Let's See Your Hot-Rodded Cheapo Basses!

[Riff Ranger]

Vinyl wrap on the original pick guard and done(for now).
View attachment 4872370
View attachment 4872371

controls always 'dimed'...

Totally

You beat me...

Only just figured this out

 

[JIO]

Only just figured this out

 

[Ostie]

View attachment 3164960
Left: current.....right: stock at time of purchase (summer 2017).

Used 2001 MIK epi eb0: $155...payed $55 cash + $100 trade in for dinged/chipped/scratchy pots/dire need of neck adjustment and set up ibanez tr series that mostly lived unplayed in closet for years. Online at time was seeing $150 for better condition ibby tr so happy to get $100 + wasnt doing anything in closet and i found out i love shorties!

Hipshot bridge: $100. Wanted easier/individual string adjustment. Feels/looks more sturdy than bumping bridge in 3 poles. Bit more chrome than stock.

Gotoh eye horus knobs: $40 ($ each). Unnecessary customization splurge. Love ancient egyption artwork/lore/themes. Always draw the eye when doodling. So had to get. + more chrome!

Daddario black tapewound strings (etb92s): $45. Replaced stock 17 year old dead rounds. Wanted to try something else as have only played rounds. Love em.

Want to replace stock sidewinder w something better but still having some chrome so will probably get guild bisonic reissue ($125) once i get up nerve to expand pickup cavity & can no longer resist mod urges. Maybe for my birthday or next summer 2 yr bassiversary.

Far far far future if desire more than bisonic, route for bridge and drop in a music man style humbucker. Not something doing myself.

I bought a used EB0 in 2018. The store wanted $150 but I bought it for $120. Love the bass, but Epi should have designed a smaller headstock, like the HS on my Allen Woody.

 

[JIO]

Hot damn!

Updated 'branding' -

 

[beatdatthang]

Do parts basses count? This is a Squier that I hot rodded with a Lakland neck and black hardware:

This is a Warmoth neck on a cheapo Rosser body bought from eBay. Complete with a rattle can finish and SD pickup:

 

[JIO]

Do parts basses count? This is a Squier that I hot rodded with a Lakland neck and black hardware:View attachment 4872943

This is a Warmoth neck on a cheapo Rosser body bought from eBay. Complete with a rattle can finish and SD pickup:

View attachment 4872945

Is the Lakland a J neck?

 

[Riff Ranger]

Do parts basses count? This is a Squier that I hot rodded with a Lakland neck and black hardware:View attachment 4872943

This is a Warmoth neck on a cheapo Rosser body bought from eBay. Complete with a rattle can finish and SD pickup:

View attachment 4872945

These work for me. I think it really comes down to something amazing coming from humble origins.

 

[beatdatthang]

Is the Lakland a J neck?

Yes, it’s the Geezer Butler signature neck so it is a maple neck, ebony board and 1.5” nut width.

 

[JIO]

Yes, it’s the Geezer Butler signature neck so it is a maple neck, ebony board and 1.5” nut width.

it's a BA looking bass - big fan of ebony fb's

 

[Deleted member 346364]

alright, here we go.
It was my first bass, an Ibanez GIO GSR 190 from a 2004 jumpstart kit. I think it was less than €180 when I bought it brand new, and it came with a gigbag, a small amp and some other stuff.
I don't have a picture of my actual bass in its original state, so here's a sample pic of before:

and here is this bass as it looks today:

 

[God's Favorite Bass]

alright, here we go.
It was my first bass, an Ibanez GIO GSR 190 from a 2004 jumpstart kit. I think it was less than €180 when I bought it brand new, and it came with a gigbag, a small amp and some other stuff.
I don't have a picture of my actual bass in its original state, so here's a sample pic of before:

and here is this bass as it looks today:
View attachment 4873129

Nice job!

