Mike Dirnt Darkstar project

[Smallequestrian]

I thought a retro looking '51 style Pbass would be a cool donor for a Darkstar pickup so I started looking around for a decent price on a Mike Dirnt sig. Won the Dirnt Sig off of ebay for a decent price, then ordered a black pickguard, mounting ring, wiring harness (from Bayou cables) and a Darkstar pickup hand wound by Fred Hammon. My goal was to have as little modification as possible. The main work was routing the original pickup route larger for the DS and then getting the pickup mounting ring properly shaped.

A friend did the routing and soldered it up for me. Its strung up with some Lakland Joe Osborne Flats for some old school tone. Sounds like a Pbass but more in your face I guess. Plus it looks all retro and badass. Definitely a fun little bass and a good value at that.

Before:

After:

(probably should of wiped it down before the pic)

 

[Hollow Man]

Well done! I love Darkstars, and you've got a pretty sweet bass there.

Nice stable in the background there too...

 

[tplyons]

Could you just lay the white guard on top so I can see?

I kinda feel like the solid black guard takes away a bit of the vintageness... ?

 

[Smallequestrian]

Ask and ye shall receive:

 

[BassGreaser]

The white PG is 100x better

 

[tplyons]

The white PG is 100x better

Sorry to say, but I think this is one bass that's much better off with a white guard.

 

[Biker4Him]

The white PG is 100x better

more like 1,000,000x better

 

[Trevorus]

Love the DarkStar! WOO!!!

 

[BassPwnage420]

You got a bongo too in your bass stash. hold on,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,is that 2!?????!
LMAO 2 bongos that might be a first!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tplyons]

You got a bongo too in your bass stash. hold on,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,is that 2!?????!
LMAO 2 bongos that might be a first!!!!!!!!!!!

I think there are a few people with 3 or 4.

 

[SuperDuck]

I'll have to agree - the white pickguard looks mucho cooler.

 

[Tbirdbassist]

Yup, as with these last few post, the white guard looks way better.

Nice Bongo's by the way, I like the single H ones a lot more.

 

[AshenBassist]

I'd say, if you can get one, a mirror/chrome pickguard would look absolutely fantastic! other than that, i personally prefer the black pickguard. i'd love to hear that bass. cool stuff!

 

[Trevorus]

I'd say, if you can get one, a mirror/chrome pickguard would look absolutely fantastic! other than that, i personally prefer the black pickguard. i'd love to hear that bass. cool stuff!

I think it would take away from the chrome of the darkstar. I like the white best. Or maybe a tort. I always like tort.

 

[Stadic]

I actully think the black looks better...

 

[emils]

Mmmmmmmmmm, nice.

 

[wujuu]

+1 on the white...i think black would work if it had the white trim around the edges so you could actually see it...maybe it was the picture but i couldnt see the edges

 

[Andy3825]

another +1 for the white...all black looked way too plain imo.

 

[west*coast*bass]

Sorry to say, but I think this is one bass that's much better off with a white guard.

I must agree, the bass looks great with the guard.

 

[bongomania]

I too prefer the white guard, but I also agree with wujuu that a black guard with white edges would look pretty badass. Overall a cool-looking bass!