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Custom Design, recommendations?

GoatGruff

GoatGruff

Feb 4, 2007
160
3
Bloomington, IL
www.myspace.com
#1
I have been toying around with this bass design for a while. I think I finally have it close to what I would call perfect hah (IMHO). I have been working on guitars for years, hardware and electronics replacements, adjustments, ect. but i dont have the equipment, skill, or recources to actually build an instrument. especially like this.

So, to the point of this thread. Not only would I like feedback on the design, I am also looking for someone who would be interested in building it.

Here are the basics:

34.5" Scale Neck-Thru 4-String

Figured Bubinga Body with Mahogany Core

5-Piece Wenge/Ovangkol Neck

Natural Satin Finish

Ebony Fingerboard (16"-20" Compound Radius)

26 Jumbo Brass Frets (with zero fret)

ABM Adjustable Brass Nut

Hipshot type A Brass .750 string spacing (string-thru body)

Hipshot Ultralite tuners with X-Tender on low E

Schaller Locking Strap Buttons

2 Basslines SMB-4 alnico 3-coil MM-Style Pickups

Aguilar 18volt OBP-3SK/PP: Volume and Blend pots, Stacked Treble/Bass pot and separate Mid pot. Mid pot push/pull for Midrange frequency selection

2 three-way mini-toggle coil switches (series/parallel/single coil)

Buzz Feiten Tuning System


I have the actual design for the body shape, I just need to scan it. I will post it as soon as i can.
 
#4
I like the wood choices, going to be a little on the mid-bright side with subtle low mid overtone. A lot of people like zero frets. The Basslines would sound good, and the aguilar is always good choice. All in all I think you might have a good sounding bass. It wouldn't be cheap, I can tell you that. Most good luthiers should be able to do it, in my shop it would run $2000 + area.
 
#5
I'm prepared to spend a decent amount on this. I never expected it to be cheap. I know nicely figured bubinga is expensive, and that wenge can be also.

A bright midrange strong sound is exactly what I like. The wood choices, if you couldn't tell, were some what inspired by the woods warwick uses. I really love the sound of thumbs, but they are almost too bright. i just always wished it was a little smoother in the low end. thats why I decided to go with a mahogany core instead of like solid bubinga.

And I just recently played both the a MusicMan HH, and a Warwick Corvette Double Buck, and i loved the sound of the 2 humbuckers. its so huge. I can only imagine what it would sound like on these kinds of woods, as opposed to the ash bodies both the MM and wick had. I think it will be a really interesting mix.

also am I the only one that thinks warwick is stupid for changing there standard nut from the adjustable brass ABM, to the big unsightly plastic ones they have now?
 
#6
The mahogany core will have a slight dampening effect, but on a neck through, it will be less than say a set neck or bolt on. You could smooth out the bottom end by doing something like Padauk and walnut or Chechen and Padauk, Maybe Morado and Mahogany....there are so many combinations you could go for, but if it's Warwicks you like, then Wenge and Bubinga is the classic Warwick, Ovangkol/Shedua came later. Those will give you that sound or atleast something close. Remember, though, Warwicks use MEC pick-ups and electronics, and those play a big part in that sound
 
#7
what do you mean by dampening effect exaclty?

my bass teacher i had for many years had a 1997 thumb I believe. and it had the wenge/bubinga neck. I really liked the feel of the wenge neck, that open grain just felt nice to the hands hah. and you can definetly tell a difference in tone between the newer warwicks with the ovangkol necks, and classic wenge necks. I really prefer the wenge neck. I understand though that wenge became more expensive, so it pretty much became less practical to use in necks.
 
#8
Dampening....I mean it will calm some of the resonance at frequency by being a softer wood mated to a much harder one. As for Wenge being expensive, it's upwrds of $12 - $13 a board ft, and quartersawn is even higher. It's not quite in the ebony or Camitillo range, but it isn't cheap...LOL
 
#9
So would you recommend something else as a core wood? I definetly want to keep the bubinga though. but if you think something else would compliment the buginga better than mahogany, then i'd definetly like to hear your thoughts.

Also when I say core, I'm thinking of a body that is mostly bubinga, with a small strip of core wood. enough to effect the tone some, but still have the sound of mostly bubinga. Like I said I figured having a bit of softer wood in the center would tone down some of the brightness of the bubinga.
 
#10
On a Neck Through, the body isn't that much of a factor, the neck and the electronics will be the functional basis of the sound. You can do most anything body wise, and still retain "that" sound. Maybe 1/2" Bubinga top and Back, and 5/8 Mahogany with maple veneers between the bubinga and Mahogany for definition of color. Just an Idea.
 
#11
Musiclogic said:
On a Neck Through, the body isn't that much of a factor, the neck and the electronics will be the functional basis of the sound. You can do most anything body wise, and still retain "that" sound.
Click to expand...

Yeah, thats always what I've sort of thought. I guess it's sort of common sense, seeing as how the bridge, the pups, the frets, the nut, and the tuners are all mounted to the neck wood. The body wood would work more like a seasoning to the over all sound.

hah like steak will always taste like steak, but but will have a little variaton depending on how you season it.

is that a good analogy?
 
#13
GoatGruff said:
Yeah, thats always what I've sort of thought. I guess it's sort of common sense, seeing as how the bridge, the pups, the frets, the nut, and the tuners are all mounted to the neck wood. The body wood would work more like a seasoning to the over all sound.

hah like steak will always taste like steak, but but will have a little variaton depending on how you season it.

is that a good analogy?
Click to expand...


Excellent analogy, unless you want to get into specific cuts of steak, then we might have to elaborate...LMAO:D
 
#14
buzz feiten tuning systems work just the same with or without a zero fret. So im confused by your statement.

From the Buzz Feiten Website.

Can the tuning system be installed on fretted stringed instrument with a zero fret (like the Mobius, MTD Basses, or selected models of Warr Guitars) ?

Yes. In these cases, the zero fret is positioned exactly the same as the BFTS Shelf Nut in accordance with the BFTS specifications for a particular guitar; the repositioning of the zero fret produces the exact same effect as the installation of our Shelf Nut. In addition, with the zero fret performing the specific purpose of nut repositioning, the BFTS Shelf Nut can still be used behind the zero fret for string spacing (you still need a nut for this) and to display the BFTS Logo.
Click to expand...

hah but im not going to use the BFTS bone nut.

Though in an email today Matt Schmill, from FBB Customs, did bring up a good point. That it was pointless to have the adjustable nut with the zero fret. but in my defense I decided on the adjustable nut before I decided to add a zero fret. hahah and at the time i didnt think about it.
 

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