Building my own 4 string Reggae Bass

[jokerone]

I’m debating about starting a new project at home. I was thinking about building a Reggae bass guitar.

I don’t want to do it from scratch, but from parts. Never done it before.

So I have a few questions.

The style will be a Fender Jazz Bass like guitar (I hope).
If I find a Squire body, should I throw it in the trash and keep looking?

Are graphite necks worth the money?

Good Deep Dark pickups for Reggae Dub? I read Dimarzio Model J would do well.

I would like to keep the price below $1000 for the entire project, so will this just be a waste of money and I should be a new MIM Fender Jazz Bass or what?

Thanks.

[Konquest]

You'll have no problems finding parts for under $1000 to put this together. I'd recommend a less-expensive neck from Warmoth, Allparts, or one of the other Fender clones. Take the money you save there and put it into a figured maple topped jazz body and try to dye a fade of "Rasta" colors on it! There are lots of tutorial videos on this process and with water-based dyes it is really forgiving. How about BEAD tuning for those booming deep bass bombs? Maybe a P/J configuration? String mutes?

[pudge]

I'd look to get a mim or squier jazz and mod it.But buying all the parts and putting it together depending on the amount of work you'll do yourself under 1k is easily doable.Make a list and figure the cost of compionentsGet on the classifieds here good deals come up all the time.

[JIO]

Originally Posted by jokerone

I’m debating about starting a new project at home. I was thinking about building a Reggae bass guitar.

I don’t want to do it from scratch, but from parts. Never done it before.

So I have a few questions.

The style will be a Fender Jazz Bass like guitar (I hope).
If I find a Squire body, should I throw it in the trash and keep looking?

Are graphite necks worth the money?

Good Deep Dark pickups for Reggae Dub? I read Dimarzio Model J would do well.

I would like to keep the price below $1000 for the entire project, so will this just be a waste of money and I should be a new MIM Fender Jazz Bass or what?

Thanks.

I built a bass that turned out to be perfect for really low 4 string dub/reggae. It has a Korina body, a fretless Steinberger graphite neck, DB bridge (drop D or B) Bartolini pu's and Aguilar OP-2 preamp w/passive switch and of course, flats (La Bella). Really consistent rich deep lows. The graphite neck really delivers in this setting IMO. If I would have known, I might have considered a whole different colour scheme!

[jokerone]

Originally Posted by Konquest

You'll have no problems finding parts for under $1000 to put this together. I'd recommend a less-expensive neck from Warmoth, Allparts, or one of the other Fender clones. Take the money you save there and put it into a figured maple topped jazz body and try to dye a fade of "Rasta" colors on it! There are lots of tutorial videos on this process and with water-based dyes it is really forgiving. How about BEAD tuning for those booming deep bass bombs? Maybe a P/J configuration? String mutes?

Thats a great idea! thanks!

[jokerone]

Originally Posted by pudge

I'd look to get a mim or squier jazz and mod it.But buying all the parts and putting it together depending on the amount of work you'll do yourself under 1k is easily doable.Make a list and figure the cost of compionentsGet on the classifieds here good deals come up all the time.

I put the $1k as a marker so I didn't get bogged down with questions like "you can do anything if you have the money".

I actually own a Fender Active Jazz bass MIM. Its got a great sunburst finish on it. I would hate to ruin it. That was sort why I thought I could start with a different body.

[RedMoses]

In my Dub days i went through a few Basses, J is NOT the best for Dub, P is better but i found that a traditional placed Music Man humbucker with an Active worked Best, cut your highs, bump your lows on the pre amp, a little EQ on your head and you will get an amazing Dub tone you cant really hear but feel. I also used a floor pedal per amp and a compressor, you want to get a round sound that has less of a dynamic range than a natrual naked bass signal.

[jokerone]

Originally Posted by JIO

I built a bass that turned out to be perfect for really low 4 string dub/reggae. It has a Korina body, a fretless Steinberger graphite neck, DB bridge (drop D or B) Bartolini pu's and Aguilar OP-2 preamp w/passive switch and of course, flats (La Bella). Really consistent rich deep lows. The graphite neck really delivers in this setting IMO. If I would have known, I might have considered a whole different colour scheme!

Very nice. I really like it.

So you were going for a low Reggae Dub or it ended up working well for it? just wondering.

[JIO]

Originally Posted by jokerone

Very nice. I really like it.

So you were going for a low Reggae Dub or it ended up working well for it? just wondering.

I really didn't have a sonic goal other than creating a unique bass - it just ended up being well suited for even-balanced low tones. For your needs, what you could glean from this is the combo of pu's/placement, preamp, neck material and strings to hotrod your Squire for a similar result. Moses makes a nice P or J graphite neck fretted or fretless, and a fat bucker in the neck position can really deliver the low stuff. I have a J set-up w/Lindy Fraylin split-pole J's / Audere preamp and it also delivers some pretty nice/rich bass/lows. It has a (very nice) standard maple/ebony board neck but I can imagine it w/a graphite neck sounding super even. That's what this material is good for - it really holds the tone.

I remember seeing/hearing a Reggae band playing at an outdoor venue years ago from a distance and the bass was so thick and deep. When I got to the stage the bass player was playing a Yamaha headless (Steinberger-type) bass. I was reminded of that sound when I heard mine.

[jokerone]

Originally Posted by JIO

I really didn't have a sonic goal other than creating a unique bass - it just ended up being well suited for even-balanced low tones. For your needs, what you could glean from this is the combo of pu's/placement, preamp, neck material and strings to hotrod your Squire for a similar result. Moses makes a nice P or J graphite neck fretted or fretless, and a fat bucker in the neck position can really deliver the low stuff. I have a J set-up w/Lindy Fraylin split-pole J's / Audere preamp and it also delivers some pretty nice/rich bass/lows. It has a (very nice) standard maple/ebony board neck but I can imagine it w/a graphite neck sounding super even. That's what this material is good for - it really holds the tone.

I remember seeing/hearing a Reggae band playing at an outdoor venue years ago from a distance and the bass was so thick and deep. When I got to the stage the bass player was playing a Yamaha headless (Steinberger-type) bass. I was reminded of that sound when I heard mine.

very cool. thanks. it gives me a direction I hadn't considered.

[JIO]

Originally Posted by jokerone

very cool. thanks. it gives me a direction I hadn't considered.

You can easily do it for under $1K. The body should be your least expense. Your tone will come from the pu's, preamp, neck, set-up and strings.., (and of course your amp) and your feel will come from your fingers. Have fun mon!

[jokerone]

Originally Posted by JIO

You can easily do it for under $1K. The body should be your least expense. Your tone will come from the pu's, preamp, neck, set-up and strings.., (and of course your amp) and your feel will come from your fingers. Have fun mon!

Thanks! good deal.