The Frankenbass Club (Moderately modded basses count too!)

[9mmMike]

My latest parts bass. American Special Candy Apple Red with a hard-to-find '57 "replacement" neck from Fender and a cream pickguard from WD & TI JF344's.





The neck pocket is perfect.

[Doner Designs]

Originally Posted by SBsoundguy

Very cool! You really love those mudbuckers don't you?

Thanks and yes I'm a big fan of mudbucking. :-)

The alternate set of custom backplates arrived from Axetreme Creations last night. I think this may be the last of my new pics:

[dave64o]

I love that "Air Force bass" (coincidentally, when I was a kid I actually lived on an Air Force base for a few years when my Dad was on active duty! )


Here's my "new" Frankenjazz that was recently completed:



I had an SX SJB-62 5-string fretless that had some issues and I also finally realized that I'm just not a fretless player. I also realized that if I sold it I'd net next to nothing after factoring in shipping costs, so I decided to have some fun with it and modify the hell out of this bass. Here's what I ended up doing to it:
- I bought a fretted SJB-62 5 string bass (used) and swapped their necks
- Hipshot 3-string string retainer (used)
- Nordstrand NJ5S pickups (one used, one new)
- Hipshot "A" style bridge (used)
- Audere 4-band preamp (new)
- Replacement control plate for controls (used)
- Replacement knobs (new)
- Had the body routed for a side jack since the 4-knob configuration on the preamp would no longer allow the jack to be on the control plate
- Replacement jack plate (used)
- WD Designs 4-ply pick guard - Aged White - Black - Aged White - Tortoise Shell (new - had to be, it was custom cut to fit the exact shape and screw hole locations of the original white pick guard)
- Musicman strap locks (new)
- S.I.T. Power Wound Nickel strings (new)
- All this work was done by a professional luthier

The only parts left from my original fretless are the unloaded body (i.e. just the wood) and the neck plate!

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by dave64o

...

Here's my "new" Frankenjazz that was recently completed:



...

Tastefully done!

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by dave64o

I love that "Air Force bass" (coincidentally, when I was a kid I actually lived on an Air Force base for a few years when my Dad was on active duty! )


Here's my "new" Frankenjazz that was recently completed:



I had an SX SJB-62 5-string fretless that had some issues and I also finally realized that I'm just not a fretless player. I also realized that if I sold it I'd net next to nothing after factoring in shipping costs, so I decided to have some fun with it and modify the hell out of this bass. Here's what I ended up doing to it:
- I bought a fretted SJB-62 5 string bass (used) and swapped their necks
- Hipshot 3-string string retainer (used)
- Nordstrand NJ5S pickups (one used, one new)
- Hipshot "A" style bridge (used)
- Audere 4-band preamp (new)
- Replacement control plate for controls (used)
- Replacement knobs (new)
- Had the body routed for a side jack since the 4-knob configuration on the preamp would no longer allow the jack to be on the control plate
- Replacement jack plate (used)
- WD Designs 4-ply pick guard - Aged White - Black - Aged White - Tortoise Shell (new - had to be, it was custom cut to fit the exact shape and screw hole locations of the original white pick guard)
- Musicman strap locks (new)
- S.I.T. Power Wound Nickel strings (new)
- All this work was done by a professional luthier

The only parts left from my original fretless are the unloaded body (i.e. just the wood) and the neck plate!

A great mod, but this reminds me of those guys who install $3,000 rims on a 1983 beater. :-)
I'm guilty of modding low-cost basses as well. ;-)

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

A great mod, but this reminds me of those guys who install $3,000 rims on a 1983 beater. :-)
...

Not really. He took a very usable bass and made it even better. It could truly last him a lifetime (if TalkBass induced G.A.S doesn't spoil that...).

