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Revamping a Squier Precision Bass
- Thread starter Woodyrson
- Start date
This looks really great. In fact, this thread has inspired me to mod a Squier P Bass I found on Craigslist for cheap. Are people interested in seeing another project as part of this thread?
Here are some better pictures. I wanted to take some outside, but it's raining here, so I had to settle for pictures by the window. Now it just needs some pup covers and a thumbrest. I am accepting donations of any of the above items
That is one gorgeous bass!! You wouldn't want to sell it after you're done would you?
In the spirit of bassgod's response, does a one-legged duck swim in a circle? Bring it on!
Sorry, ERIC, I'm going to hold on to this thing for a while! I LOVE this thing!
Ok here's the story and some pics. While reading this thread I stumbled across a "Fender Bass" for sale on Craigslist. Turns out to be a Squier P-Bass, with practice amp, cable, tuner, stand, and gig bag, being sold by a kid who says he lost interest and "it's been in storage." Other than some dust, it looked great and actually played pretty well, except for a loose volume pot and too-high action. I handed him the $125 and expect to cast off the Rumble 15 practice amp to recoup some costs.
A 1/6 turn on the rod broght the action more into line. After slammin' and jammin' on it for awhile, I ignored an earlier promise to myself to get pictures before I did anything and pulled the thing apart. In my opinion, this Indonesian bass has very a economical build but actually pretty decent workmanship for a basement-level bass. I set the major pieces back in place, sans screws, just to get this pic. There's a link to my Photobucket album with more pics.
I plan to install a Bartolini P Bass system (8S pups with the 2.2 AP preamp, etc.), a Gotoh 201 chrome bridge, and a white pearl 3-layer (WBW) pickguard. Other planned tidbits include proper copper shielding for the cavity.
The finish is near perfect on this item, and I actually like the blue color. So, for now I don't plan to refinish the body. I'm on the fence about the neck. It is actually a very good neck for the money, and the tuners seem OK to me. Frets need some leveling but it's mostly a pretty good neck. Still, I'd prefer a Jazz neck in maple, and if I do that I'll probably replace the tuners as well. (Opinions here??). So, all in all not a radical mod at this point but just these changes should ramp it up a bit.
The neck pocket is pretty rough, and I would like to smooth that out a bit (to improve wood-to-wood contact) though don't want to screw with the finish around it since I'm keeping it for now. (Opinions about neck and neck pocket work??)
Anyone know what these "Affinity series" bass bodies are made from?
Photbucket album: http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii182/neobassman/Bass Stuff/
A 1/6 turn on the rod broght the action more into line. After slammin' and jammin' on it for awhile, I ignored an earlier promise to myself to get pictures before I did anything and pulled the thing apart. In my opinion, this Indonesian bass has very a economical build but actually pretty decent workmanship for a basement-level bass. I set the major pieces back in place, sans screws, just to get this pic. There's a link to my Photobucket album with more pics.
I plan to install a Bartolini P Bass system (8S pups with the 2.2 AP preamp, etc.), a Gotoh 201 chrome bridge, and a white pearl 3-layer (WBW) pickguard. Other planned tidbits include proper copper shielding for the cavity.
The finish is near perfect on this item, and I actually like the blue color. So, for now I don't plan to refinish the body. I'm on the fence about the neck. It is actually a very good neck for the money, and the tuners seem OK to me. Frets need some leveling but it's mostly a pretty good neck. Still, I'd prefer a Jazz neck in maple, and if I do that I'll probably replace the tuners as well. (Opinions here??). So, all in all not a radical mod at this point but just these changes should ramp it up a bit.
The neck pocket is pretty rough, and I would like to smooth that out a bit (to improve wood-to-wood contact) though don't want to screw with the finish around it since I'm keeping it for now. (Opinions about neck and neck pocket work??)
Anyone know what these "Affinity series" bass bodies are made from?
Photbucket album: http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii182/neobassman/Bass Stuff/
Attachments
Supposedly, they're basswood, but knowing corporate ethics, they are likely made from whatever hardwood was easily and cheaply available at the time...
looking good.
i debating putting a fender logo on mine.
ended up remaking the squier logo:
hopefully i can string it up this week.
i debating putting a fender logo on mine.
ended up remaking the squier logo:
hopefully i can string it up this week.
Wow sweet color and nice price for alot of stuff and that amp will recoup some cash nicely.
