This was a few weeks in the making, and finally completed today. I'm all about a great precision bass, and I've become picky about the minutae, and while I love many Fenders I've come across, I just want something different, all my own. I ordered everything and finished and constructed everything by myself.
Warmoth Alder body from the in-stock section. Sanded and finished with Natural Watco Danish Oil, 6 coats.
Warmoth neck: From in-stock section. Jazz, slim taper contour, maple/Pau Ferro, with vintage stainless steel frets and bone nut. Finished with the same Watco oil. I put on standard Schaller tuners and a Hipshot 3-string retainer. I polished the frets, rolled the edges, and dressed the nut.
I lined all the innards with copper shielding tape, even the wiring channels. I installed an EMG Geezer sig pickup and a vintage nitro tort guard. The bridge is a '58 RI threaded one (threads are a little tighter than the '57 RI ones). Knobs are Amber 0-11 series from AllParts. Finished off with Dunlop straplocks with white felts.
Final weight is a hair over 8 pounds (!). And it plays like a dream. The Geezer pickup is a win. This jazz neck feels very comfy, but oddly doesn't feel small. It feels appropriate for a great P-bass. Several factors I was going for all seem to add up to an awesome P-Bass just like my old '57 Re-issue. The light body, vintage frets, small mass bridge, and heavy headstock all contribute to a great resonance, and this one has it. And the pickup-I'll report back after I gig it this weekend, but I can already tell it has awesome thump and excellent mid punch and grind. The Pau Ferro board splits the difference between rosewood and Ebony really well. A more immediate attack than the rosewood, and less glassy highs and scoop than Ebony, but not as harsh high mids as maple can have. A great balance. You can play it and tone it up and down to make it a very versatile instrument. A custom made one of a kind P for less than the price of an American Special. WIN!
Warmoth Alder body from the in-stock section. Sanded and finished with Natural Watco Danish Oil, 6 coats.
Warmoth neck: From in-stock section. Jazz, slim taper contour, maple/Pau Ferro, with vintage stainless steel frets and bone nut. Finished with the same Watco oil. I put on standard Schaller tuners and a Hipshot 3-string retainer. I polished the frets, rolled the edges, and dressed the nut.
I lined all the innards with copper shielding tape, even the wiring channels. I installed an EMG Geezer sig pickup and a vintage nitro tort guard. The bridge is a '58 RI threaded one (threads are a little tighter than the '57 RI ones). Knobs are Amber 0-11 series from AllParts. Finished off with Dunlop straplocks with white felts.
Final weight is a hair over 8 pounds (!). And it plays like a dream. The Geezer pickup is a win. This jazz neck feels very comfy, but oddly doesn't feel small. It feels appropriate for a great P-bass. Several factors I was going for all seem to add up to an awesome P-Bass just like my old '57 Re-issue. The light body, vintage frets, small mass bridge, and heavy headstock all contribute to a great resonance, and this one has it. And the pickup-I'll report back after I gig it this weekend, but I can already tell it has awesome thump and excellent mid punch and grind. The Pau Ferro board splits the difference between rosewood and Ebony really well. A more immediate attack than the rosewood, and less glassy highs and scoop than Ebony, but not as harsh high mids as maple can have. A great balance. You can play it and tone it up and down to make it a very versatile instrument. A custom made one of a kind P for less than the price of an American Special. WIN!
Nice job!
