binky_bass

Absolutely no offence taken! When should we schedule our fisty-cuffs?? 🥊

I prefer 'boutique' over baroque.

I think we may need to have a few rounds of bare knuckle boxing (over arm style of course) to resolve this, given that I do also play 7, 8, 9 and 10 string basses which I expect would classify as "one of those silly things with so many strings that you can't pass cant pass as a bass player". In my band I play a lot of two hand tap, which is close to impossible on a 4 string bass. With some songs its much easier to play the piece on an 8 string. If you play standard songs that only require a 4 string bass, then I can partially see your point, but I play and write songs that can't be played on a 4 string as they simply don't have the range. Having somewhere between 6-10 strings available is great fun and opens up the bass way beyond that of its 4 string brothers. It becomes a true instrument for composition and exploration. If ever you're in Essex, swing by and have a go on Binky the 10 string bass, most people hold it for the first time and think its utterly ridiculous (which it is a bit!) but after 10 minutes or so, they understand why it exists and how much it opens up bass as an instrument.

Maybe for some... I'll confess I have a collection of 'boutique' basses. The collection as a whole, as well as each of them individually do bring me joy. I enjoy playing them at band practice, I enjoy switching between them, I sometimes just enjoy holding them and spending time marvelling at the skill of the person who made it, I also enjoy them as playable 'art' hung on my studio wall. I play them at home and each of them has been gigged more than once. A few I've had made specifically for me (Binky and a few ACGs) and some I've picked up here and elsewhere for a 'good price', so should I ever need to liquidate them, I could. It's each to their own, but I very much enjoy my basses, and I don't consider them purchases due to me 'needing' them. Though my personal 'wants' in a bass are: • 6 string (7, 8, 9, 10 also fine!) • Active • 24 frets • Through neck • Wood top There isn't a HUGE number of basses that offer those specs and are genuinely 'good' from my experience (Cort A6 is perhaps an exception) so I've found my sweet spot within the boutique basses world. Nowt wrong at all with a 4 string Harley Benton P-Bass, they're great for the price point, but they don't meet my personal bass 'wants'. There' are definitely others in my camp, don't write us all off as pretentious just because we like something different! 😋

@Russ - Are you not thinking of Dave Swift?

Has anyone owned an Ibanez LACS? As I understand, the LA Custom Shop only build artist used guitars/basses and occasionally prototypes. You cannot order a LACS nor can you buy one directly outside of certain special build runs that are incredibly infrequent. Curious to know if anyone ever owned one/played one etc?

He'll get a 12 month suspended sentence, and ordered to pay a victims surcharge of about £500. That'll be it.

So how much are Jackson paying you for this advert?

Why so few P-Basses? 😆

Build one or two and circulate them around a select few chosen basschatters for an honest critique. Ideally those that already play the kind of basses you're intending on building. That'd be a nearly free way to test for viability in terms of how your build stack up against those with a great deal of experience playing similar basses. It'd be important to ensure that those testing your build aren't just going to be 'yes men' and that they will give you very honest and candid feedback. Being polite to save your feelings will only do damage to any business longevity.