Happy to show it off!
This started life as a $129 SX 5 string fretless Jazz but I realized I'm not a fretless player. Since I'd net almost nothing from selling it after deducting the cost of packing and shipping, I just held onto it and eventually started buying mostly used parts to see what could be done with it. After about two years of looking for parts, this was the end result. It still looks like an SX, but it sounds fantastic.
These are the changes:
- Replaced the neck with a fretted SX neck (used)
- Replaced the tuners on the new neck with Hipshot lightweight tuners (used)
- Installed a roller string tree (new)
- Replaced the cheap plastic nut with a bone nut (new)
- Replaced the original pickups (which I admit sounded harsh and grindy but in a pretty positive way) with Nordstrand NJ5S Jazz pickups (used)
- Replaced the bridge with a Hipshot A-style bridge (used)
- Replaced the original white pickguard with a custom-traced 4-ply tort pickguard (new)
- Replaced the strap pins with Ernie Ball strap locks. (used)
- Installed an Audere 4-band preamp with a custom knob configuration. Instead of the default tone knob layout of treble over bass and high mids over low mids, I put low mids over bass and high mids over treble, thinking that the mids are what I'd adjust more often and this config would therefore make it easier to adjust quickly. It turned out to be a great idea. (new)
- Installed a side jack since I was now using every control plate hole for the new preamp (used)
- Had a well respected local luthier do all the work on it
I spent several times what the bass originally cost on the parts and labor, even though I used so many used parts, so I can't ever see me doing something like this again. But it was kind of a fun project, I learned some things, and I now have a great sounding, unique, and versatile bass.
This started life as a $129 SX 5 string fretless Jazz but I realized I'm not a fretless player. Since I'd net almost nothing from selling it after deducting the cost of packing and shipping, I just held onto it and eventually started buying mostly used parts to see what could be done with it. After about two years of looking for parts, this was the end result. It still looks like an SX, but it sounds fantastic.
These are the changes:
- Replaced the neck with a fretted SX neck (used)
- Replaced the tuners on the new neck with Hipshot lightweight tuners (used)
- Installed a roller string tree (new)
- Replaced the cheap plastic nut with a bone nut (new)
- Replaced the original pickups (which I admit sounded harsh and grindy but in a pretty positive way) with Nordstrand NJ5S Jazz pickups (used)
- Replaced the bridge with a Hipshot A-style bridge (used)
- Replaced the original white pickguard with a custom-traced 4-ply tort pickguard (new)
- Replaced the strap pins with Ernie Ball strap locks. (used)
- Installed an Audere 4-band preamp with a custom knob configuration. Instead of the default tone knob layout of treble over bass and high mids over low mids, I put low mids over bass and high mids over treble, thinking that the mids are what I'd adjust more often and this config would therefore make it easier to adjust quickly. It turned out to be a great idea. (new)
- Installed a side jack since I was now using every control plate hole for the new preamp (used)
- Had a well respected local luthier do all the work on it
I spent several times what the bass originally cost on the parts and labor, even though I used so many used parts, so I can't ever see me doing something like this again. But it was kind of a fun project, I learned some things, and I now have a great sounding, unique, and versatile bass.
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