Best replica taxidermist?

[12poundbass]

On 6/13/2018 at 9:47 AM, 18RangerZ520L said:

Dave did my PB largemouth and smallie.  Both I got were his "master grade", his top of the line finish/paint job.  He is one of the top guys in the country.  

 

I too had sticker shock on his prices at first, but I'm glad I spent the coin and went with him.  His price list is under his contact tab on his website.  I did hours of research online and saw many other companies that were in the $500 dollar range like Lake Fork, etc. and their paint jobs didn't come close to Dave's.  He paints each individual scale and not just a quick airbrush type paint job over the whole mount.  If I move left and right while looking at my mounts some of the scales/areas even change color/shimmer just like the real thing.  

 

You get what you pay for............  There's a reason a Lamborghini costs more than a Kia........

 

My .02 

 

www.Davecampbellfish.com 

Hi buddy! Its been a while! ?

On 6/6/2018 at 1:23 PM, WRB said:

A skin mount after being cured doesn't have any color, it's gray. Thr cured skin with all the fatty tissues removed is stretched over a manikin. Fins are often damaged and replaced, the head with it's soft tissues cured, Eyes, gills removed and replaced with artifical parts. You now have a gray skin that needs to be painted on a replica size manikin form. How does this differ from a fiber glass mold of a bass with the same length and girth? The answer is fiberglass doesn't rot, scales don't fall off, fragile fins don't break off, skull doesn't continue to shrink or sink. The artistic paint work is identicle and only as good as the artist doing the work.

A skin mount is also replica of your bass, it's not exactly the same as the fish you gave the taxidermist.

Tom 

You hit the nail on the head with this post. After everything is said and done you're basically left with a chunk of skin that's almost void of any color except grey. Almost everything else is a replica. 

 

I sometimes wonder if the skin mount crowd are dead set on them because to them it's the 'actual fish' and not a plastic toy or fake. To be honest my wife was that way When I started looking into replica mounts years ago. After I showed her there's barely any of the actual fish used and it all is painted she changed her opinion. I also played the skin mount or replica game and she didn't do too well. 

[22RangerZ520R]

6 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

Hi buddy! Its been a while! ?

 

?

[Bass Replicas]

Some people's favorite meat is Steak, others chicken. Try to convince a steak lover that chicken is better! I've been a fish "artist" for 43 years, having done over 7,000 fish mounts during my career. That being said I used to do hundreds of skin mounts. I have not done one since 1996. Why? Because in my opinion and experience between the 2 a correctly done replica is FAR superior to a skin mount. There are very few people in my opinion on the planet that do either to perfection.

Skin mounts are only as good as the Taxi's ability to carve a detailed foam body with exacting anatomy. curves, concaves, exact measurements as well as fullness are seldom duplicated correctly. That being said to each his own!

One guy loves Steak and the other chicken, or maybe even hot dogs.

[papajoe222]

On 6/5/2018 at 11:14 AM, Hyrule Bass said:

you couldve gotten a beautiful much more realistic looking skin mount for under your budget

I don't know any taxidermist in my area that'll do a skin mount for that little. Heck I paid $285 for a skin mount back in '86. The current rate is close to $18 an inch for bass.

[CroakHunter]

1 hour ago, papajoe222 said:

I don't know any taxidermist in my area that'll do a skin mount for that little. Heck I paid $285 for a skin mount back in '86. The current rate is close to $18 an inch for bass.

Feel bad for you guys. 12-15 an inch here

[12poundbass]

4 hours ago, CroakHunter said:

Feel bad for you guys. 12-15 an inch here

I'd go for $12/inch. Around here you might find someone who does it on the side for $15-16/inch but the full time guys are upwards of $17-20. I don't even know if anyone around here does replicas.

[22RangerZ520R]

Here are my two PB's (12lb 8oz largemouth and 6lb 4oz smallmouth) done by Dave Campbell

 

www.davecampbellfish.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Buffdaddy54]

Fellas, fellas, relax. I've got the solution..only catch dinks like I do?

[soflabasser]

5 hours ago, 18RangerZ520L said:

Here are my two PB's (12lb 8oz largemouth and 6lb 4oz smallmouth) done by Dave Campbell

 

www.davecampbellfish.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for posting the pictures of your replicas. They are beautiful pieces of art.

[slonezp]

On 8/2/2018 at 11:27 PM, CroakHunter said:

Feel bad for you guys. 12-15 an inch here

 

On 8/3/2018 at 4:28 AM, 12poundbass said:

I'd go for $12/inch. Around here you might find someone who does it on the side for $15-16/inch but the full time guys are upwards of $17-20. I don't even know if anyone around here does replicas.

