Let's See Your Hot-Rodded Cheapo Basses!

[Pep]

I love a good DIY project! What's really funny is how much yours echoes one Projekt of mine. I, too, wanted to go for a late-70's/early-80's "high contrast" look, so I built one stealing shamelessly just a little bit inspired by the '80s-era MIJ Boxer basses…in this case, the JB-555 that ran concurrent with the classic Jazz Bass Specials.

As for the neck, I know that angst all too well! When compared to most other Squier/Fender necks, the Squier Standard and Deluxe lines were definitely wider, which always makes using those necks a bit of a headache…especially when they're so cool! (I'd love to have an ebonol board on one of my Projekt builds! )

Very nice but not “cheapo” by any means.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Very nice but not “cheapo” by any means.

Absolutely. That's why the majority of my post was about the Squier neck @RedNuk used. (There are plenty of other threads I can rant and/or rave about it, and other Projekt builds of mine, and still stay on topic! )

 

[Pep]

Absolutely. That's why the majority of my post was about the Squier neck @RedNuk used. (There are plenty of other threads I can rant and/or rave about it, and other Projekt builds of mine, and still stay on topic! )

. Beautiful collection!

 

[Malak the Mad]

Beautiful collection!

Ahh…if only it were mine. Sadly, it's someone else's collection I found somewhere online. It just so happens that it is a great visual reference tool, as well.

 

[Pep]

Ahh…if only it were mine. Sadly, it's someone else's collection I found somewhere online. It just so happens that it is a great visual reference tool, as well.

When I saw the sad face on my reply I had to reread my post to insure I didn’t mistype something.

 

[RedNuk]

I used cans for both. DupliColor Perfect Match Olympic White, then Minwax clear lacquer.

Would you happen to remember the color code for the Olympic White by any chance?

 

[Pep]

As cool as that would've looked, I have to agree, it looks pretty great without them. It's like someone once said; "Black is always chic and looks good with everything!" (I think it was Coco Chanel, but I could be wrong.)


What's funny is I had used a Squier Deluxe Jazz Active IV necks for my first parts-bass Projekt. Sadly, I could not bond with the neck. The fretboards are simply too flat for my fretting hand's preferences. The only other Squier necks with an ebonol board (9.5" or smaller) are the fretless ones.

Live and learn, right?

That is one beautiful bass. Even the Squier logo looks classy, plus the logo decal is “accurate”.

 

[friskinator]

Would you happen to remember the color code for the Olympic White by any chance?

It was this one. SKU BGM0434

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/duplicolor-perfect-match-gloss-olympic-white-8-oz.-bgm0434/99984737-P

 

[DJmtd]

I’ve got a few hot-rodded basses in my arsenal.

First, the MTD Kingston Super 5. Upgraded with Turner Multicoil pickups and Underhill Calistan filter preamp. It’s also been converted to headless using Nova Guitar Parts bridge and headpiece.

Next is the Samick MH prototype that I picked up without any routing. Included is a set of Delano Xtender pickups and Ellis X-series pickup blending system and a killswitch for added fun.

Lastly, an Ibanez SRMD medium-scale with Turner sidewinder pickups. This is my current project bass and will receive more mods in the near future.

Friend, I need to see the rest of this Super 5!

 

[Jessefar84]

here is my next project fender high mass bridge tuners better pickups and firemist gold paint

 

[Jessefar84]

here is my next project fender high mass bridge tuners better pickups and firemist golg

here is the color in going to paint it

 

[Bortron]

This started life as a 2000 Squier Standard 5-String Precision Bass Special. It was a weird run they did with P body and neck, but two Jazz pickups. I had one in metallic purple back in around 2004, but traded it in later. I regretted it and kept an eye out for another one for years. Eventually in 2024 I found one exactly the same, for £300, and snapped it up. Who knows, it might have even been the same one! There can't have been many around.

Unfortunately, the two J pickups were 4-string soapbars, so the sensing on the B and G strings was appalling. I decided at that point to mod the heck out of it.

Having always wanted a PJ, I decided that was the place to start. I got in touch with Nordstrand, and shout out to Stew there, who guided my noob self through the many options and helped me find the right pickups for me - an NP5V and NJ5S (noise-cancelling J).

I also decided to change the control to concentric pots with volume and tone for each pickup for maximum options. My band's guitarist routed the P pickup hole for me, and soldered all the electrics together.

I'd decided to theme the bass around a favourite TV character of mine: Aaravos from The Dragon Prince, a sexy elf with a very deep voice and sparkly purple skin. So I got a custom decal for the headstock to match the theme.

