Assembling your own basses vs buying production basses vs modding

[SactoBass]

Thanks @SactoBass for sharing this YouTube video! This is exactly what I've been dealing with and I finally figured out this weekend that the string nut is too high! The other three videos by the guitar tech are also excellent. Using these videos as a guide, I should be able to really get the bass action how I like!

Fantastic! I'm glad you found that vid (and his three other vids) helpful!

 

[13bass]

I’ve been considering a Warmoth build for years. The price of the components isn’t too bad, but I don’t have a lot of the tools need to do it right. So, I buy what is already assembled close to what I want and maybe swap out some pickups sometime or add a hipshot dtuner.

If you can swap pickups, and by soldering I assume, then you can build your Warmoth easily. Just screwdrivers, hex wrenches? Neck will have frets done, install tuners (holes are drilled by Warmoth), bolt on neck, screws for bridge, you already can do the pickup install/solder, the control harness can be bought from 920D with whatever wiring scheme you want, screw in pickguard, string it up, and you are there. The soldering is what usually stops most people. Learn to do your own setup, and you are good. Honestly it sounds like you are very capable. Don't sell yourself short.

 

[SactoBass]

I have 10 basses, only 2 are not modified in any way ('95 EBMM Stingray, Epiphone TBird, not sure of the year, 2010-ish)). my first good bass, '72 P bass has had different pickups/pickguards over the years. The next stock instrument I got, a Warwick Streamer 5 had an Aggy preamp put in it, the only change.
About 3,4 years ago I discovered EBay, and parts, have assembled 6 instruments, P and Jazz basses, 4 and 5 string. I gravitated to Jazz necks, love them on my P's. The ability to pick the parts, and finishes/colors is irresistable, LOOOVE the Fender platform for the variability!
MJ

Biiiiiiiiig +1

My post #29 lists my sourcing for components. As you can see, ebay is my source for many of the components!

 

[JRA]

Some men are simply born to tinker

I get modifying but why would someone PREFER to mod something vs. buying it the way they like?

here's one player's reason: having spent large money on custom just-for-me axes, i have learned that i am able to use my 'tinkering' interest/skills to assemble from parts (or mod existing 'platforms') + drilling/sawing/routing/sanding to create instruments which are far superior instruments than those custom jobs. it's all about playability for me, so: if i can get an exquisitely playing ax out of some 'tinkering' effort that i'm willing to make, why pay large money to another cat who can't possibly guess about my preferences more quickly, efficiently, or summarily than myself? off the rack has never worked for me except as a platform.

(the money savings aspect is the fun/competitive part for me: how cheaply can i make an instrument wonderful?)

IME: when other players play my fretlesses = they know they are playing uniquely fine players.

I'm all for DIY... just ON THE CHEAP. Don't really dare do too serious/expensive stuff, either mod expensive gear or build from high quality parts

all of my projects are cheap in a relative way: cheaper than i could pay someone else to deliver the same goods. where we differ is that i don't have any limits or boundaries for modifications: if i owned an alembic, e.g., i wouldn't hesitate to modify it to make it a better player --- for me.

 

[Passinwind]

My post #29 lists my sourcing for components. As you can see, ebay is my source for many of the components!

Mo' info is always mo' bettah.

Suppose I want a nonstandard scale length (i.e. longer than 34"), an unlined 2 octave length fretless board in some wood other than maple, rosewood, or ebony, and my own body shape spec and pickup route locations. In other words, no FSOs need apply for the sake of this exercise. Which parts suppliers are my huckleberries?

 

[SactoBass]

here's one player's reason: having spent large money on custom just-for-me axes, i have learned that i am able to use my 'tinkering' interest/skills to assemble from parts (or mod existing 'platforms') + drilling/sawing/routing/sanding to create instruments which are far superior instruments than those custom jobs. it's all about playability for me, so: if i can get an exquisitely playing ax out of some 'tinkering' effort that i'm willing to make, why pay large money to another cat who can't possibly guess about my preferences more quickly, efficiently, or summarily than myself?

 

[Isaac J]

I've been playing bass just over 5 years, and own 5 instruments in total. Two of them are stock, just to retain their value, but the others I've had great fun with modifying and upgrading them. I think there's a lot of opportunity to add some more "personality" to you instruments by modding them! Even soft-mods, like drop in replacement parts can effective, without affecting the value if or when you come to sell the instrument.