[dave64o]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

A great mod, but this reminds me of those guys who install $3,000 rims on a 1983 beater. :-)
I'm guilty of modding low-cost basses as well. ;-)

Ha! Yeah, I thought the same thing, too. Even with a lot of used parts, I still spent close to 3X the cost of the bass in parts (though most of that was the preamp, which i did buy new). And, like I said, I knew the costs up front. But this project wasn't about being cost effective. It was about having some fun and also being a learning experience. I accomplished both of those goals - and ended up with a hell of a bass, too!

I took it to my lesson last week and my instructor was blown away by the results (he saw and played it in it's original state). So much so that, in my lesson last night, he told he decided to Frankenstein a bass for himself as well and is now starting to look for parts. He's a lefty and therefore has a lot less to pick from, so for him it probably makes a lot more sense than it did for me.

My number one for the last 5-6 years, a Stingray 5HH, is at the luthier's shop for a setup and new strings right now. Can't wait to pick it up so I can A/B it against Frankenstein. It's gonna be interesting!

Originally Posted by BillyB_from_LZ

Not really. He took a very usable bass and made it even better. It could truly last him a lifetime (if TalkBass induced G.A.S doesn't spoil that...).

All true, but I didn't take offense at the comment because I thought the same thing.

Unfortunately you're also right about TB-induced GAS.

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by dave64o

Ha! Yeah, I thought the same thing, too. Even with a lot of used parts, I still spent close to 3X the cost of the bass in parts (though most of that was the preamp, which i did buy new). And, like I said, I knew the costs up front. But this project wasn't about being cost effective. It was about having some fun and also being a learning experience. I accomplished both of those goals - and ended up with a hell of a bass, too!

I took it to my lesson last week and my instructor was blown away by the results (he saw and played it in it's original state). So much so that, in my lesson last night, he told he decided to Frankenstein a bass for himself as well and is now starting to look for parts. He's a lefty and therefore has a lot less to pick from, so for him it probably makes a lot more sense than it did for me.

My number one for the last 5-6 years, a Stingray 5HH, is at the luthier's shop for a setup and new strings right now. Can't wait to pick it up so I can A/B it against Frankenstein. It's gonna be interesting!





All true, but I didn't take offense at the comment because I thought the same thing.

Unfortunately you're also right about TB-induced GAS.

Totally agree. The number one goal for modding is to have fun and learn. If saving money is the goal, modding is the biggest waste of money.

I took a crappy Ibanez and Squier and pimped both of them. While each cost me $500 and $300 in parts respectively, they looked and sounded great when completed.

I still kick myself for not buying one of the older SX basses in vintage green.

[AuntieBeeb]

Mind if I join you guys here?

I've nearly finished building a bass assembled entirely from parts bought off eBay - a couple more weeks of French Polishing and she should be good to go. I've documented the process here:
http://thecrowfrombelow.wordpress.co...aradia-part-i/
I'll share a few pretty pictures with you if anyone can tell me how to shrink the image size on this vB code lark...?

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by AuntieBeeb

Mind if I join you guys here?

I've nearly finished building a bass assembled entirely from parts bought off eBay - a couple more weeks of French Polishing and she should be good to go. I've documented the process here:
http://thecrowfrombelow.wordpress.co...aradia-part-i/
I'll share a few pretty pictures with you if anyone can tell me how to shrink the image size on this vB code lark...?

I've found that it's best to go on photobucket.com and upload your pics there. It's free, and they allow you to copy [IMG] formats of your pics, so they appear on Talkbass, effortlessly.

[AuntieBeeb]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

I've found that it's best to go on photobucket.com and upload your pics there. It's free, and they allow you to copy [IMG] formats of your pics, so they appear on Talkbass, effortlessly.

Ah, thanks for that! Does that mean they'll appear in that "thumbnailed" format that some people seem to be able to do? (Or is there a tag I can use to resize it? The last time I posted a picture, I linked directly from wordpress and it came out huge on here!)

