New custom bass business

props!!!! good luck!!!

Best of luck in your new biz!

Sweet! Good luck BK!!!

Yeah, good luck to ya, man. I like the look of your single cutaway bass. I'm usually not into that sort of thing, but it looks mighty fine. Anyways, best of look to ya in your new business.

nice site and nice looking instruments. i dig the purple 5 string too.

nice finishing job......

good luck and happy building/creating!!!!!!!!!!

Looks great.  What are the prices, or is that still being worked out?

Also, why is UBP listed after talkbass in your links section!!!!!!

Mr. Bass Kahuna, sir, may I say that you f**king rock?
I want to do what you're doing.
About ten years ago, I was in final negotiations to become an apprentice luthier at a guitar/classical instrument shop, but the deal fell through. The guy just didn't have the money to do it. Broke my freekin heart.
Anyway, my bass is 20-year-old Jazz that I've been tweaking quite a bit in the past few years: Started by pulling the frets -- shear butchery. I used vice grips and leatherman, and I think a chisel. I don't know. Then I put Bartolinis and active electronics in it. And last summer I got a new neck from Warmoth. The learning curve seemed steep at times, especially with the electronics, but it's been fun. I feel like I've been flirting with the real deal, kind of sipping at what it would be like to just build something.
This is an innocent question, so you're offended, please don't be: Do you do all your own woodwork, or do you farm out some of the jobs, like the necks?
Anyway, here's to you, brother. I'll drain a glass to you at the next social gathering.  

Nice site Kahuna! Good luck. I'll add you to our links area when I get a chance. And hey... why is UBP listed after TalkBass in your links?!

Harumph!

EGAD!

Sorry.... I fixed the links order... UBP is now on top!

Also, I am the only person who touches my basses, I don't farm out anything. I handle everything from the initial design to building, routing, fretting, installing the electronics and hardware and finishing. The only woodworking stuff I farm out is when I buy my laminted neck blanks from Gallery Hardwoods, I have them laminate them up for me. Saves me a great deal of time. Here are some links to the wood for two upcoming basses.

Each neck blank is a center of ebony, then two strips of purple heart, then one has flamed maple and the other has birdseye maple:

http://www.gwbasses.com/projects/woods/Grandonnecks1b.jpg

The flamed maple is going to be a single cut6 string with a swamp ash body with this walnut top:

http://www.gwbasses.com/projects/woods/walnut_top_1a.jpg

The birdseye is going to be a double cut with a black limba body.

http://www.gwbasses.com/projects/woods/Grandonlimba1a.jpg

:^)~

Hey! I'm very impressed by your site AND your work. I'm sure you'll have tremendous success. It's great to see the photos of all the steps in the process.

i just noticed your based out of colorado........right on. i live down in the springs.........

are you ever planning on Factory Tours??

Sure, once I get my new shop built in the Spring (the season, that is). Currently, as bad as this sounds, we've converted my garage wood working shop into my Luthier shop with just a few minor modifications (ventilation, heat, humidity control, etc.). We have 1/2 acre up in Woodland Park, so in the Spring I'm going to build a nice, seperate shop to do business out of. That way it is so much cheaper than having to rent a place (3 - 4 months rent = enough $$ to build a nice 25x25 shop....). That will also help me keep my costs down as rignt now we're really working on trying to get my prices for a standard bass (no fancy figured tops, just a nice laminated neck through and body wings, etc.) a good bit under $1000. It all boils down to costs, hours, and how many basses I can produce and sell a month.

Good job. It's a hard thing to do, giving up a career in an established field, to start a buisiness. Good luck.

Also, what made you chose the types of woods and the brand of pickups? Just curious.

Hey L355 Than Zero,

Yes, I have done and will take full custom orders, however, my willingness to take a return on one is much more limited, as your design may not be popular with other people and therefore may be hard to re-sell. Would you want it to be your own body design or one of mine? How would you want them wired? I can imagine many different wiring scenarios. Thank the Bass Gods that I know electronics!

Fatty Chris,

I chose the woods for these two basses based on tone, figuring, and overall market acceptance. Also, the single cut with the figured walnut top is one that I'm currently planning on keeping for myself. Other than that, I'm just going to continue building one or two a month that I don't have orders for in order to build up an in-stock area for basses, as well as place a few in a local music store that has agreed to carry them, and lastly, I'm going to look into possibly having a booth at NAMM this year and I'll need a few basses for that.

:^)~

Just thought I'd let everyone now that I have just gotten my deal with Aguilar, so I will be offering their OBP-1 and OBP-3 preamps in my basses! Woo Hoo!

Now I just have to talk to the sales person at Bartolini....

What about your price range? I know it depends on what goes into each bass - player preferences and such. I'm just curious about prices. I may be looking to adding another 4-string to my arsenal an the future.???

Hey Rob,

For a ball park on a 4 string, swamp ash or equivalent body, 5 piece laminated neck, neck through or bolt on, ebony fingerboard, two pickups, standard hipshot hardware, I would estimate a range of about $900 - $1000 without a case.

Beautiful! Congratulations and best of luck with your business!

Yeah Kahuna, good luck.

Nah check the date on this one. I just though it'd be good reflection.

Rasta's hitting the time-travel device again!

PASS, MAN!

Yeah, I got my Dell up to 88 MPHs and bam! I was in the past.

Pretty good timing though, since it's nearly Big K's two year anniversary

Dude, now I really want a GW. I'll be getting ahold of you in the next few months (tax refund time) and we'll make sweet thunder love.

