NBD! My first DIY kit! 5 string semi hollow

[BrianNYC]

Was gassing for a 5 string on a waaaay too low budget and wanted something radically different from the herd of fenders i already have....mission accomplished!

It's from pit bull guitars in Australia. Great quality kit and very good customer service. The cheapy soapbars will need upgrading eventually but are hot and grindy, they just lack a little definition and punch.

It's wired permanently for 2 channel operation on a stereo jack and is very versatile this way sound wise!

I wasn't expecting a boutique quality instrument, just a serviceable 5-string and a fun project to work on. I wound up with a bass I really like with custom touches for less than $300!!

34" scale (feels and plays like 40" lol)
Ebony fretboard, maple neck and basswood body with birch ply top. Stained with ebony varathane and finished with wipe on poly.

(For the TB police... yes, the strings in the pic are too short and are getting replaced today haha)

 

[two fingers]

Very cool!

 

[BrianNYC]

And the inlays are stickers!!!! Best $$ I spent. 10 bucks from jockomo.com. they are .007 mm thick and you have to get your fingers under the strings to even tell they are not real.

 

[mbelue]

Very well done. Nothing feels better than one you put work into.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Interesting. Two questions:
1. What does the toggle do?
B. Can you post a link?

 

[BrianNYC]

Interesting. Two questions:
1. What does the toggle do?
B. Can you post a link?

Toggle switch is the pickup selector.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Beetfarm615]

Cool! What did you mean when you said it plays like 40”? Does it have something to do with the balance/ neck dive? The fretless version looks appealing to me.

 

[BrianNYC]

Yes it's a bit of a beast. I'm 6'2" and barely reach the D tuner! About 10.5 lbs I think because my bathroom scale is a little sketchy. I would say it has neck "dip" not quite dive. It's managable. The stock tuners are super heavy though. If it had a "normal" bridge the balance would probably be perfect.

 

[BrianNYC]

That being said, the intonation and action are perfect and it has great sustain. Keeping it as is for now.

 

[JRA]

nice job! you made a great looking ax for yourself!* congratulations on your new instrument!


ha! and i noticed they offer that same instrument in an unlined fretless version!

 

[BrianNYC]

nice job! you made a great looking ax for yourself!* congratulations on your new instrument!


ha! and i noticed they offer that same instrument in an unlined

Thank you! Yes the fretless looks cool but I already have one and one is enough for me haha (until more GAS strikes)

 

[BrianNYC]

There's a TB'er who hotrodded a 6 string version a while back but it was a finished version from the same factory I guess.

 

[BrianNYC]

A link to my build diary for anyone interested in seeing the process

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[jumbodbassman]

been wanting the Rick kkt for a while but always sold out. nice job on the bass.

 

[Alacajun]

Interesting. Two questions:
1. What does the toggle do?
B. Can you post a link?

It "poules" on the "coq", obviously...

 

[BrianNYC]

It "poules" on the "coq", obviously...

Haha! Yes "rhythm and treble" make no sense to me...either rhythm and lead or bass and treble...why the mixing of terms? Was Gibson so opposed to putting the word "bass" on their guitars? Either way I was just having fun. The headstock I made wound up looking like a rooster tail to me so I went with that theme!

 

[4SG]

"Radically different" from your Fenders is something of an understatement. Definitely a very striking bass. I really like ebony fretboards, too. "Coq" and "Poule" are french for Rooster and Hen if I'm not mistaken. Unusual choice for pickup descriptors...

 

[BrianNYC]

"Radically different" from your Fenders is something of an understatement. Definitely a very striking bass. I really like ebony fretboards, too. "Coq" and "Poule" are french for Rooster and Hen if I'm not mistaken. Unusual choice for pickup descriptors...

Yes! Goes with my "theme"... unusual is my middle name

 

[BrianNYC]

Also something I added that I would like to see on more commercial basses is a stock wiring diagram on the inside of the back plate

 

[Spidey2112]

It "poules" on the "coq", obviously...

I'll take three, then...

Great job, @BrianNYC! That's how I handled getting my first 5'er... got a Saga MB-10 kit (think EBMM Stingray Classic 5), primed, painted, finished, as well as black hardware upgrades. Lots of learning, especially with a few 'speed bumps' along the way... you know, to increase your 'garage vocabulary'... but it was a lot of fun, and well worth the price and effort I put into it.

Again, great job and enjoy!