I'm sick of the 19mm spacing on my dean, and I would like a 5 string becuase they are so much more fun to play.

So I've done some research and found out that the Ibanez SR 505 has the same neck dimentions as my dean.

I have some questions:
How much would it cost to get a new, nut, bridge and they tuner (I know pups will cost $200 each)?
Could you fit a fifth tuner on the dean V shaped headstock?
How big would the job be (how much would I expect to pay to have it done by somone)?
Is it possible?
Is it worth it?


Thanks in advance

anyone?

I'm guessing that it's probably not worth the cost. Like you said, the pups are $200 alone, so I'm guessing when all is said and done you're probably looking at a minimum of $400-$500. Musiciansfriend.com has a few Dean 5ers for under $700....might want to just consider getting a new bass and avoid the hassle of converting a 4 to a 5er

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation/dean-guitars-basses-gear-5-string-electric-bass-guitars?N=100001+306314+201804

Well I will be replacing at least one of the pups soon, But the Prices over here are basicaly double and a bit what you have to pay in the US.

I probably should have mentioned that its an ML

I have a whole web site that discusses conversions to a 5 string bass.

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/

thanks, website is good, but it only tells on how to convert a ric.

Try to find a wilkinson 4+1 kit on eBay, I found mine really cheap (15euros or so). It's a bridge, with one special saddle with a "headless" tuner, and a mounting post which goes on the headstock. Works like a charm.

Regards,

Jarno.

thanks, website is good, but it only tells on how to convert a ric.

Actually, if you scroll down the page to the very last picture, there are fenders and I purchased the middle black pbass from Jeff off ebay about a year or so ago. Jeff is a very talented builder/converter! I love the tone of this bass and I get constant compliments on it's tone! :cool:

Russ

Try to find a wilkinson 4+1 kit on eBay, I found mine really cheap (15euros or so). It's a bridge, with one special saddle with a "headless" tuner, and a mounting post which goes on the headstock. Works like a charm.

Regards,

Jarno.

Yeah, I will check it out, but i need the same size bridge as on the Ibanez. because the neck on my dean is the same size.

If you are referring to the string spacing you need, the wilkinsons have individual saddles which slide left to right over a sort of rail which is the base of the bridge.

Regards,

Jarno.

So Ive got the bridge sorted, But what about putting a 5th tuner on my headstock

bore a hole into it and fix it on, but maybe make the new one at the tip and have it be the A tuner, so the e will be a low B and so on.

Or remove all tuners, plug holes and install smaller ones with tighter spacing. Not sure what kind of tuners are on your bass, but if they are of the big open kind i think your only option is to mount it on the opposite side (like fender does on some of their fives (i think)

I still think the 4+1 thing is the way to go, requiring only very minimal "surgery".

Regards,

Jarno.

well its obvious noone read the V shaped heastock discription in the first post.

the URL below is a picture of the bass, just so everyone know what they are talking about
http://www.music123.com/item/expandedimage.aspx?t=4&img=Dean/497253jpg.jpg

All the more reason to go the Wilkinson way. when used for the Fender type instruments, the headless tuner is for the fourth string (D in standard 5 string tuning). However, the base of the bridge is a rail, so you can reconfigure it. Just put the headless tuner in the middle, and put the fixing post in the middle on your headstock, easy.

I think drilling extra holes is not really easy, despite the gargantuan headstock. I think plugging at least one hole and then drilling the holes on a different pitch is your only option.

Best regards,

Jarno.

I agree with jarno about the bridge. Just put the "mounting post" in the middle of the headstock and put the bridge end tuner in the middle.

Or if you want to have 5 tuners on the headstock, get 5 gotohs or some other kind of tuner with a small footprint on the back of the headstock. You could potentially keep the 4 holes you have and put the other tuner in the middle with the tuning arm sticking out of the middle of the V. This would be for the middle string. You just need the correct nut and the correct string spaced bridge. Jarno's way is easier.

Hey jarno I can't find the conversion kit for 4 to 5.

Also is there a conversion kit for 4 to 8? I know I've seen basses that have 4 guitar tuners mounted on a cutout into the back of the tail of the bass, but you still need an 8 saddle bridge for good intonation. Also need 4 mounting posts for the headstock (or thought about drilling 4 small holes in the headstock at an angle, installing ferrules usually seen on bodies, and running the strings through.)

I usually play jazz necks but i want to convert a precision neck to 8 string.

Or remove all tuners, plug holes and install smaller ones with tighter spacing. Not sure what kind of tuners are on your bass, but if they are of the big open kind i think your only option is to mount it on the opposite side (like fender does on some of their fives (i think)

I still think the 4+1 thing is the way to go, requiring only very minimal "surgery".

Regards,

Jarno.
That is a great way to go, I just saw that there is one on ebay. I think Wilkinson made those in the 90's.

