First Custom Job

[fcleff]

Laugh if you want. But I wanted to teach myself how to do some custom work. So I took my old Yamaha BB300 (which was already customized a bit: Schaller tuners, brass nut, Badass Bass II bridge) and stripped all the old paint and stickers from it. Years ago I had branded my initials into it so I went with the burned theme and hit it with my crème brûlée torch. I took out the old stock pups and dropped out n some Steve Harris signatures. I covered the volume and tone knobs with a Trooper bottle cap and an old Shiner Bock bottle cap. Also, years ago I pulled out the frets a la Jaco and managed to turn it into a decent fretless bass.
So here she is, one ugly mothershager. But I'm proud of her. My Yamaha BB300 F Custom Maiden/Shiner RWJ Signature Series.

 

[MEKer]

Laugh if you want. But I wanted to teach myself how to do some custom work. So I took my old Yamaha BB300 (which was already customized a bit: Schaller tuners, brass nut, Badass Bass II bridge) and stripped all the old paint and stickers from it. Years ago I had branded my initials into it so I went with the burned theme and hit it with my crème brûlée torch. I took out the old stock pups and dropped out n some Steve Harris signatures. I covered the volume and tone knobs with a Trooper bottle cap and an old Shiner Bock bottle cap. Also, years ago I pulled out the frets a la Jaco and managed to turn it into a decent fretless bass.
So here she is, one ugly munnyfunster. But I'm proud of her. My Yamaha BB300 F Custom Maiden/Shiner RWJ Signature Series.

I like it! And I like the bottle caps a lot!

 

[fcleff]

Thanks!

 

[MEKer]

Thanks!

1. what strings you like on it?
2. Who makes the Steve Harris pups and are they voiced any different than regular pups?

 

[micguy]

The headstock needs some char to go with that body. And maybe a bit on the back of the neck.

 

[fcleff]

1. what strings you like on it?
2. Who makes the Steve Harris pups and are they voiced any different than regular pups?

I'm going to put some DR Black Beauties on it as that has been my string of choice for a while now. Then I'll go from there.
Seymour Duncan makes the Harris signatures. This will be my first run with them. They are voices to bring out that higher, biting tone that Steve is known for.

 

[fcleff]

The headstock needs some char to go with that body. And maybe a bit on the back of the neck.

I was looking at that after the fact, too. I may burn in the F Custom with my soldering iron.

 

[micguy]

put a cigarette under one of the strings, light it, and let it go - you'll get an authentic burn.

 

[MMiller28]

Whoa

 

[Thumpin6string]

I guess I'm too old school. I don't like when they decorate a home with beat up furniture or old decaying wood and I'm not a fan of rat rods. So I don't get why you want a bass that looks like it was in a house fire. I freak out if my gear gets scratched or chipped. That said, if you like it, that's all that matters. Enjoy it.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I'm suffering for the poor bass

 

[Bass'd on a true story]

Definitely unique. The bottle caps are by far my favorite part.

 

[fcleff]

I guess I'm too old school. I don't like when they decorate a home with beat up furniture or old decaying wood and I'm not a fan of rat rods. So I don't get why you want a bass that looks like it was in a house fire. I freak out if my gear gets scratched or chipped. That said, if you like it, that's all that matters. Enjoy it.

The bass was fairly beat to $hi7 in the first place so I just kind of went with it. I actually talked with Mark Erlwine of Erlwine Guitars (who did the tuner, nut, and bridge replacement so long ago) about putting it all back together for me but the cost would have far exceeded anything I had already invested in it. Refinishing/painting was way out of my league in terms of experience, workspace, and equipment. Maybe one day down the road I can do it all over again. But the main experience I wanted was in replacing the pups and guts. So goal accomplished.
That said, I see where you are coming from. I treat my Geddy, Conklin, and Nanyo like royalty (same goes for my various other guitars and drums).

f

 

[Jeff Elkins]

put a cigarette under one of the strings, light it, and let it go - you'll get an authentic burn.

Nah, not any more. They are made with a couple of snuff points now--if you're not drawing on them, they go out. Fire safety.

Which is unfortunate, bc that's exactly what the headstock needs!

 

[fcleff]

Nah, not any more. They are made with a couple of snuff points now--if you're not drawing on them, they go out. Fire safety.

Which is unfortunate, bc that's exactly what the headstock needs!

I could use a cigarette-like product to get this to happen.

 

[Oddly]

I like it. In my opinion you could've done more with the torch...seems there's a couple of spots you missed...and definitely the headstock needs work!

 

[74hc]

Dude, you're suppose to fire the drummer, not your bass!

 

[fcleff]

Dude, you're suppose to fire the drummer, not your bass!

 

[five7]

black spray paint could fix all of that, lol. Nah, I kind of like it. If it plays and sounds good that is what matters.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Not normally my kind of thing but it has a certain something.....