Status shuts their doors

[Musicman666]

1 hour ago, Wolverinebass said:

I hope Rob is fully in remission and that he enjoys his semi retirement as he put it. I would imagine that they'll be outsourcing instruments and some form of announcement will be made in the near future.

 

From a personal perspective, I've met Rob and Dawn a few times and they're lovely people. As the owner of the last status Buzzard, I'm happy that he made that bass as to me it is the greatest bass ever made.

 

The irony is the week before they stopped taking orders I was going to order a Stealth. I had the email in draft and was just mulling over an option or two. I've literally been awaiting them to take orders again. I guess I'll have to see what goes on.

 

One thing is for sure. If the brand comes back it won't be "Status by Warwick" after the Buzzard debacle in 2005.

Looks like there is one stealth left on sale in the stock basses ….

[Chris2112]

I've had some really nice Status basses over the years. Some of the best instruments I've owned, I think. I recently got a fairly decent payout from work after it transpires that they hadn't been paying me properly since March last year. I was considering speaking with Status once they opened their order books to order a Kingbass or a Hellborg signature model. I guess that won't be happening now. I do have my eye on something equally eccentric though. 

[Russ]

21 minutes ago, Musicman666 said:

Looks like there is one stealth left on sale in the stock basses ….

There's a 5-string headless in the classifieds too. And a Streamline. 

 

Let's hope we don't start getting into Wal money for used ones. 

[Cato]

I'm suprised at how sad I am to read this.

 

It feels like the end of an era, there was a moment around when I first started playing in the late 80s when Status basses seemed to be everywhere , everyone from Mark King to Rhino Edwards was playing them.

[Wolverinebass]

37 minutes ago, Musicman666 said:

Looks like there is one stealth left on sale in the stock basses ….

It's got a jazz nut. So, not for me.

[prowla]

2 hours ago, Supernaut said:

Let the man be and give him some time to decide. 
 

Speculation mere minutes after the announcement is just tasteless. 
 

I would take Rob back at full health any day over a thousand more Status basses. 

I think the comments are well intentioned and orientated towards keeping his legacy going.

I hope he feels some pride that people would like to see the brand continue.

[Russ]

43 minutes ago, Chris2112 said:

I've had some really nice Status basses over the years. Some of the best instruments I've owned, I think. I recently got a fairly decent payout from work after it transpires that they hadn't been paying me properly since March last year. I was considering speaking with Status once they opened their order books to order a Kingbass or a Hellborg signature model. I guess that won't be happening now. I do have my eye on something equally eccentric though. 

I wasn't aware they were still offering the Hellborg bass.

 

I wonder if it still had the crazy 36V preamp? I tried one of the old ones years ago at the Bass Centre - it was light, very small, and stupidly loud. Every amp I tried it with had the clip light flashing.

[Chris2112]

4 minutes ago, Russ said:

I wasn't aware they were still offering the Hellborg bass.

 

I wonder if it still had the crazy 36V preamp? I tried one of the old ones years ago at the Bass Centre - it was light, very small, and stupidly loud. Every amp I tried it with had the clip light flashing.

 

They still offered the body shape with a graphite neck only now. The preamp wasn't listed as an option but I'm sure for the right price you could have had one...

[Old Horse Murphy]

I spoke with Dawn today about an unrelated matter but took the time to pass on my own personal gratitude as well as (I hope) that of the wider bass playing community. I'm sure others did too far more eloquently than I other could: a lovely gracious lady who represents her, Rob and the wider Status family.

 

Dawn was quick to point out it was a "semi" retirement and I for one

 will be interested to see what the future holds. I'm glad I rediscovered Status when I did. 

 

Wishing them all the very best in what I hope will be a long fulfilling future 

[tauzero]

9 hours ago, Linus27 said:

Purchasing, inventory, procurement, management and engineering here. I can also play bass a bit which I'm sure helps 😎

 

I can put together a website which doesn't have "Click to enter" as the homepage.

[Deedee]

I was fortunate enough to purchase my CW from Rob and Dawn in 2019.  The service was great and the bass is sublime. I also owned a model from around 1990 which was again beautiful in every way.

It’s sad to see the end of this particular era, but entirely understandable. I’d like to thank Rob for his wonderful instruments and wish him a speedy and complete recovery.