I got a Wilkinson 4+1 kit for £0.99 ($2) on ebay and converted a spare p-bass I had into a fretless 5.

where is that kit on ebay. I need a link.

Why not typing "Wilkinson bridge" to the search frame on eBay?

If that's too much, here you go.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Wilkinson-4-to-5-string-bass-bridge-conversion-kit_W0QQitemZ230260612519QQihZ013QQcategoryZ159950 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Marko

1 GBP? And I thought I had struck a pretty good deal!

Best regards,

Jarno.

Jarno,
Im confused about the wilkinson bridge. I had a look at the ebay link and i have a question.

On the bridge there is a strange thing sticking out of the D strig position. is that a tuner?

That's correct. In the auction you also see a round "bollard" like part, that's the bit that holds the non-ballend side of the string.
All of the saddles, including the tuner one are on a sort of rail, so you can undo a screw and slide them off, and then rearrange them so the "headless" tuner saddle is in the middle.

Best regards,

Jarno Verhoeven.

I have a whole web site that discusses conversions to a 5 string bass.

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/

What is the spacing at the bridge for your modded Ric 5's?

Is there an 8 string conversion kit?

Yes, you'll need to buy 4 of those kits. You do run the risk of strings running past the sides of your fingerboard, turning your instrument into a electric bass harp.

Best regards,

Jarno.

so do you still have a tuner on the headstock?

so do you still have a tuner on the headstock?

4 on the headstock, 1 on the bridge.

I guess I should have been more clear. I mean an 8 string with paired octaves (like a 12 string guitar.) What you are talking about might work for 8 individual strings if you had a really wide fingerboard.

I don't think that's feasible with this concept. You'd probably have to resort to things like Steinberger did with their (his) 12 string headless, one tuner knob which you can slide to tune each individual string. If you would combine the two strings in one saddle, you might just have enough space to accomodate a decent diameter tuner-knob.
Off the shelf, don't know if such a conversion kit exists, but I very much doubt it.

Regards,

Jarno.

so how does the string attach onto the headstock?

You drill a shallow hole of about 5mm diameter, and 3 or 4mm's deep (this is from memory, so check when you're actually doing the conversion). Then drill a smaller hole a bit deeper for the screw.
Then mount the bollard like part. To mount the D string, you pull it through the tuner saddle, unscrew the cap on the bollard, route the string through there then go around the bollard and through the slot on top. then screw on the top cap of the bollard to keep the string in place. It does help if you keep the string as tout as possible, as you need quite a bit of the possible travel of the tuner saddle to remove all the slack and tune the string to pitch.

Regards,

Jarno.

Try to find a wilkinson 4+1 kit on eBay, I found mine really cheap (15euros or so). It's a bridge, with one special saddle with a "headless" tuner, and a mounting post which goes on the headstock. Works like a charm.

Regards,

Jarno.
where can i get this conversion kit other then on ebay?

I´m trying to convert my 4 stringed SX p to a 5 stringed(Tuned CGDAE) , I´m in Argentina, so no convertion kit for me as long as there are no shippings available of that product here. What i´ve been thinking is to use 5 of those single strings bridges (like These http://www.veilletteguitars.com/guitars/features/singlecut-retro-features-tail.gif)and put them very close thogeter, as i will need to have a 1.2mm string spacing on the bridge, but i dont know how wide are those single bridges, and if it will be possible. I also need an extra tuner, but that wont be an issue. What do you guys think?

1.2mm string spacing! Good luck ;)
Also don't forget about the pickup. It will have to be replaced so that the poll pieces fall under the strings. You might struggle to find a P that will fit with your string spacing...

Ive got a set of ABM style individual bridge pieces, I think they are each 1.5mm wide.

A normal Fender 4 string has 20mm spacing, so thats 60mm over all. If you wanted to cram 5 strings into the same space, youre looking at 60mm / 4 = 15mm, these bridges will just about manage this!

1.2mm string spacing! Good luck ;)
Also don't forget about the pickup. It will have to be replaced so that the poll pieces fall under the strings. You might struggle to find a P that will fit with your string spacing...

Just use a blade pickup. I think it was mentioned before.

Yeah but even if you use a blade p-pickup that was designed for a 4 string the a-string will sit above the split in the coil. For a 5 string p you should one of the coils to be longer than the other where as a 4 you would need them to be the same size.

1.2mm string spacing! Good luck ;)
Also don't forget about the pickup. It will have to be replaced so that the poll pieces fall under the strings. You might struggle to find a P that will fit with your string spacing...

Actually, the P bass pup is the easy part. Just get a Dimarzio DP127BK Split P pup-it has rails instead of pole pieces and its voiced low enough to bring out the B. I use one on my 5'er and it sounds great. And the way the P is installed allows the blades to overlap slightly.