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Fender Telecaster Bass Idea...

#21
An interesting idea for a project. Don't want to be a downer, but there are some things worth considering.

#1 I would be concerned about having to change the location of the bridge, especially if it's strung through body.

#2 If you don't mind the leftover holes, it's ok, but the exisiting bridge position will not work for a bass bridge, and if you move the bridge, you will have a big hole for the bridge position pickup.

#3 Also, a bassneck on a guitar body is going to have neck dive that will make a thunderbird seem "well-balanced".

Still, I'll be curious to see the results.
 
#23
rollingminority said:
I'm almost positive im gonna go with the guitar body and buy/build a neck, I know someone who has experience with this so I'm going to ask him. But anyway, I play a lot of RHCP(red hot chili peppers), funk, and reggae, and I was just wondering what type of electronics are good for this (in terms of keeping it relative to the tele-style pickups)? I didn't wanna make a new thread in the pickups forum so I thought I'd ask here. Thanks =)
Click to expand...

Basically, go with what Flea used on his Modulus - one MM-type pickup in the bridge position. Since you're building it from scratch, go and have a look around Nordstrand, Bartolini and Delano pickups as they make good MM-style models, from what I recall, some twin-coil, some triple-coil, some quad-coil.

Note - I have no idea which of those is going to work for you, as my only true-MM-equipped bass has a no-name inside...
 
#24
Alright so I talked with my friend, and he suggested that I build the body. So having said that, I think that I'm going to ask my High School shop teacher If I can use his equipment and help. Hopefully this weekend I can get together with my friend and go to Guitar Center and look around at some basses and different pickup configurations and stuff...But anyway...he also recommended I just buy a neck, instead of building it. Would that on MM-type pickup be suitable to play reggae and ska too? Just wondering.
 
#25
rollingminority said:
Alright so I talked with my friend, and he suggested that I build the body. So having said that, I think that I'm going to ask my High School shop teacher If I can use his equipment and help. Hopefully this weekend I can get together with my friend and go to Guitar Center and look around at some basses and different pickup configurations and stuff...But anyway...he also recommended I just buy a neck, instead of building it. Would that on MM-type pickup be suitable to play reggae and ska too? Just wondering.
Click to expand...

pm me your email address and I will send you a full size tele pdf blueprint. I tried to attach it here, but it's too big.
 
#27
Something like this? :smug:

P7070129.jpg
 
#28
Is this the sort of thing you're looking for?

EDIT: found another. Its a Jansen Beatmaster, An old New Zealand company from the 60s & 70s.
 

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#29
bkim said:
pm me your email address and I will send you a full size tele pdf blueprint. I tried to attach it here, but it's too big.
Click to expand...
PM'd You! Thanks!
mimaz said:
Something like this? :smug:

P7070129.jpg
Click to expand...
Yeah! Just like that...Maybe even the 5-string option might be nice since I play a lot of reggae and stuff like that.
KiwiGroove said:
Is this the sort of thing you're looking for?

EDIT: found another. Its a Jansen Beatmaster, An old New Zealand company from the 60s & 70s.
Click to expand...
I LOVE IT!!! That's pretty much what my friend and I talked about building today...
 
#32
bkim, that bass looks great! That looks like what I am trying to build.
Since I'm going to build a body, I was wondering, What kind of wood can I use that won't be expensive, because I'm not a professional and if I mess up, I don't want it to be on expensive wood...lol
 
#37
rollingminority said:
bkim, that bass looks great! That looks like what I am trying to build.
Since I'm going to build a body, I was wondering, What kind of wood can I use that won't be expensive, because I'm not a professional and if I mess up, I don't want it to be on expensive wood...lol
Click to expand...

Try to find a hardwood lumber shop near you and have a look around. Alder, basswood and poplar are all relatively cheap, neutral sounding bodywoods. For the neck you will need rock hard maple which can be found figured or not. I think I bought all of the wood for my bass for under $30 and had enough for a neck blank left over.
 
#40
Here's mine. I got the body from Rondo Saturday and have it mostly done. The neck and hardware are the remains of my SX shorty PJ (except for the control plate). I'm still working on the pick guard and next it will all come apart again for staining and finishing. The Dimarzios work great in these positions. Lots of punch, clear, big and resonant. I am thrilled with how this project is going.
 

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