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Parts bass build - but is it cost effective?

#61
I guess I am not saying anything that has not been said here already but, I'll chime in anyway.

I really am getting to the point where I want less instruments in my stable and the ones that I have, I really want to like and keep.

I have played quite a few '63 Fender AVRI P Basses and I really wanted one (love that "C" 1.75 neck!!). I had a '63 as my first "real" bass back in the day and like a lot of others here, I sold it and now wish I hadn't.

It took the inventory at the Stratosphere to enable me to turn a really nice, more modern Fender P into a pseudo '63 AVRI and not add any more basses to my collection.

They had a brand new, loaded '63 AVRI neck that I can bolt onto my P Bass. I found some Pure Vintage pups on Amazon and boom, there it is!!

I get to customize the features that I want (swap the old style truss rod nut for a hex nut and accommodating pickguard) for easier neck adjustment, and still get the nice 1.75 "C" neck.

And, it is pure Fender. Resale??, probably not as good but I have the bass I want and this time, I'll keep it!

So, I have no problem with the Stratosphere. For what they are marketing, I think they have very fair pricing.

Anyway, just my .02...

Cheers!!
 
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#62
Depends on how you define "cost effective". Is your time worth anything?

It was only a fun project for me when I did a few back in the day. I enjoyed doing them because I had loads of spare time then.

When I got bored with my creations and sold them, I lost my ass. Big time. Evidently, not many shared my vision of a "dream bass". lol
 
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#63
Iridescentone said:
Depends on how you define "cost effective". Is your time worth anything?

It was only a fun project for me when I did a few back in the day. I enjoyed doing them because I had loads of spare time then.

When I got bored with my creations and sold them, I lost my ass. Big time. Evidently, not many shared my vision of a "dream bass". lol
Click to expand...
The resale issue is an inescapable reality. I definitely think long and hard before wanting to build something. The used body / neck / pickups I come across that gets me jones'ing for a new build is quickly squashed once I add up all the other parts I need and realize that what I am looking to build is not unique enough apart from what Fender already sells, and that I am stuck with it once I build it.
I have a parts Stratocaster that some of the parts fell into my lap, otherwise I would have just bought a Classic Vibe or Vintage Modified and swapped pickups. My Jazz Bass build (profile pic) was a very specific combo that I could not have gone out and bought, and is my main bass, so resale value be damned I would say. But to build something to cure boredom or scratch an itch..... I think I am done with that, and will just buy a new stompbox instead should the itch strike again!
 
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#64
I am firmly in the partsbass camp. All my "players" are partsbasses I built, have the perfect tone for me, are one-of-a-kind (statistically unlikely but you know what I mean), and I doubt I'm $500 into any of them. And they taught me useful skills I use in other contexts such as soldering and frustration management.

A partsbass has poor resale value? If you bought it as parts, you sell it as parts, it only depreciates new-to-used. Heck if you built from used parts you might even profit if you've got an eye for deals. Attempting to recoup costs by selling a partsbass whole is a fundamental misunderstanding of how the market works.

Stratosphere provides a useful service. OF COURSE there's a significant markup from buying whole, they wouldn't be in business if there wasn't. The labor and liability of dividing a jbass among 6 buyers needs to be covered. I am a satisfied customer. As mentioned earlier in the thread, I just wish I thought of it first.
 
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#65
JimmyThunder said:
A partsbass has poor resale value? If you bought it as parts, you sell it as parts, it only depreciates new-to-used. Heck if you built from used parts you might even profit if you've got an eye for deals. Attempting to recoup costs by selling a partsbass whole is a fundamental misunderstanding of how the market works.
Click to expand...

Wow, that makes perfect sense, and I don't know why I didn't think of it!

With my build of a '57 RI P-bass with a Geddy Lee neck, I'll probably be out around $600. Pretty sure a bass like that could go for around $850 or so.
 
#66
JimmyThunder said:
A partsbass has poor resale value? If you bought it as parts, you sell it as parts, it only depreciates new-to-used. Heck if you built from used parts you might even profit if you've got an eye for deals. Attempting to recoup costs by selling a partsbass whole is a fundamental misunderstanding of how the market works.
Click to expand...

