So, here I am, waiting for my new custom built Moonshine bass to be completed and I'm selling off basses and gear to fund it and re-evaluating my rig and what I like and don't like.
In my stupidity....I sold one of the very best P basses I've ever laid hands on. My 2011 Fender American Standard Precision V. Strung with LaBella flats it had that old school vibe and after a little neck shim to allow me some more saddle height adjustment, she played like a million bucks. Was fairly light too, especially for a fiver. Stupidly, I sole 'er and I miss 'er so much.
So I started hunting for a new P pass. A four string this time as the B string with flats on a P bass never just blew me away. It was functional, but I never really rode the B string on the P hard anyway. Mostly played music that didn't require it. I also wanted a good old vintage style P, and that's a 4 banger.
I hunted high and hunted low. I went to every music shop in town. I played P basses from $149 to $3000. Obviously, the high dollar basses were excellent, but I'm not that cash flush. I set my budget to $1000. Figuring I could score a good used American Fender for that, or a new Mexican P. I tried to like the multiple versions of the Mexican stuff. Nothing excited me. I didn't bond with anything. Then I played a beautiful Lake Placid Blue with a tort pick guard Fender 60's Original....oh mamma. I liked it. LPB has long been my favorite Fender color. I even painted a pedal on my board LPB because I love it so much. I was in love. Then....two things jumped out at me. They are serious about the "vintage" part...looks like you have to remove the neck to do a truss rod adjustment. I could be wrong, but there was no cut out in the body to reach the adjuster. The second thing....the price. Nearly $2000! For a P bass. For a P bass that really has nothing special going for it. Just a P bass.
So I went on Warmoth's site and started pricing things.
Yeah...that's expensive, but it's not $2000 and it's EXACTLY what I want in a P bass. Nice big chunky P bass neck (no Jazz bass necks on P basses...YUCK!!). Even got me some LaBella flats ready to string up.
So they say you can't build a Warmoth and save money. We'll see. I think I will end up with bass just as good as the 60's Original for half the price. Yes, I know, it won't have any resell value. But I've learned my lesson....as a bass player in Nashville, you need a P bass. I will always have a P bass.
All the items were in stock except for the neck. I couldn't find one premade with the graphite rods in it. So I'll be waiting 4 to 5 weeks for the neck to be made. Then I'll start bolting things together.
Stay tuned!
In my stupidity....I sold one of the very best P basses I've ever laid hands on. My 2011 Fender American Standard Precision V. Strung with LaBella flats it had that old school vibe and after a little neck shim to allow me some more saddle height adjustment, she played like a million bucks. Was fairly light too, especially for a fiver. Stupidly, I sole 'er and I miss 'er so much.
So I started hunting for a new P pass. A four string this time as the B string with flats on a P bass never just blew me away. It was functional, but I never really rode the B string on the P hard anyway. Mostly played music that didn't require it. I also wanted a good old vintage style P, and that's a 4 banger.
I hunted high and hunted low. I went to every music shop in town. I played P basses from $149 to $3000. Obviously, the high dollar basses were excellent, but I'm not that cash flush. I set my budget to $1000. Figuring I could score a good used American Fender for that, or a new Mexican P. I tried to like the multiple versions of the Mexican stuff. Nothing excited me. I didn't bond with anything. Then I played a beautiful Lake Placid Blue with a tort pick guard Fender 60's Original....oh mamma. I liked it. LPB has long been my favorite Fender color. I even painted a pedal on my board LPB because I love it so much. I was in love. Then....two things jumped out at me. They are serious about the "vintage" part...looks like you have to remove the neck to do a truss rod adjustment. I could be wrong, but there was no cut out in the body to reach the adjuster. The second thing....the price. Nearly $2000! For a P bass. For a P bass that really has nothing special going for it. Just a P bass.
So I went on Warmoth's site and started pricing things.
- LPB standard P body - check
- Maple neck - ooooh wait! ROASTED FLAME MAPLE...oh hell yes!
- Fingerboard - same roasted flame maple (with black dots)
- Tuners - Schallers...can't go wrong
- Bridge - Gotoh vintage
- Pickup - Good old Lindy Fralin
- Wiring - Emerson kit (insanely clean wiring! I'm a stickler for my wiring)
- Pickguard - tort
- Hardware and stuff....all accounted for
Yeah...that's expensive, but it's not $2000 and it's EXACTLY what I want in a P bass. Nice big chunky P bass neck (no Jazz bass necks on P basses...YUCK!!). Even got me some LaBella flats ready to string up.
So they say you can't build a Warmoth and save money. We'll see. I think I will end up with bass just as good as the 60's Original for half the price. Yes, I know, it won't have any resell value. But I've learned my lesson....as a bass player in Nashville, you need a P bass. I will always have a P bass.
All the items were in stock except for the neck. I couldn't find one premade with the graphite rods in it. So I'll be waiting 4 to 5 weeks for the neck to be made. Then I'll start bolting things together.
Stay tuned!
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