Behold my creation! Share your frankenbasses!

[Stempelloos]

Wow, I've never heard of a (successful) truss rod transplant before!

It was quite a job. Next thing is a good shim, because the neck pocket is sort of worn,
causing high action an intonation problems. The bridge saddles can't go further to the back, but intonation requires it.

 

[Member8675309]

I guess I went for a more subdued look. I took some wood off the body, reshaped the horns, thinned the body by 1/4", wired it to 1962 specs w/tonerider pickups, added a music man bridge and Gibson cover, and shaped the pick guard. Want to throw another pickup in it, just not sure where or what kind yet.

 

[lowphatbass]

Here's an '83 Bullet with a pair of single coil P's.

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[Finnigan's wake]

...to be continued... please follow this build in its thread

 

[nitrobrother]

So let me ask you Frankenbassists a question about this project I've been hauling around for 35 years. In '82 I bought this Global P-bass from a slime-dog brother-in-law for a whopping $25. It was already torn apart, the neck has a slight twist to it and the frets were (literally) ripped out. I bought black-chrome tuners and bridge and the project kinda stalled out while I pondered the question of life, the universe and everything. Or something like that.

Here's the question: Should I get the neck fixed and "restore" this fine piece of Japanese copierishness (look THAT one up!) or Frankenbass it with a thinned body, J neck, a P-J pup setup, paint it some wicked charcoal metallic pearl thang, and go nuts with it?

 

[lowphatbass]

Here's the question: Should I get the neck fixed and "restore" this fine piece of Japanese copierishness (look THAT one up!) or Frankenbass it with a thinned body, J neck, a P-J pup setup, paint it some wicked charcoal metallic pearl thang, and go nuts with it?

View attachment 2772983 View attachment 2772995

The neck looks pretty rough, probably not worth the expense of trying to fix..on the other hand, a fret less neck can be a little more forgiving when it comes to twists and other irregularities....just food for thought.
Good luck!

 

[mikeyjm2]

Here's the question: Should I get the neck fixed and "restore" this fine piece of Japanese copierishness (look THAT one up!) or Frankenbass it with a thinned body, J neck, a P-J pup setup, paint it some wicked charcoal metallic pearl thang, and go nuts with it?

I'd go with option 2 rather than trying to restore it.

 

[jhb138]

My Frankie. Squier Tele bass body & pup, no-name lefty neck. (And custom headstock decal by @nerkoids)

 

[mikewalker]

...Want to throw another pickup in it, just not sure where or what kind yet.

I would put in another P closer to the neck, but make it a reverse P

 

[jhb138]

Here's an '83 Bullet with a pair of single coil P's.

• View attachment 2769834 View attachment 2769835 View attachment 2769836

I'd love to hear more about that pickup.

 

[Korladis]

Wow, I've never heard of a (successful) truss rod transplant before!

It's not a common feature (although it should be), but some instruments have removable truss rods.

 

[Korladis]

The Peavey at center started life as a cheap P-bass copy.

Mods include a Badass2 bridge and a RIC high gain pickup.

 

[kiripunk]

Squier Affinity PJ body drilled for string through option, Fender American Deluxe Bridge, SD Bassline PJ set, Standard 2011 MIM neck (sanded down back). Cheap pearloid pickguard. Had the wiring checked by my luthier.

Frankenbass

• kiripunk
• Sep 9, 2016
• fender parts seymour duncan

Here what I'll be assembling next Am. Std 2015-16 Body, Am. Pro Pickups, Fender Player Series Precision Neck.

 

[Yammybass]

I've done 3, but this 3rd one is the one I'm happiest with and occasionally gig:

View attachment 2759689

Pure simplicity very nice.

 

[Axstar]

This is a work in progress!

 

[lowphatbass]

This is a work in progress!

View attachment 3097662

Looks Buck-o-licious!

 

[MaglorOnBass]

Here’s mine. I call it “The Philosopher.”

I started with a cheap P-bass copy made by “Johnson.” I talked the price down to $88.

Modifications:

- Gotoh 201-b4 high mass bridge.

- Black Fender/Squire pickguard dremmeled and filed to fit. Body holes filled and drilled to accommodate the traditional 13 hole screw configuration, rather than the original 9.

- Seymour Duncan quarter pound pickup.

- Maple Jazz bass copy neck with block inlays and no binding. All holes except for the tuner holes needed to be drilled. Neck needed shimming both behind and to the left and right. Nut needed filing.

- Headstock: Hipshot Ultralight tuners, bushings modified to fit holes that were too large. Original Johnson string retainer. Vinyl “Philosopher’s Stone” decal (from alchemy, not Harry Potter).

Overall weight is about 8.5lbs. Perfectly balanced. Comfortable to play. Sounds great. Total cost: $350.

 

[cm3ohana]

All my basses are parts basses. The most unusual build is the 3-pickup Jag. I approached each with a specific intent in mind with the last build being the Jag which is my “go to” bass.

 

[GrapeBass]

She started out as a P-Slab w/schecter neck and parts (body is custom made). I had added the J-Bass p/ups and electronics (incl. a switchable preamp). Neck is Godin.

 

[327]

I had been wanting a Geddy neck for a while but was unsure of what I wanted to put it on. Then it clicked... on a LPB Precision. It's a 2012 stock MIM P body with a Geddy Lee signature neck. I lucked out and was able to get the action nice and low, and the pickup actually sounds amazing. It plays like a dream and looks incredible in person. The color really pops in the sun, so that's why I am including a pic from a gig.

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