Berry Oakley Tractor Bass Replica Build

[VegasCustom]

One more post for today:
I'm about to begin a Tractor bass replica to honor Berry Oakley and The Allbman Brothers Band (my favorite band). Alder body blank should arrive in about 3 weeks. But I might jump the gun and use another alder body blank I have thats meant for another project for an early start.
I have a template for the bisonic pickup I made and everything else ready. Will wire with 2 seperate circuits cleanly wired through a stereo jack.
Some questions......
1) is a sunburst paint job something I should have MUCH more experience before trying or is it easier than it looks? I'm not against a stripped body look anyway which technically could be done with any color or no color at all.
2)what amps did he use for each circuit? Does anyone know? (filmore show tone is my goal)
3) Are the J pickups wired like a humbucker or two single coils? Overkill to just have a push-pull that can accomplish both? (thats prob what I'll do)
4)I'm skipping the bound neck and block inlays, skills arent there yet. Any sugesstion for how to improve? Maybe make pine necks with 2x4 as practice?
5) Any info at all on the knob settings both on guitar and on both amps?
6) Anyone want to start a gofundme to find and return the second Tractor Bass to the Oakley family?

 

[Beej]

Seen this P version yet? https://www.talkbass.com/threads/modding-a-p-into-a-p-tractor.956859/

The OP hasn't been back to TB since 2020, but there's some good info in there.

 

[Bryce Van Parys]

VegasCustom:
Did you get through your build? I just completed one myself, but had to cry uncle to my luthier on the wiring to get them all to work in series correctly. I'm chomping at the bit to get it in time for tomorrow night's build

I took a Squier bass with good neck and body. I bought the Curtis Novak Bisonic (Dark Star) pickup with coil tap. He also made me 2 single coil jazz bridge pickups RWRP (reverse wired reverse polarity. I put them on a vol/blend/tone. the three pickups are working in series with a tone pot for the bisonic, and a separate one for the jazz pair.

I'll put up the wiring schematic for those interested. It seems there is little to no info out there on this particular set up

Bryce

 

[VegasCustom]

Oh yea definitely interested in pics and schematics of your build!
And its still a work in progress. I am building entirely from scratch. The body and pickguard are finished and the body has a finish. I made a dot neck and then decided I wanted a block and binding neck instead. Then I decided it simply needed both. Block neck in progress. Another hiccup was getting a few commission builds that have to be done first. And another hiccup? Im building, all at once, the following:
-Red Special
-Tiger
-Wolf
-Gator
-Tractor Bass Replica as close to identical as can be done
-Van Halens Frankenstrat
-More Leland Sklar P Bass replicas
-Fender 12 replica which requires manufacturing everything aside from the tuners from scratch
-PRS Super Eagle replica
-PRS Dead Spec Silver Sky replica
And will one day add
-Phil Leshes famous old semi hollow bass
-Mickey Harts Beam

Today was some work on a few designs of my own that I'm building for working concepts. Includes custom pickups and bridges.. the whole thing.
Then I made a ton of vaneer out of quilted maple after tuning up my bandsaw for resawing for the Irwin/Garcia replicas.

I swear, one day this will all be complete. And all will be available on loan to cover bands across the world, or really anyone that wants a month or two with one.