Building A Short Scale P Bass

[RodRy]

You're entirely welcome. I don't post a lot of "how to" topics, but try to make them more meat & potatoes than fluffy rice when I do.

If you find the material here helpful be sure to look over the "Fretless 30" topic, too. It's similar, but does have some different ideas presented within the topic. The link to that build topic is contained in the first post of this topic if you missed it.

I play this bass fairly often when I do fill in jobs for a few local bands I am loosely affiliated with and still love the comfortable ergonomics and great sound of a simple P bass setup.

I'm currently playing (and building) 6 string electrics in both nylon and steel strung configurations that have turned out to be super pleasing to me. I am entertaining the idea of making a 4 string bass version using the somewhat unique construction techniques for those guitars, and if I end up doing that project I'd post the process here. I try to only post projects that are different than the usual things you see posted by other folks, and that conceptual bass would fit into that category.

The "formula" for construction of those guitars is posted on the Telecaster forum here:

"Jagsquire", The Utilitarian Short Scale Ultra-light Customizable Homebrew"

Please let us know here if you post another how-to thread. Your work and writing have been well respected and very well liked by many of us.
Thank you so much for what you have given us.

 

[rudy4444]

Please let us know here if you post another how-to thread. Your work and writing have been well respected and very well liked by many of us.
Thank you so much for what you have given us.

Thanks much, RodRy!
If I end up doing a bass version of the Jagsquire it will be posted here. I have a bunch of obligations to knock off before doing that, though.

 

[SomewhatHarmles]

Man, I'm 5 years late to the party.

Just a huge thank you for this thread. It's very close to what I'd love to build for my first bass.

 

[rudy4444]

You're entirely welcome. All the "bass-ics" are here, and you can build almost any permutation with a bit of reading up on instrument design.

Even though this bass is titled in the "P Bass" family, it's a unique one-off design to demonstrate the design and construction process. You could grab one of the many PDFs of a standard P Bass design and utilize all of these techniques to complete a project in a more traditional form, of course.

Notwithstanding, do be sure to peruse many more of the extensive build topics here on Talkbass. There are a whole bunch of innovative and talented folks who often do some great outside-the-box bass builds.