Build: Maple-Nut Triple J (Warmoth, Nordstrand, Audere)

[Doner Designs]

Not sure which is harder, waiting for parts to arrive or knowing I won't have much time to work on this for a few weeks.

This is third of four Warmoths that will replace half a dozen factory basses that I sold.

• One piece chambered walnut body
• High grade flame maple top
• Flame maple neck
• Bocote fingerboard (Mexican rosewood)
• Nordstrand split coil pickups (pair of NJ4SV plus one NJ4SE in middle)
• Audere Pro Z preamp
• Babicz bridge
• Hipshot Ultralights

The neck pickup is in the standard position and the far-bridge is in the 70's position. The middle pickup is a tad closer to the neck than a standard J position and a slightly darker pickup will go in that slot for a beefy but still "bridgey" solo bridge tone.

Out of the box pictures below - she arrived yesterday.

 

[Doner Designs]

A little bit of progress this weekend, both positive and negative. Broke off a pickup screw in the body and scraped the surface in a place or two - correctable but a pain.

 

[scourgeofgod]

Broke off a pickup screw in the body and scraped the surface in a place or two

Well what did you do that for?

 

[Immigrant]

That body and neck are stunning! drool

 

[Doner Designs]

Well what did you do that for?

A combination of impatience and stupidity I guess. The pickup screw holes Warmoth put there seem to be more like markers than they are pilot holes. Need to be drilled out, especially in harder woods. Broke one of the pickup covers too.

Now I have to wait for a new cover and a special extractor drill bit to arrive before I can finish. Very irritated with myself.

 

[Doner Designs]

That body and neck are stunning! drool

Thanks! Neck was in the showcase but body was custom ordered. The top was from the unique choice inventory - the only way us bass players can know exactly what the body is going to look like (well the top anyhow). This top was one of the few to have lots of figuring, both vertical and horizontal. Unfortunately Warmoth has hundreds of guitar bodies in the showcase but only a handful of bass bodies.

 

[DerekW]

Yeah, slow down. That body is too beautiful to be messing up!

 

[Doner Designs]

Well I got the broken screw out, patched the hole, redrilled and installed the covers. Kudos to Nordstrand for sending me a new cover for free.

Shielded the cavity while watching TV last night.

 

[DerekW]

What's your electronics setup/controls going to be?

 

[Doner Designs]

What's your electronics setup/controls going to be?

Audere Pro-Z four band preamp. Controls on the pre are Volume, Blend, Hi-Mid/Lo-Mid, Treble/Bass and Z mode switch. The second switch is a three way toggle between the two bridge pickups (or to use both). The two bridge pickups are on one side of the blender.

The pickups in the traditional positions are NJ4SV. The one in the middle is an NJ4SE which has a darker/deeper tone which should make that one good for a solo bridge tone.

 

[Kaden Daniels]

That woood combination go great together really great

 

[mfbolton]

This is a beautiful and intelligent build. I like it very much.

 

[Bob_Ross]

Controls on the pre are Volume, Blend, Hi-Mid/Lo-Mid, Treble/Bass and Z mode switch.

What's a "Z mode switch"?

btw, looks gorgeous, and your electronics setup seems really versatile.

 

[Doner Designs]

What's a "Z mode switch"?

btw, looks gorgeous, and your electronics setup seems really versatile.

Thanks! The Z mode thing is unique to Audere - probably patented. Founder David Meadows is a genius. They have a good description on their website. Basically he changes the impedance of the pickups somehow. The Z mode switch is a quick way to vary between standard, a darker and a brighter tone. The darker tone gives you a bass boost without any mud. It's a nice feature.

 

[MobileHolmes]

That's a gorgeous neck my only gripe with warmoth is that I ordered an Birdseye neck a few years ago that I didn't think was worth the extra 25 bucks or whatever it was (it just wasn't very figured). But your flame is stunning

 

[Doner Designs]

That's a gorgeous neck my only gripe with warmoth is that I ordered an Birdseye neck a few years ago that I didn't think was worth the extra 25 bucks or whatever it was (it just wasn't very figured). But your flame is stunning

Thanks! It is scary spending a lot and not seeing it first. I usually get necks from the showcase for that reason (plus the discount). With a custom body, I have done unique choice with 3 out of 4 because I don't want to risk a so-so top on a $800 body.

Guitar players are lucky. There are probably 500 showcase strat bodies compared to just a few basses.

 

[Doner Designs]

That woood combination go great together really great

Thanks! I really like the look of contrasting tops/cores and necks/bodies.

 

[Doner Designs]

This is a beautiful and intelligent build. I like it very much.

Thank you sir. I'm intrigued by the "intelligent" comment. Does this relate to any particular aspect (pickup selection and placement for example), or just the whole package overall.

 

[mfbolton]

Thank you sir. I'm intrigued by the "intelligent" comment. Does this relate to any particular aspect (pickup selection and placement for example), or just the whole package overall.

Mostly in regards to the electronics setup. I like the versatility it should give you. I like basses that can cover a lot of sonic ground.

 

[Doner Designs]

Mostly in regards to the electronics setup. I like the versatility it should give you. I like basses that can cover a lot of sonic ground.

Thanks. I do tend to favor three pickup basses and four band preamps for that reason (and to be a little further off the beaten path). This my other triple and the last and final (for now) is in the Warmoth paint shop.