodera/Alembic.

 

Not sure why as the quality is there but I haven't seen a UK built bass go for £8k plus.

 

Also most UK luthiers are small, often single person outfits and don't have anything like the overheads of Alembic or Fodera. I know Fodera bang on about how they are based in NYC when in fact they are down by the docks in Brooklyn (which is similar to saying you're based in London when the reality is that you work out of a unit on an industrial estate in Croydon), but even so I suspect that their rent/rates etc.are considerably more than than having a workshop in your back garden (Gus).

[WinterMute]

1 hour ago, Stuart1982 said:

That’s a cracker mate. 

 

It's a genuinely beautiful piece of work, can't fault the quality of the build, materials and finish. 

 

It's also, ergonomically, a joy to play, the body sculpture fits very well and the attention to detail Alan brings in the design phase means I got everything I wanted. I went with his suggestion as to the filter pre-amp too, it works brilliantly well.

 

I'm still constantly surprised it cost less than £4k.

[eude]

3 hours ago, BigRedX said:

you work out of a unit on an industrial estate in Croydon

Ha ha, I work out of an industrial estate in Croydon!  

It's not all it's cracked up to be...

[eude]

4 hours ago, Stuart1982 said:

Here are my 3 ACGs. All spectacular basses. It’s already been said but I’ll say it again Alan’s work is absolutely first class. 

Awesome.

[eude]

5 hours ago, WinterMute said:

Another vote for ACG, Alan's a proper gent and his work is absolutely first class.

 

I've spent 25 years thinking about getting Wal to build me something, but the cost and the waiting list always put me off, last year Alan built this beauty, and I really can't imagine getting anything done of that standard and utility by anyone else now.

 

Stunning!

[fleabag]

6 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

Also most UK luthiers are small, often single person outfits

 

 

http://www.mantoncustoms.co.uk/mantoncustomsbasses.html

[BigRedX]

2 minutes ago, fleabag said:

http://www.mantoncustoms.co.uk/mantoncustomsbasses.html

 

Are you posting that to agree or disagree with my statement? I can't find anything on the website that says how many people work at "Manton Customs" other than they use the pronoun "we" but that could simply mean there are two of them or has been used make an organisation which is a single person sound more impressive. 

[fleabag]

 Small business UK luthier is all i was posting.  I dont care if Robin has an assistant.

[eude]

12 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

Are you posting that to agree or disagree with my statement? I can't find anything on the website that says how many people work at "Manton Customs" other than they use the pronoun "we" but that could simply mean there are two of them or has been used make an organisation which is a single person sound more impressive. 

I think there's just one guy behind Manton, but he makes some lovely basses, so worth including in the list for sure!

[fleabag]

👍

Edited December 8, 2022 by fleabag

[Russ]

I was happy to hear that Shergold have returned recently with a new line of guitars. Supposedly there are basses coming in the near future. 

 

https://www.shergoldguitars.com/

 

It seems they're going the route of using Far East manufacturing, so they won't be made in the UK, but it's still good to hear that a storied name in British guitar manufacturing is back in business. 

[bubinga5]

This is going to be controversial but Ive yet to play a bass thats made in the UK that has blown me away like a lot of USA/Made in Japan basses do. Tone wise I mean. Not sure why. The GB Spitfire left me cold like a wet fish tone wise.I actually thought it was awful.. The US Lakland 55 that replaced it was like day and night, as soon as I picked the Lakland up it felt alive. Sei Jazz was wonderfully made but too polite sounding. of course this is only two examples. Would love to try a Shuker. But most UK basses seem to be a bit too CUSTOM. Off the shelf made in the UK all round fantastic basses are a bit thin on the ground. 

Edited December 8, 2022 by bubinga5

[Russ]

52 minutes ago, bubinga5 said:

This is going to be controversial but Ive yet to play a bass thats made in the UK that has blown me away like a lot of USA/Made in Japan basses do. Tone wise I mean. Not sure why. The GB Spitfire left me cold like a wet fish tone wise.I actually thought it was awful.. The US Lakland 55 that replaced it was like day and night, as soon as I picked the Lakland up it felt alive. Sei Jazz was wonderfully made but too polite sounding. of course this is only two examples. Would love to try a Shuker. But most UK basses seem to be a bit too CUSTOM. Off the shelf made in the UK all round fantastic basses are a bit thin on the ground. 

There aren't really any UK builders doing "off-the-shelf" stuff. Chowny maybe, but they're pretty much the only ones. Almost all the rest are custom shops, and you'll be playing specifically what a particular buyer has specified for their personal tastes. There's nothing stopping you from contacting Shuker, Sei, GB, Overwater, etc and asking them to make something that fits your tastes. 

 

My Sei singlecut 5 is anything but polite, because it was designed not to be!

[TheGreek]

1 hour ago, bubinga5 said:

This is going to be controversial but Ive yet to play a bass thats made in the UK that has blown me away like a lot of USA/Made in Japan basses do. Tone wise I mean. Not sure why. The GB Spitfire left me cold like a wet fish tone wise.I actually thought it was awful.. The US Lakland 55 that replaced it was like day and night, as soon as I picked the Lakland up it felt alive. Sei Jazz was wonderfully made but too polite sounding. of course this is only two examples. Would love to try a Shuker. But most UK basses seem to be a bit too CUSTOM. Off the shelf made in the UK all round fantastic basses are a bit thin on the ground. 

 

Andrew, you need to borrow (fat chance of it happening TBH) a GB Rumour.  A completely different beast from the Spitfire and  probably the best bass I ever owned. 

Every one a masterpiece,  perfect balance,  great necks, amazing phat tones...you would love them. 

I'm going to find you a YT video. 

[TheGreek]

Here: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LukeFRC]

3 hours ago, bubinga5 said:

Off the shelf made in the UK all round fantastic basses are a bit thin on the ground.

But that’s one of the main differences I think, there’s not a U.K. maker except Wal, Gus and maybe status who has come up with a bass recipe and then stuck to it exclusively. Owning it as their thing. 
most are too custom to do that, though kudos to ACG for having their own ideas on electronics and making that happen. 
And in the defence of the rest of them i actually think the “polite sounding” is due to their target market of pro players needing high quality consistency that sits in the mix on stage on in a theatre show or wherever - rather than the US where there would be enough market to target specific tonally specific genre or sounds.