 

[SactoBass]

Suppose I want a nonstandard scale length (i.e. longer than 34"), an unlined 2 octave length fretless board in some wood other than maple, rosewood, or ebony, and my own body shape spec and pickup route locations. In other words, no FSOs need apply for the sake of this exercise. Which parts suppliers are my huckleberries?

In that scenario, I would think contacting a few custom luthiers might be in order!

Hey everyone: any suggestions for Charlie?

 

[ejaggers]

I'm a Mod-Aholic, so I start with stock, and can't leave well enough alone.
Some of my mods are quite extensive, and end up being a different bass altogether.
For instance, my Bronco's are now a Mustang, and a Musicmaster.

057912

 

[bryan gibson]

My current #1. Paid $60 for the generic Jazz- sounded awesome but neck was shot. Shopped around for a Squier Precision with a neck that i really liked, $90 for it complete. Bolted it together, hand filed a new nut, added tapewounds, and boom...best JB I've ever owned. Have over 100 gigs and sessions on it already. FWIW... HSC was free, dumpster find.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Well KBD, just to clarify, that actually is not what this thread is about (although for some players, it might be).

OK, I didn't mean the thread is about saving money, I realize it's about Production instruments vs. buying individual parts. The only parts on that bass that were purchased separately was the pots & jack.

 

[SactoBass]

OK, I didn't mean the thread is about saving money, I realize it's about Production instruments vs. buying individual parts. The only parts on that bass that were purchased separately was the pots & jack.

An electronics upgrade can make quite a difference with some basses!

 

[Passinwind]

In that scenario, I would think contacting a few custom luthiers might be in order!

Hey everyone: any suggestions for Charlie?

Just a thought exercise, as my luthier friend came close enough:

 

[Killed_by_Death]

An electronics upgrade can make quite a difference with some basses!

In my case it still sounds the same, started with 500k Ohm pots & switched to better 500k Ohm pots, but the jack in there now is better than the flimsy one it came with.
I wanted to do away with the treble-cut knob & install a series/parallel switch, but alas that's the one thing I don't like about this pickups, they only have two wires.

If you read that thread I posted a link to, I destroyed the pots just trying to get the knobs off, & those pots were THE most flimsily built I've ever seen.
Unfortunately the knobs on our Ibanez Mikro-bass are STUCK on exactly the same way, but at least the pots are the better ones.

 

[bdplaid]

Hey there TB'ers!

I've been playing bass since 1972, and for most of those years, I always bought production basses and left them stock for the most part. I've mostly owned Fenders and Rickenbackers over the years, including a few Fender Custom Shops.

For most of those years, it never dawned on me to assemble my own basses. For some reason, my brain was programmed to think that buying production basses was the only viable option (for me, anyway).

A few years ago, I reached a point where I wasn't quite satisfied with production basses, primarily because none of them had the exact components that I wanted. Since resale value is of zero interest or concern to me at this point in my life (a 63 year old retired civil engineer), and because I love to tinker at home putting things together, I made the decision a couple of years ago to start assembling my own basses using the exact components that I wanted. (Btw, I'm not talented enough to cut my own wood for bass bodies and necks, so I bought bass bodies and necks.) What I ended up with is a set of basses that I absolutely love! I am so pleased with the decision that I made to assemble my own basses because I now have exactly what I want.

Now, I realize that assembling basses is not what everyone wants to do. We all like different things, which is the way it should be. But for me (and I'm only talking about *ME* here), the preference that I held for decades of buying production basses changed to a preference for assembling my own basses using the exact components that I wanted. Since I experienced this "shift" in preference (which honestly caught me by surprise), and the end result was a very high level of happiness and satisfaction (for me), I was wondering, do any of my fellow and/or fellowette TB'ers have a preference of buying production basses vs assembling them to achieve satisfaction? (That is the original reason I started this thread....to ask TB'ers that question.)

