The SCP - Single Cut P-Bass

[Videojunkie]

1.5 mm is pretty thin. I would think you will have problems on those threads and walls without more material. A test part would be needed to confirm/deny any guesses.

Just the side walls are 1.5mm. The ends (unthreaded) are 2mm. The only threaded part that thin is the top threads, but I don't think there's a ton of pressure on them.

 

[Will_White]

I was wondering if the 11mm thumb screws would be big enough, or should I look at the ones that are 16mm in diameter?

I solved that problem with a hex head and allen wrench. You need a tool to tune but I drilled a hole and put a neo magnet In to retain the key on bass.

 

[TerribleTim68]

Just getting caught up on this one, had to go back to this post -

...The problem is that I am running out of basses that I need. I could always revisit and improve on an older build, but that's completely different.

I could build a couple to sell, but I'd have very little idea on how to price it, and I'm not really sure that my builds are really a salable quality...

I never intended to build anything for sale either, and actually shunned taking on a commission build, until my former guitarist from my band days talked me into it. I agree that if people are willing to pay you to build something for them, then you are good enough to build things for sale. I will also admit, the pressure I've placed on myself is enormous and at times unbearable, so consider that.

That's just silly talk! 4 string? 5 string? 6 string? Fretless? Multiscale? Short scale? FSOs? Active? Hollow body? Bass VI? Everyone needs at least one of each of those, and then there are all the combinations. Ex: have you got a short scale 5 string hollow fretless?

If you need help deciding, just let me know what you already have and I can tell you what you should build next!

This may be where I screwed up, I built a 5-string multiscale, neck-thru because I didn't own either of those. I probably should have split that into three different builds.

 

[Videojunkie]

This may be where I screwed up, I built a 5-string multiscale, neck-thru because I didn't own either of those. I probably should have split that into three different builds.

Oh, that's totally my M.O.

It's a new build, let's try these 7 things I've never done before.....

 

[Videojunkie]

If you're just joining us, and wondering what happened to the bass build, I am waiting for the pickups to ship from Nordstrand... I have to route the pickups before I can go any farther.

In keeping with the theme of the diversions...

I spent some time in Autocad redesigning the bridge (I probably should move that project to its own thread...). The goal of these re-designs is to enable me (or you) to order a set of parts from someplace like sendcutsend and with minimal tools have a functional headless bridge that is expandable to multiple strings.

In the meantime, I've been building a cabinet for my wife. In many ways, cabinetry is much more difficult for me than luthiery. As I like to say about building a guitar, as long as your frets and bridge are precisely located, almost everything else is art. With cabinetry, almost everything requires the same level of precision as fretwork...

 

[Videojunkie]

I never intended to build anything for sale either, and actually shunned taking on a commission build, until my former guitarist from my band days talked me into it.

Some of it may be just that little push to make the leap. Some of it is imposter syndrome, and being my own worst critic.

 

[Alex Xander]

Some of it may be just that little push to make the leap. Some of it is imposter syndrome, and being my own worst critic.

I can relate to all those things, especially being my own worst critic. I handed a recently completed bass to a friend on the weekend and told him there were 6 "mistakes" I made with he build. After scanning the bass with a fine toothed comb for 20 minutes with the express purpose of finding all six, he found two, which I considered the most minor of all of them. When I pointed out the other six, his response was "Geez you're hard on yourself".

 

[TerribleTim68]

Some of it may be just that little push to make the leap. Some of it is imposter syndrome, and being my own worst critic.

I felt this in my soul.

 

[Videojunkie]

Oh boy! Santa came by while I was away!

 

[Flamingo21]

Goes to show how cold it is in Nebraska.

 

[Isaac_James]

Oh boy! Santa came by while I was away!
View attachment 5106390

I'm digging the look of those Power Blades. It's a neat modern touch on a design with a lot of vintage/antique characteristics.

 

[Videojunkie]

Here is a more precise picture of the pickup locations.

The treble pickup is centered (pole) 29.5" from the nut, the bass one is 28 3/8". The group is loosely centered on 29" from the nut. Not sure where I sourced the location, but I *think* it's the 70s p-bass location.

The treble pickup is centered on both strings, the bass one is biased towards the A string, but mostly centered on the E, the B is over the end pole but near the top.

 

[Videojunkie]

Got the clock started on a 72 hour cure time....

Started filling in the punky areas with epoxy. Made a dam out of tape to protect the area, and cleaned out the wood with a dremel wire brush and my air compressor.

Mixed up the epoxy and applied it with a small disposable syringe to minimize air bubbles. Then mixed in the mother of pearl flakes and pushed/ shoved them into the epoxy puddle.

Crossing fingers that it all cures properly!

After this cures, I'll need at least 1 more application to fill remaining gaps...

 

[Videojunkie]

Trying to verify my pickup location, and it sounds like the original P-bass location might have been 28.5" from the Nut. But it also sounds like there was quite a bit of variation based on year, model, and whether it was made on a Tuesday...

Anyone have a reference or a definitive measurement they can point me to?

 

[TerribleTim68]

There's been a lot of talk about pickup location here on TB. I'd go here first -
Has Fender ever changed the Precision pickup location?

 

[Videojunkie]

There's been a lot of talk about pickup location here on TB. I'd go here first -
Has Fender ever changed the Precision pickup location?

10.5" + 17" = 27.5" to the front edge. Or roughly 28" to the EA poles?

I can live with 3/8" I think... part of my problem is sorting out random measurements from random reference points on unknown scale lengths.

 

[TerribleTim68]

Yeah, I got nothing for ya man. I've never owned a P Bass, or even borrowed one. Closest thing I've got is my Ibanez SR300 and even that is a P-J.

 

[Videojunkie]

Yeah, I got nothing for ya man. I've never owned a P Bass, or even borrowed one. Closest thing I've got is my Ibanez SR300 and even that is a P-J.

That's alright. As I like to tell my friends, there's like 2 things you have to get perfect: frets and bridge location (and the second one is adjustable...) the rest.... is art.

 

[TerribleTim68]

That's alright. As I like to tell my friends, there's like 2 things you have to get perfect: frets and bridge location (and the second one is adjustable...) the rest.... is art.

I may need to remember this quote!

 

[Videojunkie]

Hopefully it stays this way, but the early look of this epoxy is encouraging. Very transparent like water. Theoretically it's supposed to cure hard enough to polish.