Assembling your own basses vs buying production basses vs modding

[Thum5b]

Production bass with mods, pretty much every bass I buy gets a Hipshot d tuner and EMG pickups.

 

[Tom Bomb]

I have an each-way bet — noting that, in practical terms, I'm bordering on clueless — that the character doing all the building knows a great deal more than me. Saves a lot of hassles. And I haven't lost a bet yet

 

[andruca]

After 30+ years playing I own just a bunch of keeper basses nowadays. At my highest I used to own a dozen avg. Now I'm shrinking to 5 that have A REASON, a merit of their own each. I own a couple Sringray5s (my main bass since forever, 10 years in I bought a second specimen -both ceramic-). Those are keepers forever. After searching a skinny neck 5er that'd serve me well for occasional Fender like duties (minus the sketchyness of dealing with Fender) I've finally settled in with a Schecter CV-5 (sweet mid-budget instrument, looks, feels, plays and sounds not a cent cheaper than my Rays). Then I have this very cheap P-bass kit I got as a gift in early 2016 and has been a work in progress that eventually became a 5 string fretless reverse P+J that got me back to fretless (once my main gig) after 16 years (God bless LaBella LTFs!).

Now I'm looking into a Rockbass StarBass 5 to close the lineup (while selling an Epi Viola bass -unused for years-). I'm even contemplating buying a lefty and convert it as these are half the price (new or used, not much of a difference, you see them for 1000€ at stores, people sell them for 850€ used, no way I'm paying that much for a Chinese Rockbass, 1000€ is used German Corvette/Thumb BO range here).

I'm probably no more than a modest DIYer for Adam Carolla's standards (sw consulting pays the bills but I've usually been handy at manual labor and "educated" -can use many tools, basic woodworking, A/C, electrode welding, basic electronics, etc.-). I started skating longboards almost 10 years ago, around 35 (after really sucking on popsicles when 20 years before) and almost immediately I started building my own decks and making some for friends and even selling some, went on to achieve great technically solid products.

I have all my instruments mostly stock. Now, I've always been familiar with guitar electronics, have installed preamps, pickups and other upgrades for people several times over the years and I've made some extra cash for years doing guitar/bass tech work. I'm neither educated nor brave enough to try too invasive mods on anything. Still, a few years ago I did the only mod I'd ever dare to my Ray 5ers, both have a switch that toggles between coils when used in the single+phantom coil position of the coil tap (center). It's only bridge-side coil stock, you can choose which on mine (it also reverses the phantom coil so it still cancels hum). This is a reversible mod (should just require some soldering and a pickguard replacement).

My kind of experience was enough to make the extensive modding process that took place in the red bass on the right (back then still fretted) pleasing and "safe" enough. Electronically it's simple too, VVT + S1 (series/parallel, the P volume is a push-pull). This is how it looks today...

I bought a "parts" Jazz for 38€ some months ago. Neck was useless and body was a miscut "homage" to a Jazz Bass (both soon to become wall hangers). BUT, all hardware and electronics were OK, so I've got a body and neck (50€ all from AliExpress) coming my way to make something pretty out of it (and probably donate it to somebody who really needs it). Also in the process of restoring a crappy (and also rather neglected) Kramer short scale/single PU guitar I got from my sister (after years of it wandering around her home).

So, in conclusion, 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. If I do the aforementioned StarBass conversion from lefty to right handed it'd be my most expensive and invasive mod of an instrument (at about 500€, even tho' it'd save me another 500€ I'd have to spend to have a right handed one).

 

[Nashrakh]

I'm usually quite happy with my production basses. The worst I did was swap out a pickup once. The rest is mostly cosmetic like ash trays on a P. Slapped a ramp on my Ibanez too, and a neck shim and some fret work... but those aren't strictly mods.

 

[Jscriv]

I like to do all of the above depending on brand. I've loved all ym EBMMs. But fenders.....I can't leave fenders alone. Either I get them whole and replace or I buy parts and assemble. I've had a CIJ geddy neck for what seems like 15 years or so now that never leaves. The parts around it change.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Are those bridge-mount tuners?

Yep!TC Unitunes clipped to the bridge screws.
I get a better reading on the bridge.

 

[retslock]

Until I started playing 5 strings, a passive Precision was all I ever needed or wanted. Mine served me well for around 30 years. Playing 5 started me on a quest to find “the one”. It turned out that an American Deluxe was not the answer. I didn’t like the string spacing so now I play a bits bass with an Allparts neck and a custom made body based on a P but with a deeper cutaway. It suits me very well and the Nordstrand Big Splits have a P type sound so I’m happy.
I have another 5 string neck based on a Stingray design and a MM style pickup so my next project is to build a P/Stingray style hybrid with the pickup in the Precision location. I’ve always thought the standard MM pickup location is too close to the bridge and sounds too hard.

 

[retslock]

Yes, if resale value is an important aspect to the owner, then other options may be more prudent. As stated in my OP, resale value happens to be of zero importance to me at this point in my life.

Ditto. I never ever acquired a bass with resale value in mind.