And maybe you get what you pay for. If it cost a few extra bucks to have your trophy preserved or replicated at a level I would call museum quality or better, then IMO it's worth the extra few bucks. My PB skin mount unfortunately looks nothing like the pictures I provided to the taxidermist. Think I paid $17 an inch. He did a nice job, but my bass had a bulging belly and big eyes. The mount does not. I had a skin mount bluegill collage done last year by a different artist. The attention to detail is impeccable. I paid $20 and inch and have no regrets. Unfortunately, he is no longer doing skin mounts because they are too physically demanding for him after having back surgery. He referred me to another gentleman with an impressive resume. I was quoted $23 an inch for my new PB walleye. If my walleye comes out half as good as the mounts he had in his studio, I will be more than happy.    

[22RangerZ520R]

9 hours ago, soflabasser said:

Thank you for posting the pictures of your replicas. They are beautiful pieces of art.

Appreciate it.

8 hours ago, slonezp said:

 

And maybe you get what you pay for. If it cost a few extra bucks to have your trophy preserved or replicated at a level I would call museum quality or better, then IMO it's worth the extra few bucks. My PB skin mount unfortunately looks nothing like the pictures I provided to the taxidermist. Think I paid $17 an inch. He did a nice job, but my bass had a bulging belly and big eyes. The mount does not. I had a skin mount bluegill collage done last year by a different artist. The attention to detail is impeccable. I paid $20 and inch and have no regrets. Unfortunately, he is no longer doing skin mounts because they are too physically demanding for him after having back surgery. He referred me to another gentleman with an impressive resume. I was quoted $23 an inch for my new PB walleye. If my walleye comes out half as good as the mounts he had in his studio, I will be more than happy.    

You do get what you pay for.....

 

Mine were well over $23/inch.  I'm glad I spent the extra money, my two mounts are true works of art and I'll enjoy them for the rest of my life.  I have zero "buyers remorse" in wishing I would have got a "better product", I know I got the best.

6 minutes ago, 18RangerZ520L said:

 

 

[slonezp]

3 hours ago, 18RangerZ520L said:

Appreciate it.

You do get what you pay for.....

 

Mine were well over $23/inch.  I'm glad I spent the extra money, my two mounts are true works of art and I'll enjoy them for the rest of my life.  I have zero "buyers remorse" in wishing I would have got a "better product", I know I got the best.

 

You've inspired me. If my walleye turns out the way i expect it to, i may just have him make a replica of my PB largemouth. I have pics and the skinmount for him to reference.

[22RangerZ520R]

1 minute ago, slonezp said:

You've inspired me. If my walleye turns out the way i expect it to, i may just have him make a replica of my PB largemouth. I have pics and the skinmount for him to reference.

[Dieselfitter]

I've looked through the websites of some replica painters, is it me or is it just hard to find a price list?    Lets put some real world numbers down.   A largemouth 24 inches in length and 16 inches in girth,    What's the cost?

[12poundbass]

56 minutes ago, Dieselfitter said:

I've looked through the websites of some replica painters, is it me or is it just hard to find a price list?    Lets put some real world numbers down.   A largemouth 24 inches in length and 16 inches in girth,    What's the cost?

$23-24 an inch will probably get you pretty close.

[22RangerZ520R]

1 hour ago, Dieselfitter said:

I've looked through the websites of some replica painters, is it me or is it just hard to find a price list?    Lets put some real world numbers down.   A largemouth 24 inches in length and 16 inches in girth,    What's the cost?

Give Dave a text/email.  He's at the top of the price spectrum, well over $25/inch for his "master grade", but if you look at the scale detail and overall detail of the pics I've posted and compare them to the companies like Lake Fork Taxidermy and others who are in that $500 - $700 range you'll see that they don't come close to Dave's work.  On Dave's "master grade" mounts (both of mine are) he paints each individual scale, unlike other companies who do a generic overall air brush type paint job.

 

www.davecampbellfish.com

 

Good luck.

[Bass Replicas]

$25 plus plus per inch. is the norm for top end work. Please answer this question.

"you spend $80k or more on a glitter boat, 50k on a pickup to pull it, 3-500 dollar rod/reel setups throwing $20 bills,(i mean lures) and boom, you finally get your PB or DD! Now most guys want to get cheap! Here's the statement I hear almost every single day, "I know guys who charge less" My comeback is "I know a LOT of guys who pay more".........

My rates are based on production time to make a fair wage. I don't make deals, discounts or even favors for friends because my time is valuable. plus I have paid my dues for 43 years of learning ,changing and upping my game.

