So I was thinking it was time to update some family photos. I thought I'd start with Fender-y things.
Back Row L-R:
1). 2025 Fender Jazz parts bass - Genuine Fender Body and Jazz Neck (MIM), DiMarzio Ultra Jazz PUs, Stellartone tonestyler tone knob, Fender tuners. Gotoh 201B bridge, black-white-black pickguard. My son plays this one and for being sort of cobbled together, it's a pretty good bass.
2). 2008(?) CIJ Geddy Lee Jazz bass - The last year of the CIJ before production moved to Mexico (experts can correct me on the year). It's got a broom handle for a neck - it's so thin in all directions. DiMarzio Model J's and a John East preamp. I left the stock Badass II bridge on it (I don't have strong feelings about that bridge one way or the other - I probably wouldn't go out of my way to buy one, but I'm perfectly fine with it). That East preamp combined with the DiMarzios makes for a massive sound. Also Fender tuners and a hipshot string retainer and custom bwb pickguard (that's right a standard replacement pg won't fit on the CIJ GL bass). Love the TV Logo.
3). 2010 MIA Highway One P-bass body + 2011 CIJ 70's Classic P neck - My favorite Fender neck of all time. I wanted to create a fraternal twin to the Geddy Lee. Most P basses with bound and blocked necks are Jazz necks. This one is a true P bass neck with a 1.625" diameter. It fits my hand like a glove. That Highway One body has a nitro finish on it. I know that helps it "wear" like a vintage fender, but honestly I would prefer a high gloss poly finish like the Geddy. But it's been super solid and the satin black finish has grown on me over time. It's just really prone to scratches and buckle rash etc. It's got a DiMarzio Model P pickup (but the original pickup was really good), stock BAII bridge (see above), Hipshot tuners and hipshot string retainer and bwb PG. Oh and the stock "greasebucket" tone knob is still in there - which is fine with me. This is probably my most dependable Fender bass for live settings. Love the TV logo.
4). 2012 SX Ursa 3 body + Genuine Fender Precision Neck (MIM) parts bass - Another of my son's basses. I originally bought the SX for outdoor/outlaw gigs where I needed something to play that I truly didn't care what happened to it. When my son started playing it was repurposed into something more. At this point the only thing SX on it is literally the body/PG : Genuine Fender P-Neck, Black Hipshot tuners and string retainers, TUSQ nut, Dimarzio Model P+J, Gotoh 201B bridge, and rewired the electronics to be master volume + master tone with a pickup selector (like a Duff McKagen or Tony Franklin sig bass would have). It's a really fun bass to play and that genuine fender neck alone made a huge difference in how it plays.
5). 2011 CIJ 70's Classic P body + 2010 MIA Highway One P-bass neck - The reverse of #3. I wanted to create a classic 60s style P-bass. So to me that means Rosewood fretboard, 3-tone sunburst, and of course a tortoise pickguard. This one has the original 70s classic P pickup in it. Also has the stock Highway One tuners with a hipshot string retainer. I stuck a fat finger on the end of the neck about 13 years ago. I don't know if it makes much difference, but there it is. It's also got a Gotoh 201B bridge and that all-important TV logo. This is my go-to recording bass. I don't play it live very much any more, but it's completely solid.
Front Row L-R
1). 2025 Squier Bass VI - I just bought this and have done pretty extensive mods to it (which I will document in an upcoming post). But as a preview, it's got Satin Hipshot locking tuners, a (IMO) better string tree, some darker minwax stain on the Indian Laurel fretboard, the string retainer off of my son's Sire P8, a Manley bridge (the stock Jaguar bridge is not easy to intonate), an Obscura brushed hardtail conversion (I definitely don't need the tremolo on this instrument), Obscura brushed control plate and switch plate, black mojotone pickup covers, bwb pickguard, and LaBella .095 flats. Like most attempts (I imagine) to incorporate a bass vi, I'm still trying to figure out exactly where this thing fits. The low E string with Neck pickup solo'd sounds and plays just like a bass. So it's not difficult to do bass stuff with this thing - especially with the flats installed. I'm currently playing it in my weekly P&W gig but only on slow songs - essentially, I'm kind of playing the bass lines with my thumb and then playing a few high notes with my first and second fingers on the high E and B strings. Sort of modified finger picking. And I will add that while I play guitar regularly - my mind has yet to let me see this thing as a guitar. It is definitely a bass to my mind/hands despite the string spacing - truly a unique instrument and chock full of contradictions. Also, it's nearly as long as a P bass in overall length. The 30" scale comes from having the bridge so far in on the body compared to 34" scale of a P-bass with the bridge near the edge.
2) 2021 Fender American Performer HSS Stratocaster - Sorry for the guitar content, but I wanted something for scale near the bass vi. If anyone is curious about the specs - just ask!
Thanks for indulging me. It's nice to take stock sometimes.