[bassfan]

I think that Rob and Dawn are doing absolutely the right thing and should be very proud of their contribution to the music industry. 
I’d like to personally thank them for making my journey into custom builds very special and so pain free! I’d especially like to thank them for producing this magnificent instrument. Enjoy your retirement Rob & Dawn! 😃
 

Thank you Status. 
 

 

Edited July 22, 2022 by bassfan

[Linus27]

This is the bass I would absolutely love, minus the LED's and as an unlined fretless. Sadly I don't think the bass exists as a fretless and unlikely I will ever get one made but it would be a thing of beauty. 

 

Edited July 22, 2022 by Linus27

[Kiwi]

I'm looking at my FPPR Series 1 5 string hanging on my wall right now. 

I know Rob has built up an allergy to phenolic dust over the years so goodness knows what else he's been exposed to over that time with all the resins and epoxies he's worked with.  However that commitment to quality is a hall mark of his work.  His  basses are superbly engineered and he makes some of the best necks in the business, a well dressed phenolic fingerboard will often allow action a gnat's nadger above the frets.  That's a hell of an indicator of the precision to which their basses have been made to and I really hope any plans to license go to someone who has the drive and commitment to sustain that.

 

I really wish Rob and Dawn all the best.  They're good company and have certainly made a mark on British music in their own modest way.

[prowla]

My Statii wish Rob well from the comfort of their sofa...

 

 

[Musicman666]

24 minutes ago, Kiwi said:

I'm looking at my FPPR Series 1 5 string hanging on my wall right now. 

I know Rob has built up an allergy to phenolic dust over the years so goodness knows what else he's been exposed to over that time with all the resins and epoxies he's worked with.  However that commitment to quality is a hall mark of his work.  His  basses are superbly engineered and he makes some of the best necks in the business, a well dressed phenolic fingerboard will often allow action string height a gnat's nadger above the frets.  That's a hell of an indicator of the precision to which their basses have been made to and I really hope any plans to license go to someone who has the drive and commitment to sustain that.

 

I really wish Rob and Dawn all the best.  They're good company and have certainly made a mark on British music in their own modest way.

I suspect robs commitment to quality is going to be the main obstacle to him simply passing on the business to whoever wants to buy it,… to some people reputation is more valuable than cash and he might be unwilling to see the legacy of status tarnished in his absence ….I think wal did it right but there was some luck involved with having Paul  willing and able to step up to the plate.

[Misdee]

The most important thing is that Rob Green stays well, that almost goes without saying. But what a loss to the industry! I've got a Streamline bass that I had made for me a while ago and it's a superb bass.  A unique design with a sound to match. I've had other Status basses and they were all very enjoyable.

 

In a bass manufacturing world of vintage- fixated retrogression, Rob's basses are uncompromisingly modern, and refreshingly original with their own identity.

 

It's the end of an era.  Never mind Status Graphite, I remember reading the review of the Rob Green Strata Bass in Sounds magazine. That must be 40 years ago. I also remember seeing that actual bass for sale secondhand in the Bass Center in about 1987.

 

Rob Green retiring also raises the question, if you want to buy a new bass with a graphite neck who would make you one? According to some folks on Talkbass, Zon are hopelessly back-ordered and unable to deliver completed instruments within a reasonable time frame. I am scratching my head trying to think of other options.

[40hz]

7 minutes ago, Misdee said:

The most important thing is that Rob Green stays well, that almost goes without saying. But what a loss to the industry! I've got a Streamline bass that I had made for me a while ago and it's a superb bass.  A unique design with a sound to match. I've had other Status basses and they were all very enjoyable.

 

In a bass manufacturing world of vintage- fixated retrogression, Rob's basses are uncompromisingly modern, and refreshingly original with their own identity.

 

It's the end of an era.  Never mind Status Graphite, I remember reading the review of the Rob Green Strata Bass in Sounds magazine. That must be 40 years ago. I also remember seeing that actual bass for sale secondhand in the Bass Center in about 1987.

 

Rob Green retiring also raises the question, if you want to buy a new bass with a graphite neck who would make you one? According to some folks on Talkbass, Zon are hopelessly back-ordered and unable to deliver completed instruments within a reasonable time frame. I am scratching my head trying to think of other options.

