Advice on finishing build

Stilettoprefer · #1 12-04-2010, 01:48 PM

Hey, I'm in the process of building a P- bass style guitar from an old Ibanez body

I already have the neck converted to fretless (home job) and the hardware. I just need wiring pickups and paint/finish on the body and headstock.

As for the wiring should I get a loaded pickgaurd for a P-bass and retro fit it to my project or go through the pain of wiring a tone circuit and all that stuff by hand?

http://www.guitarcenter.com/DiMarzio...90.gc#overview

Link Is the pickgaurd I am thinking about.

Also on painting I need ideas for colors...

There is the bass as is. I threw on some old strings to keep tension on the neck.

5string5fingers · #2 12-04-2010, 01:54 PM

That pickguard would not fit even with modding. The P pups on the ibanez are reversed. If you don't want to do the wiring, get all the parts and pay 40 bucks to have a shop solder everything together. As for colors, metallic paints look great on ibanez's. Maybe a metallic dark blue, or silver.

Stilettoprefer · #3 12-04-2010, 02:00 PM

I'd cut out the pickup slot for the other one and cover the gigantic hole with the pickgaurd. And of course proper routes for the wiring.

Stilettoprefer · #4 12-04-2010, 02:00 PM

And fill the slot for the J pup.

5string5fingers · #5 12-04-2010, 02:08 PM

Thats easier than soldering some wires together?

The neck pocket is going to be much wider than the ibanez as well,so unless you have a way to fix that,then you're going to have a huge cap between the neck and the pickguard.

Stilettoprefer · #6 12-04-2010, 02:18 PM

Probably would cut the pickgaurd so tht the neck problem is eliminated and the bottom horn on fenders are different that Ibanez also so that would be cut. It would look fine the way I'm picturig it. I've seen it done before.

And it's almost impossible to find a P pup that is reversed.... The stock one is shot (why its a project bass now).

gitlvr · #7 12-04-2010, 02:27 PM

The P bass is probably one of the simplest wiring jobs you could get. Volume, tone, a capacitor and an output jack. Not hard at all, and there's plenty of diagrams around that will show you how to do it. You could look at it once and probably wire it from memory. Whatever I did regarding the pickguard, I'd do the wiring myself. MHO.

Stilettoprefer · #8 12-04-2010, 02:32 PM

That simple? Wow. I guess I've never look at anything that wasn't active.... Thanks for pointing out the simplicity of the wiring on a Pbass for me!

Now to find a reversed pickup.....

5string5fingers · #9 12-04-2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stilettoprefer

That simple? Wow. I guess I've never look at anything that wasn't active.... Thanks for pointing out the simplicity of the wiring on a Pbass for me!

Now to find a reversed pickup.....

Why could you not just use a normal p pup? Just shift the DG coil foreward.

pie_man_25 · #10 12-04-2010, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stilettoprefer

That simple? Wow. I guess I've never look at anything that wasn't active.... Thanks for pointing out the simplicity of the wiring on a Pbass for me!

Now to find a reversed pickup.....

you don't have to find a reversed p-pickup, it'd still fit. Don't use a pre-made P-bass pickguard, it won't fit at all, your best bet would be to buy a sheet of pickguard material and shaping that. The wiring could be done by you without any real difficulty, just remember to ground it to the bridge.

gitlvr · #11 12-04-2010, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stilettoprefer

That simple? Wow. I guess I've never look at anything that wasn't active.... Thanks for pointing out the simplicity of the wiring on a Pbass for me!

Now to find a reversed pickup.....

You're welcome. If you plan to put the Jazz pickup in as well, it's still pretty simple and straightforward
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support...c=std_p_j_bass

and for straight P Bass
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Elec...ms/i-0139.html

or
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support...atic=std_pbass

Stilettoprefer · #12 12-04-2010, 02:53 PM

I was just gonna fill the hole for the J pup. When it was still all stock I turned the volume for the J pup off. It didn't please my ear to have both going and the P sound is what I'm going for with this project.

gitlvr · #13 12-04-2010, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stilettoprefer

I was just gonna fill the hole for the J pup. When it was still all stock I turned the volume for the J pup off. It didn't please my ear to have both going and the P sound is what I'm going for with this project.

Then you're golden. Either one of the last two diagrams I linked to will do the job. Real easy and simple. Good luck.

Andyman001 · #14 12-04-2010, 03:04 PM

where are you located? I could help out if you are local.

Stilettoprefer · #15 12-04-2010, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andyman001

where are you located? I could help out if you are local.

One of the guys I play in the praise team at church with is an electrician so he can solder it all together for me. thanks though!