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NBD - Fender Mod Shop

#24
I'm quickly becoming a huge fan of roasted maple for necks and fingerboards. While I thought vintage tint maple was pretty good, my preference was always towards having a darker colored fingerboard.

The color of choice for the body goes well with the neck, and gives the whole thing the appearance of being made from "wood" rather than being made from "lumber".
 
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#25
Yogi Bear said:
Well, I succumbed to the GAS and pulled the trigger a short time ago on a Fender mod shop bass I "built." I submitted the request to Fender on 10/18, and even though they are quoting a 30 day build time, received the bass on 10/28. Not too shabby!

The build is pretty standard P-bass, though I selected the following:

- Walnut stain: This has always been my favorite color, but could never seem to find a brown, or walnut P-bass outside of some of the special runs done in the 80s, or the recent roasted ash '58 reissue from 2017 - which seem to be very scarce these days

- Roasted neck: Advertising mumbo-jumbo or not, I'm a fan of roasted necks. This was probably the tipping point for me, seeing this as an available option.

- Pure vintage '63 pickups: These too have been a favorite of mine. To me a bit rounder bottom end, not too harsh highs, pair great with the alder body.

- 3 ply red tort guard: This is Talkbass after all!

Anyway, the fit and finish of the bass is fantastic. I was cautiously expecting maybe a slight neck gap or some other build anomaly, but none to be found. If I were asked to be a overly critical it would be that the poly finish has a few, very small, polish swirls. The only change has been the removal of the stock Fender strings for DR Pure Blues. This gets such a great KC era John Witten, Ray Shulman P-bass tone!

And now the crappy cell phone pics. And yes, I still haven't removed the little baggies from the tuners...

View attachment 4043592 View attachment 4043593 View attachment 4043594 View attachment 4043595 View attachment 4043596
Click to expand...
That's a beaut! Congratulations! :)
Best wishes,
Brent
 
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#26
IMG_20200421_144825.jpg

Congrats! Looks like a beauty.

Pretty sure walnut (aka mocha) was a standard color choice in the 70s catalogs. Here's my 76. I'm a fan of wood grain, so it suits me.
 

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#28
Yogi Bear said:
Well, I succumbed to the GAS and pulled the trigger a short time ago on a Fender mod shop bass I "built." I submitted the request to Fender on 10/18, and even though they are quoting a 30 day build time, received the bass on 10/28. Not too shabby!

The build is pretty standard P-bass, though I selected the following:

- Walnut stain: This has always been my favorite color, but could never seem to find a brown, or walnut P-bass outside of some of the special runs done in the 80s, or the recent roasted ash '58 reissue from 2017 - which seem to be very scarce these days

- Roasted neck: Advertising mumbo-jumbo or not, I'm a fan of roasted necks. This was probably the tipping point for me, seeing this as an available option.

- Pure vintage '63 pickups: These too have been a favorite of mine. To me a bit rounder bottom end, not too harsh highs, pair great with the alder body.

- 3 ply red tort guard: This is Talkbass after all!

Anyway, the fit and finish of the bass is fantastic. I was cautiously expecting maybe a slight neck gap or some other build anomaly, but none to be found. If I were asked to be a overly critical it would be that the poly finish has a few, very small, polish swirls. The only change has been the removal of the stock Fender strings for DR Pure Blues. This gets such a great KC era John Witten, Ray Shulman P-bass tone!

And now the crappy cell phone pics. And yes, I still haven't removed the little baggies from the tuners...

View attachment 4043592 View attachment 4043593 View attachment 4043594 View attachment 4043595 View attachment 4043596
Click to expand...

Awesome choices!

Can we get a shot of the front im good light? Maybe sunlight?

Either way, great looking bass.
 
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#29
Yogi Bear said:
Well, I succumbed to the GAS and pulled the trigger a short time ago on a Fender mod shop bass I "built." I submitted the request to Fender on 10/18, and even though they are quoting a 30 day build time, received the bass on 10/28. Not too shabby!

