I've been considering a Mod Shop P. I have one picked out sitting in the Cart. I just need to pull the trigger on it. How are the weight on these Mod Shop Precision Basses? I don't want a bass over 9 pounds, and these can not be returned.
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Fender Mod Shop Club
- Thread starter Malak the Mad
- Start date
I can only speak for mine, which was 9lb. 3.3oz. before I added the Drop-D tuner. I'm betting it being a Jazz with a slightly larger, offset body pushed it that wee bit over nine pounds, so the odds might be in your favor.
If I were in that sitch, I would reach out to Fender to see if it is even remotely possible to ask for a lighter body in the finish you're looking for. Even if it's just a matter of preference, tell 'em it's for some kind of health consideration, like a bit of arthritis in the lower back or something.
The worst they can do is say, "Sorry, no can do".
I was looking at a Mod Shop Jazz Bass build. Chambered Ash, White blonde with Maple board. I reached out and they can’t (or won’t) give me a weight estimate, for a $2K+ bass. Jeez, I miss G&L and their Empress bodies.
Edit: If anyone has ordered a Jazz with the chambered ash I’d love to know the weight of your bass.
Edit: If anyone has ordered a Jazz with the chambered ash I’d love to know the weight of your bass.
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I'll check mine later but it feels very simlar to LB100 and that's 8.6 lbs
They can't give you a weight because the bass hasn't been built yet. And providing an estimate just opens the door for more complaining if it varies too much from the estimate.
I have two Mod Shop Jazz basses with chambered ash bodies. One is 7 pounds 4 ounces, the other is 7 pounds 9 ounces. The white blonde finish is beautiful, with just a hint of grain showing through. Hope this helps...
Sub 8 pounds? Those are both wonderful weights, I’d love either one. Would it be so difficult for someone to say that? They lost my business, not that they care. The thing that did it was no refund.
Yes, I get where you're coming from. I knew I was taking a risk with the weight, and the no refund policy definitely keeps some buyers away.
It's a parts bin build so it's going to be the next body in the finish you chose, with the next available neck with the specs you chose, bridge, tuners, PU's, etc.
It's still a standard USA Fender. Expect it to be 9.5 and be delighted when its actually (a bit) less.
That last sentence is me just sending hopeful wishes your way.
I reached out to Fender regarding the Mod Shop and the V-Mod pickups. I was curious if they were V-Mod or V-Mod II. They sent me this chart with the difference.
V-Mod ≠ V-Mod II — Important Distinction!
These are two different pickups, and the distinction matters:| V-Mod (Original) | V-Mod II (Am Pro II) | |
|---|---|---|
| Generation | 1st Gen (American Pro era) | 2nd Gen (American Pro II era) |
| Magnet Type | Alnico blend | Alnico 5 (treble) + Alnico 2 (bass) |
| DC Resistance | ~6.5k ohms | 6.3k ohms |
| Tone | Vintage warmth | More articulate, punchier, improved dynamics |
| Pole Pieces | Standard | Beveled, non-staggered |
Are there any demos to compare the two?
I posted a poll in a couple of TB's sections asking which pickups I should choose and I'm glad I did. The Gen-4 Noiseless pickups were the right choice for me. And while I feel I made a good decision, I've always kept it in mind that I could change the pickups anytime I want. Certainly, with that much money on the line, the desire for it to be the best possible right out of the gate is very strong.
My big picture was the pickups were the least of my considerations, given how replaceable they are, but that doesn't mean l wasn't hoping for the best outcome. I wanted to make the right decision to be 100% satisfied with my purchase AND to avoid any unnecessary work.
Greetings, All!
I've seen a number of individual Mod Shop threads here on TalkBass, my own included, but I just realized there is no centralized club for these somewhat customizable instruments. So, why not start one and see who wants to throw in their hat?
I'm not assigning numbers like some strictly regimented system. Rather, I just want it to be an easy-breezy, low-maintenance coalition of people who decided to pull the trigger. With that in mind, and as an inveterate tinkerer myself, I'd also like to invite people who have instruments that use Mod Shop bodies and/or necks. What I will adhere to is the classic "no pics…no bass" rule for this club.After all, one must have some standards.
So, what did you get and what was on your mind when you chose it? Inquiring minds want to know!
I've chronicled the deeper details and other data hardpoints in my Unveiling thread, but in my case, the short story is I've long hungered for a cool, slick-lookin' Silverburst Jazz. The previous Fender American Design Experience would've scratched that itch, but I kept holding back.
As it turns out, I waited too long. The FADE was shut down and later replaced by the less-options/more-expensive Mod Shop. Eight years later, when they added a blocked neck option and an applicable coupon code, I finally pulled the trigger. It may not have the exact neck I would've loved to have gotten from the FADE (blocks, binding and a curvy, vintage-style fretboard), but I have no regrets with this set of options.