Modulus and Zon are the only ones that spring to mind. Maybe Bogart?

[BigRedX]

8 minutes ago, Misdee said:

Rob Green retiring also raises the question, if you want to buy a new bass with a graphite neck who would make you one? According to some folks on Talkbass, Zon are hopelessly back-ordered and unable to deliver completed instruments within a reasonable time frame. I am scratching my head trying to think of other options.

 

Gus.

 

Although Simon seems to be snowed under with orders for purple and gold guitars. When I last enquired (pre-covid) about having another Gus made he was talking 12-18 months depending on the specification.

[itu]

Someone already mentioned molds. They cost a lot. I cannot see, that they would be melted: my modest wish is that the production will continue. Anyone that has been working with molds understands this. A small production ready steel mold costs around £10k after first few fixes. A bass sized mold is far more expensive.

 

I also wish that the molds stay in UK. I would not fell in love with Xhina-made Xi-fux-U basses.

[Misdee]

6 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

Gus.

 

Although Simon seems to be snowed under with orders for purple and gold guitars. When I last enquired (pre-covid) about having another Gus made he was talking 12-18 months depending on the specification.

Gus Basses. Never played one, but I must say that the aesthetic doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. I'm sure to some folks they look stylish, but I would feel a bit ridiculous playing one in public.  To me they look like the kind of thing Sigue Sigue Sputnik would've used on TOTP circa 1987 ( had they actually been successful).

 

What do I know though? We're living in strange times where inherently modern things are considered old fashioned and the only way to be current is to look to the past. But that is complicated by the fact that the modern age is now old enough that people can look back at that era as being vintage. I'm sure buying basses never used to be this complicated.

[Misdee]

31 minutes ago, 40hz said:

Modulus and Zon are the only ones that spring to mind. Maybe Bogart?

Modulus are a funny one. I think the name was bought by a music shop  somewhere in the Midwest. I'm not sure who is actually producing the basses and to what standard. I might have to look into that! The downside at the moment is the weakness of the pound against the dollar. Buying British never seemed more appropriate.

[prowla]

35 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Gus.

 

Although Simon seems to be snowed under with orders for purple and gold guitars. When I last enquired (pre-covid) about having another Gus made he was talking 12-18 months depending on the specification.

 

6 minutes ago, Misdee said:

Gus Basses. Never played one, but I must say that the aesthetic doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. I'm sure to some folks they look stylish, but I would feel a bit ridiculous playing one in public.  To me they look like the kind of thing Sigue Sigue Sputnik would've used on TOTP circa 1987 ( had they actually been successful).

 

What do I know though? We're living in strange times where inherently modern things are considered old fashioned and the only way to be current is to look to the past. But that is complicated by the fact that the modern age is now old enough that people can look back at that era as being vintage. I'm sure buying basses never used to be this complicated.

Gus - I'd like one of theirs (I've played @Happy Jack's which I think he acquired from @BigRedX).

[BigRedX]

8 minutes ago, Misdee said:

Gus Basses. Never played one, but I must say that the aesthetic doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. I'm sure to some folks they look stylish, but I would feel a bit ridiculous playing one in public.  To me they look like the kind of thing Sigue Sigue Sputnik would've used on TOTP circa 1987 ( had they actually been successful).

 

What do I know though? We're living in strange times where inherently modern things are considered old fashioned and the only way to be current is to look to the past. But that is complicated by the fact that the modern age is now old enough that people can look back at that era as being vintage. I'm sure buying basses never used to be this complicated.

 

[fretmeister]

11 minutes ago, Misdee said:

Gus Basses. Never played one, but I must say that the aesthetic doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. I'm sure to some folks they look stylish, but I would feel a bit ridiculous playing one in public.  To me they look like the kind of thing Sigue Sigue Sputnik would've used on TOTP circa 1987 ( had they actually been successful).

 

What do I know though? We're living in strange times where inherently modern things are considered old fashioned and the only way to be current is to look to the past. But that is complicated by the fact that the modern age is now old enough that people can look back at that era as being vintage. I'm sure buying basses never used to be this complicated.

 

 

This is why I want one.

 

They were amazing.