I have had a gotoh 201 pretty good bridge IMO. That color looks ike the color of a bass i had a MIM fender electron blue but also looks kinda like a midnight blue MIM, i really dig that shade and i think a pearl guard would make it pop well. I think the necks from my experience are good i have had 2 affinity P basses, although i am a fan of P width necks if your more of a jazz guy it may not be you liking , if you do get a new neck Mighty Mite sells good jazz necks in maple for 98$ shipped on ebay.
I would get some fine sandpaper and tape off the body of your bass around the neck pocket and spend some time sanding it to bare wood, it would probably help it just make sure you tape the body off good.
Also i am pretty sure all affinitys are made out of alder but i think there 1/8 inch thinner then fenders, i really like affinity bodies i have used them on parts basses numerous times.
Thanks for the tip - I'll check it out. I was not inclined to pay what Warmoth charges for these things...
UPDATE: I decided to go for the Jazz maple neck - it's on the way courtesy of an eBay Mighty Mite dealer. I considered the extra bux for a block inlay neck, but I just can't justify the extra cost to myself for this bass.
Thanks for the tip - I'll check it out. I was not inclined to pay what Warmoth charges for these things...
UPDATE: I decided to go for the Jazz maple neck - it's on the way courtesy of an eBay Mighty Mite dealer. I considered the extra bux for a block inlay neck, but I just can't justify the extra cost to myself for this bass.
Hey glad it worked out for you! i had a squier affinity with a mighty mite neck , the neck was so snug in the pocket it could be picked up by the neck and the body stayed fitted.
btw i know your probably expereinced but i watched a friend has he was drilling the holes to hold the neck on go right through the fretboard and fret it was painful
Oh and another thing you can buy on ebay for like 10 or 11 bucks sticker inlays you cant even feel them when there on your bass and they come off without residue and look real
Just out of curiosity, what did this bass cost you overall? It's a great looking bass. I'm sure you're enjoying the fact that you put together a really sweet bass that probably plays 3x it's value.
It's nice to see someone else finishing up a "spruce up" job -bringing a low-end bass to life with their aesthetic and technical touch. I'm almost done my project, and I'll post pictures later next week when it's done. It was likely to be done this weekend, but I just ordered a Big D Varitone switch for it, so that'll delay it until the switch arrives. My project is an assembly of parts, which have totaled about $330 to date. It's "57/75" as I like to call it (a '57 P-bass reissue loaded to spec, with a '75 Reissue neck.)
It's nice to see someone else finishing up a "spruce up" job -bringing a low-end bass to life with their aesthetic and technical touch. I'm almost done my project, and I'll post pictures later next week when it's done. It was likely to be done this weekend, but I just ordered a Big D Varitone switch for it, so that'll delay it until the switch arrives. My project is an assembly of parts, which have totaled about $330 to date. It's "57/75" as I like to call it (a '57 P-bass reissue loaded to spec, with a '75 Reissue neck.)
I am out right at $160 for the project. I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. I actually played a few new Fender P's at my local music store today, and they don't even touch this thing (granted, they could use a good setup).
That's a sweet deal. For my bass, I probably spent almost $80 on aesthetics to make it as close to '57 spec as I could, but that's my own fault. I love the way it plays, and after playing the AVRI '57 P-bass and the AVRI '75 Jazz bass n the local music store, I'd take mine any day.
I'm a believer that sometimes all you need is a good neck (whatever make, and since you're in the SX club, I'll let you know my '75 J neck is an older SX vintage series) and good electronics. I've got the Fender '57 RI P in my bass, so it sounds just like the AVRI. In the end, the project has saved me $1700. And yours, must have saved you a bundle, too.
It did, indeed. I actually expected to have to really work on the neck, or possibly buy a new one if I couldn't get it how I liked it. But, the neck felt awesome. Better than just about any other neck I've played thus far. The twelve years of playing it had on it surely didn't hurt it. Although, I'm sure mine doesn't look, play, or sound near as good as the Pino bass I was going for, I'll take spending $160 over $4000 any day!
Awesome job. It looks really good. I wish I knew what I was doing enough to do this. I want to refinish my Squier P bass in Metallic blue pretty much exactly like the one neobassman posted above. (I hope you don't mind me posting it).
Ultimately I want to change the pickups, pots, wiring and refinish it but I'm clueless.
If anyone would be interested in the work let me know.
Ultimately I want to change the pickups, pots, wiring and refinish it but I'm clueless.
If anyone would be interested in the work let me know.
I would do all the electronics work for you if you would just ship the stuff both ways. I wouldn't want to refinish for you because this was my first try and it doesn't look quite as good in person as it does in the pictures
But, I'll be more than happy to do all the wiring for you.