With that done, I took it to Tiny Tone in Manchester for a new lilac sparkle pickguard, and the luthier in the same premises for a full setup and fret dressing, and to apply the headstock decal - he did a great job of lacquering it over to match the aged maple of the neck. With the addition of an Aaravos sticker to the new guard, it was complete.

In total, I probably spent about £750 on the upgrades. So here it is before and after, the Aaravos Little Bass Pal.

I'm just about getting my head around the fifth string, and the insane width of the neck. It sounds incredible, though! The Nordy P pickup in particular has so much punch to it.

 

[L0ckett]

Friend, I need to see the rest of this Super 5!

Sorry for the late reply on this. I haven't had much of a chance to get back on here lately. Nonetheless, ask and you shall receive! She isn't the prettiest thing in the world but is well-loved and gigged.

 

[DJmtd]

Sorry for the late reply on this. I haven't had much of a chance to get back on here lately. Nonetheless, ask and you shall receive! She isn't the prettiest thing in the world but is well-loved and gigged.

This is insane and I love it.

 

[Packard Goose]

Sorry for the late reply on this. I haven't had much of a chance to get back on here lately. Nonetheless, ask and you shall receive! She isn't the prettiest thing in the world but is well-loved and gigged.

How do you like the Turners and Underhill? I’ve been thinking for a while now about modding something into a poor man’s Wal with these.

 

[aero58]

I had some mods made to my Squier Sonic Precision:

Seymour Duncan SPB-1
Hipshot A Style Fender Mount 1 bridge
Tort Pickguard
Tinted the headstock and back of neck
Bone nut

Tuners: I bought some GOTOH gb-350 resolites, but they were too small. Still have the stock tuners whilst I consider alternatives.

 

[GtenderG]

A Squier CV jazz body I purchased here paired with fretless MIM neck. I routed it to accommodate a p-pickup and put a new pickguard on it. Bartolini p-pup and the original Duncan designed j-pup at the bridge. And a no name bridge (Gotoh 401b lookalike).
A great fretless bass.

 

[mexicanyella]

This is a Dean Demonator Metalman 2A that I found on my local CL for $60, with a dead preamp. I rewired it passive, with a volume, blend and two “producer knobs.” I strung it with .045-.100 D’Addario chrome flatwounds and realized I really love the neck shape.

After awhile I realized I preferred it with no amount of bridge pickup
Blended in, so I removed the bridge pickup, made a cover for the hole with plastic from an old black guitar pickguard, and rewired it pickup>volume knob>output jack. I covered the unused control holes with stick-on mailbox post reflectors I had laying around. The primary color/Mr. Rogers Neighborhood vibe contrasts with the red sawblade position markers in a way that amuses me.

I’ve gotten used to its slight neck dive tendencies and now it suits how I play quite well, and feels like home.

 

[klattman]

The red was the latest project. A twin to the green squier 30”


I replaced the tuners with graphtech ratios, made a brass nut, cleaned up the fret ends, swapped in the red pickguard and sanded the gloss off the neck. Full shielding/griunding job (none in cavity to start). Proper set up which involved an hour of filing the nut slots until the intonation on the lower frets was good (of course you have to re-tune, check string height and adjust bridge, re-check truss relief, re-check intonation at 12th between each file attempt on all four strings). Good thing is now that it’s set up properly, the action is low and in the future I should only have to give the truss rod 1/4 turn every 6 months.


The humbuckers are like mud buckers but not muddy. Huge output and heavy sound. Basically sounds like a thunderbird on steroids, but without the thunderbird headstock seeking the ground like it’s made of a white dwarf star.

Similar mods on the green and blue ones. But a Hipshot drop tuner on the green one.

 

[Riff Ranger]

View attachment 7453617

This is a Dean Demonator Metalman 2A that I found on my local CL for $60, with a dead preamp. I rewired it passive, with a volume, blend and two “producer knobs.” I strung it with .045-.100 D’Addario chrome flatwounds and realized I really love the neck shape.

After awhile I realized I preferred it with no amount of bridge pickup
Blended in, so I removed the bridge pickup, made a cover for the hole with plastic from an old black guitar pickguard, and rewired it pickup>volume knob>output jack. I covered the unused control holes with stick-on mailbox post reflectors I had laying around. The primary color/Mr. Rogers Neighborhood vibe contrasts with the red sawblade position markers in a way that amuses me.

I’ve gotten used to its slight neck dive tendencies and now it suits how I play quite well, and feels like home.

I hadn’t noticed the saw blade position markers the few times I saw this shot before you mentioned them here. Love the combination with the Mister Rogers business