Weezer/Matt Sharp Jazz build

UnDoNe · #1 03-03-2011, 11:29 AM

Hi folks,

Thought I'd let you know about a build I've started - a replica of Matt Sharp's black jazz bass he used in his time with early Weezer and the Rentals. The bass is made up of a knackered old 70's body, some Schecter Monstertone pickups and a Birdseye Maple/Ebony Warmoth Tele Bass neck. Karl Koch (Weezer's webmaster and general fifth member) got in touch with Matt for me and passed on the specifics for the build, so I'm really grateful for that. Here's the bass as it is now.

I'm not one for relicing basses, so I needed a black Jazz body with 70's spacing. A used Geddy Lee bass with a few scratches and dings showed up on Ebay so I got that a few weeks back.

The pickups were the hardest thing to source. They're discontinued now and only available on Schecter custom shop basses (which retail about $3000). Anyways, I found a guy who bought a bass in 1996, didn't like the pickups and swapped them. Turns out he had kept the Schecter pickups for the next 14 years and happily sold them to me when I asked.

I put the order in with Warmoth last week for the neck so that should be here in about 12 weeks maximum. I love waiting, don't you?! Got a couple of other bits on the way from Warmoth; a tortoiseshell pickguard, Schaller BML tuners so they should be here hopefully very soon. I'll update this when they get here.

Got a Schaller roller bridge in the mail today from Thomann in Germany to complete it all. I've assembled a bass before, but I think I'll take this to a pro to do a great job and get it setup just right.

Finally, here's a couple of pics of what I have now.

Cheers for looking.

Din Of Win · #2 03-03-2011, 11:36 AM

Awesome!

I know waiting sucks, but that neck will be worth it!!

Are you gonna replicate all the way down to the stickers and tape?

TheMinutemen · #3 03-03-2011, 11:45 AM

Thats a good one to copy. GL.

UnDoNe · #4 03-03-2011, 12:07 PM

Thanks. Don't think I'll go all the way with tape and stickers. I'll just beat the crap out of it for a few years, and if it needs gaffa tape to stick together, then so be it!

GregC · #5 03-03-2011, 12:09 PM

Cool, I like it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by UnDoNe

Karl Koch (Weezer's webmaster and general fifth member) got in touch with Matt for me and passed on the specifics for the build, so I'm really grateful for that. Here's the bass as it is now.

Also, I thought it was pretty nice of both of them to help you out.

UnDoNe · #6 03-03-2011, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregC

Also, I thought it was pretty nice of both of them to help you out.

Definitely. I emailed Karl with quite specific questions and got nothing for a while so assumed he thought I was mental and didn't reply. Then one day this email turns up with everything I've been searching for! He's helped me out with some bass related things before, he's a good guy.

UnDoNe · #7 03-12-2011, 08:36 AM

Had a delivery from Warmoth today...nom nom nom...

Just the neck to go now, then the fun begins...

TheMinutemen · #8 03-13-2011, 12:00 PM

Tele neck more like a P or a Jazz? Never played one.

UnDoNe · #9 03-13-2011, 01:29 PM

The neck I've ordered is Jazz width at the nut. I've had one from Warmoth before and they're quite beefy to hold. Not at all uncomfortable, but it feels bigger than your average Jazz neck (not quite Precision though). They now have the 'slim' version, but I like the standard so I've gone for that again.

Might be worth mentioning I had to pay extra for the Jet Black Ebony board and the squared fretboard edge. (the current fretboard edge is rounded on standard Warmoth 'Fender' necks).

Can't fricking wait for it!!!

UnDoNe · #10 04-21-2011, 10:26 AM

Neck arrived today. Birdseye maple with ebony board. Beautiful. I always impressed with Warmoth's work.

sleepy_monkey · #11 04-21-2011, 10:33 AM

Nice!

blindrabbit · #12 04-30-2011, 10:28 AM

Does the Warmoth Tele neck fit directly onto a Jazz body, or did you have to make a special order in any way?

The project looks great!

Thanks.

superbassman2000 · #13 04-30-2011, 10:38 AM

very cool!

UnDoNe · #14 05-01-2011, 05:34 AM

Thanks rabbit and superbass. Rabbit - The Warmoth neck fits a standard Fender neck pocket. In other Warmoth necks I've had they fit like a glove, usually better than actual Fender necks. On this one, there's a slight gap as the Geddy pocket is very very slightly too large.

I'm just waiting on some strings then it's getting sent to a tech to bolt it together and sort the neck pocket.

TheMinutemen · #15 05-01-2011, 03:43 PM

Lol, I was just about to give this thread a bump to see what happened. Looking good.

bassist4dalord · #16 05-01-2011, 05:17 PM

What are your thoughts on the gap between body and pickups?

OkkultistBass · #17 05-01-2011, 05:45 PM

How much does a neck like that cost? I'd love to put one of those on my Jazz. I love the Telebass headstock look and the neck looks very slim, but round.

WaskoDS · #18 05-01-2011, 06:51 PM

That looks to be black tape.

jnprather · #19 05-01-2011, 07:18 PM

So have you figured out what you're going to play the first time the tech hands you the finished product? I'm guessing Only in Dreams?

UnDoNe · #20 05-02-2011, 04:20 AM

bassist4dalord - not sure what you mean. The pickups are rounded as you can see, but have a 'standard' rectangle 'base' at the bottom. In the pics on here, the pickups haven't got any foam underneath them so they're just sitting in the pickup route and sliding around. Obviously, this will be sorted when it goes to the tech. I just threw the pups in to see how they'd look.

Okkultist - remember I'm in the UK, so I've got a lousy exchange rate and shipping and customs charges. The neck was somehwere in the region of $250 if I recall, then I had a jet black ebony board and the fretboard overhang is squared off, as opposed to the usual Warmoth where it is rounded. This was an extra $110 for the ebony and squared fretboard. Not at all cheap, but well worth it IMO. It really is a stunning piece of work - the pics don't do it justice, but I'll get a load done when it's finished.

Jnprather - haha, maybe. Either that or Tired of Sex.

Thanks all.