New Build Day! MJT helped out with the custom inca silver body. 8 pounds and strung with rounds. Just parts.
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The official "Show your basses" thread part 19!
- Thread starter smperry
- Start date
I've been contemplating building a P-Bass. I'm afraid I won't wind up with something that plays as well as a factory Fender, so I keep putting it off. Yours looks nice.
If you have some basic tools and a work bench, you'll be fine. Soldering is really rewarding once you get the hang of it. Then there are push cables from EMG if you want to avoid solder. It's a fun hobby for me. I get the bug to buy a Fender too, but the stock models so rarely do it for me.
Did a little maintenance on this bass today after I noticed some sour spots above 12. Just a matter of raising the action a little.
Playing through my Kustom/Peavey 210/115 stack I was noticin the bass sounded deeper than I'm used to so I measured the strings. 55-75-90-110. Whhaaaaatt???
O. K. I figger P.O. put these on. Just for gits and shiggles I measure the strings on my VM Precision. 55-75-90-110. Wwhhhaaaatt???? Fender told me these were 2050m standard issue. The PO tells me these were original strings, he was original owner. I'm scratchin my head here...
Annnnyyyway, the set on the Precision will stay, it all just sounds so good. The Jazz got itself a fresh set of Swing66 Rotos on it and it sounds really good.
Has anyone played a Shredneck Z Mini Bass.? I wanted to keep up with rebuilding a cheap bass and make it better, so I ordered a Shredneck bass from Amazon for $130 but with a few gift cards I paid around $70
The Shredneck Z mini (28.5-inch scale) isn't a bad bass for the money but there is a lot of room for improvement. SO I WENT TO WORK....
The bass really needed a good setup but I replaced several things. First I don't like round wound strings so I replaced them with some LaBella Deep Talking white tape wounds. . also replaced the cheap-cheap pickups with Better (not the best) Wilkinson pickups. I replaced the bridge with one that is ten times better (Don't remember the brand)
and then I added two off-on switches that now let me pick which or both pickups I want to use.
I don't know why they didn't have a pickup control... the bass always had both pups running all the time... I also added a thumb rest as I have on all my basses...
Before I added all the upgrades the bass was worth the $70 I paid but was nothing special Now I really like playing it. The tone is now smooth and mellow... it's a lot of fun to play!
The Shredneck Z mini (28.5-inch scale) isn't a bad bass for the money but there is a lot of room for improvement. SO I WENT TO WORK....
The bass really needed a good setup but I replaced several things. First I don't like round wound strings so I replaced them with some LaBella Deep Talking white tape wounds. . also replaced the cheap-cheap pickups with Better (not the best) Wilkinson pickups. I replaced the bridge with one that is ten times better (Don't remember the brand)
and then I added two off-on switches that now let me pick which or both pickups I want to use.
I don't know why they didn't have a pickup control... the bass always had both pups running all the time... I also added a thumb rest as I have on all my basses...
Before I added all the upgrades the bass was worth the $70 I paid but was nothing special Now I really like playing it. The tone is now smooth and mellow... it's a lot of fun to play!
I did a photo shoot with my Pentabuzz today! I already posted these in the Pedulla club but I just couldn't resist putting them here too! 
My first ever attempt at a family portrait:
Any recommends on where to start? Kit, or individually selected parts? I can solder alright, paint and woodwork beyond some sanding is what I would have trouble with now. I am temporarily without a shop.
just a quick video of my Alleva Coppolo
I don't have a shop area, but I have a storage shed. I use 2 collapsible workbenches when the weather is good but one is enough for most work:
Its also universally handy.
So you have 2 bass - building routes: buy a kit -or- buy a really cheap bass and upgrade it. You can do your research and get something decent either way to make your own, but honestly, if its not intended to be your #1 bass, I would get a Glarry if you just plan to upgrade the components. I have their $85 Jazz bass and while the "Burleywood" clear finish ain't the prettiest, I can just refinish if/when I want. The neck and tuners are surprisingly good. The body is SUPER light though so you'll get some neck dive without a little tweaking, but so far I have only rounded the corners on the nut and put light gauge strings on it and I'm pretty happy! It's almost a shame that I'm planning to gut this baby for an experimental build. lol
New to TB, and my first post! Here's the crew (left to right, top to bottom):
- Fender Custom Shop Custom Classic Jazz, transparent ebony
- Fender 1969 Jazz, refinished candy apple red
- Fender AVRI '64 Jazz, lake placid blue
- Fender AVRI '62 Jazz, ice blue metallic
- Fender AVRI '62 Jazz, inca silver
- Fender American Deluxe Jazz, sunburst
- Fender American Deluxe Jazz fretless, shoreline gold
- Fender Custom Shop Precision, sherwood green
- Fender AVRI '63 Precision, sonic blue
- Fender Custom Shop Precision, honey blonde
- Lakland 44-94, sunburst
- Gibson Thunderbird, refinished blue mist metallic
- Gibson Explorer, refinished gold top
My latest (and last*) acquisition, a Yamaha BB414:
* It's allowed to be naïve around these parts, right?
* It's allowed to be naïve around these parts, right?
Wow, I need a few Bean-o b/c I have some serious GAS.
I like that old guy already! I play occasionally with thumb too. So did/do Brian Wilson.
There are still some who do. I am 72.
Between 1964 - 1990`s i played mostly fingerstyle, last 25 years i do whatever the tone inspires me to .
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Glad the Lakland found a good home. I think that’s DS7, correct? If so, I owned it for a few years.
Yep, one in the same. The fact it belonged to Ben Kenney was the big selling point, he's the reason I play bass so I couldn't help myself.
Inca Silver is so sweet. I had a Squier Jazz i stupidly sold that was that color.