The build is pretty standard P-bass, though I selected the following:

- Walnut stain: This has always been my favorite color, but could never seem to find a brown, or walnut P-bass outside of some of the special runs done in the 80s, or the recent roasted ash '58 reissue from 2017 - which seem to be very scarce these days

- Roasted neck: Advertising mumbo-jumbo or not, I'm a fan of roasted necks. This was probably the tipping point for me, seeing this as an available option.
Click to expand...

Man, I'm digging the roasted neck too. Nice score. And since you've got a tort pick guard, I think that grants you deity status around here.
 
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#34
Yogi Bear said:
Well, I succumbed to the GAS and pulled the trigger a short time ago on a Fender mod shop bass I "built." I submitted the request to Fender on 10/18, and even though they are quoting a 30 day build time, received the bass on 10/28. Not too shabby!

The build is pretty standard P-bass, though I selected the following:

- Walnut stain: This has always been my favorite color, but could never seem to find a brown, or walnut P-bass outside of some of the special runs done in the 80s, or the recent roasted ash '58 reissue from 2017 - which seem to be very scarce these days

- Roasted neck: Advertising mumbo-jumbo or not, I'm a fan of roasted necks. This was probably the tipping point for me, seeing this as an available option.

- Pure vintage '63 pickups: These too have been a favorite of mine. To me a bit rounder bottom end, not too harsh highs, pair great with the alder body.

- 3 ply red tort guard: This is Talkbass after all!

Anyway, the fit and finish of the bass is fantastic. I was cautiously expecting maybe a slight neck gap or some other build anomaly, but none to be found. If I were asked to be a overly critical it would be that the poly finish has a few, very small, polish swirls. The only change has been the removal of the stock Fender strings for DR Pure Blues. This gets such a great KC era John Witten, Ray Shulman P-bass tone!

And now the crappy cell phone pics. And yes, I still haven't removed the little baggies from the tuners...

View attachment 4043592 View attachment 4043593 View attachment 4043594 View attachment 4043595 View attachment 4043596
Click to expand...

Congrats! I really like the color coordination of the walnut body, roasted maple neck, and red tort. Showing some nice taste there.

PS: +1 on Ray Shulman
 
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#36
Yogi Bear said:
Well, I succumbed to the GAS and pulled the trigger a short time ago on a Fender mod shop bass I "built." I submitted the request to Fender on 10/18, and even though they are quoting a 30 day build time, received the bass on 10/28. Not too shabby!

The build is pretty standard P-bass, though I selected the following:

- Walnut stain: This has always been my favorite color, but could never seem to find a brown, or walnut P-bass outside of some of the special runs done in the 80s, or the recent roasted ash '58 reissue from 2017 - which seem to be very scarce these days

- Roasted neck: Advertising mumbo-jumbo or not, I'm a fan of roasted necks. This was probably the tipping point for me, seeing this as an available option.

- Pure vintage '63 pickups: These too have been a favorite of mine. To me a bit rounder bottom end, not too harsh highs, pair great with the alder body.

- 3 ply red tort guard: This is Talkbass after all!

Anyway, the fit and finish of the bass is fantastic. I was cautiously expecting maybe a slight neck gap or some other build anomaly, but none to be found. If I were asked to be a overly critical it would be that the poly finish has a few, very small, polish swirls. The only change has been the removal of the stock Fender strings for DR Pure Blues. This gets such a great KC era John Witten, Ray Shulman P-bass tone!

And now the crappy cell phone pics. And yes, I still haven't removed the little baggies from the tuners...

View attachment 4043592 View attachment 4043593 View attachment 4043594 View attachment 4043595 View attachment 4043596
Click to expand...

77 likes and counting. I think you have a winner.
 
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#38
Pings Bass said:
View attachment 4043764
Congrats! Looks like a beauty.

Pretty sure walnut (aka mocha) was a standard color choice in the 70s catalogs. Here's my 76. I'm a fan of wood grain, so it suits me.
Click to expand...
walnut (522) and Mocha (544) were different color codes. Walnut was used from about 72 until the end of the 70's, Mocha was introduced I think in 81 and was only used for a few years and then was in hiatus for a few. I have yet to see a Fender advertised as mocha that wasn't walnut. I don't recall all the details but I'm thinking walnut was transparent and mocha wasn't, but I reserve the right to be a complete fool. (Oh, and wrong too)
 
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