Is The Golden Era of Boutique Basses Over? | EP53 | The SBL Podcast

[@amyton3043]

Scott I live in Leamington Spa, sitting here jaw hit the floor. So proud as I was born and raised here. Love the podcast too.

[@Bassdriver]

That's a bit weird you mentioned Alembic only at the end. They were the very first boutique bass-centric brand (they do build guitars too but basses have always been their main thing) and all others - Spector, Ken Smith, Michael Tobias etc. - followed. I'm not saying those other builders are any worse but Alembic is the original boutique bass. However, their current price list is beyond bonkers. It's actually grotesque. I love Alembics, I wish I could afford another one (I have an Essence 5 I bought 2nd hand some 13-14 years ago) but I'd never order a new bass from them. $10k for the most basic model? Like WTF?!?!?! They're really out of this world though. Do check one out whenever you can. Especially those with filter-bases electronics (I think Wal - another of my favourite brands - got that idea from them). Unbelievable quality, craftsmanship and tone. I couldn't justify shelling out such a heavy cash (more than my year's wages - I live in Poland and work as a taxi driver) for a bass though. But if I could afford another used one (maybe a Spoiler or a Japanese market single pickup Distillate) I don't think I'd hesitate for too long ;-) But if you want to talk about Alembics do contact Mica. She's an absolute darling. I once got a brochure from them, with a hand written message from Mica. I still have it :-)

[@OlavSchneider]

What's your take on Strati basses from Poland? I'd love to hear you guys talking about those.

[@admarhermans1]

You guys want a great bass from yesteryear? Get a vintage Vigier Arpège or a Travis Bean or a vintage Steinberger! Or a Mc. Vie era Alembic! Ian will just love all of those! We would love that!!

[@trevorraggatt685]

The full story of Wal basses is that through the mid 2000s Pete Stevens’ health deteriorated until he was no longer able to continue building Wals (around 2006/7). This was made worse by a number of the premises he had been using in High Wycombe being sold for development, leaving him to move workshop several times. He had previously been discussing a lower cost Far Eastern version of the bass (think Overwater by Tanglewood) but in the end he didn’t trust that they wouldn’t dilute and devalue the design so it all fell through. So between 2006ish and 2009 the production of Wals was officially on hiatus - with many fearing that was the end of the brand. However, in 2009 with Pete’s blessing Paul Herman (who has learned his trade working at Wal throughout the late 80s and 90s) set up the manufacture of basses again at a small workshop in Surrey. Paul was dedicated to maintaining the Wal ethos of hand building and the use of unique, bespoke pickups and hardware, sourcing components on small order and making them in house. As the brand re-established their order their order book continued to grow because of the demand and Paul’s commitment to high quality low output building (only two people work at Wal - Paul and an assistant. Plus Angus the dog but a lack of thumbs limit his woodworking abilities!). When their order book had grown to the scale where wait times was touching 4 years from order confirmation Paul decided that the only way to get back on top of orders was to close the order book until he’d got back on top of the order book and brought waiting times down to a reasonable level. The presumption is that once it’s back to manageable levels they’ll start to allow new orders or confirm orders from their continuing waiting list of people who had expressed an interest in ordering. More info on Wal and it’s history can be found here: walbasshistory.blogspot.com

[@maxwellwoodger]

I emailed Wal 2 years ago and Paul Herman said they had a 4 year backlog and they weren't taking ant new orders... and since then they no longer reply to emails... soI gave up on getting a new Wal as its virtually impossible... but I did recently manage to get a 1996 Wal MK2 in mint condition after someone posted about it on the basschat website.

[@jari04]

i picked up a Duesenberg Triton bass about 2 months ago and it has been the only bass i play since.The playability is to die for and it has the thickest slab of rosewood i have seen in my life! 3 pickups with a 5-way selecter and a series/parallel switch. It does P, J, Hofner, Hollowbody, Humbucker Neck/Bridge to name a few. Whilst maybe not "boutique" it sure as hell tickles all the right boxes! And ALL PASSIVE

[@telecasterbear]

The bassist in a band I was in, back in the late 1980s, had a four-string ken smith. Such a beauty.

