My first modification undertaking of any caliber.

[wshines1892]

Well, this all started as a dream of smashing together aspects of my two favorite basses: a P Bass and a Stingray. I'm wanting to rout out the pickup cavity to hold a Musicman style humbucker and make room on the pickguard for a two band eq and a volume control while getting rid of the front mounted jack.

Well I thought this would be worthwhile to post up here in case anyone has any advice throughout the process, I'll continually update this as progress is made. Here are the baby pictures, ignore the missing string please.

First thing's first, make room on the face for three controls by moving the jack to the side, similar to a jazz bass. Pics soon to come.

 

[Rocky McD]

OK.....what body with which neck, pickup ?????????????????????????

 

[wshines1892]

Same body, possibly replace the neck for a jazz neck some time in the future. I'm routing out the pickup cavity to hold a musicman style humbucker and putting a two band eq in the pickguard, hence why I need the three controls. May seem insignificant but this is big for me, first mod haha.

 

[J. Crawford]

Youre missing a string.

 

[M0ses]

Youre missing a string.

LOL

anyway, give us the details of this mod. What exactly are you planning on doing?

 

[wshines1892]

Same body, possibly replace the neck for a jazz neck some time in the future. I'm routing out the pickup cavity to hold a musicman style humbucker and putting a two band eq in the pickguard, hence why I need the three controls. May seem insignificant but this is big for me, first mod haha.

details added, but just for the sake of repetition

 

[M0ses]

Is the humbuckers going in Ray position, with the P staying where it is? It sounds kind of like you're planning on stick the humbucker where the P is now.

 

[wshines1892]

indeed I do plan to stick it where the current pickup is, not a fan of multiple pickups on a p. Would this pose a problem?

 

[tdogg]

indeed I do plan to stick it where the current pickup is, not a fan of multiple pickups on a p. Would this pose a problem?

you will need to make a new pickguard. other than that no problems

Youre missing a string.

nothing gets past the TB crew

 

[Beej]

indeed I do plan to stick it where the current pickup is, not a fan of multiple pickups on a p. Would this pose a problem?

Not a problem per se, but it won't be in the MM position and therefore will sound a bit different...

 

[wshines1892]

The pickguard won't be a problem, just cut out a bit on the old or get a new one and custom make it. I'd like to get an alluminum control plate made seperate from the rest of the pickguard so that I don't have to undo 13 screws every time I want to do something to it.

 

[M0ses]

indeed I do plan to stick it where the current pickup is, not a fan of multiple pickups on a p. Would this pose a problem?

No, of course not a problem, I was just wondering. It probably won't sound much like a Ray - more like a more hi-fi P, is my guess.

 

[Rocky McD]

If it sounds the same, what have you accomplished. If you like the sound of the Ray, then you need to put the new Pup in the correct position. A custom pickguard would probably be needed, which you can make yourself.

 

[wshines1892]

but what about the rays with two pickups? there's one right next to the neck? But I see what you all are saying about the position, and that way I could add a second pickup later on if I wanted. Could anyone give me a measurement of how far the pickup is from the bridge on a ray?

 

[tdogg]

13 1/8" from the twelfth fret to the center of the pickup IIRC

 

[wshines1892]

well, the p bass I'm measuring has the pickup at 11 1/2" from the twelfth fret, how much am I really losing tonally on the 1 and 5/8 of an inch? or is it the distance from the bridge that would give me the tone? or am I just over thinking this?

 

[jordan_frerichs]

. Just put the mm in the p pup spot. You do not need to replicate the positions of the factories, HOWEVER It is best to put the pickup coils at the harmonics, which is how they originally found the locations for the pickups. you would be moving the mm from the mm harmonic area to that of a p basses harmonics range. The sound will still sound very much like a music man, but about as bassy as a precision pup. Jazz pups and p pups are in the same position, yet they sound different. the sound is not directly from pup type, or harmonic locations, its something like 75%/25%.
sounds like a pretty sweet project. if i heard right, you are putting a mm neck on it. sweet. I hate the feel of fender necks. best neck i have tried was a mtd

 

[wshines1892]

I was actually planning on putting a jazz neck on it but may have to put some consideration toward the MM neck now, haven't had much experience with them but I can always go down to the local music store and try the two to see what I like best.

 

[tdogg]

or am I just over thinking this?

probably. just practice your routing skills on a peice of scrapwood, take the bass apart, cover the body in masking tape, anddd go for it. if you dont like it you can always switch bach because a new pickguard will hide a MM route in the P spot. and then you can tell people you have a custom bass!

 

[Yvarg]

I was actually planning on putting a jazz neck on it but may have to put some consideration toward the MM neck now, haven't had much experience with them but I can always go down to the local music store and try the two to see what I like best.

Assuming you are talking about necks, not neck pickups, and that by MM you mean Musicman not Mighty Mite, I do not think that you will be able to put a MM neck on your bass without having to move the bridge. Aren't MM necks usually 22 frets?