The Nash builds are rather nice. Fender's American Vintage Series might change your mind. Sadowsky gets my vote...
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Making P Bass Copies
- Thread starter FenderBassist
- Start date
I too voted Get A Fender.
I'm not sure what your budget is, but the 2008+ MIA's are very nice. Mine is just shy of 8.5lbs, since you mention weight is a concern. The AVRI's are excellent as well, but a little more money. My 57' is just over 8lbs, and my 62' is just over 8.5lbs I think (I forget to be honest).
If you've got your heart set on building something, I'd would heavily consider Warmoth or USACG. I've heard the steel rods are pretty heavy in the Warmoth necks, but the graphite rods are a bit more money.
I'm not sure what your budget is, but the 2008+ MIA's are very nice. Mine is just shy of 8.5lbs, since you mention weight is a concern. The AVRI's are excellent as well, but a little more money. My 57' is just over 8lbs, and my 62' is just over 8.5lbs I think (I forget to be honest).
If you've got your heart set on building something, I'd would heavily consider Warmoth or USACG. I've heard the steel rods are pretty heavy in the Warmoth necks, but the graphite rods are a bit more money.
id say go with warmoth, granted it will be more expensive but you can control all aspects of the creation and it can be totally tailored to you. BUT if money is a huge object then go out and get parts from all parts or wherever and build a franken bass and then you can get a cheaper custom bass and you will love that bass more then any of the others because the work you put into it
just my opinion
fyi not a huge fender fan (unless it is a jazz bass with a natural finish then i am powerless)
EDIT>>If you have a chance try a esp, warwick, or a jackson they all CAN be very lite.
if you pick the right warwick it will be light but Jackson and ESP make super light basses
My ESP LTD B-104 weights in at 7.75-8lbs, feels a bit heavier then a epiphone LP junior guitar
just my opinion
fyi not a huge fender fan (unless it is a jazz bass with a natural finish then i am powerless)
EDIT>>If you have a chance try a esp, warwick, or a jackson they all CAN be very lite.
if you pick the right warwick it will be light but Jackson and ESP make super light basses
My ESP LTD B-104 weights in at 7.75-8lbs, feels a bit heavier then a epiphone LP junior guitar
I voted Warmoth- they make Excellent Stuff , BUt i Just noticed USACG is in the Same city as warmoth ...makes ya wonder ..
The new ( 2008- an newer ) Fenders are amazing! They feel really good too.
But i hear on the money issue, so I just got a Squier MAtt Freeman P bass ( modeled after a 77 P ) , and its quality is steller!
- I was amazed when i got it, how low the action was , its tone , its light, Shielded, and the pick-up was Good too! I dropped in a Seymmour duncan Quarter Pounder and then took it back out, Cuz I liked the Stock one better!
The new ( 2008- an newer ) Fenders are amazing! They feel really good too.
But i hear on the money issue, so I just got a Squier MAtt Freeman P bass ( modeled after a 77 P ) , and its quality is steller!
- I was amazed when i got it, how low the action was , its tone , its light, Shielded, and the pick-up was Good too! I dropped in a Seymmour duncan Quarter Pounder and then took it back out, Cuz I liked the Stock one better!
I recently bought a 2011 MIM Fender P Bass that is really excellent actually. There are a couple of things I would have changed though number one being the bridge. I don't mind it really except that the saddles, particularly on the G string tends to "walk" itself down while playing over time, causing a minor intonating problem. I plan to change the bridge, but haven't yet decided way I will replace it with.
The other thing that I didn't love instantly was the pickup. It seems to be wound super hot for some reason and I have compensated by lowering it quite a bit, however this can cause some frequency wobble on long sustained notes (longer that I actually play in performance) that is a bit irritating. Lowering the pup did achieve a nice vintage P Bass tone that I was after though. I will likely change out the pup eventually as well, but its not first on my list of things to be done.
The neck is absolutely phenomenal on this bass and It is really the reason I bought the bass. It is just buttery and smooth and has a beautiful maple fretboard as well. the frets are well finished and seem level ( I haven't checked with a leveler) and offer no problems in setup. It is strong and chunky, but not overly so. It feels just right to me. I had heard that the MIM's had been coming out quite nice lately and my bass i think verifies this. Im sure that there are some that are less stellar straight form the factory, but mine is pretty sweet with a simple basic setup.
For the money i don't think you can really beat it. I paid $479.00 for mine out the door, with brand new D aDarrio's on it.
It gets the Classive P Bass tone I was after and is a delight to play, so I don't see the point of spending twice or more for something else.
my 2 cents
The other thing that I didn't love instantly was the pickup. It seems to be wound super hot for some reason and I have compensated by lowering it quite a bit, however this can cause some frequency wobble on long sustained notes (longer that I actually play in performance) that is a bit irritating. Lowering the pup did achieve a nice vintage P Bass tone that I was after though. I will likely change out the pup eventually as well, but its not first on my list of things to be done.
The neck is absolutely phenomenal on this bass and It is really the reason I bought the bass. It is just buttery and smooth and has a beautiful maple fretboard as well. the frets are well finished and seem level ( I haven't checked with a leveler) and offer no problems in setup. It is strong and chunky, but not overly so. It feels just right to me. I had heard that the MIM's had been coming out quite nice lately and my bass i think verifies this. Im sure that there are some that are less stellar straight form the factory, but mine is pretty sweet with a simple basic setup.
