Frankenbass?

BoomHeadshot · #1 10-18-2010, 11:10 PM

Bear with me as I am a noob to talkbass. I want to buy a cheap instrument and keep adding parts to it until it suits me. One brainwave that I got was using a guitar (blasphemy, I know) body and installing bass pickups and electronics.(And obviously a bass neck.) Does this idea seem too far fetched, or could I be onto something?

rubato · #2 10-18-2010, 11:21 PM

Quote:

One brainwave that I got was using a guitar (blasphemy, I know) body and installing bass pickups and electronics.(And obviously a bass neck.)

It could be done, but why?

Quote:

Does this idea seem too far fetched,

Yes.

Quote:

or could I be onto something?

Crack would be my guess...

BoomHeadshot · #3 10-18-2010, 11:25 PM

Without ordering online, it would be considerably easier for me to find a guitar to work with than a bass. I also think the small size and low weight of a guitar body would be nice to have on stage.

rubato · #4 10-18-2010, 11:38 PM

Craigslist is full of good deals on decent starter basses. You can buy a Ibanez, Squier, or low end Yamaha that will serve the purpose for less than $100 any day of the week. After you learn how to play it would be a better time to figure out how to make mods to make it suit you.

BoomHeadshot · #5 10-18-2010, 11:42 PM

Oops. I forgot to mention that I've been playing bass for a couple years already and I own 2 mid-level Ibanez basses. I just want to be able to work on an instrument and be able to learn something first hand from modding a bass. If I still had my Squier that I started with, I would screw around with that, however after buying my first Ibanez, like a dumbass, I got rid of my Squier almost immediately.

**colcifer** · #6 10-18-2010, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubato

Crack would be my guess...

FTW!

Seriously though, it's a cool idea and can turn out well. The most recent TB example I know of was done by a guy called Easy Rider (http://www.talkbass.com/forum/member.php?u=32772).

Good luck!

Chasarms · #7 10-19-2010, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoomHeadshot

Without ordering online, it would be considerably easier for me to find a guitar to work with than a bass. I also think the small size and low weight of a guitar body would be nice to have on stage.

There are all kinds of different designs, but generally speaking a guitar body is not going to significantly lighter or smaller than a comparable bass body. Say, comparing a strat body to a J bass body.

And , if you go with a guitar body, you are going to be faced with a complete modification of the neck pocket as well as either filling or settling for the PU positions from the guitar. Either you'll have to re-rout for the geometry of the bass pickup. If you goof the neck pocket, the whole thing is fire wood.

There are inexpensive basses everywhere. I seriously doubt it will be significantly more difficult to find a bass verses a guitar. And, you'll have to hunt down a bass neck anyway. If you can find a neck, you can find a body.

Can you use a guitar, sure. But, it will be a lot more difficult.

Gord_oh · #8 10-19-2010, 08:24 AM

you'd spend more time and money making a guitar into a bass.
if youre just starting out, just buy a cheap bass.

KeithPas · #9 10-19-2010, 08:24 AM

A guitar body could work but would require mods to the neck pocket including making it extend into the body far enough to give you proper scale length and intonation. Check out the classifieds here; right now there is a killer frankenbass for sale.

BoomHeadshot · #10 10-19-2010, 08:29 AM

Okay, you guys have managed to talk me out of making a guitar into a frankenbass. I have managed to find a Kona 5 string bass(I've never heard of Kona before) for $150. Do any of you guys know of a good after market active 5 string Pbass pup?

OPBASSMAN1994 · #11 10-19-2010, 08:32 AM

This is what Wolfgang Van Halen has. Strat body with Jazz and Humbucker Pu's and a J neck. Of course, he painted it in a blue variation of his dad's signature paint job, and put a bunch of stickers on it like him. he also has a red version of this, and a black, pretty much copying his dad, but in the bass world. it's kind of cool actually, but also I disappointing. I wish Wolfgang would make his own signature thing.

redzebra6 · #12 10-19-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubato

Crack would be my guess...

Unless you're just doing it to see if you could. But why?

It's just better to buy a cheepie and go from there.

mid_life_crisis · #13 10-19-2010, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoomHeadshot

Okay, you guys have managed to talk me out of making a guitar into a frankenbass. I have managed to find a Kona 5 string bass(I've never heard of Kona before) for $150. Do any of you guys know of a good after market active 5 string Pbass pup?

I don't know where you are from, but in the states you can find basses in pawn shops for $100 to $150 or so that are brands you'll recognize that are nicely beat up but functional, which would be exactly what you want for something to tear apart to learn on.

BoomHeadshot · #14 10-20-2010, 05:22 PM

I'm picking up a bass on Friday. I'm planning on defretting it this weekend and I'll post before and after pictures.