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Q: How can you afford
to charge so little ?!
Q: How long will it
take to get a reply / quote for my guitar specs?
Q: Can I get to the
front of the line by paying you 100% up front?
Q: Can you supply me with
5 different quotes , with an itemized price associated with each
option I list?
Q: Do you charge
extra for left hand guitars or basses?
Q: Can you tell me
what someone else paid for their bass?
Q: Do you offer a
discount for multiple orders?
Q: Do you charge
extra for different scale lengths?
Q: Do you charge
extra for multiple piece necks?
Q: How long will it take
to get my guitar?
Q: Why are all your
models "neck through body" construction?
Q: How do I get those
extra lines in the middle of the front of the bass? or How do I
not have those lines in the middle?
Q: What is
bookmatching and why do you do it? Can I get a top that is all
just one piece?
Q: What strings
do you use?
Q: What type of
fretwire do you use?
Q: Will you make
me a once-piece neck?
Q: Do you use
graphite reinforcement in the neck? What kind of trussrod do you
use?
Q: What is your
neck profile??
Q: Will using
Thru-The-Body stringing improve tension on the low B?
Q: Will making
the string path longer between the nut and the tuner improve
string tension?
Q:. Can I get one
of your guitars painted?
Q: What woods are
available for the fretboard?
Q:. Can I get the
fretboard epoxy coated?
Q:. Would you build
me a bass with a copy of a (name brand) body, and a (name brand)
headstock?
Q: Can I send
you wood to use for my bass?
Q: Why tung oil
finish instead of lacquer or polyeurethane?
Q: Can you do
special inlays?
Q: I have some
pickups /hardware available... can I send them to you to use for
my bass?
Q: What pickups
are best?
Q: Who makes
your "standard" pickups?
Q: Should I
get active or passive pickups? Or an active EQ/preamp?
Q: Why are your
control cavities so tight?!
Q: Do you shield
your control cavity? How?
Q: Do you
"sponsor" musicians?
Q: I live just a
few hours away .... can I stop by and try out a bass ?
Q:Would you barter
a bass for webdesign services?
Q:. Do you sell
wood separately?
Q: Will you ship
outside the U.S.?
Q: What
guarantee do you offer?
Q: ...O.K., what gives? I've seen custom made guitars from other manufacturers at $2,500.00 and up! How can you afford to charge so little in comparison?!
It's simple really. I'm not greedy. I also don't have a huge infrastructure to support (i.e.: lots of sales people, etc.) which can drive up the price. I charge what I feel is a fair price, guided by the cost of materials and my conscience.
All of my guitars and basses are hand crafted right here in my shop in North Carolina. I do NOT import necks or bodies, or farm out work to other manufacturers, as some others may do. I carve and shape them right here, starting with quality hardwood lumber. Buying raw lumber in bulk also helps me pass along savings to my customers, as does using good quality standard parts that give good value for the money. Remember though, you can easily drive up the price by chosing a lot of expensive options!
I try to keep my prices reasonable so that more people can afford to play a nice looking and good sounding real hardwood guitar or bass made right here in the U.S.A., rather than just a painted plywood version made in Asia, with a tacked on logo from some "big name" manufacturer.
Q: How long will it take to get a reply / quote for my guitar specs?
I try to reply to all requests within a day or two. If it's been much longer, say a week, then please check that you have supplied me with a valid email address to reply to. Sometimes, if you have sent your inquiry from behind a firewall (say at work), a false adress is supplied and my reply just gets bounced. As insurance, also supply a valid mailing address on the form (I don't use this info for anything other than replying to you per your request).
Q: Can I get to the front of the line by paying you 100% up front?
No. That wouldn't be fair to my other customers. I try to start and complete my projects according to the order in which the downpayments are received.
Q: Why are all your models "neck through body" construction?
Because it produces the best sound. "Bolt on" neck construction was originated to allow large manufacturers to save on wood expenses while automating the creation of stock shaped bodies. It is not the best way to make a good sounding guitar. Other manufacturers reserve neck through body construction for their high-end, high cost models.