For the money i don't think you can really beat it. I paid $479.00 for mine out the door, with brand new D aDarrio's on it.
It gets the Classive P Bass tone I was after and is a delight to play, so I don't see the point of spending twice or more for something else.
my 2 cents
you're worried about Fender quality and you want to go with Mighty Mite? 
Not that they are not quality but Fender is way better. Here is the thing though, if you go ahead and build something using Fender licensed parts remember they never have a good resale. You will not make your money back if you try selling it.
What are you not liking about Fender? Are you just doing one series from one make? MIA, MIM, MIJ, there are a lot of basses from a lot of different branches of Fender. It sounds like your opinion is pretty narrow based on everything they offer. Plus it will be less expensive to buy a Fender than try to replicate one of the same quality IMO.
Not that they are not quality but Fender is way better. Here is the thing though, if you go ahead and build something using Fender licensed parts remember they never have a good resale. You will not make your money back if you try selling it.
What are you not liking about Fender? Are you just doing one series from one make? MIA, MIM, MIJ, there are a lot of basses from a lot of different branches of Fender. It sounds like your opinion is pretty narrow based on everything they offer. Plus it will be less expensive to buy a Fender than try to replicate one of the same quality IMO.
Depends on the budget and options you want. Mighty Mite has some great products at very reasonable prices (the neck in my hands right now is a mighty mite). If you want something more exotic than alder, maple, and rosewood...warmoth might be a better option for you. I prefer Mighty Mite myself, but it all depends on your needs.
I would go allparts first for the neck.... Their necks are great.
Warmoth second choice. Warmoths can be heavy unless you get it slim contour with graphite bars... But then, that costs more money.
Warmoth second choice. Warmoths can be heavy unless you get it slim contour with graphite bars... But then, that costs more money.
Piecing a parts P together currently and using a MusiKraft maple/maple neck and a Warmoth P body. The body took some minor sanding to open up the neck pocket a bit but still resulting in a nice tight fit there.
I had a Warmoth neck in the past and while amazing build quality, I was not super excited about the sound of it. There was something "sterile" about it which may have been due to the steel rods. Their bodies on the other hand are some of the best.
This has been a fun build for sure ! SGD passive P quad-coil going in for the pickup.
I had a Warmoth neck in the past and while amazing build quality, I was not super excited about the sound of it. There was something "sterile" about it which may have been due to the steel rods. Their bodies on the other hand are some of the best.
This has been a fun build for sure ! SGD passive P quad-coil going in for the pickup.
If you are capable of finish work, the Mighty Mite stuff would be fine. I've had a few necks of theirs that where pretty decent necks, but played great after a little fret and nut work. If you are fine with bolting together, but not wanting the hands on finishing work, Warmoth or USACG all the way.
I've built parts Precisions that were better than any Fender I've ever played. I've built parts Precisions that were really mediocre. I've played some really, really nice contemporary US-made Fenders lately.
It's a crap shoot no matter what. A great playing bass is a special combination of great parts and great assembly. It could just as easily come from the factory as your work bench.
It's a crap shoot no matter what. A great playing bass is a special combination of great parts and great assembly. It could just as easily come from the factory as your work bench.
That's my feeling as well, at least in my experience. I have an '08 MIA Jazz and two 2010 Squiers, and the quality on each is stellar, the MIA being the best bass I have ever played, let alone owned. I see no problems with Fender/Squier's quality in any way shape or form. I would rather have Fender build the bass for me. I'm lazy that way,LOL.
Invalid Link Removed, Mighty Mite body for $300 is my vote. Of course you'll still need hardware & electronics.
Or....
Pick up a Invalid Link Removed and put on a nice Warmoth neck. (You can get a used Affinity for less than the price of a Mighty Mite body) Then do your mods and upgrades as you get the money. It'll be perfectly playable the whole time.
Or buy the used SQUIER CLASSIC VIBE (PBASS #052112 621)for $179 on the Indianapolis GC website ( I can't get it to link to just that bass)
Or....
Pick up a Invalid Link Removed and put on a nice Warmoth neck. (You can get a used Affinity for less than the price of a Mighty Mite body) Then do your mods and upgrades as you get the money. It'll be perfectly playable the whole time.
Or buy the used SQUIER CLASSIC VIBE (PBASS #052112 621)for $179 on the Indianapolis GC website ( I can't get it to link to just that bass)
I';m currently using a USACG P/J bass. Ash body/maple neck & rosewood fretboard/Hipshot tuners & bridge/Nordstrand pickups. It is a very nice sounding and playing bass. I would stack it up against pretty much any non-boutique bass.
I built one from parts all Fender hardware, fretless. I put/sweated it together. Not an, order parts and company XYZ puts it together for you, that might be better. It is great but no way to the level of the 2010 Fender MIA fretted I have. Parts bass cost half though.
You can go to the shops and QC a Fender on your own! I voted buy a Fender...
You can go to the shops and QC a Fender on your own! I voted buy a Fender...