I've always wanted a guy to surrender his hourly wage for the amount of time and expense to produce his bass mount he would win every time!

I really believe you get what you pay for. Like the above post about Dave. He is worth every penny.

You can buy of the dollar menu at Mickey D's or get a nice steak, which would you choose if reading the menu from left to right like we were taught to read. Most read right to left like the chinese ?

My favorite saying" Fish mounts are like women.....If your gonna keep it around a long time it better be good!!"

[Dieselfitter]

So If I catch a whopper bass and want a master grade replica mount of the the fish, I am looking at something north of $800 to $1200.

 

That's cool, I have no problem with that.    

 

I just asked the question because couldn't find a price list on any of the websites I was checking out.   Most taxidermy websites will tell you, cougar mount is $4800, Elk mount $1200, Deer head $575.   

[22RangerZ520R]

9 hours ago, Bass Replicas said:

$25 plus plus per inch. is the norm for top end work. Please answer this question.

"you spend $80k or more on a glitter boat, 50k on a pickup to pull it, 3-500 dollar rod/reel setups throwing $20 bills,(i mean lures) and boom, you finally get your PB or DD! Now most guys want to get cheap! Here's the statement I hear almost every single day, "I know guys who charge less" My comeback is "I know a LOT of guys who pay more".........

My rates are based on production time to make a fair wage. I don't make deals, discounts or even favors for friends because my time is valuable. plus I have paid my dues for 43 years of learning ,changing and upping my game.

I've always wanted a guy to surrender his hourly wage for the amount of time and expense to produce his bass mount he would win every time!

I really believe you get what you pay for. Like the above post about Dave. He is worth every penny.

You can buy of the dollar menu at Mickey D's or get a nice steak, which would you choose if reading the menu from left to right like we were taught to read. Most read right to left like the chinese ?

My favorite saying" Fish mounts are like women.....If your gonna keep it around a long time it better be good!!"

My thoughts exactly and I've said that on all the forums I'm a member of until I'm blue in the face.

 

I've got almost $200k in my truck, boat and gear so why on earth would I want to cut corners and only spend $500 on a mount for a fish that I purchased $200k worth of equipment to pursue and catch?!?!?  Those PB fish and PB memories are why we all put in 40hr+ work weeks and obsess over these green and brown fish.  I want to capture that PB fish and the memory in my mount!

4 minutes ago, Dieselfitter said:

So If I catch a whopper bass and want a master grade replica mount of the the fish, I am looking at something north of $800 to $1200.

 

That's cool, I have no problem with that.    

 

I just asked the question because couldn't find a price list on any of the websites I was checking out.   Most taxidermy websites will tell you, cougar mount is $4800, Elk mount $1200, Deer head $575.   

 

Dave's pricing used to be on his website, I guess he took it off.  A simple email or text to him and he will give you the info, he's personable and easy to talk to.  

 

He kept me updated throughout the 12-14 month wait time and texted me pics at different stages of the build/paint process.  He actually modified both my smallmouth and largemouth to match my actual fish better.  He swapped out several fins, modified the mold and even used a seperate set of "flow through gills" to match my actual fish pictures better.  You won't get that from a $500 mount...

[Dieselfitter]

11 minutes ago, 18RangerZ520L said:

My thoughts exactly and I've said that on all the forums I'm a member of until I'm blue in the face.

 

I've got almost $200k in my truck, boat and gear so why on earth would I want to cut corners and only spend $500 on a mount for a fish that I purchased $200k worth of equipment to pursue and catch?!?!?  Those PB fish and PB memories are why we all put in 40hr+ work weeks and obsess over these green and brown fish.  I want to capture that PB fish and the memory in my mount!

 

Dave's pricing used to be on his website, I guess he took it off.  A simple email or text to him and he will give you the info, he's personable and easy to talk to.  

 

He kept me updated throughout the 12-14 month wait time and texted me pics at different stages of the build/paint process.  He actually modified both my smallmouth and largemouth to match my actual fish better.  He swapped out several fins, modified the mold and even used a seperate set of "flow through gills" to match my actual fish pictures better.  You won't get that from a $500 mount...

Thanks, now I just have to catch something worth replicating

[22RangerZ520R]

1 minute ago, Dieselfitter said:

Thanks, now I just have to catch something worth replicating

? 

[Wulf N7]

On 8/19/2018 at 3:22 PM, 18RangerZ520L said:

Here are my two PB's (12lb 8oz largemouth and 6lb 4oz smallmouth) done by Dave Campbell

 

www.davecampbellfish.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow those are amazing. Still haven't gotten a mount done of mine yet.