First bass project

[tdf_xi]

As a part of not making my life easier than it could be, I've decided that it would be fun to try building my own 4-string bass as a summer project (perhaps stretching into fall, winter, etc etc). I do have some woodcarving experience, although not so much woodworking. Due to living in an apartment will be using pretty much just hand tools.
Been reading a lot of stuff on this forum over the weekend, huge amount of information - really appreciated. I do have a copy of "Make Your Own Electric Guitar" ordered as well.

Here's what I have outlined so far:

Body - going to carve one out of mahogany. Would probably look pretty nice with a clear finish.

Neck - Jazz style neck made out of maple + rosewood, 6105 nickel frets, GraphTech nut. Ordering the neck premade from Warmoth as I don't think I have the skills/instruments for such precise work at the moment.

Bridge - From what I've read, Gotoh 201 seems like it should do the trick.

Tuners - Gotoh GB7s, I think.

Pickup - I think I narrowed it down to Basslines SPB-2 and Bartolini 8s. Anything else to consider under ~$100 that would provide a deep tone? The whole electronics side of the project looks more like magic at the moment. Still need a lot to learn.

Anything I'm missing? Suggestions are welcome.

 

[silentmike]

Jack socket, neck mounting hardware, pickguard/rear cavity screws, pickguard material(?), strings for when it's done, battery box.

Boring stuff, but just in case they weren't on your list!

 

[lbridenstine]

Also, strap buttons and electronics (EMG is the only pickup company that I'm aware of that includes electronics with the pickups, but I haven't looked into the ones you're looking at, so who knows).

Do you already have the tools you're going to use? I would suggest a drill with the right size drill bits to pre-drill all the screw holes, either with a bubble level in it or maybe use a drill stand, maybe a dremel unless you want to drill and chisel the control cavity and neck pocket, a hand plane and/or scraper, multiple grits of sandpaper, and a dust mask (not that that's a tool, but still). If it's not a one piece body or pre-glued, then wood glue and clamps too.

 

[tdf_xi]

Update.
It took a few weeks to get the neck and the body blank. Got some work on it done. So far just got the basic outline, made the neck pocket, drilled some holes for the neck screws.
That's what it looks like now:
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Next on the list is to do the pickup and electronics cavities. Don't want a pickguard, so it will be rear routed.

Is there a formula for placing the pickups? What I was able to find seems sort of vague, maybe I'm not doing the right google magic. I've decided on Bartolini 8s, but it came with no instructions on where exactly it should be placed. Seems like from most pictures, the pickup is placed more or less in the middle between the last fret and the bridge, with about 1/3 overlap (not sure what the technical term for this is as far as one pickup being "higher" than the other). Is that correct?

As far as the finish is concerned, I think I'm going to try TruOil. Is it durable enough for doing the fingerboard as well?

 

[HaMMerHeD]

You won't need to put a finish on that fingerboard.

Pickup spacing is pretty subjective. In general: the closer to the bridge, the narrower the frequency response and the tighter and punchier the sound. The closer to the neck, the fatter the sound and wider the frequency response. Most people want to emulate one bass sound or another (P, J, MM, etc.) and that determines where they put it.