34" scale is standard Fender long scale. Scale length is roughly the length from bridge to nut. Longer scale basses have higher string tension than a shorter scale bass with the same gauge string tuned to the same pitch. Shorter scale basses have a looser feel and can be more comfortable for those with a smaller stature.

32", 33", 34", and 35", 30" are standard scales that do not incur an upcharge. Custom scale lengths are available for an additional charge. Multiscale instruments are also available and incur a minumum tooling charge of $100 and a royalty fee (paid to the patent-holder) of $75.

Custom choices of string spacing are allowed and surcharges are incurred only when custom hardware is required.

Bolt-on, neck-through, and set-neck (glued in) construction are offered at the same base price. Bolt-on necks are custom fit and compatibility with aftermarket necks is not guaranteed. Neck-through and set-neck instruments offer a sculte neck heel for improved playability in the upper registers.

There is a segment of the playing/building population that believe the type of joinery at the neck has a significant impact on tone, reponse, and sustain. I have not found this to be the case to any noticable degree. Those who do subscribe to this philisophy are encouraged to include it in their decisionmaking to produce a design perfectly to their liking.

Standard FBB neck construction is 1, 3, or 5 piece neck with vertical laminations called "stringers". Typical construction utilizes medium-density, medium-stiffness woods as the "mains", and high-stiffness (often high-density) laminates as stringers. Very wide necks may employ a 7 piece design as a standard option.

Some wood selections will incur a standard wood upcharge if they are expensive to acquire or mill, or are beyond-average in terms of toxicity. See the section on "woods" for more info on wood surcharges.

Additional vertical laminates and/or accents (1/32" laminates) can be added at a cost of $30 per pair of accents and $75 per pair of thicker stringers, plus any applicable standard wood charges. It is not my opinion that increasing the number of laminates beyond 5 or 7 contributes to a significantly stronger or more stable neck.

"Rails" are thin laminates on the outermost edges of a vertically-laminated neck-through neck. They sit between the body and the neck mains and are generally only visible through the body portion of a neck-through bass. Rails are available at $50 plus standard wood surcharges.

Graphite spars may be added to a neck as a weight-efficient stability hedge. Because graphite is unaffected by atmospheric changes, it can contribute to a more stable neck. I have found that graphite is a sensible though not necessarily necessary addition to basses bound for areas that experience rapid and severe humidity changes. Graphite spars may be added at a charge of $40 per spar.

One double-acting rolled steel truss rod is installed in 4 and 5 string necks while an additional truss rod is added to 6 string basses and beyond. A third may be added to very extended range basses of 9+ strings at a cost of $50.

Standard truss rod access is at the headstock on 4 and 5 string basses, and at the body end on 6+ string basses. On body-end, neck through basses, the access cover is countersunk into the neck for invisible unobtrusive access. Those with specific requests for truss rod access should express them for any possible design issues and surcharges that may result.

There is some engineering data that suggests that horizontal laminates provide added stiffness to a multi-laminated neck. There are minor patent issues with this design that can be avoided for those interested in this construction type. Please include this in your request for quote if you are interested in a horizontally-laminated multi-piece neck.

FBB offers a sizable list of standard body shapes, generally available in double or single cutaway designs. The standard body shapes offered are:

The Jive, Moderna, Lupis, Atlas, and Kaba are available in single cutaway versions. The DC is double cutaway only, and the Bean bass is a single cutaway design only. Very minor alterations to body shapes may be considered at no surcharge.

click here to see the standard FBB body shapes

Customers may supply their own body shape when FBB does not offer one that is just right. A minimum surcharge of $100 applies to custom body shapes. Additional charges may apply if the design requires significant design, carving, or adaptation time. I will review all custom shapes for ergonomic, practical, and trademark infringement issues and reserve the right to decline a customer-supplied design at my discretion.

I offer several different configurations of laminated bodies: solid (unlaminated), 2-piece with boookmatched top, 3 piece with bookmatched top and back, 3 piece with bookmatched top and accent, and 5 piece with accented, bookmatched top and back. 3 and 5 piece bodies have an integrated cover plate, all others have a wood cover plate countersunk into the body back.