Hey BK, remember when I said I was wanting a Custom 5 String Stingray? Basically want a 4 string body style except as a 5 string. How much to make a Stingray style body. I was thinking of a Swamp Ash with a Flammed maple cap and a Walnut Vaneer in between the Swamp Ash and Flammed Maple cap. You could take out the electronics, Pickup, Neck, and bridge out of the 5 string Stingray. All I would need you to do is build the body. Only part I could think of that I would need would be the chrome electronics cavity plate that the knobs go through from a 4 string. What would I be looking at on that Job price wise?

Hey WLE, maybe we could get a two fer deal, thats exactly what I want in a Stingray.

Really? I think it would be one hell of a Groove bass. What do you say BK on a two-fer deal?

Actually, Id feel bad trying to get over on BK, starting up a business and all. I think Id be inclined to pay full price.

I wouldn't argue with full price. Still Christmas is coming up. So If I paid full price that means that there will be less gear under the tree for me.

Christmas gear...warms my heart.

If this is a project you would do, let me know I can drop a deposit through paypal if you would like so that you could get started on it if it's something you would want to do. Just let me know the price. If you would like I can call you tomorrow or Monday to talk to you a little more about it.

I was wondering what was up with all the old topics showing up lately. Rasta's on that wacky tobaccy again.

This one does go back pretty far. And he say's there is no such thing as Too Many Puff's.

Because I got high,Because I got high LOL!!!

Hey Warwick,

I know you sent me a PM, but I'll respond here as others I'm sure are interested in my response.

The issue with making a copy of someone elses design are two.

1 - I don't need their lawyers calling me. Usually not a problem with just a quantity of one.

2 - The time involved with creating the necessary templates to make the body from. I don't have any templates for anyone elses designs other than my own. Usually you can buy a set of templates for around $50 plus shipping from some places, however, I've not found anyplace that sells Music Man templates. For me to make a set of templates would mean I would need a Stingray body to work from, or a full scale detailed drawing from Music Man of the body to work from, and it usually takes about 2-3 hours to produce a new set of templates from an existing body.

Do you already have a 5 string Stingray that you want the new body for? That would be required to make sure the neck and all other parts fit properly.

If you already have a 5 string Stingray that you just want to look like a 4 string, it would probably be cheaper to just plane 5/16 off the top of the body and put a thin walnut accent layer and figured top on it, and then refinish it. However, if it has a poly type finish those are really hard to strip off properly.

I don't know of anyone like Warmoth or others that offer Music Man replacement bodies... go figure.

So figure around $500 total for a custom body like this. That covers the cost of creating the necessary templates (once a body can be found to create them from...), building the body, the wood, and then transferring all of the parts over to the new body, setting it up and all, plus shipping to deliver it. You're easily looking at 15-20 hours of labor into something like this. It is much less if I already had all the templates and stuff and it wasn't a custom one off request.

If you look at someone like Warmoth, for a 5 string p-bass ash body with a maple top, plus a clear finish is $435 plus shipping. That does not include an accent layer nor does it include assembly and setup, and they already have all the templates and stuff (actually they're making theirs from CNC controlled routers), so I don't think I'm that far off in my quote.

Thanks!

Again implies that I wasn't at some point and time. When the school bell rings, I'm like Pavlov's dog becuase I know it's 4:20 somewhere in the world. No, I really don't burn that much. Daily, but usely as a night capper. Sometimes before practice, or while I'm woodshedding. Always when I'm working in the yard. In the mornings on the weekends, And, right now. But not always.

BK, If this is something you would be willing to do, I was actually planning on shipping the Stingray to you to work from. I know this might be something that isn't the greatest idea ever but I really do want something that is different from everyone else. If I'm looking at around $500 that is fine with me.

This is close to what I have in mind

Hey BK, I emailed you back about your basses.I can't wait to get everything figured out so I can order my bass.I Love all your bass designs, so amazing.

Anyone on here on a Bass Kahuna bass??

Hey, welcome aboard BASSBOOST!

Welcome, BB

There are a few of uss that slap a GW on a daily basis, and even more that want one

Thanks, for the warm welcome.
I was wondering does it always take Bass Kahuna a couple days to reply to emails?? I just haven't heard from him in a couple days about his basses. I'm just getting a little impatient.

Just give the masta a lil' time, he's a busy, busy man you know.

And welcome, to the grand illusion....wait, i mean the uglyiest place on earty.

Best of luck with it sir!

Those basses look amazing!

Welcome BASSBOOST! And yes sometimes it takes him 3 or 4 days to get back to ya. He gets in a groove while building and ends up like a horse with blinders. Not to mention his teenage daughter, his 3 year old girl and his one year old son, and helping his wife with them. Hell I only got a four year old and I can't find time to finish the two basses and guitar I'm working on. (Although I do spend to much time here.  )  Anyway be patient it's worth the wait.

H

i've had the honor of playing two GW basses.....

#0001 (sc1 6 wire) which is now owned by bassdemon here on the forum and i think a zebrawood 5 wire (dc1) that is (or was up for sale)......

they are some major kick a$$ basses with major mojo

welcome aboard bassboost

and as gavin degraw sings........this is for spliff err i mean rasta, he thinks his name is pass the joint

welcome to UBP bassboost!
don't worry, BK will get to ya, just gotta be patient

Speaking of Rasta's herbal pleasure, I had my 1st experience last friday, but that's a different website

#0001 (sc1 6 wire) which is now owned by bassdemon here on the forum and i think a zebrawood 5 wire (dc1) that is (or was up for sale)......

they are some major kick a$$ basses with major mojo
was for sale is a good way to put it! I just had to have her! should have her by X-Mas!!! that makes THREE GW Basses!! I just can't bring myself to play anthing else!!

hey Demon, can you give us some up close pics of your GW's?

Damn bassdemon, you're gonna' put BK's kids through college at the rate you are buying them GW's