Show us your "parts basses"

[Spirit of Ox]

Some of the sweetest instruments around are parts basses. You chose each part, you spent forever changing things around in your head, eventually dropped your money, waited for it all to arrive, then you made it all work, with every tiny detail being just for you, just the way you like it. It doesn't get more custom than that.

I'll start, with my Jazz bass.

The body is northern ash, it was made by a UK company called Guitarbuild. Shipping was reasonably priced and fast, it came in at a little under $120. What I really liked was that if you choose their "buy from stock" option, you get the exact same item you saw on their website. Very cool. It's a 3 piece body with nice figuring, and is a 1960 pattern, with pre-CBS pickup spacing and it even has a Fullerton hump. All the finish is Tung oil and beeswax.

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The neck is Chinese and is made by Kmise. Mine has carbon reinforcing bars, allegedly. I haven't cut it in half to confirm this. It came with a paddle headstock, and was completely unfinished, which for me was a positive factor. On the downside, the heel was 2mm too thick to fit a body using standard Fender dimensions, so it needed a little work. Otherwise, it ticked all my boxes - maple fretboard, black block inlays, and unbound. I dislike bound necks for many reasons, and it goes nicely with the pre-CBS body for the sake of enthusiasts. It needed fretwork. It needed a LOT of fretwork. But I'm happy with it. After a little work, I got the neck pocket super tight.

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I gave it an early 50s P shape head shape just to be rebellious, and gave it my own fake branding.

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Tuners are Guyker, made in Korea. They are very nice. String retainer is a Hipshot.

Preamp is Guyker, too, and works really nicely whilst still looking stock J unless you look closely. Annoyingly, the stacked tone controls don't have a center detent position. I've become used to it.

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The bridge is a Babicz because I think it's the best Fender bridge going, and the strings go thru the body.

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Pickups are Wilkinson vintage alnico-v, in genuine Fender covers, and although they do sound really good, they are placeholders for something better.

I'm going to be ordering a Geddy Lee set from Tom Brantley very soon, to replace them.



Show us your parts basses

Nice bass! Kamise makes necks that have reinforcement bars? Do you have a link from where you ordered it? I'm interested in one. I'll post a pick of my parts Jazz too.

 

[Spirit of Ox]

This one has Fender Custom shop 60’s pickups, Eden neck, blue Squier body, and Gotoh bridge.

 

[ChickWithaRic]

Nice bass! Kamise makes necks that have reinforcement bars? Do you have a link from where you ordered it? I'm interested in one. I'll post a pick of my parts Jazz too.

I bought it from Mr. Bezos' little website, somebody else on here asked me for the link to it last year and when I went through my orders I found it was unavailable, and it still is. You best bet might be one of the Chinese websites or maybe try to contact Kmise directly? I wouldn't mind getting another one myself as the one I have has worked out great, although as I said they do need some work before they are useful.

 

[Ric5]

 

[Ric5]

 

[Ric5]

 

[Spirit of Ox]

I bought it from Mr. Bezos' little website, somebody else on here asked me for the link to it last year and when I went through my orders I found it was unavailable, and it still is. You best bet might be one of the Chinese websites or maybe try to contact Kmise directly? I wouldn't mind getting another one myself as the one I have has worked out great, although as I said they do need some work before they are useful.

I've checked everywhere and can't find any info of the Kmise necks having reinforcement bars. doesn't mean they aren't good but this could be some misinformation from the seller.

 

[InstantEctobass]

2021 Squier Affinity Burgundy Mist Jazz Bass body, Classic Vibe (2nd Gen) 70s Jazz Bass pickups, Allparts threaded saddles bridge, 2010 Classic Vibe (1st Gen) 60s Jazz Bass neck.

2021 Squier CV (2nd Gen) Late 50s White Blonde over Pine Precision Bass body, original pickup, no-name Ashtray, 2012 Classic Vibe (1st Gen) 60s Precision Bass neck.