Bolt-on or set-neck basses may be constructed with two body halves or two body halves plus a "center block". The center block can be build from horizontal or vertical laminates and standard wood upcharges apply.

In addition to the necek and body construction options listed above, there are a few other custom woodworking options that you might think about when ordering. If you still don't see it here, it may be possible; it doesn't hurt to ask.

A "neck cap" covers a thru-neck for the length of the body to provide a continuous look to the top and/or back of the instrument. Each cap is $50, plus any applicable wood charges.

Headstock veneers are available for $50 plus applicable wood charges. Please ask about headstock veneers, as matching veneers may sometimes be unavailable.

Contouring at the neck heel (except bolt-on), forearm cut, and belly cut is standard and done by hand. If you have special requirements of a particular contour, please specify at the time of the quote.

Semi-hollow body instruments are available at a cost of $50 for 3 piece bodies, $100 for top-and-back instruments. This option is not available for solid (1 piece) bodies or body wings. Semi-hollow instruments can be made with any of the three neck joints. A traditional f hole can be cut for an additional $100. Custom f holes can be cut at the custom shop rate.

String-through-the-body is available for some bridges. The strings will be anchored at the back of the body with brass ferrules. The charge for string-through is $100. People often suggest that this improves sustain; I have not noticed any lack of sustain in quick/top load bridges so I cannot concur. Please note that your choice of strings will be affected. String-through is perfect for using regular long scale strings on a 32" scale base, and perfect for making you go out to find longer windings for regular 34" and 35" scale basses.

Wood bridges are available on fretless basses only. I can make a one-piece bridge or a two piece base-and-saddle type bridge. The one piece wood bridge is no charge, the two piece is $50. The two-piece bridge is required for undersaddle piezo pickups.

1/4" top markers are available in mother of pearl, abalone, gold mother of pearl, and black phenolic. Wood ones may be available to persuasive parties. This option is $50.

Bound fingerboards are available for $100. You have your choice of wood bindings, typically 1/8"-1/4" wide. On occasion I will suggest a bound fingerboard, in which case there is no upcharge.

LED side or top markers are available. Currently, the LEDs are embedded in the fingerboard and fibre-optics are not used. This requires a seperate 9V battery from the preamp battery and a devoted switch. The cost for top or side markers is $250, $400 for both. Standard LEDs are available in red, yellow, or green. Blue LEDs are $50.

I offer two lines of pickups as standard: Bartolini and FBB House Brand. The FBB House Brand is new, and they are wound by Sheldon Dingwall. They have excellent clarity and strong, meaty low end. The magnets are neodymium, the pickups are available in plastic shells or in wood for an additional $100. It is an excellent pickup engraved with the FBB logo, and it is my new pickup of choice.

Bartolini is, of course, one of the best bass pickups available. They come in a variety of coil structures and packages. I like to stick to standard J, M series, and MM shapes, plus the G series for extended range basses, but other casings are available. Bartolini has a "short list" for which items generally ship within a reasonable amount of time. Ordering off the short list can result in lengthy waits. Caveat Emptor. Standard casings and voicings are no upcharge, some models may incur $50-100 upcharge.

Pickups are also available from Nordstrand, Aero, Seymour Duncan, Delano, EMG, Villex, and Alembic. Nordstrand and Aero are available with wood shells, all of the others are standard plastic shells. Wood shells are $100, no exposed polepieces. These manufacturers' pricing is all over the board, please email or call for pricing. Each of these manufacturers makes an excellent pickup.

Some special configurations are available. Single-pickup setups from my standard models (Bartolini or FBB House Brand) save you $50. MM/J setups are $50 extra, and 3 pickup J or G setups (Bartolini) are $100 extra.

Piezo setups are the primary non-magnetic pickup solution for bass. Piezoelectric crystals produce electric current under stress and piezo elements can be manufactured to reproduce the sound of a stringed instrument by placing them under the contact points at the bridge. Piezo pickups tend to exhibit a rawness to the sound, with good percussiveness to the sound. They require an active buffer to produce a low-impedance signal that can be mixed with magnetic pickups or used as a source for your amplifier.

