Dusty Hill Inspired 5 String Tele Bass Neck, 4+1?!

[Seedpicker]

Show me what you think a 4+1 tele neck would look like.

So with the passing of Mr. Hill, I've been thinking about changing direction on a bass rebuild that I'm working on. The body is a 70's/80's lawsuit P-bass copy in sunburst. I'm a 5-string player and we're converting it from a 4 to a 5 string and building a neck that feels more like Ibanez dimensions (narrow heel) but looks more like a Fender inspired instrument. However, I'm greatly considering going with a tele-style neck instead of the standard strat-style neck you usually find on a the typical split coil P-bass. (Btw, we're adding a jazz pup too.)

Anyway, the question is about what it looks like because, as you know, a 5 string tele bass neck is usually in-line not 4+1. And at this point I'm committed to 4+1 because I've already got my tuners. Thanks in advance for the discussion.

 

[Seedpicker]

Bump?

 

[P. Aaron]

There's a number of Tele-inspired fiver's posted here on TB. You may have to do some digging or perhaps, more well-versed posters will clear a path to the proper threads.

 

[Seedpicker]

T=

There's a number of Tele-inspired fiver's posted here on TB. Tou may have to do some digging or perhaps, more well-versed posters will clear a path to the proper threads.

Thanks I'll see if I can find it. Couldn't figure out where to look

 

[MattZilla]

Common Concious!

I was thinking about this and a ten string reverse tele-head guitar (octave pairs on d & g, unison pairs on b & e) plus the body of that black Vuorensaku NBD someone bumped yesterday or the day before all morning and some of the afternoon today!

I'm on it!

 

[Seedpicker]

There's a number of Tele-inspired fiver's posted here on TB. You may have to do some digging or perhaps, more well-versed posters will clear a path to the proper threads.

How do I find said thread?

 

[Seedpicker]

Common Concious!

I was thinking about this and a ten string reverse tele-head guitar (octave pairs on d & g, unison pairs on b & e) plus the body of that black Vuorensaku NBD someone bumped yesterday or the day before all morning and some of the afternoon today!

I'm on it!

Check this out! Subway Custom 5 String Tele Bass — FatDog's Subway Guitars

 

[A9X]

What tuners are you going to use? The trad open gear boat anchors would be a definite hard no for me in a 5IL. Probably a 4+1 too, though that would be better.

 

[Seedpicker]

Common Concious!

I was thinking about this and a ten string reverse tele-head guitar (octave pairs on d & g, unison pairs on b & e) plus the body of that black Vuorensaku NBD someone bumped yesterday or the day before all morning and some of the afternoon today!

I'm on it!

couldn't find the thread you're referring to either. I guess I'm not good at finding threads

 

[Seedpicker]

What tuners are you going to use? The trad open gear boat anchors would be a definite hard no for me in a 5IL. Probably a 4+1 too, though that would be better.

I got some black Gotoh lollipops. Inspired by Scott Devine's Overwater bass

 

[A9X]

I got some black Gotoh lollipops.

They make a number of them from boat anchors to feathers in weight.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I don't think it's possible to do 4+1 with a traditional Tele headstock.
For in-line 5, I would use Hipshot Ultralite's.

Who makes a 5 string TELE bass?

 

[Kevan Campbell]

Go for it! I've got a custom Sadowsky build in progress with some of those ideas, it'll look like this but with a few unique ideas implemented:

 

[Gougedeye]

The Top pic is James Hart's basses. I don't know if he still is a member here. The 2nd pick is one I used to own. A super bass! I wish I still had it. The last is Ricky Phillips Fender. There are some builders out there who would build you one. Benavente for one. Probably a few more. If you feel industrious, you could get the parts from Warmoth and try to build it yourself. Good luck!

 

[P. Aaron]

How do I find said thread?

Just use the search function.

 

[MattZilla]

Vuorensaku

 

[bassbrad]

I like the five in line look myself, Dusty would too. Remember even though Dusty has been keeping it simple pickup and electronics of late, he didn't always ~ in the past he played modified Fenders, Robin, Earlewine and other custom and customized basses. You might browse those for inspiration.

 

[Gothic]

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The Top pic is James Hart's basses. I don't know if he still is a member here. The 2nd pick is one I used to own. A super bass! I wish I still had it. The last is Ricky Phillips Fender. There are some builders out there who would build you one. Benavente for one. Probably a few more. If you feel industrious, you could get the parts from Warmoth and try to build it yourself. Good luck!

Five string 51's just look so wrong to me. Even the Sadowsky one, which tends to be more the "classic" look.

As for the subject, five in line don't really sit right visually with me. Plus, won't this present a few issues with strings as well? Quite a distance for the G string.

 

[ELG60]

These guys are in my neighborhood and do really nice work. My friend, Doc Harris has a couple of their custom fivers, and they're very nice and sound great. I believe that they use Nordies:

 

[RJC1811]

I'm planning a build like that myself, although I'm going a little more radical. I'm leaning towards a 5 in line but that Ratdog headstock near the top of this thread is the best 4+1 tele look headstock I've seen yet. I'm planning a 24 fret neck and a traditional shape p-bass body but with deeper cutaways. I'm still working on drawings, it doesn't look quite right yet.