Budget Bass VI Conversion

[RBS_Johnson]

That's a Silvertone... I had a tobacco sunburst model with an even darker tort PG. For the record, those pickups actually sound pretty good and the neck was always dead straight...

Was Silvertone made in Japan in this era? I love the red burst. I had no problems with the neck, and I had it strung up in B. I like the pickups, they are staying. But I also have two Gibson bass humbuckers that will join them

-Jake

 

[RBS_Johnson]

Did a quick mock up this morning. Phase I will just be the neck and bridge with the stock pickups to get a feel for how they sound though.

I think the black finish will get stripped off the neck(headstock face needs it to cover the old tuner holes. The headstock will get rounded some so it doesn't clash with the body as bad. Likely stain the neck and finish it with tru oil.

-Jake

 

[twocargar]

Here are a couple of shots of my Kay “4001” Bass VI build prototype. Still working placement out. I’ve got some string trees ordered and I need to fill 2 holes in the headstock and figure out a design for said headstock.

 

[RBS_Johnson]

Here are a couple of shots of my Kay “4001” Bass VI build prototype. Still working placement out. I’ve got some string trees ordered and I need to fill 2 holes in the headstock and figure out a design for said headstock.

Looking pretty good. It's a little late now, but if you had left the full headstock I think that would have been a good candidate for 4+2 bass tuners(Gibson used six bass tuners on their bass VI competitor). As it is, I would think something Ric inspired for the headstock, probably cut to the "cresting wave" design on top.

What strings are you using? I think I need to try Schecter Hellcat strings. How do your strings seem to like being string through? I've got the option in mine, but never did it.

-Jake

 

[twocargar]

Thanks. I'm using D'Addario EXL156, but the bridge is not strung through the body. Since I'm using parts I already had in my parts boneyard/bin, I went with the 3x3 tuners. It's an SX 30" bass neck, but seems to be working out well. I had to glue and shape some wood to the butt-end of the neck as the original Kay neck (truss rod is stripped) has a weird extended piece that fits under the pickguard and butts up against the neck pickup.

 

[RBS_Johnson]

Thanks. I'm using D'Addario EXL156, but the bridge is not strung through the body. Since I'm using parts I already had in my parts boneyard/bin, I went with the 3x3 tuners. It's an SX 30" bass neck, but seems to be working out well. I had to glue and shape some wood to the butt-end of the neck as the original Kay neck (truss rod is stripped) has a weird extended piece that fits under the pickguard and butts up against the neck pickup.

I saw that strat type saddles and assumed. Completely missed the multicolored ball ends I believe those Ric copies did that to emulate the feel of a Ric neck through as best they could with bolt on necks.

Let me know how you like those strings. I ran Ernie ball strings that the E was a 90, and I want heavier for next time. I generally run XLs as my default strings.

 

[Tom0Blam0]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but any updates on these? Interested in something similar.