Not everyone has the time or inclination to bother with all that rigmarole. For some it's fun, for others it's just work.

To me it's just work, and "work" means money coming in, not going out. To each their own, I say.
 
#67
Anyone have any experience building a fender precision parts bass using a vintage neck and Japanese body?

Thoughts, cautionary tales, or success stories? I'm specifically looking at a 70s neck.
 
#69
mistergoats said:
I'm already into my second build and based on the exchange rate and shipping, this is going to be a $2000+ CAD build. The Warmoth neck is $412 USD ended up $550 CAD and there will be a $35ish CAD charge for taxes as it comes into the country still.
Click to expand...

Careful mate, I ordered a Warmoth body about a year ago, and Canada Post hit me with a $50 duty charge when it arrived.
 
#70
Building your own bass can be very rewarding in terms of value vs. an equivalent manufactured bass, but you typically will take a heavy hit if you sell it. The value can be really good if your able to get some nicely discounted or used parts. The point of building, however, is to create what you want with the color/finish and all the sort of custom touches you want. When you get a nice result, it makes you very proud.

Stratosphere parts can come in very handy when they have something you really need to have, but except for pickguards, their prices are pretty steep.
 
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#71
chechunka said:
Anyone have any experience building a fender precision parts bass using a vintage neck and Japanese body?

Thoughts, cautionary tales, or success stories? I'm specifically looking at a 70s neck.
Click to expand...

Close, but not quite, yet this story might be helpful as a "just in case". ;) Specifically, I mounted a Japanese neck onto a Mighty Mite body. The holes for the neck bolts on the body weren't perfectly matched to those on the neck…close, but not perfect. I was afraid I'd have to do a fill-and-drill on the neck. Fortunately, an unrelated tip from a great guitar tech gave me an idea.

The original context was "How do I make sure my neck is bolted-on straight?" He told me to re-string the neck before bolting it down, gently adding enough tension to all the strings to eliminate any left/right variance. Since the holes on the neck needed to be a dot closer towards the bridge, I figured I'd give it a shot. As it turned out, that bridge-ward tension was what I needed to line up the body and neck holes. All four went in like a charm! :smug:

…and since this is a parts-bass-build-thread, I may as well post some updated pics (the ones of mine on page three are over a year old) and a link to my own build-thread.

Unveiling ~ Part Two: Projekt Blue II

DSCF0642_zpsbhczfi0a.jpg

DSCF0636_zpspo9znqp7.jpg
 
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#73
Malak the Mad said:
Close, but not quite, yet this story might be helpful as a "just in case". ;) Specifically, I mounted a Japanese neck onto a Mighty Mite body. The holes for the neck bolts on the body weren't perfectly matched to those on the neck…close, but not perfect. I was afraid I'd have to do a fill-and-drill on the neck. Fortunately, an unrelated tip from a great guitar tech gave me an idea.

The original context was "How do I make sure my neck is bolted-on straight?" He told me to re-string the neck before bolting it down, gently adding enough tension to all the strings to eliminate any left/right variance. Since the holes on the neck needed to be a dot closer towards the bridge, I figured I'd give it a shot. As it turned out, that bridge-ward tension was what I needed to line up the body and neck holes. All four went in like a charm! :smug:

…and since this is a parts-bass-build-thread, I may as well post some updated pics (the ones of mine on page three are over a year old) and a link to my own build-thread.

Unveiling ~ Part Two: Projekt Blue II

DSCF0642_zpsbhczfi0a.jpg

DSCF0636_zpspo9znqp7.jpg
Click to expand...


Love the black control plate!
 
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#74
I bought body and neck at WD music in the UK and Fender hardware and pickups from the US and probably saved some cash, got charged maybe 20% for the parts from the US. Then, I had to then do everything putting it together, the painting, sweat and tears. I wanted a finger board coated fretless and didn't really want to experiment with a brand new Fender. I looked a lot at stratosphere back then, but that wouldn't have saved me any euros. I payed about 600 euros for my fretless, I doubt I could sell it though for much, parts are worth a few hundred I suppose.
 

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