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Frequently Asked Questions
(#1 most asked question)
Do you do endorsements?
I have a hard time saying no to this question because I'd like
to have endorsers. There is no better advertising than a great
player playing your guitar in public. I must, however, say no.
Im simply not set-up to do complicated, artist relations.
I understand that, for some people, dreams
of stardom include mansions, groupies and free guitars but Matt
Pulcinella cannot help you with any of these things.
The closest I'd get to an endorsement deal
is if someone bought an MPG instrument, played it in public and
I was getting obvious sales as a result, I'd take good care of
this person. I'd make them a free bass if they asked for it and
maybe mow their lawn a few times. Thats the best I can do right
now.
Hey Matt, some guy I know of makes a bass
with a neck made from spuce (or pine or particle board or whatever).
It sounds awsome and its real light. Could you make me one?...
No? Why not?
I have nothing against alternate woods
but there's something you have to factor in... product reliability.
When you make instruments for people all over the world, like
I do, you just cant take chances with experimental woods. You
just cant risk having to take back 50 instruments 2 years later.
Or in a large company's case, 1,000s of instruments.
I use hard maple or wenge for necks, that's
it.
Just imagine someone calling you and telling
you that a months worth of shows you played 2 years ago were
no good and you have to re-do them all for free... right now.
Not only would you be playing for a month for free, but you wouldn't
be able to play your current gigs during this time either. This
is exactly what happens to me if a neck goes bad. I can't let
it happen.
All of the above goes for finishes as well. Cant take the risk.
How did you come up with your designs?
I listed all the best attributes of my favorite basses. I used
my design background to assemble the perfect (to me) design for
looks and function. Then came two years of prototypes, changes
and road testing. The look and feel of my basses is no accident.
Can you do a tung oil finish?
I can if you want but I don't recommend it for active players.
Some custom shops and small builders boast about tung oil finishes
on their necks or even on the whole instrument. The truth is,
tung oil can be bought at the hardware store and be applied by
anyone. Its not really a suitable finish for active players unless
you feel like sanding down your guitar and re-applying it every
few months. Almost all small builders use this finish because
its easy and cheap.
Does an Alder bodied bass sound different
than a Swamp Ash bodied bass?
To me, both woods sound the same on my basses. Swamp ash definantly
looks better with its light color and distinct grain but its
twice the price for me to buy and its harder to finish due to
the very open pores. Alder varies in color from light-brown to
medium-brown and has very subtle grain, but its easy to finish.
Fender switched from Swamp Ash to Alder in 1956 because of the
increasing cost of swamp ash and alder being cheap and plentiful
on the west coast. They used to bleach it to be the color of
ash. Even on a Strat, its hard to hear any difference in tone.
What other types of body woods do you offer?
I can get just about any type of wood you can think of. Though,
in most cases, the bass will cost and weigh more than my standard
wood choices. (example, a solid, eastern hard flame maple body
will look great but it would be almost as heavy as granite and
will cost hundreds of dollars for a piece that big) Most exotic
woods work better as tops than for the whole body.
What other types of electronics do you
offer?
Most people want my suggested pickups and/or electronics. If
you want some other brand, I can do it for an additional charge.
Can you make a special headstock and or
body shape for me?
Being a small company, I often get requests to change certain
"brand specific" aspects of my basses. By "brand
specific" I mean those things that make my basses recognizable
as M.P.G. basses. All basses have a body, a neck and strings.
The shape and the construction methods are really all that separate
the different brands. When I see a player on TV, I always look
to see what brand of bass they're playing. I can almost always
tell right away just from a split second glance at the headstock
shape. NOW THAT'S BRAND RECOGNITION! And in this business, it's
everything.
I'd be glad to do custom pickups, electronics,
frets, strap locks, etc. etc. but I won't change the "silhouette."
Why do you want to know what style of music
I play?
Different styles require different set-ups. My basses are very
versatile but if you slap hard all the time or play with a light,
Gary Willis touch, I'll set up the bass accordingly and with
your gauge of strings. The right set-up makes a huge difference.
Can I visit your shop?
Since my shop is in my home, I don't invite the public. Sorry.
Where can I try one of your basses?
My basses turn up in stores sometimes but I usually sell direct,
like Carvin. I have a trial period if you're nervous.
How is Pulcinella pronounced?
I pronouce it Pull - Sin - Ella. That's an Americanized pronunciation
of a very Italian name.
I prefer the name of my company to be Matt
Pulcinella Guitars or MPG, not Pulcinella Guitars. In other words,
in an aphabetical list, it should fall under M. If I see anyone
on "e-bay" selling their MPG as a "Pulcinella
Guitar" I'll make sure I'm the highest bidder and then not
pay for it.
Why is your site so crappy and with so
many typos? Aren't you a graphic designer?
Yes, in addition to building guitars, I do graphic design for
print, not web. Print design and web design are two different
worlds. This is the only web site I've ever done and will hopefully
be the last.
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