About to build...

[cervusflies]

so I want your opinions and thoughts on the matter.

I play a 69 eb0 and love the feel of it. I would like to build a bass with similar dimentions, but with a "rounder" sound.
More tonal options. I want to improve the low mid "honk".

What I've gatherd so far. Please feel free to set me straight, as I have little working knowledge of achieving tone through building.

• 30 1/2 scale. (changing is not an option)

• Koa for the body? will this help me achieve a broader tonal range than mahogany? I would like to keep it light in weight, and fairly similar in size. It will be a comletely custom shape.
Will paint, so visually the grade is not important to me.

• PU selection and placement. I don't want to slap, per se, but would like real world sound options. Mostly for Rock or blues.

• Bridge, Badass maybe. I guess this has some bearing on tone?

Any advice you might have for me is welcome.

[wilser]

The only thing I could recommend to you for the kind of tone you're looking for is to put a powerful dual coil humbucker on the P position. A custom Nordstrand DC (overwound and in wired in series) would rock ass!

[cervusflies]

Originally Posted by wilser

The only thing I could recommend to you for the kind of tone you're looking for is to put a powerful dual coil humbucker on the P position. A custom Nordstrand DC (overwound and in wired in series) would rock ass!

Please excuse my ignorance, but where is the "P" position?

Thanks

[bryanjnkns]

P as in in Pbass position.

[cervusflies]

Gotcha! So just one PU would be required to achieve a good tonal variance? I have noticed that on some Gibson eb models the humbucker is in the "P" position (or at least further away from the neck)

[bass_drum]

i think a variety of tonal options is available through any bass (eq, plucking hand position, etc.) but with that being said, some basses are easier to change than others. Pbasses are known for having their own distinct sound, but that sound is extremely versatile.

[DSB1]

Originally Posted by cervusflies

• Koa for the body? will this help me achieve a broader tonal range than mahogany? I would like to keep it light in weight, and fairly similar in size. It will be a comletely custom shape.
Will paint, so visually the grade is not important to me.

IMO using koa would be a waste of money if you're going to paint, you will find mahogany and koa are virtually the same tonally.

[cervusflies]

Originally Posted by DSB1

IMO using koa would be a waste of money if you're going to paint, you will find mahogany and koa are virtually the same tonally.

Aha, thanks for the advice! I like saving dough. So if I want a bit brighter tone I may consider a denser wood.

[Musiclogic]

if you want something brighter than Mahogany or Koa, look to Alder, Ash, and soft Maple. All will give you a brighter tone, and all are relatively inexpensive compared to the price of Koa.