The Bear Jew Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Hmm... methinks that bass shall be LOUD. Don't forget to use some black gaffer's tape on it somewhere. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lug Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Originally posted by Matt W: Originally posted by zeronyne: 2) Is bridge placement simply a function of measuring from the nut...doubling the distance from the nut to the 12th fret? Yes Or is there a much more complex way to do it? I suppose... want me to describe it? One thing to remember is to mount the bridge so that the saddle travel equals or just passes 17" from the crown of athe 12th fret (on a 34" scale instrument) and that the majority of the travel exceeds 17". You should never have to get under 17" between that 12th crown and the saddle to intone a bass and it can be quite a bit more on a thick, nontapered string. You can stop now -jeremyc STOP QUOTING EVERY THING I SAY!!! -Bass_god_offspring lug, you should add that statement to you signature.-Tenstrum I'm not sure any argument can top lug's. - Sweet Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 When you get ready to do it I can send you the screwhole distances from the 12th fret to the bridge holes if you end up using the Carvin Hipshot. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Hmm, the compact, lever-less profile of those Sperzel D-Things look like it'd be possible on some pegheads to set the bass up to use multiples to work the Manring Hyperbass thing. If that's possible for mere mortals. http://www.tkinstruments.com/981cfd50.jpghttp://www.tkinstruments.com/41990830.jpg . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbn Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I'm interested in this thread, if all is successful I'll probably be doing something along the same lines sometime next year. I have too many projects going on right now that are eating up all of my spare funds. My suggestion, don't overlook Rio Grande Pickups . I played one of their "Vintage for P-Bass" once, very smoove indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATM Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Originally posted by zeronyne: Originally posted by Whacked: yea, took another look ath the original photo and saw taht route. also looks like a control plate is needed also. Actually a normal P-Bass pickguard should do the trick. Clear pickguard? Strings are such a personal preference, but I love my Fender® 9120 Nylon Tapewound Bass Strings . http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/4/9/9/237499.jpg Great tone, they don't chemically dissolve in my acid producing hands, and they visually dissolve on a black bass. Oh yeah, they're loud too! Great thread! Uh, link to blog? ATM http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/atmofmn/Bass/DeepThoughtsBS.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mro Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I have completed the same type project. I purchased a 79 fender ash body on ebay, teamed it up with a rosewood fretboard neck made by USA Cusom Guitars (awesome necks). Went to the fender website,got the schematics. Then to Warmoth and ordered the Seynour Duncan SP2,pickguard,pots and cap and schaller tuners,gotoh bridge,gold hardware.I love it. I've always wondered what Lindy Fralin or Bill Lawrence pickups would sound like in comparison to the SD's I have. Supply pics when you are done. Projects are great to do.Good luck and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenstrum Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 excuse my ignorance, but how are those Sperzel D-Things superior to Hip Shot detuners? Tenstrum "Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face." Harry Dresden, Storm Front Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpelstiltskin. Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 i think a simple, wht/blk/wht 3-ply pickguard would be nice, but i also like the idea of an anodized aluminum pickguard like the 59P reissues use. but i think it might look tacky if the pickguard were anodized gold. i wonder if you could find one anodized clear (i.e. "silver")? i think that could be a nice touch. another darkhorse candidate is mint green. i put a mint green pickguard on the black hecho en mexico J i had. it looked really slick. the green is very subtle and very classy. still, my vote is for a 3-ply white. robb. because i like people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 excuse my ignorance, but how are those Sperzel D-Things superior to Hip Shot detuners?Hmmm, one would think you had to have seen the posts answering that question, since you asked about Sperzels in this thread. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/f/5/t/013629.html#000016 http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/f/5/t/013629.html#000020 ; } . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Just make sure the pickguard matches your shoes and purse. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenstrum Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Originally posted by greenboy: excuse my ignorance, but how are those Sperzel D-Things superior to Hip Shot detuners?Hmmm, one would think you had to have seen the posts answering that question, since you asked about Sperzels in this thread. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/f/5/t/013629.html#000016 http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/f/5/t/013629.html#000020 ; } Saw that, but I guess I'm just not "getting it". Tenstrum "Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face." Harry Dresden, Storm Front Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenfxj Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I did the same thing for similar reasons. I knew what I wanted in a p-bass (colors, pickups, neck, bridge, etc.) I didn't think I could find what I wanted, so I set out to make (well, assemble) one myself. This is the (more or less) finished product: http://www.geocities.com/kenfxj/KennysPJBass.jpg It's probably not nearly as ambitious as yours, but I had a lot of fun with the project, and am very happy with the result. Good luck! Push the button Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 "I figure the locking style not only makes stringing up easier - it also improves the accuracy of a drop-tuner since multiple loops around the tuning post are not involved." Misattributed the link this one goes with: "Hmm, the compact, lever-less profile of those Sperzel D-Things look like it'd be possible on some pegheads to set the bass up to use multiples to work the Manring Hyperbass thing. If that's possible for mere mortals." . