• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Jaco Tribute Bass Build

#421
Bassmickeyd said:
The stories in the book but, if I remember it correctly, Jaco bought a black 61 J-bass that already had the frets out. He played it for a while but didn't like it and then traded it in on a different J-bass. It was before the BOD and when he got into Pettit's Poxy.
Click to expand...

If you are referring to the book by Bill Milkowski, Jaco's family has disputed some of his stories, so again, IMO, only Jaco knows for sure.

I like the story of him ripping the frets out and hitting the stage that night with it because it was his only bass on the road (another story), but I take it more as legend than fact. I actually doubt it happened (on the same day especially) considering epoxy needing to cure, but who knows with Jaco...maybe.

It's a cool story, but what is known fact is what he managed to do with it once Kevin fixed it up. :)
 
#423
THand said:
If you are referring to the book by Bill Milkowski, Jaco's family has disputed some of his stories, so again, IMO, only Jaco knows for sure.

I like the story of him ripping the frets out and hitting the stage that night with it because it was his only bass on the road (another story), but I take it more as legend than fact. I actually doubt it happened (on the same day especially) considering epoxy needing to cure, but who knows with Jaco...maybe.

It's a cool story, but what is known fact is what he managed to do with it once Kevin fixed it up. :)
Click to expand...

The 61 story came through Bob Bobbing, a man who bought and sold many early Jazz basses through out his friendship with Jaco. The story of Jaco ripping the frets out and hitting the stage while out on tour with Wayne & The CC Riders came from Brent, Jaco's friend and the bands arranger so I believe it. I've ripped the frets out of a bass and restrung it and played it on the same day, no biggy except for resetting the bridge intonation. ..... He didn't coat the neck with Petti's Poly Poxy till he quit the band and returned to Florida.
The stories the "family" questions from Bob M's book are the NY acting crazy stories. At that time in Jaco's life his family had very little to do with him so of course the NY stories were disputed because it painted the family as uncaring which was not true. When Jaco moved to NY he stepped on a roller coaster that didn't stop till he returned to Lauderdale in 87.
 
#425
Bassmickeyd said:
The 61 story came through Bob Bobbing, a man who bought and sold many early Jazz basses through out his friendship with Jaco. The story of Jaco ripping the frets out and hitting the stage while out on tour with Wayne & The CC Riders came from Brent, Jaco's friend and the bands arranger so I believe it. I've ripped the frets out of a bass and restrung it and played it on the same day, no biggy except for resetting the bridge intonation. ..... He didn't coat the neck with Petti's Poly Poxy till he quit the band and returned to Florida.
The stories the "family" questions from Bob M's book are the NY acting crazy stories. At that time in Jaco's life his family had very little to do with him so of course the NY stories were disputed because it painted the family as uncaring which was not true. When Jaco moved to NY he stepped on a roller coaster that didn't stop till he returned to Lauderdale in 87.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the interesting info. If he didn't do the epoxy till later, then yes, I can believe he could do it and be on stage the same day.
I don't know about all the stories being disputed in that book, but I do remember them being upset over some remarks between he and Mary that they say never happened. I'll take Mary's side over an author trying to sell his book anyday.
You have helped tie some things I was confused about together, so thanks again.
 
#426
This is a great thread, it seems that your tribute bass will be perfect when it's done, bassgod76. I just waited over two years to have my fretless A Bass neck restored, so I understand a little bit about the frustration you must be experiencing in getting your Jaco neck done. Don't worry, when it's finished and in your hands it will seem like only yesterday that you dropped it off.!:)

Here's a ***very*** unusual Jaco solo performance. I'd never seen it 'till recently. Some might not understand it, but I think it's wonderful. A very creative and driven soul. Indeed.

 
#427
MR PC said:
This is a great thread, it seems that your tribute bass will be perfect when it's done, bassgod76. I just waited over two years to have my fretless A Bass neck restored, so I understand a little bit about the frustration you must be experiencing in getting your Jaco neck done. Don't worry, when it's finished and in your hands it will seem like only yesterday that you dropped it off.!:)

Here's a ***very*** unusual Jaco solo performance. I'd never seen it 'till recently. Some might not understand it, but I think it's wonderful. A very creative and driven soul. Indeed.

Click to expand...
:D

You do know that's a parody video right? You'll find them on a variety of players out there. Someone takes an existing video performance and overdubs their own hilarious audio performance. There are some really funny ones on Michael Manring out there...
 
