4 String, Fender Performer tribute mahogany with lacewood top

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Performer_Bass

Pretty interesting shape and specs... Reminds me of an Irwin, I wonder,

Mine will have 3 pickups and a few changes.
I have noticed most high end basses are all rear routed, which looks great, but I'm looking into other ideas.
A flush mounted wooden pickguard would be really cool. Maybe 1/4" thick or so...

This one will have a wooden magnetically secured pick guard (so i can experiment with placement/pickups/preamp all modular.

I got the idea for the modular pickguards when restoring a Strat for my daughter, had a few scratchy pots and I was under the gun time wise, so i ordered a complete loaded pickguard. It was delivered to the wrong address at first, but I got it Xmas eve and had it wired in and ready to go in minutes. Took longer to shine it up than install it. I will be using solderless terminals of some kind, probably bullets (lol- big orange wire nuts come to mind..) I suppose I could just mount the jack on it too, then there is no need for any wireless connectors at all.. Anyway While installing the pickguard i was using a drill, and accidentally snapped a part of the plastic. If it was recessed( a hassle without a CNC but it can be done, same as the cover plate on the back) magnets will hold it fine. I have a bunch of tiny neo mags just begging to be in an instrument.

The first one Will have the 3 pickups, 3 Jazz bass in the 70's position with the other where a MM would be . I can make MM or J bass, or humbucking single bridge...Whatever suits the mood.

I am beginning my next project, a 4 string with these specs...

34"
24-fret
micro-tilt adjustable maple fender style neck (weird headstock and all)
7.25 radius (My first radius!)
1.5" nut width -2.1" at heel/ 24th fret(Skinny!!)
17 mm string spacing (maybe, depends on what bridge comes my way)
Fender Jazz bass bridge, with Stratocaster style tremelo welded to the bottom, and a special locking slide/safety bar to keep it secured when a trem bar is not wanted. Also 5 really really strong prings (Strong breakaway if I can find them, a better thing than the safety bar would be a tiny hydraulic bod in place of 2 springs, that would lock it tight against the body until 20 lbs of pressure pulled it loose..but that is for later) (it will work, mocked it up with epoxy)
Weight goal , less than 8 pounds (my last bass is a 20+lb walnut and ovangaloc monster, never again)
Rosewood Fretboard...
Maybe i can find a 24 fret Jazz neck, and then grind a bit off each fret and then plane the neck down to make it narrower, this is going to be one FAST neck.

Body wood, I have a lot of 7/8" thick mahogany, gluing up a slab of that topped with 1/4" of lacewood or maple.

This bass probably gets an Aguilar Obp-3 preamp and if nothing used comes up I guess Seymore duncans for pickups. The Second pickguard (if the removable thing works out) will be setup with The Vic Wooten/Pope combo p bass/j bass preamp dealio.

Tomorrow I'll start laminating the body wood together. I will be mounting my router in a table and joining all the 4" wide pieces with that, if the table saw isnt clean enough alone that is, most of the boards are rounded, so I need to trim them a tad.

Will post good pics...

Oh, and THis time I'm working in a proper wood shop, with a bench and better tools. Yea!

If anyone knows the proper specs on the Fender Performer, hit me with em, Jack! I'm guessing the nut width based on the paperwork.

 

sweet, the original elite prototype was to have 3 pickups!!! Mine will too, but 3 3way switches instead of a 5 way toggle.

 

I forgot to take pictures, i went to the wood shop just briefly today, but I shaved a neck I was working on (red oak) down to spec. Wow, that is going to be a fast neck! I still might do the trem mod.
I have to re do the neck, I made it so the grain is backwards (like a cats fur, pointing from body to headstock, supposed to be the other way, neck to body, maybe thats not important, i read it was)
Apparently the idea for the Performer shape, is from looking at the BACK of a stratocaster, if the bevels were continued.

I also hate the headstock, so that will be different too.

Mostly Its all in that crazy thin neck. I'm going with steel bars and a 2 way truss, red oak neck with maple fretboard. OH and I got the fretboard, flamed maple. inlays??? I'm thinking marcus Miller style, but with dark wood veneer. I really prefer a rosewood fretboard, but I just found the piece of 1/4" flamed maple and it was cheap..so.... Ia least its a good starting point.

Started cleaning up the mahogany, and my supply is shrinking, those round edges mean i need to remove almost 1/2" per block!

I also got a new(antique) spoke shave, for a dollar at the re-store (my new favorite store, check out the table leaves and doors for wood) but no blade, none of my hand planes blades fit right, i hope I can find a blade for it, any sources?

I Know..no pics... Sorry.

 

1/4" thick, brass or copper backed and lacquered (the metal) removable magnet held flush wooden pickguard.

 

Its hard to get an "Aggressive" body shape and not have it look cheesy IMO (SEE WARLOCK, BC Rich)again, my opinion.
Somehow, this thing looks classic, and aggressive at the same time, I love the slope of the back and the horns.

I really think the headstock killed it. It wasn't the builder's designe, why would a company let someone design an instrument, then mess with the headstock? He said it has more "Fender Like" and they surprised him. I think it's ass even more now that I read that!

not to mention it would slip right out of display holders, maybe that was their insidious plan, make a bass music stores would have to display in different way than hanging by the headstock?