Heya, new here! Not sure if this is the right forum, but.. I want to convert a telecaster to a bass by putting jazz bass bridge saddles into the original bridge piece, and swapping the neck. How can I do this with proper intonation? Will a standard short-scale neck work?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Telecaster guitar to bass conversion?
- Thread starter Mikiii
- Start date
Well, It can definitely be done. In fact, I have been putting this same project on the back burner for the last several months. I had plans of going with a 32" medium scale neck, but I think I'll go with a 30" scale neck. I have a new SX maple neck sitting here, just waiting. At any rate, definitely doable. Depending upon what the neck heel thickness is, you will most likely have to re-shape the Tele's neck pocket........ almost guaranteed.
Let us know what your plan of attack is and I'm sure folks will chime in!
Paging @WI Short Scaler !! He has a beauty of a Tele bass !!
Take a look on stratosphere eBay side for bass neck find.
If you not familiar on modified work, suggest get the squier bonco or Squier CV Mustang bass.
If you not familiar on modified work, suggest get the squier bonco or Squier CV Mustang bass.
Thanks for the reply! This would be my very first time building/modding an instrument, really. The thing I'm concerned about is that if I use a neck from a regular jazz bass for example and keep the bridge in the original spot, the 12th fret would end up closer to the bridge then the middle of the string where it should be. Is that not a problem like I'm thinking?
You are correct that if you want to keep the bridge in the same position and achieve proper intonation, you can't just use a jazz bass neck (or any other existing neck that I'm aware of). You'll need a custom made neck. Easier to go with the retrovibe conversion neck, but you'll still need to move the bridge back for it to be playable. I encourage you to browse their site and you'll see all the parts you need for the job, including finished basses that they offer for sale. This is what the completed conversion looks like with their parts
If you use a fretless neck then you won’t have to worry about frets in the wrong positions. In fact you could buy a fretless neck and have someone install frets in the correct positions for the geometry of the instrument. The other consideration is pickup locations. The instrument will work as-is but the pickup locations may not be ideal for your setup, but they will work.
I was considering going this route too! Is there a place I can find necks with no markings at all?
I plan on keeping the original bridge pickup, and making a new pickguard to hold a p-bass pickup, by the way.
If you have never done this, the Retrovibe conversion is a great way to go. I got a neck and did the mod to a $100 loaded body. It was pretty easy and made a cool bass. You do put the new bridge in a new spot but that is easy. I would buy their bridge with the 18mm spacing because it is so much easier than sourcing one.
Yes, you would have a mess on your hands with a 34” scale neck on a Tele body with the bridge in the original position. A standard Tele scale is 25.5”, so the nut is 12.75” from the 12th fret and the bridge saddle adjustment range has to be 12.75” at closest-to-12th-fret saddle position to about 13.25” for the furthest-from-12th-fret saddle position.
A 34” scale bass neck is 17” from nut to 12th fret & the bridge has to be the same distance from 12th fret. Even if you have a 30” scale neck (15” nut to 12th fret), depending on the number of frets on that neck (heel length of the neck past the 12th fret), the original Tele bridge position is not likely to work.
You can see on @Bodeeni pic, and @mellowgerman pic, the bridge has been moved back away from the neck pocket toward the end of the body to achieve the same distance from the 12th fret as the nut.
As for neck dive; a Tele body has the upper strap button around the 16th fret. A Jazz bass has the upper strap button around the 12th fret. With the strap attaching to the body about 3” further away from the headstock, worse than average neck dive could be an issue. See G & L ASAT bass for a visual.
There's already some good info in this thread for you to peruse.
I can say it can be done. Keep in mind I'm not an expert by any means and this project stretched everything I thought I knew and included alot of time "considering that while enjoying a beer" and creative cursing. I did use a Bronco short scale neck and a Squier guitar body and created what I consider to be an awesome bass that I love. @covermego was of immense help throughout answering questions and doing some work for me. But I can tell you upfront that the bridge will need to be moved. If you feel you aren't up for the task, I don't know your experience, Retrovibe is a great resource to buy one already done. All the reviews of their stuff that I've read has been good. I was seriously considering buying from them when I came across this one and thought I'd give it a try.
All the details on what it started as and how it ended are in this thread. Maybe this will be helpful for you in making a decision? Best of luck.
NBD - A Tele bass of my own
If you have questions on this process at all I'd be happy to answer them as I can. This is not neck dive-y and plays great.
Last edited:
Thanks a lot! Ah well, I thought I'd be clever by only swapping the bridge saddles, but I don't mind moving it either. I'm torn between doing this or doing the same thing to a squier jagmaster, that might be easier since a jaguar bass is already a thing. I haven't bought the instrument(s) yet
Yes, I did that. See my response above. Maybe someone else has too?
Broncocaster shortscale project
I'm starting a shortscale project, based on a Squier bronco bass 30" scale neck and a tele body. Hope I could manage this project successfully... :roll:
www.tdpri.com
The distance from the nut to the saddles is critical. That's your scale length, and it must be a match to the scale length of the neck.
