Would you buy a Conklin?

[AttitudeCastle]

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1209905' date='Apr 24 2011, 11:28 AM']Basically they'd just give you a couple of basses to try, you'd be able to say if you like the neck shape etc. They'd be able to adjust the shape that you do like, making it wider, narrower etc.

I'd try Robbie at RIM basses. I think his basses look amazing, he's definitely top of my list for my next bass. I think his prices are a bit more competitive than other builders too.

Another builder to consider is Overwater. Their prices are more than the others mentioned though, but I can really recommend the build quality, the basses just ooze class.

Most builders are accessible by train or coach.[/quote]

Ah ok!

Overwater would be who i would look at first, as they are the most local to me! (only a few hours on the train, rather than across the boarder!) Though their prices run £3K to £4K, but i played one of the Tanglewood overwaters and THAT felt nice, so i imagine oozing class is an acurate discription!

[Waldo]

I'd very much like a GT-4, have been looking for one but to no avail.

[Chris2112]

I've only seen a couple of Groove Tools 4 strings for sale in the UK. Bill Dickens played one in the DVD he made, it sounded good for what he does bu8t I can't imagine a lot of people getting on with that sound. His 7 string basses sounded very different. It's interesting to remember that Bill initially went to Conklin to get a 7 string bass because Peavey wouldn't make him one!

[ThomBassmonkey]

The problem with a brand that specialises in 7+ strings is that there's never going to be a massive market for them.

There's only so many people that would even be interested, from those you need to find the few that are prepared to spend money to sate their curiosity and from those few you need to find the even fewer who are prepared to buy a new instrument and take the hit if it doesn't suit them.

Let's face it, there's not a lot of people who own multiple 7+ string basses. People who own one are few and far between. Obviously there are people that own multiples but the market just isn't there like it is for 4, 5 and even 6 strings.

If he was going to introduce his basses to the UK, marketing them with the ERBs in mind would be a bad idea IMO. The company would need to be introduced as a normal bass company that makes 7+ strings in addition to the usual rather than how it's viewed at the moment (as this thread proves) which is a company that specialises in ERBs but also makes 4/5 string basses.

[AttitudeCastle]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1210315' date='Apr 24 2011, 08:16 PM']The problem with a brand that specialises in 7+ strings is that there's never going to be a massive market for them.

There's only so many people that would even be interested, from those you need to find the few that are prepared to spend money to sate their curiosity and from those few you need to find the even fewer who are prepared to buy a new instrument and take the hit if it doesn't suit them.

Let's face it, there's not a lot of people who own multiple 7+ string basses. People who own one are few and far between. Obviously there are people that own multiples but the market just isn't there like it is for 4, 5 and even 6 strings.

If he was going to introduce his basses to the UK, marketing them with the ERBs in mind would be a bad idea IMO. The company would need to be introduced as a normal bass company that makes 7+ strings in addition to the usual rather than how it's viewed at the moment (as this thread proves) which is a company that specialises in ERBs but also makes 4/5 string basses.[/quote]

+1!

Conklin are trying to show people they are 4/5 (and 6!) String bass builders too, but they happen to be most famous for building 7+ string basses

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1209322' date='Apr 23 2011, 05:28 PM']This seems to be a common misconception that one custom bass brand is an adequate replacement for another...

If you simply want a bass with 7 strings on it then sure there are luthiers in the UK who will make you such an instrument. Pick one you like and can get on with and off you go.
[color="#FF0000"]
However if you want a Conklin 7 string bass then really only Conklin will be able to build it for you.[/color][/quote]


and some dudes in korea...

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='AttitudeCastle' post='1209970' date='Apr 24 2011, 12:36 PM']Ah ok!

Overwater would be who i would look at first, as they are the most local to me! (only a few hours on the train, rather than across the boarder!) Though their prices run £3K to £4K, but i played one of the Tanglewood overwaters and THAT felt nice, so i imagine oozing class is an acurate discription![/quote]

ACG are closer...

[AttitudeCastle]

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='1210514' date='Apr 24 2011, 11:38 PM']ACG are closer...[/quote]

Oh yeah, by about 20 miles, i always forget Dumfries is north of Carlisle

Its still a 200+mile journey though

[Chris2112]

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='1210514' date='Apr 24 2011, 11:38 PM']ACG are closer...[/quote]


No distance is too far for an ACG. They are the best, and so worth whatever effort it takes to get your hands on one.

[guyl]

Conklin Sidewinder 7 was the best bass I ever owned. If it had one or two less strings, I'd still have it. If I ever become rich, I'll be over the pond to order a bespoke Conklin without hesitation.

Bill Conklin is a pleasure to speak with. I had the impression he really cares. I wonder why he has problems with his "value" range. Overwater seem to be making the effort to control the quality of theirs....

Would love to see a UK dealer for Conklin.