I make all of my guitars and basses with neck through body construction to give the best possible tone, sustain, and playability.
I string all basses with Ken Smith Rock Master Light strings. If you prefer something else, let me know. Many can be done at no extra cost.
Q: What type of fretwire do you use?
My standard is a modern jumbo fretwire, 18% Nickel-silver fretwire, 0.110" wide and 0.053" high before levelling and dressing. I like the way bigger frets add to the tone and sustain. If however you want a different size, just ask. I have a variety of sizes available to me at no additional cost.
A gold colored fretwire is now available at additional cost. It compliments the look of natural woods (like a Bird's Eye Maple fretboard), and is a bit harder than normal fretwire.
Please note: I've had some bassists ask about mandolin size fretwire ...very small... personally, I advise against it.
Q: Do you charge extra for different scale lengths?
No, as long as it isn't so unusual as to lead to extra costs in materials or problems in workmanship. I make and slot my own fretboards, so I can do just about any scale your heart desires.
Q: Do you charge extra for multiple piece necks?
Depends. 3 piece necks, of standard wood choices, are at no extra cost. In fact, I insist on them as standard for added strength and stability. Depending on the number of strings in your bass (which affects neck width) , more than 3 pieces may have a small additional cost. See the Prices page. Using exotic and/or figured woods in the neck will incur additional costs.
Q: Will you make me a once-piece neck?
No. A one-piece neck is a problem waiting to happen. Long term stability and strength are suspect. If you want only one type of wood in your neck, that can be done (for example, 3 laminations all of maple).
Q: How do I get those extra lines in the middle of the front of the bass? or How do I not have those lines in the middle?
In the standard "Visible neck thru" construction, the neck laminations are visible in the front of the bass. (They run all the way from the headstock to the bottom of the bass). In "hidden neck thru" construction, the body front top wood covers them up. This is a little more expensive to do. When ordering, just tell me which look/construction method you prefer.
Q: What is bookmatching and why do you do it? Can I get a top that is all just one piece?
A bass is typically about 13" at it's widest part when finished. This is wider than my woodworking equipment (bandsaw, planer) can handle. "Bookmatching" is the preferred method of creating a top for a guitar from a figured piece of wood by slicing it on edge into 2 mirror images of itself.
..........
........
These mirror-image pieces can then be used for your bass, either separated by the neck woods ("visible neck thru"), or joined together edge-edge to cover the neck woods ("hidden neck thru").
Q: Do you use graphite reinforcement in the neck? What kind of trussrod do you use?
On all basses 2 carbon fiber rods are standard. I use a 2-way adjustable trussrod, accessible at the headstock.
Q: What is your neck profile??
My necks are approx. 0.85" thick, (measured from center of fretboard to center of back of the neck) and somewhat D shaped, and asymetrical (thinner on the treble side). I try to keep this thickness as far down the neck toward the body joint as possible, rather than it getting thicker. Thus, as the neck widens with the string separation, geometry causes the curvature of the back of the neck to flatten somewhat as you go further down.
Q: Will using Thru-The-Body stringing improve tension on the low B? Will making the string path longer between the nut and the tuner improve string tension?
No, and No. These are what I like to call "Bass Urban Legends" They have no basis in reality. The string tension is determined by the pitch, the string physical parameters (mass, thickness, etc), and the scale length (nut to bridge saddle distance). That's all!! Thru-the-Body stringing can aid sound transfer into the body woods, thus increasing resonance. But it does not increase tension or make for a tighter low B string. And staggering the B tuner further away from the nut on the headstock does nothing for the sound, IMO it's just a design gimmick.
Q: Do you charge extra for left hand guitars or basses?
no
Q: Can you supply me with 5 different quotes , with an itemized price associated with each option I list?
*sigh*
nope. I don't work that way. Please decide what you want first, or at least have a pretty good idea, before asking for a quote. If you're not sure, I'll be glad to make suggestions based on your budget and your playing style. Many option prices are shown on my order specification form. Let me know what your needs & concerns are, and I'll try to help you decide what parts & woods will help you meet your goals.