[@garrettlowell7637]

My first bass is a Gibson Tobias 4 string. Fun bass to play, 2 octaves, dual humbuckers switchable to single. Great tone, great sustain, lightweight and set neck.

[@gimmeagig]

You guys are way geeking out on this stuff. I watched the whole thing and it was fun...But when you go to do a gig or a recording session, which bass do you take?

[@strannikr9497]

Good discussion! For the neck thickness, get the habit to use file and sandpaper to make it thin the way I like it. The only challenge in it to refinish. I try, not to touch the headstock and make a proper transition. Easy to do with roasted necks, because they are natural color and clear coat makes old/new transition invisible.

[@hannuaronen5861]

Yeah, this is exactly what I was thinking. You can always make the neck profile smaller if it’s too thick. Either DIY or take it to a luthier.

[@Ben-ic1ve]

I’ll take it Scott (if you don’t want it) 😅 A six string Ken smith is my dream bass

[@nick120968]

Love these chats guys, thanks for making the time to bring them!

[@RobiTheophilus]

I LOVE the camaraderie and brotherhood in these podcasts.

[@goldenratioguitars2590]

I need to make you guys a bass. You want custom, you need a custom builder. Working on a 5 string headless with reverse asymmetrical neck. I can literally build anything.

[@gregoryhagen2263]

Happy to hear the mention of Serek basses! They are doing exactly what I want from a "made to order" bass company.

[@mikeh66]

Before MTD, Mike Tobias went by the brand Eclipse,briefly.

[@thenoodleking]

So that’s where the Smith on my Reverb watchlist went 😂 glad to see it’s on its way to a great home.

[@markwarner5554]

John Myung was playing a Tobias 6 string bass in the early 90s for the Images and Words album cycle. He played those for a while. For current builders, Maurizio Caduto's Uber basses are amazing,

[@DLHshed]

Kevin Brubaker is making some killer basses as well. He's also building for Ken Smith these days.

[@rl-ub9hx]

This! And the swappable Preamp?

[@wasmachtherrmo]

Nice format, thanks;-)

[@jamesgoodwin9829]

I feel like brands like Ken Smith, Fodera, and MTD are high-end customized basses. You pick the options that you want from their choices versus a completely custom build like my Muckelroy. You start with a conversation or three with Brady and then he builds it by hand.

[@thenoodleking]

Smith and MTD for sure. Fodera will literally build you anything. You just have to be willing to pay.

[@bassfunkypenguin]

Fodera will built you anything you want providing you're prepared to get your wallet out.

[@halcyo]

You guys ever hear about or play a Skjold bass? One man maker in Northern Ohio (my home state) who apparently is making some magic instruments. He's a luthier that other big luthiers seem to talk about highly. He's basically making everything on the bass- bodies, necks, pickups, preamps, etc. I've been meaning to make a pilgrimage the couple hours up to his shop someday and see what all the fuss is about and maybe let him recommend a custom build for me!

[@mipabass]

Hey dudes, take a look at Marleaux, Human Base and Ritter…youngonna love those too🎉🎉

[@Nugmania1]

Hey love the interaction, I may not have a Ken Smith or a 6 string, but I do have an Ibanez Sr 875 Blue Reef Gradiation, it’s about as boutique as you can get off the rack, it’s a good fitting suit lol. With the Jatoba, Walnut and Jatoba fret board Maple-top with mahogany body, for me it screams boutique

[@bassnsax]

2mm difference between your Kens, while my upright bass's neck's depth is 40mm 😅. Hopefully getting my second 6-string bass in the near future - my first was a Modulus Quantum 6 (that I was waaay to young to even own) which had a real thin neck depth.

[@thenashvillebassmentor594]

Don’t forget Dingwall and Brubaker. Devon is coming on strong too.

[@christianscott6963]

I have always wanted to play 5s and 6 strings, but I have medium small hands for my size, ha!

[@llarryamrose3980]

Give it a try, you never know. I've got smaller hands, and I like narrower/thinner 5s like my Rick 5. Don't like superwide necks. Just got an Ibanez 5 (headless/fanned fret model), and it's about as wide as I can handle. One time I stumbled across a Tobias 6 in Guitar Center. I was able to play it, but it wasn't the most comfortable. 20 years ago, I probably couldn't have really played it -- skill and experience help.