 

[JakobT]

All my basses are production basses left stock, except for my AmStd P, which has got a detuner (necessitated by the vocal register of the singer in one of the bands I’m in) and a different pickguard. My needs are fairly simple, and I usually only buy basses that come more or less like I want them from the manufacturer.

 

[Logic_11]

of course

Any advice you'd give to someone planning on modding their bass? Ive been thinking about doing some heavy modding to one of my basses, but its kinda scary

 

[CallMeAl]

Any advice you'd give to someone planning on modding their bass? Ive been thinking about doing some heavy modding to one of my basses, but its kinda scary

Realize that any mod is a gamble. Treat it as a learning experience. Pick up a squier Affinity to practice on.

I’m in the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it club....” I don’t really buy into the idea that ultra light tuners or hi mass bridges make a difference. I like tangible mods (changing neck profiles, swapping single coil for split coil pickups, etc,) or fun cosmetic mods (pickguards, knobs, etc)

good luck!

 

[CallMeAl]

The ‘no compromise’! - must have 1.5 (somewhat thin profile) necks
Just discovered short-scales aren’t for me (at least cheaper production models aren’t)
The fewer knobs/pickups-the better (aka the @alanloomis1980 club)

What an honor!

I have been thinking we need a “J neck P bass Club” around here....

 

[Ric5]

Any advice you'd give to someone planning on modding their bass? Ive been thinking about doing some heavy modding to one of my basses, but its kinda scary

You have to know your limitations, you have to think about what can go wrong, and what if the mod makes the bass worse?

Is the mod reversible, or can you take the mod in a different direction.

I sometimes will try different pickups, different bridges, necks, electronics, etc … on my basses before it is right

 

[Brian D]

Definitely prefer production basses, with mods if necessary. I have a bass I put together about a decade ago and it took a lot of tweaking and a few iterations before I was happy with it. You never know what the sum is until all parts are together.

 

[Brian D]

Any advice you'd give to someone planning on modding their bass? Ive been thinking about doing some heavy modding to one of my basses, but its kinda scary

Don't just mod it aimlessly, you could throw hundreds into a bass easily. If there is something not right with it (tuning/bridge stability) then deal with that, or perhaps if you want a better/more refined sound change out pickups or electronics.

When doing mods you should take into account the bass that you are doing it to. Is it an older or vintage instrument? Perhaps reconsider then. Also, if you're modding the bass way beyond what it currently is then perhaps that is not the right bass for you.

Sometimes the best mod is a good setup from an experienced tech or luthier.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I built two Rickenbacker bass clones from scratch, neither available off the shelf in the exact configuration I wanted them, and it also gave me a chance to fix some design flaws inherent to the originals. I went into it thinking I'd save a little off the retail price of a genuine Ric, but by the time you factor in tools and materials, that went out the window, at least on the first bass. The second one was marginally more cost effective. Genuine Ric parts are expensive, and really only one or two sources exist. By comparison, any Fender style build has access to literally thousands of vendors for every conceivable part, like a giant candy store. Modding a production bass won't increase the value, often actually decreases it, but if you don't care about resale, that's the most cost effective route, the economy of scale in a mass produced bass is huge. I've built a few parts basses using Warmoth parts, which are superb, the end result was exactly what I wanted, but it cost more than an off the shelf bass. Building basses from scratch is deeply satisfying in a way I can't explain, put a dollar value on that?

 

[PWRL]

I generally just buy production instruments, but I'm open to other things. I've swapped necks around and done slight modifications to things, and one of my basses I purchased already modified. In fact with that one, one of the reasons I bought it was because it had been improved, in my opinion, or at least turned into something interesting. I've always toyed with the idea of assembling something out of parts, but I feel like I'd never be able to make my mind up about any of it. Knowing myself, I'd probably wind up with a big pile of expensive parts that I'd never use for anything and wind up selling at a loss.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Any advice you'd give to someone planning on modding their bass? Ive been thinking about doing some heavy modding to one of my basses, but its kinda scary

Why do you want to modify? I read of too many people here who talk about modding a bass before I is even in their hands.

Unless you are doing a build from scratch, buy something as close to what you want as possible. Then play it. Determine what (if anything) you think need a improvng. That will put you in a better position to ask a better (and more specific) question.

 

[mikeyjm2]

I picked the top 3 choices.

1. Started with only purchased / all stock basses and did that for years.

2. Got on TB and started playing around w/ modding.

3. Graduated from #2 to assembling from parts. I've done 3 basses total now: 2 Ps and 1 J. The 2nd P is the one I was happiest with:

Having a couple of kids (1 in college full time) is currently precluding me from delving further into any new assemblies but I'll get back to it one of these days. I credit TB for giving me the bug (and info) to assemble.

 

[micguy]

Both are definitely genuine Warmoth necks confirmed by them after sending some pictures.
The sharp edges is relative. I didn't notice it until I'd had the fretless board leveled, epoxied and the whole neck refinished.

OK, now it makes some sense - when you removed material from the fretless fingerboard, you "unrolled" it - if you removed more matrial than the radius that was there, you would indeed have a sharp edge.

You shouldn't need to send pictures to determine if a neck is a Warmoth - under the heel, there's a very obvious stamp. You probably know this; this is for others reading along.