Q: Can you tell me what someone else paid for their bass?
No. All quotes are confidential. If you want a bass similar to one you see in my gallery, then you'll have to tell me the specifics of what woods and hardware YOU want. What suited someone else may not suit your playing style and music.
Q: Do you offer a discount for multiple orders?
YES! I love repeat customers ... typically between 20% -35% of my business is repeat, people getting a 2nd or 3rd ( or more!) bass from me. As a sign of appreciation for their business, repeat customers currently get a $50 discount off of their orders.
Q:. Can I get one of your guitars painted ?
No. I won't do that, it's not my thing. I like the way wood looks with only a natural finish or accented with staining. But if you want a painted guitar where you don't know what's underneath, I suggest you turn to another manufacturer.
Q: What woods are available for the fretboard?
I commonly use Bolivian Rosewood (also called "Pau Ferro") as standard. Bird's Eye Maple is available at a small extra cost. Other hardwoods and exotics are also possible, but their grain and durability should be suitable to the task. Click here for a chart of wood hardness.
Ebony (Gabon or Macassar), Bubinga, or Purpleheart (or other very dense woods) are recommended for fretless basses. I particularly like the figuring in Macassar ebony. If there's something special you want, just ask us about availability and price. I'll do my best to accomodate you.
Q:. Can I get the fretboard epoxy coated?
no. Despite claims and hype to the contrary about such coatings, I remain unconvinced that an epoxy coating won't hurt the sound. Epoxies, by their nature, cure to a plastic, not crystalline state, and are not (as is often claimed) "hard as glass".
Q:. Would you build me a guitar with an copy of a (big name brand) body, and a (another big name brand) headstock?
no. Those companies can hire a lot more (expensive)(big name) lawyers than I can!
But I would be happy to work with you on a design of your own, or one that does not infringe on another manufacturer's copyrights.
Q: Can I send you wood to use for my bass?
Yes! I have some customers supply their own woods when they come across something really special or have some left over from another project. Of course we'll have to determine that the wood's size and condition are suited to the bass design. Also, some woods (most notably spalteds) require additional time and work in prep and finishing, so there may a charge associated for that.
Q: I have some pickups /hardware available... can I send them to you to use for my bass?
Yes!
There is no "best"...there are simply differences. Your own experiece with pickup brands is invaluable. Your ears are a better judge of what you like than I could ever be. If you don't know what you want, I'll be happy to make a recommendation based on your music and playing styles.
Q: Who makes your "standard" pickups?
Unless noted otherwise,I currently use Bartolini single coil thin soapabrs for my standard pickups. But if you have a specific preference, then feel free to check out the optional pickups and preamps/EQ's from Bartolini, EMG, Seymour Duncan, and others. I especially recommend Bartolini.
Q: Should I get active or passive pickups? Or an active EQ/preamp?
First of all, let's separate the two issues. I'm surprised that many players do not understand that having active or passive pickups is a separate issue from having an active EQ (tone controls).
Pickups that are passive by design, like Bartolini's, do not require a battery to work. They are the traditional style of pickup, with multiple coils of wire around some magnets.
Active pickups like EMG's, on the other hand, have weaker magnets and fewer coil windings, but make up for it with a built in transister amplifier right in the pickup housing. They require a battery to work.
For the tone controls, the traditional passive setup is a pot with a capacitor to cut higher frequencies...... an active EQ allows for more control over different frequency ranges, usually with a separate treble and bass adjustment (2-band systems), or with treble, mids, and bass (3-band systems).
Which is better? As I said before, neither...they're just different. In general passive pickups like Bartolini's have a more "organic" sound, less manipulated or colored. The active EMG's are more forceful. Which you prefer depends on your own tastes. If you like a lot of knobs and switches to play with, go with an active EQ to give you lots of tone options. If you prefer a more straightforward approach, making your own tones thru playing style, then consider just a passive system.
And yes, you can combine the two. Using passive Bartolini's with an active Bartolini EQ, for example, allows you to run either way...passively (which some recording engineers prefer, so that they control the sound totally), or actively, with a simple switch.
