Hollow body bass pickups and hardware

[Wrc8166]

I have a unique opportunity to have a new bass hand-built to my specs. Good friend is a luthier who builds guitars and wants to expand to basses. I’m a working bassist so would be advertisement for him.

I need recommendations on components for a short-scale hollow body similar to one made by Paul Reid Smith.

Questions:

1. suggestions for Tuners.

2. biggest decision seems to be bridge. I play almost every genre but want this one to be mellow and jazzy. I’m trying to stay within $100-$200 range. Suggestions?

3. Tons of stuff I haven’t thought of, so any advice would be most welcome.

 

[mongo2]

My "jazzy hollowbody" is a modified Hofner Ignition Club bass. I removed the OEM trapeze tailpiece and installed a little tailpiece I made of maple on the end of the body to anchor the long scale D'Addario nylon tapewound strings I prefer. I also replaced the Hofner controls with VVT. I've read that some have replaced the tuners on their Hofner Ignitions but I haven't had any trouble with them.

In general I prefer Gotoh Res-O-Lite tuners on my solidbodies and my Ibanez AFB200 hollow body.

I'm a fan of the floating wooden stick bridge/tailpiece combination for a jazzy hollowbody so that's what I'd go for if I were having one custom made.

For me the jury is still out on F holes since I hate feedback. My Ibanez AFB200 has F holes but doesn't feed back but my Hofner 500/5 President hollowbody has them and feeds back fairly easily. I can control it with blocking the F holes but why have them.

 

[Wrc8166]

My "jazzy hollowbody" is a modified Hofner Ignition Club bass. I removed the OEM trapeze tailpiece and installed a little tailpiece I made of maple on the end of the body to anchor the long scale D'Addario nylon tapewound strings I prefer. I also replaced the Hofner controls with VVT. I've read that some have replaced the tuners on their Hofner Ignitions but I haven't had any trouble with them.

In general I prefer Gotoh Res-O-Lite tuners on my solidbodies and my Ibanez AFB200 hollow body.

I'm a fan of the floating wooden stick bridge/tailpiece combination for a jazzy hollowbody so that's what I'd go for if I were having one custom made.

For me the jury is still out on F holes since I hate feedback. My Ibanez AFB200 has F holes but doesn't feed back but my Hofner 500/5 President hollowbody has them and feeds back fairly easily. I can control it with blocking the F holes but why have them.

Appreciate your comments.

 

[B-Mac]

I have a unique opportunity to have a new bass hand-built to my specs. Good friend is a luthier who builds guitars and wants to expand to basses. I’m a working bassist so would be advertisement for him.

I need recommendations on components for a short-scale hollow body similar to one made by Paul Reid Smith.

Questions:

1. suggestions for Tuners.

2. biggest decision seems to be bridge. I play almost every genre but want this one to be mellow and jazzy. I’m trying to stay within $100-$200 range. Suggestions?

3. Tons of stuff I haven’t thought of, so any advice would be most welcome.

Probably get more responses if you posted your questions here:
Hollowbody Bass Club!