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 STEP TWO OK, so now I'm onto shopping for a neck. I went through the sites of all the usual suspects (WD, USACG, StewMac, Warmoth, etc). It turns out that most of them offer Fender replacements that look fine...maple/maple, maple/rosewood, maple/ebony, all with dots. But to go beyong what I could salvage off of a MIM Jazz or P, I have to go at least semi-custom. I don't want to identify the price quotes I got over the phone because they were ballpark, but to get a birdseye maple FB/maple neck with just a black binding (no blocks) and a black peghead was in the area of 500.00 to 550.00. An ebony fretboard is $20 more. This is a bit rich for my blood, especially since there's a 50/50 chance I'll be spending 400-500 dollars for someone to fix all my mistakes at the end. So in the spirit of compromise (without compromising the overall look I was going for), I looked on Warmoth's gallery...they have a few BenLoyish necks that look really pretty...basically a 4 string version of the neck on the Warmoth bass posted earlier in this thread. The price is in line with others from all the other places. A quick call to them confirmed that they have no plans to produce more...not that they won't...it's just not scheduled. They're drilled for Gotoh BML's of which there is a light version in case Hipshots orSperzels won't fit. A large chunk of the price is in finishing the headstock, so I guess I'll be doing that myself...ReRanch, here I come. Hey, it's a learning experience, right? So unless I see something on Ebay tonight, I'll be snagging that neck. My body will be here in 5-10 days. ______________________________________ total cost so far: $116.00 total time spent: 3 hours total progress: 1% "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 Or should I snag THIS???? "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 "this" looks like a good choice, 0-9. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCunha Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 What about a Moses Graphite neck. It doesn't get any blacker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshappi Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Originally posted by zeronyne: Or should I snag THIS???? Abso-F'ing-lutely! And while your at it you might consider Silver Pearl as a pickgaurd choice Good price here Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenfxj Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Originally posted by WCunha: What about a Moses Graphite neck. It doesn't get any blacker. Ooh. Yeah. Lookee here: http://www.mosesgraphite.com/images/blockinlay_new.jpg Push the button Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Sam, I have built a bass doing pretty much what you are doing. Lots of fun. Best luck to you. May I recommend Dan Erlewine's books? They are in your Stew-Mac catalog , and they are worth the price. IMO, on the body pictured (nice btw), I would approach a pickguard a couple of ways: White multi-ply, as seen in the 5 string Jazz pic posted by Arwin on page 1 of this thread. Traditional and familiar, also effective and functional. To some, this means boring, but I think a nice contrast; Anodized could offer a nice alternative, but I agree with a previous post re: gold ano looking "off". Perhaps a black ano pickguard ?; Lastly, how about a carbon fiber pickguard? Also, you might consider the Moses necks above, stable and solid. Not "Traditional", but still nice. Just my opinions, plenty of great advice above. Have fun. Measure everything twice. And then, again. Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Ah, shucks, trade it in on a MIM or Squire. And put some stickers on it. Er, gaffers tape. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATM Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Hmmm, that's a nice "Buy it now" price... ATM http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/atmofmn/Bass/DeepThoughtsBS.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whacked Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Ohhh a carbon fiber pickguard would be sweet. and get 'this' ASAP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted January 18, 2006 Author Share Posted January 18, 2006 OK, I just purchased that neck on ebay...he had almost 1000 transactions with 100% feedback, so I'm hoping that indicates a square deal and a straight neck. I like the Moses necks a lot, but this Geddyish neck is $100.00 below what All Parts charges. So, the running total: ______________________________________ total cost so far: $370.00 total time spent: 3 hours 15 minutes total progress: 2% ______________________________________ Onto pickguards and hardware! You guys are giving me too many awesome options...I'm going to have to Photoshop something tonight...stay tuned. And I sincerely thank you all for your advice. "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Good call on the neck. Don't limit yourself on the pickguard. There are some places that will do custom 'guards in all kinds of colors. If I were you, I'd do some experimenting with different options. You could be truly bad-ass w/ chrome hardware and a black-silver-black 'guard or black-red-black 'guard. You'd then get a slick trace outline amidst all the loudness. You have a plethora of fine choices for pickups. I love my Nordstrand pickups (duh), and I got to play almost all of Carey's models when I visited him this past summer. The P pickup is killer. He's also fine tuning a P w/ diagonal pole piece configuration like the Fat Singles and Fat Stacks. You might want to ask him (or Jay or others) how the development on that bad boy is working out. Really, though, you'd probably do well w/ Bill Lawrence, Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, Rio Grande, Nordstrand, or others. Enjoy! Peace. --SW spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 "This" was a good purchase. You are building a true a** kicking beast. That body is sweet. I can see a black-silver-black or a silver pearl pickguard on there. Great thread. My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbn Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Now get one of these . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted January 18, 2006 Author Share Posted January 18, 2006 Originally posted by NUTT: Now get one of these . For some reason, it really bothers me that the skull has a beard. "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Are you talking about Bottomgottem? Well - that's not REALLY him! ; } . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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