#431
MR PC said:
This is a great thread, it seems that your tribute bass will be perfect when it's done, bassgod76. I just waited over two years to have my fretless A Bass neck restored, so I understand a little bit about the frustration you must be experiencing in getting your Jaco neck done. Don't worry, when it's finished and in your hands it will seem like only yesterday that you dropped it off.!:)

Here's a ***very*** unusual Jaco solo performance. I'd never seen it 'till recently. Some might not understand it, but I think it's wonderful. A very creative and driven soul. Indeed.

Click to expand...
 
#432
bassgod76 said:
Last night was pretty much it for my end of this build. The wait for Kevin will be agonizing.

I started by first double checking to be sure my pots were firmly fastened to the plate. I didn't want any suprises after soldering was done.

Jaco53.jpg


Then, I lined up my plate and started. I soon realized that starting at the neck volume pot, was the best way to go. I also found that removing aft pots gave me more space to solder. Once I finished the soldering on the neck pot, I'd reattach the bridge pot to the plate, and so on.

Lining up the plate.
Jaco52.jpg


Soldering the ground first. Dumb. Oh well.
Jaco54.jpg


Finishing the soldering. The orange drop cap is the last step. It doesn't look too messy. Yay!
Jaco55.jpg


I'm starting to become more proficient at soldering. My joints look tighter and I'm having less errors. Practice makes almost perfect. In my case, practice makes me look a little less ********.

I was worried about buttoning it up and the pot shorting out against the wall of the cavity. However, there were no problems. I had like 1/8" of space on all sides, and it passed the amp test, later that night.
Cavity is fastened on.
Jaco56.jpg


I could no longer take the "Made in Mexico" label on the back of the neck. I tried various methods, and I think I royally screwed it up. Oh well. Another lesson in stupidity.
Jaco57.jpg


I also sanded the neck down to get rid of that hideous gloss. The factory placed a wear spot on this road worn about the 5-7 fret area. The sanding brought it out and you can see the dirt and oil embedded in the wood.
Jaco58.jpg


I could also no longer wait for the neck to be paired. I used a Dremel to shave the pocket by maybe 1/64". Just enough to shed some of the finish from the walls of the neck joint.
Jaco60.jpg


Jaco61.jpg


I would've fastned the neck to the body, but the holes are off like1/8". That's because the neck needs to be better fitted to the body. There are two gaps in the neck pocket corners. I will let Kevin deal with this fit issue.

I take her home to test her out, and everything works. There is some hum when the bass is right next to the amp, and also when a pickup is solo'd, but I have a feeling that's the nature of the beast.

The case and strap come in today!
Click to expand...

Back to your project then!:D

Beautiful wiring job, flawless, but I'm surprised you aren't using the original style pots and cap that the old J basses have. Or are these pictured here the same as the ones in the Doom Bass? I know that at some point Jaco switched them out, but even those were 35-40 years old.
 
#433
MR PC said:
Back to your project then!:D

Beautiful wiring job, flawless, but I'm surprised you aren't using the original style pots and cap that the old J basses have. Or are these pictured here the same as the ones in the Doom Bass? I know that at some point Jaco switched them out, but even those were 35-40 years old.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if these are the same. I bought a "Vintage Jazz Bass" wiring kit. If it's not period correct, then I will suck it up.
 
#434
Since the pots are under the hood, it's probably "apples and oranges", but the older pots look (and operate on the sonic and tactile levels) much differently than the ones you've got now.

But vintage pots are expensive......
 
#435
I have to laugh...

When I was getting ready to get out of high school in the late 90's I brought Kevin an MIJ Noel Redding Jazz bass to have the neck work done. I remember waiting for MONTHS and MONTHS to get it back. Finally, on the day I was to leave to go to college, Kevin finished it the night before and drove the bass to north county at 4am to get it to me before I left. It was painful waiting for it but, I will say, the bass played perfectly when I finally did get it. Personally, that is THE fretless electric bass sound. I later sold that bass and still regret it immensely.

This was the same time frame that Fender first started doing the Jaco basses and Kevin had a prototype in his shop. He def. didn't like the way they did the neck. They use something slightly different than the epoxy. From a production standpoint, the epoxy thing doesn't seem easily scalable.

Anyways, enjoy the wait! If I ever go down that road again, Ill get the tribute!
 
#440
bassgod76 said:
That parody is great. When he's clapping his hands, I'm pissing my pants.

Michael Manring parody almost caused me to lose bladder control http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waIhJDgC5dQ

Creed sucks, and this is great http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipy58SaIRhs
Click to expand...

In my opinion, the funniest "shreds" videos are the ones where the musician is gurning and exhibiting "bass face". It's the juxtaposition of the "I'm so awesome" facial expression with the appalling performance that does it for me.

S.P.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back