[Chris2112]

[quote name='guyl' post='1211294' date='Apr 25 2011, 10:54 PM']Bill Conklin is a pleasure to speak with. I had the impression he really cares. I wonder why he has problems with his "value" range. Overwater seem to be making the effort to control the quality of theirs....[/quote]


I don't think it's a lack of effort on Bill Conklin's part. Remember that the Groove Tools operation was far, far bigger than Overwater's venture into a buget range. At their peak, Groove Tools basses were selling very well in America and were being carried by major stores like Guitar Centre. So many Groove Tools basses were sold that Overwater couldn't even dream of matching those figures. At the same time, Bill Conklin was cresting a wave as Talkbass seemed caught in an ERB frenzy a few years ago. A Conklin was the bass to have, and with Bill being the main man in the US for building a bass like that, as well as doing guitars and his EUB thing they were extremely busy. Surely, more busy than Overwater's shop has ever been (no disrespect).

So, you're one of the most sought after luthiers in the country (and not forgetting how massive America is...), in a period of particular interest and your name is also appearing on large numbers of basses produced in Asia to be sold as 'buget' instruments. Surely something has to give somewhere!

In fact though, it appears that quality control was never a massive issue for Conklin. I recall Bill saying he was very pleased with the Groove Tools project when it initially closed. Groove Tools basses have always been well spoken of, as an accessible means to a 7 string bass or just as a well made 4 or 5 string bass. I think the biggest problem Bill had was managing relations with the builder/supplier and eventually it went south or the contract ended and was not renewed. This was the era when GT basses were referred to as discontinued, although Bill spoke tenatively at the time of bringing back a buget range of instruments.

Since they came back to the market there seems to have been some quality control issues, but again this would be a difficult thing for Bill to tackle directly. He'd have to go to Westheimer with his concerns and hope they can fix it. However, he is running his shop day to day so I expect these issues are just a fly in the ointment right now as his main concern is no doubt knocking out top quality handmade instruments.

[Chris2112]

I was just watching that Derren Brown Faith Healer show earlier today and at the live show at the end of the episode the band's bassist is using a 7 string Conklin Groove Tools bass. There are a few good closeup shots of it too.

[AttitudeCastle]

[quote name='guyl' post='1211294' date='Apr 25 2011, 10:54 PM']Conklin Sidewinder 7 was the best bass I ever owned. If it had one or two less strings, I'd still have it. If I ever become rich, I'll be over the pond to order a bespoke Conklin without hesitation.

Bill Conklin is a pleasure to speak with. I had the impression he really cares. I wonder why he has problems with his "value" range. Overwater seem to be making the effort to control the quality of theirs....

Would love to see a UK dealer for Conklin.[/quote]

Its not the [b]quality[/b] thats is the problem, the quality is constistantly very high! The company is apprently a pain to deal with (the weisheimer corp.) as the Amount of basses they sound out at a time changes greatly from a handfill to hundreds! and the tme between shipments can be one to 6 months,

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1211888' date='Apr 26 2011, 06:30 PM']I was just watching that Derren Brown Faith Healer show earlier today and at the live show at the end of the episode the band's bassist is using a 7 string Conklin Groove Tools bass. There are a few good closeup shots of it too.[/quote]

I saw that too! Wasn't a GT i don't think, as the top was two part/two woods, could have been a full wack custom!

Its looked alot like a GT-7 though so i could be wrong!

[AttitudeCastle]

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1211342' date='Apr 26 2011, 12:09 AM']I don't think it's a lack of effort on Bill Conklin's part. Remember that the Groove Tools operation was far, far bigger than Overwater's venture into a buget range. At their peak, Groove Tools basses were selling very well in America and were being carried by major stores like Guitar Centre. So many Groove Tools basses were sold that Overwater couldn't even dream of matching those figures. At the same time, Bill Conklin was cresting a wave as Talkbass seemed caught in an ERB frenzy a few years ago. A Conklin was the bass to have, and with Bill being the main man in the US for building a bass like that, as well as doing guitars and his EUB thing they were extremely busy. Surely, more busy than Overwater's shop has ever been (no disrespect).

So, you're one of the most sought after luthiers in the country (and not forgetting how massive America is...), in a period of particular interest and your name is also appearing on large numbers of basses produced in Asia to be sold as 'buget' instruments. Surely something has to give somewhere!

In fact though, it appears that quality control was never a massive issue for Conklin. I recall Bill saying he was very pleased with the Groove Tools project when it initially closed. Groove Tools basses have always been well spoken of, as an accessible means to a 7 string bass or just as a well made 4 or 5 string bass. I think the biggest problem Bill had was managing relations with the builder/supplier and eventually it went south or the contract ended and was not renewed. This was the era when GT basses were referred to as discontinued, although Bill spoke tenatively at the time of bringing back a buget range of instruments.

Since they came back to the market there seems to have been some quality control issues, but again this would be a difficult thing for Bill to tackle directly. He'd have to go to Westheimer with his concerns and hope they can fix it. However, he is running his shop day to day so I expect these issues are just a fly in the ointment right now as his main concern is no doubt knocking out top quality handmade instruments.[/quote]

Very well said!

[skej21]

[quote name='AttitudeCastle' post='1211905' date='Apr 26 2011, 06:43 PM']I saw that too! Wasn't a GT i don't think, as the top was two part/two woods, could have been a full wack custom!

Its looked alot like a GT-7 though so i could be wrong![/quote]

+ 1 for spying the bass in Derren Brown's show.

I'd imagine it was a full on custom job, considering the amount of money they were scamming out of people. Well paid gig I would have thought. Where do I sign up?

[Dood]

Yup, was watching DB too and spotted it!