routing my P bass to make it active

[nonogz]

i just got off the phone with the guy that routed my bass for a J pick up. now, i want to make my bass active. i was under the impression that i could rout the BACK of the bass, but he's telling me that he extends the cavity on the FRONT. won't this make a pain in the ass when i want to change batteries. i'm not tryin' to unscrew 20 things to change a battey. thoughts????

[Jazz Ad]

Keep the cavity in front, add a battery trap in the back.

[stflbn]

even without a back battery door, you can usually change a battery hid under the pickguard by only taking out 4 screws or so. IMHO, taking out 4 screws every 6 months is bettery than not having the option of going back to being a full passive bass at some time. Routes last forever.

[nonogz]

taking out 4 screws? what do you mean? bending the pickguard or something?

[VincentSalizeri]

Alternatively, if he widens part of the front route, you could attach a battery box to the pickguard. Though a rear battery box is the easiest solution.

[stflbn]

Originally Posted by nonogz

taking out 4 screws? what do you mean? bending the pickguard or something?

Yup. Many route out additional space under the pickguard for a battery, then just remove the lower screws of the pickguard and bend it up to slide the battery in and out.

[nonogz]

gotcha....one more thing. i'm leaning towards an aguilar obp-3. any other suggestions? i don't have any experience with sadowsky, but i really like the tone tal wilkenfeld gets (not sure if her bass is active or not, but its a sadowsky)

[Firesalt]

I don't think Sadowsky makes passive basses. Hers appears to be a fairly standard Sadowsky and active. I've heard nothing but praise for the Sadowsky preamp and have been considering buying one myself to make my current basses sound more like a Sadowsky since I currently don't have the cash to drop on a Metro PJ.

[darkstorm]

Luthier could also cut the rear part of pickgaurd where control cavity is so that this part could be lifted up seperate from the rest of the pickgaurd. Thats route Id try to take rather then just bend that end up as other suggested. Make pickgaurd two piece by simply cutting it into two pieces with smaller peice the one where control knobs are.

[bassfunk329]

Originally Posted by darkstorm

Luthier could also cut the rear part of pickgaurd where control cavity is so that this part could be lifted up seperate from the rest of the pickgaurd. Thats route Id try to take rather then just bend that end up as other suggested. Make pickgaurd two piece by simply cutting it into two pieces with smaller peice the one where control knobs are.

This +1000 i really dig this idea. Or even you could do a metal control plate off of bestbassgear.com

[RaginRog]

If you're going to do it, do it right. Get a nice Gotoh battery box (like the ones on Musicman basses.

I did this to my American Std jazz bass.

[madbassplaya]

Originally Posted by RaginRog

If you're going to do it, do it right. Get a nice Gotoh battery box (like the ones on Musicman basses.

I did this to my American Std jazz bass.

Agreed.