Of course, in between those two options would be to take a production bass, and perform whatever mods you wish. That is indeed what I did with my Ric 4003S shown in the middle of the pic below. That is the only production bass that I own. All I did there is swap out the stock neck pickup for a Nordenbacker. The other four Fender basses shown in the pic (two J's on the left and two P's on the right) were assembled by me using high end components of my choice (eg, USA Fender necks with 1.5" nut width, Lollar pickups, Hipshot Kickass bridges, Fender Deluxe Schaller Lite tuners, either USACG or Warmoth bodies, top shelf wiring harnesses/pots including a series/parallel switch on one of the J's, and in the case of the bass on the right, custom paint by Guitarpaintguys). Each of the Fender basses ended up costing me around $1400 to $1500 in components. IMO, they are better (for me) than the $3000 Custom Shop Fenders that I owned in the past because these basses have the exact components that I want (plus they were assembled by a really nice guy! )

Now that I think about it as I'm typing this, I think I will create a poll to gauge what TB'ers prefer!

Please vote, and also please post explaining why you voted the way you did. Bass pics are also encouraged!

EDIT1: see my post #29 for parts sourcing info!

EDIT2: see my post #46 for info on the 5-space rack.

View attachment 3647177

Being a lifelong woodworker, I never met a bass I didn't want to do something to. Realizing this, I started modding at a young age, including my 1965 candy apple red Jazz (before the collector market was even a gleam in the eye of the rich turds).

I've tried, bought and played production basses, boutique basses, modded basses, customized basses, parts basses, and self-made basses. My great preference is for parts basses.

Custom basses are the most of a shot in the dark. No control over weight nor tone.

Production basses just play meh; the biggest issue for me is the fret size. For example, Fender's new penchant for tall frets makes for a buzzy string action if you want it low. And tall frets just don't play as fast those with lower frets. And they ALL need a fret leveling, adding about $200 to the price. I swear, cheap Mighty Mite necks have better fretwork than 90% of every production bass I've ever had. I could go on.

One of the points I want to make is that when I started all this, even though I knew woodworking, I thought of bass building as some sort of magic-ery. It's not. Production basses are just halfway decent woodworking with some minor electronics in them. Boutique basses take the woodworking an especially the finishing up many notches, but does one really need all that? And even if you do, purchase of good, high quality parts can get you there. With the careful selection of parts, one can get better than boutique-quality basses for sub-$1K. Expect to pay the most for great finishing. But even that's doable: a metalflake job can cost as little as about $350.

I like lightweight basses. Two of my fave self-built basses are sub-7 lbs. They sound killer.

I could say more, but there it is. It's not magic, and nothing to be afraid of. Give it a try.

 

[JRA]

I don’t really buy into the idea that ultra light tuners or hi mass bridges make a difference.

except for weight issues, i'd agree.

These days, I pay money to those with more time and skill. No way I'm competing with a good Luthier

Suppose I want a nonstandard scale length (i.e. longer than 34"), an unlined 2 octave length fretless board in some wood other than maple, rosewood, or ebony, and my own body shape spec and pickup route locations. In other words, no FSOs need apply for the sake of this exercise. Which parts suppliers are my huckleberries?

S.O.L. --- no huckleberries for you!

SactoBass nailed it, as did you: visit your local luthier!

 

[CallMeAl]

except for weight issues, i'd agree.

Yeah, I didn’t mean to imply there are never reasons to change the hardware. But too often NBD = NH(ardware)D, when the Hardware is perfectly functional

 

[Passinwind]

S.O.L. --- no huckleberries for you!

SactoBass nailed it, as did you: visit your local luthier!

In my case, I was able to just select from a a variety of pre-built parts and pieces kicking around in my friend's shop. That meant either taking a body that matched the only non-lined non-maple fretless neck he had on hand, or getting in the long queue to have something built. And then I was given some prototype pickups to try with trade back privileges, which is a pretty sweet deal.

BTW, I've seen at least one of your fretless builds using econo parts, and I'm sure I could rock that pretty happily beyond it not meeting my non FSO prejudice.

 

[John LaTorre]

And here's a not-so-secret tip when attaching a brand new neck to a bass body: put some chapstick (I use Burts Bees) on the screw threads. It helps make the screws go in easier.

Hope that info helps!

Yes, it does! As for the chapstick, my dad taught me about lubing the threads with good old bar soap. It's always worked for me!

 

[John LaTorre]

Niiiiiice!

And I couldn't help smiling when I read "it was so much fun I built two more almost back to back" because after I did my first build, I was hooked and ended up doing three more! I was actually surprised at how much fun it was, and how satisfying and rewarding!

I've felt that way about building acoustic guitars and mandolins. It's addictive ... every time I finish one, I'm thinking, "The next one will be better."