[@PushSueAside]

AWESOME!!!!!! New podcast! Love these podcasts! Cheers

[@joshjamesuk]

That log analogy from Ian had made me laugh more than it should 😂

[@joshjamesuk]

That log analogy from Ian had made me laugh more than it should 😂

[@joshjamesuk]

That log analogy from Ian had made me laugh more than it should 😂

[@johngabriel7562]

Have either of you tried the Yamaha Patitucci 6?

[@drezy5337]

Zon basses are amazing!

[@williamdeming853]

Beans of your choice. Grinder, 35-50. French press, bout the same. Fresh coffee, priceless. 😊

[@NorCalBASSIX]

Don't forget the master luthier Michael Pedulla

[@pCeLobster]

Retired now sadly.

[@NorCalBASSIX]

@@pCeLobster Retired, but still among the master luthiers in history.

[@rl-ub9hx]

MTD's torch is already being held by Daniel

[@xh4r744]

You need to remeasure with calipers that measurement 18 mm is super thin Careful that truss rod doesn't crack the neck. 20 mm should be fine

[@rikd5452]

How about Joe Zon, Ned Steinberger, Micheal Pedulla, and Modulus Graphite?

[@YTPartyTonight]

There are some misunderstandings here historically and technically. @40:53 Correction: The standard cut of maple for Fender necks, going back to the beginning--with one exception--has always been flat sawn. Leo Fender would never accept the additional cost of stocking quarter sawn maple specifically to make necks; he was too frugal for that. There's even an inherent higher risk of a twisted 1-pc '50s style Fender neck when made from quarter sawn maple rather than a 2-pc with laminated rosewood or maple fretboard cap. That one exception to that that I referred to above is modern Fender Custom Shop necks. Even at the very beginning of FCS, the necks were made of flat sawn maple. It wasn't until later when FCS was brought into the Corona, CA plant that they switched to quarter sawn maple as the standard cut for Custom Shop necks. Even now if you want a plain/flat sawn maple neck on a custom ordered Master Build FCS bass you can order the neck to be specially made from flat/plain sawn maple, instead of the standard quarter sawn maple. @41:13 I don't believe the builder/luthier actually said this; more likely a miscommunication or misunderstanding. Rift sawn maple is not the cheapest cut and it's not the worst cut either; there is no worst cut perse. The cheapest and most common of the three types of cuts is flat/plain sawn maple. That's why Leo Fender chose flat sawn maple and why most production bass and guitar in general are made with flat sawn maple. Laminated flat sawn maple bass necks aren't a new or unique construction technique either. It's just sensible and relatively economical way to make reliable stable necks.

[@williamdeming853]

I am going to be a builder!

[@Nicky_Boy]

Petillo!!!!

[@garrettlowell7637]

Stenback stole that “any color you want” bit from Henry Ford.

[@mikeh66]

Gary Willis had a Tobias 6 string.Ask him about it.

[@admarhermans1]

I’m listening to this video/ podcast for the second or third time now. Shouldn’t you guys have mr. Haslip on the show? He’s a great talker and has many a tale to tell... 🖖

[@joe700700]

What happen to Wyn basses?

[@frankodamanko]

When does boutique stop being boutique? Would you still consider a company like Dingwall as boutique? They are pumping out instruments these days.

[@kmrumedy]

Tom stopped making basses too.

[@gcvrsa]

There are more boutique brands available than ever before. Tastes change. Not everyone wants a Fodera, a Wal, or a Smith, or what have you famous brand from days gone by. Maybe I want a Mayones, a Maruszczyk, a Sago, a Moollon, an Atelier Z, or a Bacchus. Maybe I want a Warmoth! Or maybe I want something totally different.

[@mikeferguson4816]

...like you're not gonna have it shipped...c'mon man

[@laurentquintana262]

Boutique basses that cost more than 4000 dollars.... holy f... buy a Vintage Fender pbass instead.

[@udlchroma]

WOT?

[@Bubinga5]

Jens Ritter for gods sake man.!!!!!!

[@leonclayton818]

This is like some clone in another country

[@TheDarkKnight73]

4k is cheap, lol