So, you guys are a bad influence.....

[redstrand]

I got this awesome '51 reissue that played great.

Suited me well until this fell into my lap.

Now, I'm not letting go of the '51. Saw a couple of custom P basses with T-Bird pickups, decided to order a ChinaBucker, figured if I didn't like it, the rout is already there and I can upgrade to a ThunderBucker later.

Many weeks later and new bits for the router...the adventure began.

Practice routs.

Scored the finish.

Took the plunge...haha

Pilot holes for ring.

Done(Need some different screws, it's solid)

and done.

It sounds real good and wow does it soak up an overdrive

 

[MEKer]

I got this awesome '51 reissue that played great.

Suited me well until this fell into my lap.

Now, I'm not letting go of the '51. Saw a couple of custom P basses with T-Bird pickups, decided to order a ChinaBucker, figured if I didn't like it, the rout is already there and I can upgrade to a ThunderBucker later.

Many weeks later and new bits for the router...the adventure began.

Practice routs.

Scored the finish.

Took the plunge...haha

Pilot holes for ring.

Done(Need some different screws, it's solid)

and done.

It sounds real good and wow does it soak up an overdrive

very well done!

 

[Blaargh]

Nice. Super nice. Thunderbird pickups are just great, so are 51's... How could this not be awesome? It looks very at home there.

 

[redstrand]

Other than some cosmetic screws it's good to go. Again, you're all bad influences and I thank you!

 

[Gorn]

You're not done. Clearly the bridge has to be replaced. And the wiring. And tuners. And neck. And body.

 

[redstrand]

LOL. The bridge, electronics and wiring were all redone before I got it. It's a hell of good player.

 

[mikeswals]

Why stop there, I would have hogged out another hole for a second pickup

 

[redstrand]

Belive me the thought was there.

 

[4-fingers]

Gotta admit....I was worried when I was viewing the first few pics.......I am kind of looking for a sunburst 51 and was thinking "no!"..... But damn that looks great. How does it sound comparison wise to the old single coil? I have a ES 335 bass with a humbucker and I only describe it as thunderous. I wish I loved the neck on that bass as much as my Fenders.

 

[redstrand]

It's fuller than the single coil and holy crap does it soak in the overdrive, it saturates and doesn't get crazy until you really lay on it.

 

[JIO]

Nice chrome top-hat knobs - where did you get them and are they metal or plastic? If it were mine, I'd trim the pg to butt up against the pu surround instead of overlapping it. As always - yomv

 

[redstrand]

Could have sworn I got them through all parts, they're metal and yes i'll be trimming the pick guard, I wanted to see how it looked without cutting.

 

[Johnny Crab]

@redstrand BEAUTIFUL BASS!!!
Did you actually use the pickup ring for a routing template/guide or freehand it ?????

That gives me some ideas for those cute, cheapo short scales Kurt at Rondo keeps teasing me with. My left shoulder and back love them for 2 gig days or gigs longer than 4 hours playing time.

Chinabucker, got more than a few here waiting for me to find "round-to-its".

 

[wvbass]

Freehand rout? You are a braver man than me. I put thunderbuckers in a Lakland jazz, but I wasn't brave enough to do it without a template.

 

[redstrand]

Used the ring and freehanded it. I practiced twice, if anything I erred on routing too little. I had to file and sand the corners a little.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

I got this awesome '51 reissue that played great.

Suited me well until this fell into my lap.

Now, I'm not letting go of the '51. Saw a couple of custom P basses with T-Bird pickups, decided to order a ChinaBucker, figured if I didn't like it, the rout is already there and I can upgrade to a ThunderBucker later.

Many weeks later and new bits for the router...the adventure began.

Practice routs.

Scored the finish.

Took the plunge...haha

Pilot holes for ring.

Done(Need some different screws, it's solid)

and done.

It sounds real good and wow does it soak up an overdrive

I see the name but where did you get pickup from, I'm interested.

Love the work, hate routing, I used a Bridgeport, afraid of slipping.

Nice work!

 

[two fingers]

Great work. Nice basses.

 

[redstrand]

Google chinabucker, I think it's eyparts

 

[jumbodbassman]

chinabucker??

 

[redstrand]

Thunderbird Bass Pickup Vintage Style for Gibson,Chrome/Nickel