 

[Riff Ranger]

alright, here we go.
It was my first bass, an Ibanez GIO GSR 190 from a 2004 jumpstart kit. I think it was less than €180 when I bought it brand new, and it came with a gigbag, a small amp and some other stuff.
I don't have a picture of my actual bass in its original state, so here's a sample pic of before:

and here is this bass as it looks today:
View attachment 4873129

tell us all about it! Headless, lightweight Ray!

 

[2cooltoolz]

 

[Riff Ranger]

View attachment 4874140 View attachment 4874141 View attachment 4874142

Love the lollipops! Guitar split coil?

 

[Deleted member 346364]

tell us all about it! Headless, lightweight Ray!

That's actually the best way to describe the bass ;-)

My slogan was:
5 string 'ray pickguard
4 strings
3 knobs
2 band eq
in 1 bass
with 0 headstock

I've converted it to headless already before, the bass actually had a few stages of modification. I chambered the body to make it really light (it's about 3 kg / 6.6 lbs). The top is a piece of plywood from the hardware store


I had a DIY 2 band eq in there but noticed that I'm really a passive guy at heart. So I took it out again (negating my slogan) and put a volume, tone and a rotary switch in there. The switch allows parallel - single coil - series wiring of the pickup. That's enough variation for me and I actually prefer single coil most of the time! I switch to parallel when I need to slap a lot in a song. Series hasn't seen much use yet. I guess it is good to have when I suddenly need some extra volume, whenever that might be the case.

 

[Oig]

That's actually the best way to describe the bass ;-)

My slogan was:
5 string 'ray pickguard
4 strings
3 knobs
2 band eq
in 1 bass
with 0 headstock

I've converted it to headless already before, the bass actually had a few stages of modification. I chambered the body to make it really light (it's about 3 kg / 6.6 lbs). The top is a piece of plywood from the hardware store
View attachment 4874191

I had a DIY 2 band eq in there but noticed that I'm really a passive guy at heart. So I took it out again (negating my slogan) and put a volume, tone and a rotary switch in there. The switch allows parallel - single coil - series wiring of the pickup. That's enough variation for me and I actually prefer single coil most of the time! I switch to parallel when I need to slap a lot in a song. Series hasn't seen much use yet. I guess it is good to have when I suddenly need some extra volume, whenever that might be the case.

Love it, that’s badass!

 

[klattman]

Upgraded HW and pickups. Hipshot drop tuner.

 

[logdrum]

Squier VM Jazz 5

I put in EMG JAX5, BTS and Hipshot light tuners and bridge (the hipsshots were free from a trade). Routed a battery holder in the back. In this picture, I haven't added the BTS yet. Frets were filed even professionally

 

[FullumMusic]

1994 Ibanez SR400
- Gotoh tuners
- Active EMGs (originally passive stock pups)
- Originally v/v/t, drilled and upgraded to mv/v/v/t. Now all the pots are removed. It’s just pickups direct to the output, or if the button is pressed, 100% tone roll off. The other button is a dummy button.
- Hipshot type A bridge.
- Bottom strap peg replaced with a long screw and washers to permanently attach strap.
- Barrel jack removed, hole drilled out, and replaced with a proper cheap-o jack on a jack plate.
- Repainted (several times).
- La Bella Gold White Nylons. (Or copper white? I forget which I got.)

Everyone is amazed at how great it sounds and how fun it is to play.

 

[fhm555]

While it's not hot rodded bass, it's a complete parts bass assembled from assorted parts I acquired during a few years of buying, selling, and trading Fender Jazz bass parts. It is built on an MIM FSR ash body with Gotoh oversized strap buttons, and an MIM J neck. The neck has stock Fender machine heads and string tree, but everything else on the bass is aftermarket. Babicz bridge, WD bakelite guard with no bevel, stainless screws, Dimarzio Ultra J pickups, CTS pots, Switchcraft Jack, and I don't recall what capacitor I used. The control and neck plates are nickel plated items I got off eBay.