Building a bass and cost

[Fil1ip]

Good morning all,

Has anyone built a bass from scratch including making the body from a block of wood rather than buying a body. 

If so was it expensive to buy the wood. What hardware did you use etc and pick ups 

All the best

Phil 

[itu]

The wood itself is pretty cheap. It is a bit harder to find quality wood, that is dried for instrument building. Try Mad Inter and similar companies.

Individual parts do not cost that much, but when you put everything together, the total cost may surprise you.

[TheGreek]

Check out the Build thread - loads of people doing it. I've had two built by @Andyjr1515 both worth more than I paid. If you know what you're doing should be good VFM.

[Nail Soup]

1 hour ago, TheGreek said:

If you know what you're doing should be good VFM.

And if you don’t know what you’re doing you’ll learn a lot.

but maybe best to learn with cheap ingredients!

[geoffbyrne]

I spent a week with Jon Shuker and built one fro scratch.  The cost of staying in a hotel/inn/pub made it quite expensive, but I ended up with a lovely instrument.

 

[HazBeen]

I just completed a scratch build, was about 600 quid in wood/parts/electronics etc, Depending on your choices it will quickly cost you anywhere between 200-250 on the lower side and if you go for really expensive woods and parts you can spend 1000 quid easily. And you need the correct tools of course..... 

[Cuzzie]

It’s all about the gear used to build it - if you can replicate tools you use for other stuff, or are going to build a few then the cost starts to come down.

Materials and specs - it all depends what you want to use.

You can get for example a decent block or blocks of wood for around £30-50, but then again a set of strings can cost you that too, and it all tots up.

Is it building for self, for fun or to sell, each one will determine how much you can spend 

My advice is, get your pot of money for tools, get money pot for stuff and play the market for second hand stuff and new stuff, you can do refurbs. For example I got an old P bass body which was a bit of a wreck, repaired it and added bits a mixture of second hand and new, to make a very decent bass which I sold for cost (I didn’t charge my time). It was the fun factor for me.

I would say though, that even accounting for being frugal and second hand market scouring, you will look at about £200 at least

[Cuzzie]

I will say, if building for yourself, get it right, you will get a stellar bass that suits you-I have done a couple for less than a Fender Mex bass, and I know they would stand up against them no worries

Edited November 15, 2020 by Cuzzie

[BigRedX]

Unless you already have suitable tools they are most likely going to be more expensive than the materials needed to build a bass.

I've got a tool box full of stuff that's suitable for jobs around the house, but I don't think I'd want to use any of them for building a bass, without a lot fettling first. And while good power tools are not an absolute requirement, it's a lot easier and quicker if you don't have to do everything using just hand tools. You will however learn a lot about how to best sharpen chisels and plane blades.

Edited November 15, 2020 by BigRedX

[SpondonBassed]

4 hours ago, Fil1ip said:

Has anyone built a bass from scratch including making the body from a block of wood rather than buying a body.

The Build Diaries