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need help building a new bass for giging.

3

3star2nr

Jun 2, 2013
275
2
#1
So I'm apart of a band. Were starting to mesh pretty well and we have a couple originals, we've got some good feedback so were ready to take it to the next level and start giving.

Unfortunately we've all pretty much maxed out our gear and the limits are becoming very obvious. My 30 year old squire bass although I can get it to sound goof has too many dead spots and fret buzz the machine heads are also ripping out of the neck so its time to retire it. Its also just too damned heavy so I'm shopping for something new.

I'm going to go the warmoth route and I'm thinking about building a super lightweight bass. Chambered swamp ash body rosewood maple neck with graphite truss rod.

I need help picking the rest of the electronics though and some general advice.

Im a finger style player, not into slap. I play mostly rnb and reggae, isley brothers, cissy strut type music. some classic rock blackkeys type music and some kings of Lyone stuff

The tone I'm looking for is ultra clean no distortion I want to hear solid bass notes. As for effects, i dont use any pedals and techniques i use alot of slides and dive bombs but nothing fancy. Good sustain is nice just as long as it doesnt get muddy. I dont know if this makes sense. Thanks guys

I just got a 100 watt acoustic amp. If the band takes off I'll eventually go to a 4x10 cab
 
#3
Rip Topaz said:
My only advice is to be careful how light you make the body.

An unbalanced bass can be worse to deal with than a heavy bass. If you have to fight neck dive all night, it gets exhausting pretty quick.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. I figure if the body is too light making the bass unbalanced I could screw a tungsten slug in the back to counter balance it. It shouldn't add alot to the overall weight of the bass. Its a technique they use when balancing the crankshaft of an engine.

Thanks for that tip though I'm going to definately factor that in the build
 
#4
Don't want to put a damper on your desire to build or your creativity - but the Fender 24 two octave basses are amazingly cool.

This is your lucky day, they supposedly have 14 left at Amazon, blowing out the tobacco burst at $499.00. I would call Alto Music and see if they can pick you out a super nice one.

http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Tobacco.../dp/B000GAP1BM

Flat black is $399.00 here if you prefer it:

[This invalid link has been removed]


Best of luck,

BassHappy
www.innertainment.net
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
#5
3star2nr said:
That's a good point. I figure if the body is too light making the bass unbalanced I could screw a tungsten slug in the back to counter balance it. It shouldn't add alot to the overall weight of the bass. Its a technique they use when balancing the crankshaft of an engine.

Thanks for that tip though I'm going to definately factor that in the build
Click to expand...

I wouldn't do that, but that's just me. Especially with a chambered body.

To give any other advice, I'd say we need more info.

What body shape and what pickup shape(s) are you wanting to use?
 
#6
My first concern when I heard "light body" was "why, exactly"? Of course we all hate hanging a boat anchor on a strap, but the quest for ultra light weight can have some unintended bad effects on sound - chambered bodies often need special measures to avoid boominess and difficulty getting distinct notes through a PA. I've played some really, really great-sounding solid lightweights and some that have holes in their frequency production. As far as counter-weighting a hollowed out body to combat neck dive, you are better off going with ultralight tuners than trying to add enough weight to the body (the short part of the lever). Also, what's the effect going to be of attaching a weight (which can act as a damper) to a hollowed out, resonant body?

I've built four Warmoths and was fortunate at least twice that what I bought (and didn't work the way I expected) could be modded (new electronics, etc) to sound acceptable. But the cost adds up. I love Warmoth, but with the very wide range of options, it's possible to outsmart yourself. Nobody at Warmoth is really qualified to advise you either. I'd run your plans past a very experienced luthier for input on how to get the result you are seeking.
 
#8
You guys make some interesting points I didn't consider. What if I ditch the chambered body and just go with solid swamp ash and maple neck with the lightweight tuners.

I'm thinking that setup should work pretty well.

I need a light bass because our band practices everyday for 4-6 hours ion average and my current bass is destroying my neck and shoulder. I have a 3 in wide leather strap but it takes its toll. And you can't play a show sitting down you'd have to be in your 50s and a blues legend to pull that off.

Also I was going to use there dinky jazzbass body with jazz bass size neck and bridge pickup.

I have played a couple fenders and some hollow gibsons schecters etc. To be honest after tweeking the amp a bit I don't notice a real substantial difference in sound between a hollow and solid body. It could be though that I've nit payed them through a pa and the pa would show up the differences more obviously than listening to an amp directly at comfortable volumes

I like the warmouth route more because I get so many options to make something I really like. I do know there is a risk it might come out sounding weird.
 
#10
3star2nr said:
I need a light bass because our band practices everyday for 4-6 hours ion average and my current bass is destroying my neck and shoulder. I have a 3 in wide leather strap but it takes its toll. And you can't play a show sitting down you'd have to be in your 50s and a blues legend to pull that off.
Click to expand...

4-6 hours every day?

You can sit down it band practice. It's just practice ;)
 
#11
Yeah dude were trying to get ready to gig in July. So were trying to get locked in, as much as possible.

Often times i have to sit down because my shoulders and back start killing me. It wouldn't be a real problem but ivve found I can stand and play for about 15 mins before I start feeling tired.

If were doing a thirty minute set I feel like I won't be able to keep up with my guitarist.

I think a lighter bass and eventually excersize :-) might help the endurance
 
#13
I'm gonna try that for now. I still have to save some more pennies and the old squire is hanging in there for now. But its really limiting what I can do. And to be honest sometimes I just get frustrated with the damn thing.

It was actually y I quit playing bass for a year and took up electric guitar. Now I'm backto it lol
 
#14
I have a Lakeland 55-02 and I love how light it is. Lighter than my jazz for sure even though it's a5 string. Not sure how they do that.

I built a guitar from parts and the main downside is their isn't much resale compared to, say, just buying used branded guitar/bass.
 
#16
I think I might go lakland. They are really hard to beat and sound great. They have exactly the specs I was looking for for about 600.00 less than I cold possibly build it for.

Its a no brainer really. I don't like the finish of the 44-01 deluxe but with the money I save I can get it refinished, in a green dye.

I may refinish it myself. I'll of course refinish my old squire first to get better at the process though it seems fairly simple
 
#20
3star2nr said:
Im a finger style player, not into slap. I play mostly rnb and reggae, isley brothers, cissy strut type music. some classic rock blackkeys type music and some kings of Lyone stuff

The tone I'm looking for is ultra clean no distortion I want to hear solid bass notes. As for effects, i dont use any pedals and techniques i use alot of slides and dive bombs but nothing fancy. Good sustain is nice just as long as it doesnt get muddy.
Click to expand...

Have you considered looking into a semi-hollow body? Seems to fit the bill.
 

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