Single-string piezo elements are available from RMC and Graph-Tech. These elements retrofit some aftermarket bridges such as ABM or Hipshot. Each sells their own buffer/EQ solution, or a buffer can be purchased from John East or Audere. It is recommended that a bundled buffer/blend and EQ solution is purchased rather than mixing a buffer and an EQ from different manufacturers.

Undersaddle piezo elements are available from Highlander, K&K, and B Band. The Highlander is a wire-type element, the K&K is is a strip with a single string element under each string, and the B Band is a film-type pickup. Each has its strengths. Undersaddle elements are only available on fretless basses with the two-piece handmade bridge option.

The Lightwave optical pickup system is not offered at this time.

My preamp of choice over the past 5 years or so has been Bartolini for fretless and Aguilar or Bartolini for fretted. The new kid on the block is the Audere Z-Mode, which is an excellent preamp that is more configurable than either the Aguilar and the Bartolini. The Z-Mode is currently my favorite.

The Bartolini is available in 2 or 3 band configurations. The 3-band model is $50 extra. They are both 9/18v preamps, and a mid-center select switch is optional on the 3 band. An active/passive switch can be wired in for $25. My standard wiring is master volume with a 4-way blend switch made by Sheldon Dingwall. The blend knob is without question the least reliable component I have ever encountered, and I never want to see one again.

The Aguilar is available in 2 or 3 band configurations. The 3-band model is 9/18v boost/cut, while the 2-band model is 18v, boost-only. The 3-band is $50 extra, and can be wired with a 2-way mid center select. Either preamp can be wired with active/passive bypass. My standard wiring is master volume with a 4-way blend switch made by Sheldon Dingwall (see above).

The Audere Z-mode can be configured 9 or 18v. It features a selectable impedance (z-mode) which provides interesting tonal possibilities. Active or passive-style EQ is possible, from 1 to 4 bands of EQ. These preamps can be wired with an active/passive bypass and feature a blue LED battery-level indicator. The components are super-high quality Alps and the blend knob is active/buffered, for a clean, usable pickup blend. For this reason, I use the stock blend instead of the Dingwall 4-way switch on Audere systems. Priced according to options.

Preamps by John East, EMG, Alembic, Pope, and Demeter are available. All will incur an upcharge; inquire for price. John East offers a fairly staggering level of customization and those whose needs are not met by my standard preamps are encouraged to explore the East preamps.

The major hardware components on a bass are four: the bridge, the tuners, knobs, and strap buttons. They are generally available in a variety of styles, materials, and finishes. Style and material will vary but finish on metal parts is generally chrome, black, or gold. Some manufacturers offer matte finishes, others gloss.

My standard bridge is the aluminum Hipshot B or A style bridge. Fully adjustable and made in the USA. The bridges are machined to support string-through-the-body if you desire that option. They are quick (top) loading bridges and they are very high quality. They are available in brass if you feel extra mass is a good thing. Their nickel and black finishes are matte, and I believe gold is available only as gold-chrome on brass substrate.

Other bridges are available if you much prefer another style. I can get bridges from a variety of manufacturers, including ETS, Schaller, ABM, Leo Quan, and Gotoh. These may incur an upcharge if they are more expensive than my standard Hipshot bridge.

My standard tuners are Gotoh. They produce two major models, the 707 and the 350. The 350 is new and is a very lightweight tuner, the 707 is an industry standby, also going by the name GB7 or "mini". They are sealed tuners of high quality. You will need to ask what I have in stock as when I can order direct from Japan I get the 350s, otherwise, I get the 707s. These tuners come in chrome, black, and gold, and are gloss (not matte). Due to new safety standards, the black 350s, which I get from Japan, will resemble "smoked chrome" as the old black chroming process is not enviornmentally friendly.

I also can order Hipshot Ultralites. They are unsealed, lightweight. If you like clover heads, this is the way to go. Made in USA and available in the same finishes as their bridges.

I generally use brass knurled knobs, dome top. If you get a preamp with a concetric control, you will end up with flat tops, also brass and knurled. Wood knobs can be sourced from THG Knobs at additional expense.

My standard strap button is Schaller lock-compatible. If you need the mechanisms for the locks, please request them -- they are a small upcharge of $20 or so. Dunlop locks are available on request as well, also carrying a small upcharge of around $20. I do not do recessed locks.