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Cheap PBass Copy for Modding??

B

BluesyRocker

Aug 22, 2009
76
0
#1
I want a Pbass project, too keep me busy. Anyone got any recommendations, want to buy a second hand cheapie and do it up, custom pickups etc. in your opinion which of the cheaper brands will work well. Theres a second hand SX in local Hock Shop for just over $100.00. People keep telling me its a waste of time and money but , since i refurbished my old Ibanez I'm getting addicted too working on guitars. Love the satisfaction when they are finally completed :bassist:
 
#6
Qua-ditto.

SX.

I wouldnt mod a Matsumoko.They are usually right on the money anyway.Plus,the extra money spent on one will buy you alot of modding parts for an SX.

Just my opinion,no offense to Knifemaker intended.

Edit> I am a notoriously broke/cheap bastard.For me, a Matsu bass is a bit expensive for modding. Your mileage/depth of pocket may vary.
 
#8
BluesyRocker said:
I want a Pbass project, too keep me busy. Anyone got any recommendations, want to buy a second hand cheapie and do it up, custom pickups etc. in your opinion which of the cheaper brands will work well. Theres a second hand SX in local Hock Shop for just over $100.00. People keep telling me its a waste of time and money but , since i refurbished my old Ibanez I'm getting addicted too working on guitars. Love the satisfaction when they are finally completed :bassist:
Click to expand...

SX or Squier Affinity would be great for modding. You can get new SXs for less than $100 since Rondo often has blowouts and special deals on B stock basses. As for the Squiers, I can usually find at least a couple at my local Music-Go-Round for under a $100. A waste of money would be buying an MIA Fender and then modding it. Not so with a cheapie... and time spent learning how to mod is never a waste.
 
#9
Agreed all around, even about the Aria. Some of those are dirt-cheap. Like the OP, I started with an Ibanez, modded it beyond recognition and was bit with the bug. SX's (not the lemons) are awesome platforms for modding. And a P is almost religious in its simplicity. I'm sniffing around for a white P to mod right now - I'm obsessed with finding out how a Villex pup would sound on a fretless SX P.
 
#10
5StringBlues said:
Qua-ditto.

SX.

I wouldnt mod a Matsumoko.They are usually right on the money anyway.Plus,the extra money spent on one will buy you alot of modding parts for an SX.

Just my opinion,no offense to Knifemaker intended.

Edit> I am a notoriously broke/cheap bastard.For me, a Matsu bass is a bit expensive for modding. Your mileage/depth of pocket may vary.
Click to expand...

Consider resale value. The modded Mat :) will hold it's value if you buy it at a reasonable price. Look how well modded SX's do being resold downstairs. :hmm:
 
#12
5StringBlues said:
Good point,as long as the modding doesnt involve too much body hacking. ;)
Click to expand...

Any modding must be done right. If you don't have the tools and machinery to do something like a pickup route.......DONT DO IT!! :D

All I'm trying to say is the two Matsumoku basses I modded, didn't cost that much to buy. What I have now are basses with some soul that would hang with ANY American factory bass.
 
#15
Thanks for the feedback ppls, I think Ill start with the sx, there seem to be plenty around. By the way Im an Aussie so the $100 price porbably works out at about $80 u.s depending on the exchange rate, good to see there are a lot of modders on here :). Now another question how far should I go? my last mod was mainly body refinishing, I think this time Ill go all out with hardware mods, pickups, electrics, bridge, machine heads etc.

heres my first one.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I love this guitar, only thing thats letting down at the moment is the single coil is getting a bit old and scratchy, I took it my local guy who told me not too bother trying to change pickups in it cause i would never find a lipstick style one for it and it wont be worth the trouble too Route out the body to put pbass style pickups etc. into it. Im seriously thinking about taking it to a Luthier and getting it routed, its such a nice guitar too play.
 
#17
BluesyRocker said:
Thanks for the feedback ppls, I think Ill start with the sx, there seem to be plenty around. By the way Im an Aussie so the $100 price porbably works out at about $80 u.s depending on the exchange rate, good to see there are a lot of modders on here :). Now another question how far should I go? my last mod was mainly body refinishing, I think this time Ill go all out with hardware mods, pickups, electrics, bridge, machine heads etc.

heres my first one.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I love this guitar, only thing thats letting down at the moment is the single coil is getting a bit old and scratchy, I took it my local guy who told me not too bother trying to change pickups in it cause i would never find a lipstick style one for it and it wont be worth the trouble too Route out the body to put pbass style pickups etc. into it. Im seriously thinking about taking it to a Luthier and getting it routed, its such a nice guitar too play.
Click to expand...
In the future, avoid the guy you took it to, his lack of basic knowledge would steer me away from his services for good.

You can find one, this is the age of google. Even if you can't find one in your price range or in the time frame you want, you can easily have your existing pickup rewound for the sound you want without having to route...
 

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