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New Cheap Modded Bass Day NCMBD

skyline_01

skyline_01

Endorsing artist: Nordstrand Audio, Tsunami Cables
Nov 14, 2006
1,905
2,670
Lebanon, OH
jsnichols2.wixsite.com
#1
I recently picked up a used Squier Affinity P Bass to fix up for my daughter's Christmas present (yes, she asked for bass stuff, which is awesome). I cleaned the fretboard with 0000 steel wool and conditioned it with mineral oil, then cleaned/polished the rest of the bass as best I could. It sounds and looks way better than I thought it would. Makes me itch for another P Bass project to keep for myself. :)Mods/upgrades include:

- New high-quality wiring kit (CTS, orange drop, switchcraft, push-back cloth wiring, yadda yadda)
- New (cheap but nice looking) pickguard
- New cheap higher-mass-than-stock bridge; used some longer 1-1/4" #6 screws to anchor it bc the screw holes were beginning to strip
- New heavy-feeling flat-top chrome knobs (actually came with the wiring kit)
- Dunlop Super Brights
- action/intonation/height adjustments

Link to hastily-put-together sound demo below.


IMG-0458.JPG IMG-0459.JPG


 
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#4
Thanks to you both! It was fun to do and I think the results are pretty remarkable. I'm jonesing for another project now but next time I'll likely hang onto it for myself.

BTW if you're ever looking for a good but fairly inexpensive P harness I strongly recommend this one. Shipping was really quick too.

Precision Bass Harness & Knobs-CTS Orange Drop Switchcraft
Precision Bass Harness & Knobs-CTS Orange Drop Switchcraft
 
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#8
CallMeAl said:
Looks great! She’s gonna love it :)

My main bass is a modded Squier Affinity. Never even changed the pickup, it sounds that good!
Click to expand...

Yep, I fully agree! At first I was considering an inexpensive pickup change (Artec, GFS, Wilkinson, etc) but I was pleasantly surprised by how good the stock one sounded with the upgraded wiring kit. The audio on the demo above was recorded direct to DAW with no outboard eq and just a little compression. I'm really pleased at how well everything worked out!
 
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#9
two fingers said:
Thay sucker sounds fan-dang-tastic. Looks good too!

How old is she? My girls are getting a digital piano from Sandy Claws this year.
Click to expand...

Thanks, man! It turned out way better than I had imagined it would.

She's sixteen and has been interested in bass for a while now, and I haven't even pushed her toward it. She's very musical and is the section leader on sax in band and was one of the drum majors this marching season. She also dabbles in keyboard and guitar.

I hope that your girls enjoy the piano! :hyper:
 
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#10
JRA said:
nice job! looks and sounds deluxe. congratulations to your daughter on her new instrument! :thumbsup: and to her thoughtful dad! :thumbsup::thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Thank you very much! I wanted her to have something that would last a good while, have better-than-average playability and sound, and have a personalized look too. All upgrades considered, I basically paid the same that I would have paid for a bone-stock Affinity.

She's also getting an Ampeg BA-108 that I found on FB for $40, a gig bag, stand, clip-on tuner and cable. I think she'll be ready to rock!
 
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#17
skyline_01 said:
I recently picked up a used Squier Affinity P Bass to fix up for my daughter's Christmas present (yes, she asked for bass stuff, which is awesome). I cleaned the fretboard with 0000 steel wool and conditioned it with mineral oil, then cleaned/polished the rest of the bass as best I could. It sounds and looks way better than I thought it would. Makes me itch for another P Bass project to keep for myself. :)Mods/upgrades include:

- New high-quality wiring kit (CTS, orange drop, switchcraft, push-back cloth wiring, yadda yadda)
- New (cheap but nice looking) pickguard
- New cheap higher-mass-than-stock bridge; used some longer 1-1/4" #6 screws to anchor it bc the screw holes were beginning to strip
- New heavy-feeling flat-top chrome knobs (actually came with the wiring kit)
- Dunlop Super Brights
- action/intonation/height adjustments

Link to hastily-put-together sound demo below.


View attachment 3617228 View attachment 3617229


Click to expand...

Great work, dad! Your daughter should be very pleased. I think it looks awesome!
 
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#19
skyline_01 said:
I recently picked up a used Squier Affinity P Bass to fix up for my daughter's Christmas present (yes, she asked for bass stuff, which is awesome). I cleaned the fretboard with 0000 steel wool and conditioned it with mineral oil, then cleaned/polished the rest of the bass as best I could. It sounds and looks way better than I thought it would. Makes me itch for another P Bass project to keep for myself. :)Mods/upgrades include:

- New high-quality wiring kit (CTS, orange drop, switchcraft, push-back cloth wiring, yadda yadda)
- New (cheap but nice looking) pickguard
- New cheap higher-mass-than-stock bridge; used some longer 1-1/4" #6 screws to anchor it bc the screw holes were beginning to strip
- New heavy-feeling flat-top chrome knobs (actually came with the wiring kit)
- Dunlop Super Brights
- action/intonation/height adjustments

Link to hastily-put-together sound demo below.
Click to expand...

GREAT CHOICES ON UPGRADES! Love the strings, those specific strings are the best way to make a cheap bass sound like a top line axe, imho.
 
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