Q: Why are your control cavities so tight?!
Because it makes no sense to me to specify nice (and sometimes expensive) tonewoods, and then carve out half of it just to make a control cavity larger than is absolutely necessary. My Physics training (yes, I have a couple degrees in the field) also tells me that the larger the cavity, the more effect it is going to have on sound reflections and refraction within the wood itself. So I try to make the control cavity as small as functionally necessary, so as to minimize any adverse effect on the sound.
Q: Do you shield your control cavity? How?
Yes, the control cavity is lined with conductive copper foil, as is the inside of the control cavity cover, totally encasing the control electronics. I do not use spray-on conductive paint.
Q: Why polyurethane or Tung oil finish instead of lacquer ?
A hand rubbed polyurethane or Tung Oil finish is normally reserved by other manufacturers for their most expensive guitars, or as an "extra cost" option because it is labor intensive. I do it as standard because I think they provide the best combination of appearance and protection for normal use. Scratches and scrapes that come from accidents or regular long term use can easily be sanded out and the wood re-coated.
In my opinion the polyurethane coating is more protective against environmental effects, and a touch more glossy than the Tung Oil. A Matte finish polyurethane is also available.
An Oil & Wax finish, similar to that used by Warwick and Tobias, is also available, subject to the woods used being suitable for it.
I am not at present set up to handle spray-on finishes like lacquer.
Yes, but within limits. Send me your design and I'll let you know if there are any problems with using it as an inlay. The price will depend on the material chosen (Mother-of-pearl, abalone, etc.) , the complexity of the shape (which can make it harder to inlay), and the number of inlays. Of course as special inlays require more time to do, they will affect delivery time.
example of a special order inlay using
different woods...
Abalone crown inlays.
Q: How long will it take to get my guitar?
Assuming you haven't ordered something hard to get, about 6 months or so after receipt and clearing of your downpayment. Most of that is waiting time in the build queue as orders placed before yours get addressed. I will provide a time estimate with your price quote, based on my best information at the time.
The bass must be paid for in full (including shipping) before I will ship it.
But please bear in mind that this is only an estimate. I hate being rushed, as quality inevitably suffers, and we'll both be disappointed in the results. If you have a specific date that you are trying to meet because of some event, let me know about it upfront so I can plan accordingly (or tell you if it's not possible).
Q: Do you "sponsor" musicians?
Sorry, no.
Q: I live just a few hours away .... can I stop by and try out a bass ?
Because everything I do these days is "made to order", I don't keep any finished basses around to try.
Q: I am a web designer. Would you trade or barter a bass for webdesign services?
Before doing this, I never knew so many bass players were web designers! Sorry, no.
Q: I'd love a piece of wood you show on your website for a project I have....would you sell it to me separately?
sorry, no. The woods I show are for use in making basses for customers only.
Q: Will you ship outside the U.S.?
I haven't yet found a way to do so that is low cost (remember, the customer pays for shipping, as well as all import duties and taxes! Be sure to investigate these charges before thinking about ordering! ). Carriers such asFedEx and UPS charge hundreds of dollars to ship to Europe, South America, Australia, and the Far East. Using the postal service in some cases seems to be less expensive, but there are restrictions. (If you have a cheaper way and want to give it a go, by all means let me know.)..So providing proper support if anything goes wrong (in shipment or accidents, for example) is a big problem, as all repair work under warranty must be done here by me. For these reasons I'm cautious about accepting orders outside North America.
Q: What guarantee do you offer?
I have a very simple guarantee to the original owner/purchaser: If it breaks, I'll fix it. If you broke it (or a girlfriend or wife or baby brother, etc. by, for example, doing a "Pete Townsend" on it), you'll pay the cost of parts and labor to have it repaired, and shipping both ways. If it breaks through no fault of yours (some hidden defect, which shouldn't be there), then you just pay to ship it back to me. I take care of the rest. If I can't fix it , I'll rebuild it or replace it. All warranty work must be done by me.
