Correct. That's his Stevens custom built bass. A custom version of the Slant 6:
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Assembling a 'tractor' jazz bass clone/tribute.
- Thread starter Muziekschuur
- Start date
I must say that is a gorgeous looking instrument. Thank you for sharing. Much appriciated. Just like the music shared by the one who brought up this bass. Love allso the history involved. This man is quite the bassplayer.Correct. That's his Stevens custom built bass. A custom version of the Slant 6:
If anyone knows of something artisan made like incorporated in the Jerry Garcia (Grateful dead) guitars I would love to hear about it. I just love the way people in the USA put pinstriping on guitars and use brass and whatnot to pimp their instruments.
I would love to use something on this bass. I am not a sticker guy... But something to make it my own would be nice.
I would love to use something on this bass. I am not a sticker guy... But something to make it my own would be nice.
The paint is ordered (Lake placid blue (nitor (brand), primer and amber clear), two 66 Fender jazz bass pickups, Fender vintage tuners, vintage aged bridge. And some bits and bobs.
Will a Fender jazzmaster bridge cover fit over a Fender bass bridge?
And I want to make a cavity on the back of the body. Near the front output jack. I bought a dual output plate in nickel.
Will a Fender jazzmaster bridge cover fit over a Fender bass bridge?
And I want to make a cavity on the back of the body. Near the front output jack. I bought a dual output plate in nickel.
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That looks like a great buy, plug & play option @ a good price for someone in search of a tractor clone with s little provenance of its own.
Hammersmith basses have a following here on TB, I know Two Fingers & Jimmy M speak highly of their’s. My understanding is the company is no longer in operation. They were in Canada I believe.
@Muziekschuur
Dammit. If I knew it wouldn't cause consternation with my loved one AND my favorite tech was still available to me, I would definitely follow the recipe and build my own Tractor clone. I already just recently spent some coin and Frankensteined my current favorite Jazz fretless.
Hmm, I bet a Tractor would sound fabulous as a fretless too.
Oh man.
Dammit. If I knew it wouldn't cause consternation with my loved one AND my favorite tech was still available to me, I would definitely follow the recipe and build my own Tractor clone. I already just recently spent some coin and Frankensteined my current favorite Jazz fretless.
Hmm, I bet a Tractor would sound fabulous as a fretless too.
Oh man.
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On your coil tap switch diagram, you need three lugs, both tap wires go in to switch one is turned off goes to center lug on the volume, yes needs to be grounded but that tap wire has to complete loop when switched on.
My version has blend pot, the switch is on/off one of the front pickups. My coil tap is on the tap that sound least like the J pickup.
My version has blend pot, the switch is on/off one of the front pickups. My coil tap is on the tap that sound least like the J pickup.
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Looks really good. The bisonic pickup can sound boomy so I didn't want it so far in the front. I will probably make modifications. I just got Fender 1966 jazz pickups in the mail (new pickups from Fender). I received my nitro cellulose paint. I will probably route a back cavity. To make the bass switchable between mono and stereo and to make the jazz bass pickups polarity switchable.
"''The bisonic pickup can sound boomy"" That's why I put mine in backward and to get the magnets over the strongest harmonic zone. I might flip it to move the magnets forward I'm not finding it too boomy, with the pickup blender pot makes it possible to roll out the strength of the pickup output. I find I actually like the front j bass pickup for a certain songs, where as at first it just sounded nasal and too midrange. The three pickups together make it pretty easy to find the sweet harmonic grit/growl and huge bottom end at the same time. I've been gigging this bass everywhere, and now I leave the p bass in the trunk of the car, I don't even bother bringing it on stage. I have a 1x18 reflex, front ported Rickenbacker cabinet that makes this bass like a secret weapon. The cabinet seems voiced for that Rickenbacker harmonic tang, that makes that bisonic really come alive. I also started playing lighter strings since the hefty sound sometimes seems too much and need less of everything not more.
What 18 inch speaker is in the Rickenbacker cabinet? I used to own 4 1x18 Bagend cabinets. I now have a SWR SM500 a Son of Bertha (1x15) and a Goliath III cabinet. And I once owned a cabinet with a 18 inch speaker that was in the Jaco Pastorius Acoustic. That speaker had that throathy midrange. A Cerwin Vega speaker... OMG that sounded so good. Not as fat and smooth as the Bag End speakers... But with spit and growl.
I ordered some brown dopro (brandname) covers so I can route out a cavity on the back and mount three switches.
Is this a one piece body? And what brand are those '1966' lollipop tuners? It looks spectacular.
I bought Fender vintage bass tuners.... But on further inspection, it seems to be the '70's version. So I probably have to reorder them. These are chrome and I want them in nickel.
It's a Fender body, light I think it's swamp ash, I bought the bass a long time ago, and I told a story on TB where someone was really sick in my family and I left my house in the desert in a hurry, not coming back for three months... I left the bass outside in my yard on a table in the Mojave summer sun and monsoon weather by accident. I stripped the paint later as it was pretty messed up. Now it just clear lacquer. The tuners I think might be Fender Japan even though it's a USA bass. I can't remember. I tinker and re-tinker and make my basses the way I like them. I need to take a shot of the wiring, there is a ton of mods going on in that cavity. I'm playing this bass tonight for a three set gig.
Is this a one piece body? And what brand are those '1966' lollipop tuners? It looks spectacular.
I was just looking at the Frampton's Phenix Les Paul guitar story by Gibson. Your bass qualifies for that kind of mojo too. With that one piece swamp ash body.
In this video you hear that the base resonance tone of the wood is much much lower than other wood. I think that is why a maple neck and an (swamp) ash body work so good together.
In this video you hear that the base resonance tone of the wood is much much lower than other wood. I think that is why a maple neck and an (swamp) ash body work so good together.
The accumulation of parts so far. The tuning mechanisms aren't here yet, the pickup surrounds from aluminum aren't in.
The paint is in too. A can of yellowed clear. white undercoat and a can of lake placid blue .
The back cover plates aren't in. I may have to order some switches and instead of two additional panpots I want the staggered pots so I have less cluttered space where I put my hands while playing.
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