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by AuntieBeeb

Ah, thanks for that! Does that mean they'll appear in that "thumbnailed" format that some people seem to be able to do? (Or is there a tag I can use to resize it? The last time I posted a picture, I linked directly from wordpress and it came out huge on here!)

This is how it looks from Photobucket.


And you can resize or edit the photo in photobucket.

[DaniKettu]

my newest.

spalted maple precision bass body. two sidewinder pickups in soapbar housing. neck pickup in precision bass position in 45 degree angle. e-string side nearer the neck. bridge pickup in 70' jazz bass position. In the bridge Graphtech ghost pickup system piezo. neck is vintage tint lefty maple jazz neck.

and i have to say it sounds awesome.

[J03YW]

Originally Posted by Aragorn35016

Here's my parts jazz! Repainted Hwy 1 body, Geddy Lee Jazz neck, 60's custom shop pickups, and a J retro deluxe preamp.

John

What kinda bridge and where did you get that fancy cover?

[kurosawa]

Latest sacrilege to the longsuffering SQ series P: I swapped in a neck from another such. Moar. Much moar. The plank alone remains from the original. Well maybe the pickguard screws, I wouldn't know.

[9mmMike]

All tuned-up and rockin' at Mezza Luna in Allentown PA. Cool place. Looking forward to a return trip.



Two gigs this weekend with it. Very pleased so far.

[SGbassist]

Hey guys,

Here is my frankenbass:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ndikw0ow3o...s%20-%20X2.jpg

Warmoth Alder body
Jazz bass copy neck - Defretted and poly'ed
preamp and pickup from Ray34CA
Selfmade finger ramp - essentially used to cover the pbass pickup cavity

Nice singing fretless bass from random parts i have at home. Happy at the results

[PhR]

'75 Precision ash body (already heavily routed before I got it), Allparts Telecaster neck and a gold anodized pickguard. The large cover houses a P-pickup in a reversed position (in a Yamaha BB2000 style) and the bridge pickup is soon to be replaced by a double Jazz humbucker. Two outputs and a stereo/mono switch are about to be added plus a string guide to the headstock.
Inspired by Neil Murray's bass he used in '78/'79, plays and sounds great.

[thedudebrah]

I'm in. Parts P composed of a squier or MIM body (I can't remember) and a MIM neck. "Vintage" tuning machines, surf green refin, MIM pickups. All the hardware is distressed to give it an early 70s look. One of my favorite basses.


Warmoth parts J. Was originally black, decided to spray it hot pink. "Relic'd" it a little bit and ended up playing it with a cast on my right arm anyway. Actually sounds great.

[dave64o]

Like them both, especially the Precision. Hard to tell from the picture, but are there only two knobs on the Jazz, or is it just missing a knob for the neck pickup? If two knobs, I'm curious what they are.

Originally Posted by dave64o

...
My number one for the last 5-6 years, a Stingray 5HH, is at the luthier's shop for a setup and new strings right now. Can't wait to pick it up so I can A/B it against Frankenstein. It's gonna be interesting!
...

I did get my Stingray back about two weeks ago and have been playing both it and Frankenstein a lot. But it didn't take long for me to decide that the Stingray is still #1 to me. To my hands, it feels like it was custom made to fit me.

However, that doesn't take anything away from Frankenstein (or from my Precision V, for that matter). "Frankie" is still a hell of a bass and, so far, I've gotten nothing but compliments from the people who've heard it. It feels good in my hands, it looks great, and it has all the tonal capability I could want. Even though it's not #1, I'm *very* happy with the results.

The only thing I'm questioning right now is my choice of strings. I've never used S.I.T.'s before and I tried a set of Power Wound Nickels just to do something different. The sound is great and the price can't be beat, but I'm surprised that they feel as loose as they do. I assumed that, because they're hex core like Lo Riders, my favorite strings, the tension would be similarly high. But for now, I'll leave them on there and keep playing it to see if my impression changes. Then if they're still not wow'ing me, I'll try another set of strings I've never used before.