- Sep 26, 2005
- 1,955
- 641
- Disclosures
- endorsing artist: Dean guitars, Marshall , Rotosound strings
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Silly me...I forgot to link this here! 
Details are in the link to my Fender Blacktop Jazz's original thread.
Details are in the link to my Fender Blacktop Jazz's original thread.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,015
- 1
- 31,728
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Silly me...I forgot to link this here!
Great pic!
Looks like you need to yank that neck to the left a bit.
Is it normal to have that much "extra" space between the strings and the edge of the fretboard?
Thanks!
As for the spacing, it's actually fine. If you look at the aspect of the face dots, they're leaning a little to the right, which means I was not perfectly lined up when I snapped that pic. To include a little outside verification, between the time I added that neck and took those pictures, I'd let a professional bassist noodle around on it for about an hour. The action was higher than she was used to...no surprise, since we're built very differently...but there were no complaints about the neck being shifted too far to either side.
That being said, I did have to ever-so-slightly sand down the neck heel so it would fit. Squier Standard necks are almost always a millimeter or two too wide at the heel to fit most modern Fender/Squier basses. And while I made a big deal about sanding equal amounts off both sides, I'll keep an eye out for any considerable variance. Worst case scenario; I need to remove it and buzz it down a bit more on one side.
I forgot to mention -- my philosophy is that overall, pickup placement doesn't matter nearly as much as most people here think. This is my opinion, and I'm comfortable with the fact that most here disagree with me. We don't have to agree. But I believe what I believe partly because of the split P pickups on basses. Some people here talk about the quintessential P bass tone, others here are in a never-ending search for it (this amuses me). I sometimes troll people here by calling the P bass a one-trick pony. And I believe that, in the sense that you're never going to get a different sound out of a P bass without changing pickups (or changing strings), which essentially makes it a different pony with a new single trick. (Arguments about the one trick pony being used in many different genres don't impress me -- it's still the same sound.)
But here's the thing -- I've never heard anyone say that a P bass sounds different from string to string. Any one P sounds like itself whether you're playing at the 10th fret across all strings or at the 14th fret across all strings. I've already pointed out how the two segments of a P relate to the strings, and used measurements from the bridge using those two frets to illustrate my point. Objectively, you can measure it and see that I'm right about the proportions. But have you ever heard the difference? You've probably never listened for it, so chances are you've never heard it. I put it to you that you're probably not going to hear a difference even if you listen for one.
To put it another way, if you did a blind listening test with someone playing a regular P bass, and then playing an otherwise-identical P bass but with a reverse P pickup, I doubt you could hear a discernable difference. You might be able to hear a difference, but you might not be able to quantify it -- and if the actual difference isn't something you could predict going in, you'd just be guessing at which was which.
Now, the closer to the bridge you get, the more of a difference pickup placement is going to make. But in most instances, being 1/4" or 1/2" off (or collectively a whole inch in the case of swapping the positions of two P segments) on your pickup placement isn't going to make any difference at all in the sound. Maybe a hint of a difference, but nothing substantial.
Too late. Most everyone knows already anyway. But, I promise not to belabor the point.
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- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,015
- 1
- 31,728
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Nah. I think your pic is fine and the neck is a little crooked. This is actually common and trivially easy to fix - loosen each neck screw a turn or two, pull the neck to the left, and tighten the screws back up. You don’t even need to detune the bass.Thanks!
As for the spacing, it's actually fine. If you look at the aspect of the face dots, they're leaning a little to the right, which means I was not perfectly lined up when I snapped that pic. To include a little outside verification, between the time I added that neck and took those pictures, I'd let a professional bassist noodle around on it for about an hour. The action was higher than she was used to...no surprise, since we're built very differently...but there were no complaints about the neck being shifted too far to either side.
That being said, I did have to ever-so-slightly sand down the neck heel so it would fit. Squier Standard necks are almost always a millimeter or two too wide at the heel to fit most modern Fender/Squier basses. And while I made a big deal about sanding equal amounts off both sides, I'll keep an eye out for any considerable variance. Worst case scenario; I need to remove it and buzz it down a bit more on one side.
I agree with you, but I want the effect of a reverse P as you explained.it.
E & B strings are shorter than they should be for perfect resonance whereas D & G strings are too long. That's the main reason for fanned frets, which does compensate a little.
However we bannot escape the variation between differently tuned strings of the same length, and the different sizes required. It's a constraint we live with by shifting up or down the fingerboard.
I find a reverse P does compensate significantly..
My E string is firmer and has a higher useful range,
My A string is relatively unchanged. Open A and the same fretted A sound more similar,
My D string is better in the lower frets.
My G string is still weak in the lower frets but less so
I can play more evenly without having to shift as much, avoiding the senario you began with.
It's not perfect and it's another compromise but my bottom end is more even and that matters.
I've quite a few basses
, but this is the only one with two P pickups: Wotan Shark, MIJ +/- 1978.
I finished this Sklar tribute bass (natural alder - on the left) towards the end of May and shipped it to its owner in Milwaukee. Before shipping, I (of course) played it and let another bassist @MaxSpinrun play it. We both absolutely loved it for its growly tone, super comfy neck, and low low action with a straight firm neck. But, I gave the neck more relief, setting it up to the buyer’s preferred specs and shipped it off. John (owner) loved my work but didn’t bond with its sound. It happens. So, I’m currently doing a J bass for him and this one is available, at least until Max gets the funds together or I sell a bass. I’m telling you, this Sklar growls like nothing in my collection!
Message me if interested in details. I’m currently trying to keep the sale local, but I’ll make a listing if no one bites.
Message me if interested in details. I’m currently trying to keep the sale local, but I’ll make a listing if no one bites.
Well, there's my daily recommended amount of irony! I just sold my Blacktop Jazz bass body yesterday, leaving me woefully without a dual-P pickup bass!
You know how to fix that problem ;-)Well, there's my daily recommended amount of irony! I just sold my Blacktop Jazz bass body yesterday, leaving me woefully without a dual-P pickup bass!
This bass absolutely slays! If funds become available for me, I would not hesitate to snag it. Love the sound. Sounds good, looks good, but @JEDI BASS, fret and neck work is exceptional. For me this bass would be a definite keeper if I had it. After years of acquisitions, I make my bass choices very carefully with intention not to sell. This would be a keeper. Three very distinctive tones. Pup spacing contributes to its distinctive tone. Awesome bass!
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IKR?!!! Dang! I need to sell something and keep it for myself LOL!
And thanks for the compliments on my work!
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Not for sale anymore. I’m keeping it!! I played a 3 hour gig with it yesterday, and loved every minute of it!