My own, little mods; a Hipshot BT12 Drop-D Xtender…
…and a set of Thomastik-Infeld Powerbass strings not strung-through the body. (A fellow TB'er called them "the Rolls Royce of strings" and I gotta agree! They're fantastic!)
I've just added this Fender Mod Shop Club to the TalkBass Clubs & Special Interest Groups INDEX wiki page for easy reference. Best wishes for lots of participation!
And here's a link to the real Fender Mod Shop homepage for reference, as well.
I haven’t measured the weight of my Mod Shop P but it’s not very heavy. It’s not as light as my previous LB-100 in Empress but that one was TOO light and neck diving so much I had to sell it. The Mod Shop P is more balanced (albeit still having that classic Pbass tendency to go horizontal) and comfortable on the shoulder. I can try and weigh it.
I’m in the same boat. I’d like to do a Mod Shop P, but I don’t want to risk getting one over 9 lbs. It would probably be under, but there’s no guarantee.
I emailed Fender to see if they would hand-pick a lighter body for me, and they said no. That’s really the only thing keeping me from pulling the trigger.
I’d likely choose the Modern “C” neck and Custom Shop ‘62 pickup.
From what I’ve researched, I haven’t come across any Mod Shop Precision basses over 9 pounds. There were some Jazz basses, but they have slightly larger bodies and two pickups. My two current P basses are 8.11 and 8.13 pounds so anything around there or less is good for me.
Well, I placed my Mod Shop order. After a week or so of research and deliberation, and deciding on other options, such as a used bass and then modifying it, I have my dream bass on order. I've always loved the Sean Hurley CS P bass with Charcoal Frost Metallic and Tort pickguard. I bought the Road Worn Vintera II in that color when it came out, but just didn't jive with the 60s specs. So I built one on the Mod Shop but with similar specs to my Am Pro II but with a Pure Vintage '60 (AV II '60) pickup. I got 10% off and this week, they are offering free upgrades, so I saved some more money on the pickup and the tort pickguard. It actually cost less then a new Am Pro II. Here is the spec sheet. Thanks all who gave me advice.
Yeah man. Still my go to bass. I absolutely love it.@fundando Are you still rockin' your Mod Shop Precision?
Question just as a thought exercise… say you want a P body with a J neck in a color that’s basically only available in the mod shop. Is the next best option just grabbing a Warmoth body with a similar color?
Really the inability to get a J neck on one of these is the only thing holding me back. Would feel kind of crazy to me to go through this process to meticulously build a whole expensive custom bass and take an important piece of it off.
Really the inability to get a J neck on one of these is the only thing holding me back. Would feel kind of crazy to me to go through this process to meticulously build a whole expensive custom bass and take an important piece of it off.
I've gone both ways. IMHO, you'll get at least as good quality as the Fender with the Warmoth, PROVIDED you can do the finish work well. (Drill holes for PG, install tuners, etc.) However, if you want to ever sell it, the mod shop will be worth much more. As for the unneeded neck, you can store it and reinstall before selling--("neck like new" is a good sales point) or can sell it to help pay for the J neck. Also, the available colors for each have colors the other doesn't even have a close match to--you might be forced one way or the other by that.
Finally, it's a good feeling to play a bass YOU BUILT for the first time.
I got mine, a used 2023 Mod Shop Jazz last November from Musician's Friend when I was at my parents' place and I needed a decent bass to re-record a bass line for a demo of the first metal song I ever wrote (the Warwick headstock seen in the later pictures goes to a Corvette fretless five and I wanted something with frets). Originally recorded with a Thunderbird which was back at home in Texas, I made do, but it sounded surprising good with the Jazz. My other reason for the purchase being that my '07 American Standard Jazz neck trussrod was maxed out and had a bit more relief than I would have liked (but it resolved itself in the ensuing months while I was gone, it had just taken it's sweet time to reflect the last adjustment, and in fact I wound up relaxing the trussrod a bit).
I took the pickguard off to adjust the trussrod. It appeared that the pickups were the stacked noiseless ones although they weren't labeled as such on the covers. But they are indeed noiseless as I get no 60 HZ hum when one or the other is on.
So here you have it- like some others, I added a Hiptshot Xtender, but also added the Doublestop lever so I could have one more drop- so far I have standard, Drop D, and Drop B. And it matched the décor!
I took the pickguard off to adjust the trussrod. It appeared that the pickups were the stacked noiseless ones although they weren't labeled as such on the covers. But they are indeed noiseless as I get no 60 HZ hum when one or the other is on.
So here you have it- like some others, I added a Hiptshot Xtender, but also added the Doublestop lever so I could have one more drop- so far I have standard, Drop D, and Drop B. And it matched the décor!
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