Altering my frankenbass

mjolnir · #1 05-15-2008, 10:59 AM

Ok so I figure I'll move this over to where it probably should have been in the first place:

As some of you may know, I have a frankenbass my grandfather gave me many years ago, looks like this:

It's a great little bass (I say little because it's a short scale) but there's a few more things that could be done to it. First off, there's no dots on the side of the neck which may not seem like a big deal, but has been really throwing me for a loop whenever I play it. That may have something to do with the fact that I flip between 32" and 34" scale between one band and another, I dunno... The tuners suck too, they're all grindy and rough, but I'm afraid to replace them because most of the parts on this bass have turned out to be not quite to scale with any other parts out there (namely the bridge, pickguard, and control plate). Finally (though this really isn't a big deal), I kind of wish the neck matched the body. The maple stands out a little too much against the mahogany, methinks.

My first thought is to replace the neck entirely, but once again I sincerely doubt this neck matches the specs of any of the standard necks I could find on Warmoth or USACG. so my question to y'all is this: Is there any place I could contact that does entirely custom necks? Maybe send them the original and just have them copy it with some slight changes?

Also, if I went this route, I have a thing for block inlays and neck binding, though I'm not sure that'd fit with the rather rough image the body has. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for the help, gents.

mjolnir · #2 05-15-2008, 03:10 PM

GeoffByrne · #3 05-16-2008, 03:29 AM

If it was me, I'd leave the neck - main reason being that to put a 34" scale neck on there, you'd need to move the bridge, & I don't know if there's enough room - and replace the tuners - use a *reamer from both sides & you won't have any probs lining up the holes.

I'd also put a big 'bucker just below the neck....

grace & groove · #4 05-16-2008, 04:21 AM

^I don't think he wants to get a 34" scale neck for it... just side dots and regular tuner holes?

mjolnir · #5 05-16-2008, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grace & groove

^I don't think he wants to get a 34" scale neck for it... just side dots and regular tuner holes?

Yup, hit the nail on the head. The short scale-ness of it bothers me, but I understand the effort involved to change the scale and I'm just not willing to do it. I'll just live with the shortness.

My problem is that the track record of the bass is that it will not take drop-in replacements without significant alteration.

mjolnir · #6 05-16-2008, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffByrne

If it was me, I'd leave the neck - main reason being that to put a 34" scale neck on there, you'd need to move the bridge, & I don't know if there's enough room - and replace the tuners - use a *reamer from both sides & you won't have any probs lining up the holes.

I'd also put a big 'bucker just below the neck....

I've thought about putting a Darkstar in this thing for a while now, but I'm leaning more towards a pup in the bridge position now. I've got that discussion up in the pups and electronics forum.

No need to change the scale of the neck, but maybe the wood. I'd like to have it match the body, I'm kind of tired of staring at the maple with such a dark bass that isn't black...

robert43 · #7 05-16-2008, 07:15 AM

What about a SX neck if you want block & take standard tunners?

GlennW · #8 05-16-2008, 07:16 AM

Here's a couple of ideas...

A Dano RI lipstick pickup at the neck. The thumbrest will have to go. One advantage is if you don't like it you can replace the pickguard and hide the routing.

Stew-Mac used to have little (3/32" I think) plastic rods for sidedots. Drill a hole about 1/8" deep, add a tiny bit of glue, insert rod, cut off with sharp razor blade.

mjolnir · #9 05-16-2008, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robert43

What about a SX neck if you want block & take standard tunners?

Well I'm not entirely sure if blocks would really mesh well on this bass. 'Sides, I don't think Rondo makes a short scale neck that would fit this sucker.

mjolnir · #10 05-16-2008, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennW

Here's a couple of ideas...

A Dano RI lipstick pickup at the neck. The thumbrest will have to go. One advantage is if you don't like it you can replace the pickguard and hide the routing.

Stew-Mac used to have little (3/32" I think) plastic rods for sidedots. Drill a hole about 1/8" deep, add a tiny bit of glue, insert rod, cut off with sharp razor blade.

Interesting thoughts... I'm going to have to think on that...

sir juice · #11 05-17-2008, 02:18 PM

I see know reason why a local luthier couldn't put side dots in and drill new holes for tuners for much cheaper than the price of a brand new neck.

There are also quite a few companies who'll make a pickguard that's an exact copy of yours just with different colours etc. (I know there are some american ones but I haven't dealt with them) so that doesn't seem like it would be too hard either.

mjolnir · #12 05-19-2008, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sir juice

I see know reason why a local luthier couldn't put side dots in and drill new holes for tuners for much cheaper than the price of a brand new neck.

There are also quite a few companies who'll make a pickguard that's an exact copy of yours just with different colours etc. (I know there are some american ones but I haven't dealt with them) so that doesn't seem like it would be too hard either.

I myself could do that same work without having to pay a luthier, but like I said I'd also like to put a neck with different woods on there, one that matches the body a little better aesthetically.

As for the pickguard, I have no intention of changing the one that's on there now. I merely brought it up because the one that's on there had to be altered significantly just to get it to fit in the first place. This is not the kind of bass that takes stock parts.