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New Bass Build: Kinal MK5B Custom

What pickups for the new bass? I'm leaning toward a jazz bass with humcancelling pickups...

  • Nordstrand NJ5S split jazz

    Votes: 10 55.6%

  • Norstrand Neo Blades

    Votes: 3 16.7%

  • Nordstrand PJ configuration

    Votes: 3 16.7%

  • Something else...please post what you think and why

    Votes: 2 11.1%
  • Total voters
    18
  • Poll closed .
DaveAceofBass

DaveAceofBass

Feb 20, 2004
5,146
1,863
Charlotte, NC
fandalism.com
#1
Hey TBers,

I'm a bit excited to share some info on a new bass I'm about to have made. I've been talking to one of my favorite luthiers, Mike Kinal, about building me a new bass. Looks like this project is going to get underway and I hope to receive it around Christmas or the end of the year. I will post pics along the way. This bass will be my fourth Kinal, and my third custom. I keep coming back to Kinal because he is extremely friendly, his basses play and sound great, and they are very affordable considering they are completely handmade by one guy. All three I've had sounded and played great and were very well built.

For this bass, it is replacing my jazz bass, so I want something that will sound like a nice jazz bass, or close to it. I'm interested in TBer input, but please keep the jazz bass vibe in mind.

Here are the specs:

Kinal MK5B
34" scale
Alder body, chambered for weight reduction
Quilted Maple top
3-piece Flame Maple/Wenge/Flame Maple neck with satin or oil finish
Custom neck shape, rounded asymmetrical V-shape
1.75" nut
Ebony fingerboard with block inlays
24 frets
Ramp
Nordstrand NJ5S pickups
John East "Flat Response" 5-knob U-Retro 18v preamp
Hipshot Tuners
Bridge TBD--Aluminum string-through body, either Babicz, KSM, or Hipshot A-Style
Dunlop Dual Design straplocks
Polyester high-gloss finish with Black/Blue/Teal sunburst finish

The first pics I will post will be of the piece of wood I choose for the top. Mike is going to send some pics of his wood stash. This is always my favorite part!

Have fun watching this thing come together...I know I will!
 
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#6
I personally like the look of the KSM the best, and I would prefer the option to go through body especially on a 5 string. Does it have adjustable string spacing though? I can't tell, but I don't think it does.

I don't think the Hipshot fits in with the jazz bass vibe as much as the other 2 - the Babicz probably does that the best, but no string through body. I couldn't find the weight of the Hipshot, but the KSM and Babicz are almost identical.

Also, what is your string spacing? You don't say above, but the Babicz is for 19mm spacing.

Of the 3 presented, I prefer the KSM. On a high end custom build though, I'd want adjustable string spacing if possible and it appears only the Hipshot bridge offers it.

EDIT: I see you have a 1.75 nut, which I believe is 17mm spacing so the Babicz is out in that case.
 
#7
tastybasslines said:
I personally like the look of the KSM the best, and I would prefer the option to go through body especially on a 5 string. Does it have adjustable string spacing though? I can't tell, but I don't think it does.

I don't think the Hipshot fits in with the jazz bass vibe as much as the other 2 - the Babicz probably does that the best, but no string through body. I couldn't find the weight of the Hipshot, but the KSM and Babicz are almost identical.

Also, what is your string spacing? You don't say above, but the Babicz is for 19mm spacing.

Of the 3 presented, I prefer the KSM. On a high end custom build though, I'd want adjustable string spacing if possible and it appears only the Hipshot bridge offers it.

EDIT: I see you have a 1.75 nut, which I believe is 17mm spacing so the Babicz is out in that case.
Click to expand...

Tasty, I appreciate your reply.

Mike built my last bass with a Hipshot B-style, to my request. I want something different on this bass. The nut is 1.75", but the bridge will be 19mm spacing. This will not be a problem though, as it was the same on my last bass from Kinal.

I have had the A-style before. It's a great bridge, but not full contact. That being said it's the most customizable of the three. The saddles are brass but the plate is aluminum. It might look cool with their satin color, given the finish I plan to go with. Aesthetically I like it the best, but the others look cool too.

I had a Babicz on the Modulus I sold. It replaced the stock Gotoh, and there seemed to be a noticeable difference. I had told Mike that was what I wanted, but I'm very disappointed that they don't offer string-through-body stringing on the 5-string model. I have emailed them but haven't gotten a reply. I don't think they will make me a custom version with string-through, but if they say yes I'll definitely go that route. I also think the giant logo stamped on the Babicz bridge looks awful.

As for the KSM it looks cool, but all of the reviews I've seen have been sub-par. No professional users with that one. Also, the spacing is 23/32", which is about 18.25mm. This is do-able, but a bit tighter than I wanted. Another negative is that adjusting string height also affects intonation. These two adjustments are not independent. That kind of sucks, and I'd be taking a gamble with it since I've never used one. It seems like you know more than me about it...have you tried one?

As for the bass, the deposit I sent should arrive any day now. He has quite a few orders ahead of me, mostly arch tops, a Kompact, and a fretless for a guy in Europe. But, I should get some wood pics soon so I can start picking the top wood. I hope it will be done by Christmas as my wife is expecting my first kid in February. The bass, being not as crucial, should come first!
 
#10
natw42 said:
Do you have examples of what the tealburst or the redwood/blackburst would look like?
Click to expand...

Tealburst something along these lines:
modulus1.jpg
IMG_1693.JPG
IMG_1783.JPG
IMG_0089.JPG

Redwood would be a top picked from, with the blackened edges like in a normal sunburst:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#15
I have come to really love the J/MM setup on my Lakland; After that, my next fav setup is the traditional soapbar J spacing... but P/J is also always a winner.

I have only a small amount of experience with Nordstrand - and they sounded nice to me... but the fact is, most higher end pickups sound nice. I had Duncan active pickups in my Ken Lawrence that sounded simply great;

I guess it depends on what you are going for. Warmth? Crispness? Classic tone?
 
#16
SanDiegoHarry said:
I have come to really love the J/MM setup on my Lakland; After that, my next fav setup is the traditional soapbar J spacing... but P/J is also always a winner.

I have only a small amount of experience with Nordstrand - and they sounded nice to me... but the fact is, most higher end pickups sound nice. I had Duncan active pickups in my Ken Lawrence that sounded simply great;

I guess it depends on what you are going for. Warmth? Crispness? Classic tone?
Click to expand...
I've settled on the NJ5S pickups. John East is adding a series option to the preamp, similar to the Fender S1 switch. This will approximate a P bass tone.
 

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