2020 Squier CV (2nd Gen) 70s Jazz Bass body, 1997 Squier Korean Jazz Bass pickups, Wilkinson threaded saddles on original bridge plate, Fender Modern Player Jazz Bass one-piece quarter-sawn, fat D profile neck

2020 Squier CV (2nd Gen) 70s Walnut over Nato Precision Bass body, original pickup, Squier Matt Freeman Precision Bass, fat C profile neck

2013 Squier Candy Apple Red Precision Bass body, ??? Squier Affinity AlNiCo pickups (was Fender Pure Vintage '63 in this photo), Allparts threaded saddles bridge, 2018 Classic Vibe (1st Gen) 70s Precision Bass neck.

PS: I hate Fender and Squier made in Grand Reward, China necks!!! NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ChickWithaRic]

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That quilted top Jaguar body, tho...

 

[Ric5]

 

[ChickWithaRic]

I've checked everywhere and can't find any info of the Kmise necks having reinforcement bars. doesn't mean they aren't good but this could be some misinformation from the seller.

It's like I said, I'm not going to cut it in half to find out. I will say it's remained absolutely rock solid for quite a while now despite some radical temperature changes around here. Neck relief at the 7th is still the 12 thou I initially set it up for.

 

[Ric5]

 

[Ric5]

 

[dfreeland83]

It started out as a 70s Reissue Jazz bass, but at this point, the only original part is the body. It was a good bass, I just kept doing random things to it, then it fell off a stand two years ago and the neck was forever tweaked, so I had to replace it.

Just for fun, I ordered the Dingwall 4-way pickup switch, so when that comes in, it'll have a master volume, a master tone, and a pickup selector (neck, bridge, n+b series, n+b parallel)

 

[DanAdams]

Here are my top three parts / Frankenstein basses.
#1. It took three Roadstars, a bart, and a Stingray cover to make this bass... and I love it so.

#2 Hondo body refinished, unknown neck (I reshaped headstock), Ibanez Super P pickups, Ibanez soapbar pickup.
I decided to sign the headstock... Why not make it my signature model?

#3. The AT40k2000 Ibanez ATK electronics, pickup, bridge, Peavey T40 Body, G&L neck, Ibanez humbucker.

Yes I love Vintage Ibanez, and I think that tone knobs are unhelpful.

 

[sardocs]

I would rock that T40 in any barfight! That looks bulletproof! That is a great pairing of parts.

 

[DanAdams]

I would rock that T40 in any barfight! That looks bulletproof! That is a great pairing of parts.

Thanks Sardocs. I did document the drawn-out and messy process on this one if you're interested. the T-40 / ATK Frankenbuild... excitement building

 

[Deleted member 365158]

Here are my top three parts / Frankenstein basses.
#1. It took three Roadstars, a bart, and a Stingray cover to make this bass... and I love it so.
View attachment 4537056
#2 Hondo body refinished, unknown neck (I reshaped headstock), Ibanez Super P pickups, Ibanez soapbar pickup.
I decided to sign the headstock... Why not make it my signature model?
View attachment 4537057
#3. The AT40k2000 Ibanez ATK electronics, pickup, bridge, Peavey T40 Body, G&L neck, Ibanez humbucker.
View attachment 4537058
Yes I love Vintage Ibanez, and I think that tone knobs are unhelpful.

I’ll take a #1 with a side of bada$$!!

 

[Stewie]

Bought the fretless P neck back in 1976, Schaller tuners in 77(tragic accident ruined the E tuner) 1998 MIM P body with aftermarket pick guard and knobs, and CTS Switchcraft controls and of course, GHS Precision Flats

 

[ChickWithaRic]

Here are my top three parts / Frankenstein basses.
#1. It took three Roadstars, a bart, and a Stingray cover to make this bass... and I love it so.
View attachment 4537056
#2 Hondo body refinished, unknown neck (I reshaped headstock), Ibanez Super P pickups, Ibanez soapbar pickup.
I decided to sign the headstock... Why not make it my signature model?
View attachment 4537057
#3. The AT40k2000 Ibanez ATK electronics, pickup, bridge, Peavey T40 Body, G&L neck, Ibanez humbucker.
View attachment 4537058
Yes I love Vintage Ibanez, and I think that tone knobs are unhelpful.

I've always loved the Ibanez take on the P shape body, with its subtle differences, especially on the tips of the horns. They used it on the Blazers, Roadster RS900 and RS800, and all of the RB series Roadstars. They always look good.