Well, I finally decided to take the good advice of the folks here at TB, and get to know the inner workings of a bass intimately before trying to build.
If you want to ignore all the typing, I understand.
I bought an OLP Stingray 5 here on TB for $130 - the thread's been deleted, but I feel like I got a good deal. Black + maple, modded for only volume. Perfect, as I wanted a bass to completely strip. Also, the physical flaws on the body - a couple of dings and scrapes - didn't concern me, either - just so everyone knows they were there before me.
Bought a Bartolini MM/J + Bart NTMB preamp set here at TB for $220. Also a good deal, as I love me some Barts.
Bought an Audere 3ZB preamp from Audere, wired Vol/Blend, Tre/Hi Mid, Low mid/Bass, with active/passive switch and 3 way Z mode switch, for another $220 or so.
Got a three way switch for the MM - wanted to do 5, but after talking it over with some people, apparently the "out-of-phase" thing sounds like crap, and the wiring would have been a lot more complex. Bought concentric AllParts knobs and a Tusq nut at the same time - call it $48.
**This is where it gets interesting**
Bought a Glo-Bear from Wal-mart, and ripped the LED boards and controller out of the bear - $16.
Bought 12" x 24" plexiglass from Lowe's, plus the stuff to cut/bevel/etc, the metal duct tape for shielding, and tung oil for stripping and oiling the neck - call it $75
Got a can of black spray paint, "frosted" clear spray paint, and high-gloss clear spray paint - $15.
Got "rub-on" lettering from Michael's for my logo - $3, I think.
Took virtually everything apart, just to see how it worked.
Painted the tuners, taped and painted the headstock, applied the "rub-on" lettering, then clear-coated.
Sanded the neck down to 320, then rubbed in two or three coats of tung oil.
Routed (and routed, and routed some more) the control cavity to fit both the LEDs and the controls, and on the back for the battery pack for the LEDs. (Still need to make a cover for that)
Shielded with metal duct tape, which works wonderfully if you bend the corners over so that there's metal to metal contact for each strip.
RTV'd with clear silicone the LEDs, and then covered the wiring with more duct tape.
Traced the original pickguard onto the plexi, cut it out, beveled and shaped, and figured out the layout (used a real Stingray for reference on the location of the J pup - thanks to Dave H at Alpha Music)
Painted the pickguard "frosted glass", then taped it off and painted the black, then sanded the paint from the beveled edges, and finally clear-coated.
Had friends at work do all the solder work, including an interesting way to ground the pots.
Had a friend in the machine shop make me a new, heavier bridge out of mild steel.
Painted the bridge, reassembled it. (Might have to go and procure some longer screws, for intonation purposes)
Strung the bass with DR Black Beauties, and made sure all the elctronics work. Setup will wait for tomorrow, after the long-unsprung neck settles in some. Everything works great, and the tonal options are pretty limitless, between the 3-way MM switch, blend knob, Z-mode switch, and active/passive option. I'm giving these strings a second chance, mostly because I thought they'd look awesome on this bass.
Take pictures!
Make video! (I just finished uploading it, so it's going to take a while to get approved, but totally worth it. Also, that's "The Vision" by Vic Wooten, if you didn't know - not me.)
Project FrankenRay V light show!
Honestly, I learned a lot doing this project, and for a five-day total time spent, I think it was well worth the roughly $800 I've put into it. I also have a sneaky feeling, based on the "not set-up" sound, that it'll sound like a million when it's all said and done.
Up close, the flaws I made doing it are glaringly obvious. From four feet away, though, in a dark club, with the pickups and knobs glowing, I don't think anyone will notice. Also, FWIW, I left the back of the headstock OLP badging alone, as well as the neck plate - not trying to pass it off as something it's not.
Opinions?
. Cool to have a new bridge made. Pulling the led's out of a toy is genius. Are they warranteed
