NBD: all JA— and no —ZZ

[Ricky Rioli]

The pickup on this is a Fralin Split Jazz — a traditional alnico J pickup, but hum-cancelling — placed in the correct spot for a J neck pickup.

Until recently, this was a P-bass — a G&L SB-1, with a 1⅝" nut and a MFD split-coil pickup. What it is now, I don't know, you tell me Kinda funny-looking, but I'll get used to it.

Once they arrive, the strings will be LaBella Low Tension Flats. I'd been mulling over pickups I might pair with them — a 60s-style alnico split-coil? or an 50s-style single-coil? A Geezer Butler? Or a Fralin Split '51?

Then it dawned on me that a split J pickup would combine everything I want — dual pole pieces, hum-cancelling, everything in a single line.

That last point is important — the stuff I'll be playing on this bass likes the difference in tone between the A and D strings to be as minimal as possible.

I know LaBella flats need breaking-in, so it'll be a while before I can adjudicate how just successful this combination is, but with a slightly tired set of Roto Bass rounds, so far, so good

 

[Avezzano]

So beautiful!

 

[thisheregiraffe]

That looks really sharp! Nicely done. I like the pearl PG better than the tort that was on there before. I bet that J neck pickup will sound great.

Does the headstock have a finish on it to match the body? I love a matching headstock.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Does the headstock have a finish on it to match the body? I love a matching headstock.

Sorry to disappoint .... but it does have a gentle "vintage tint", which helps

The pg blank was described as being "cream pearl" — I was worried that it might prove to be a very heavy faux-vintage shade, but no, it's just a warm version of regular white pearl.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Definitely the Jah bass

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Let's see Paul Allen's Jazz

 

[CallMeAl]

Pretty cool! Happen to know how far that is from SCPB placement? That's my first thought, getting serious P bass vibes still (body shape, simplicity.)

EDIT/PS- custom pick guard, or can you buy them like that??

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Pretty cool! Happen to know how far that is from SCPB placement? That's my first thought, getting serious P bass vibes still (body shape, simplicity.)

EDIT/PS- custom pick guard, or can you buy them like that??

The SCPB is even closer to the neck. Here's a comparison of J / Bronco / SCPB

My tech cut the new pg from a blank.

 

[ghostdog93]

That's pretty cool. I definitely dig the pearl guard vs the tort, it makes the body color really pop.

 

[Riff Ranger]

As it turns out, I like a single not-noisy single coil in just the right spot myself. On four-strings I prefer the Stingray spot as on my Ibanez ATK300 and RB820, but on my bizarro-multi-short-scale-six-string I will get something single-coil-ish in the approximate jazz positions soon. It’s a great sound, and on yours, it looks SLICK

 

[Ricky Rioli]

That's pretty cool. I definitely dig the pearl guard vs the tort, it makes the body color really pop.

I live in Northern England, and Pharoah Gold and Tort lit only by our feeble daylight was just heavy and indistinct. This is the 4th pg! I went Tort, Parchment, White Pearl, Cream Pearl. Better each time

 

[Ricky Rioli]

As it turns out, I like a single not-noisy single coil in just the right spot myself.

One of my day dreams involves rewiring an L-2000 so that it simply has a choice of 4 single coils. No combining, no blending just A, or B, or C, or D. Four versions of BANG. The perfect bass for when I was an 16 yr old indie kid in 1990.

 

[TheReceder]

Gotta agree with others on the pg choice. That pearl sets off the gold nicely!

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

Looks great!

 

[Ender_rpm]

Andy Duplantis from Son Volt rocks a boutique bass built exactly like this, or at least does so live the last few times I saw them. Very supportive, without the P bass "bark" in the upper mids.

 

[MynameisMe]

I love different things like this! Kudos!

 

[LAST_C]

I've never seen a bass like that before. Pretty cool! Congrats!

 

[Isaac_James]

That's unique and cool looking. I usually don't like pearloid pickguards but on this one it fits perfectly. Nice work!

 

[Isaac_James]

I live in Northern England, and Pharoah Gold and Tort lit only by our feeble daylight was just heavy and indistinct. This is the 4th pg! I went Tort, Parchment, White Pearl, Cream Pearl. Better each time

I'm in the Pacific Northwest, I know exactly what you mean

 

[PikeoftheLake]

I love the sound of a jazz neck pup soloed. In my classic rock band most of the songs I just solo the neck.

Great build and concept. I love the simplicity.