The Squier Mini Precision Bass Club

[DavesnothereCA]

There's so much interchangeability available between Fender P and Jazz basses, have you considered building your own from parts?

~
Yes, on many occasions, but just never followed thru with it. [Where's the smiley for procrastination ?]

But now that I have moved to short scale, it would only be a trophy bass if I made one using full scale parts.

And smaller scale parts which look like a Jazz are less easy to find, and less interchangeable among brands, than full scale ones would be.

BTW, Fender did build a bass which satisfied my basic criteria, though not the weight, scale length, and Maple FB.

mark hoppus fender bass - Bing
~

 

[macmanlou]

~
Yes, on many occasions, but just never followed thru with it. [Where's the smiley for procrastination ?]

But now that I have moved to short scale, it would only be a trophy bass if I made one using full scale parts.

And smaller scale parts which look like a Jazz are less easy to find, and less interchangeable among brands, than full scale ones would be.

BTW, Fender did build a bass which satisfied my basic criteria, though not the weight, scale length, and Maple FB.

mark hoppus fender bass - Bing
~

Another possibility might be a full scale Jazz. You could capo it at the second fret and the neck width at that point would be right in your 1 11/16" ballpark.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

Another possibility might be a full scale Jazz. You could capo it at the second fret and the neck width at that point would be right in your 1 11/16" ballpark.

~
And tune it so that it is in standard pitch at the capo.

What a crazy idea !

I had heard of folks doing this to test whether they might like a shorter scale, but had not thought of it as a permanent solution to neck width issues.

Have you done the math on this, or was that only a guess ?

Still, the bass would have to satisfy the other criteria which I mentioned earlier, in order to get played much.
~

 

[macmanlou]

Have you done the math on this, or was that only a guess ?

I read about it in another post. I don't have a 34" scale Jazz to check, but I did just measure my SX short scale PJ (1.5" nut) at the 2nd fret and it comes to 1.635". The Jazz neck may even be a little bit wider at that point since the distance to the 2nd fret is longer. Maybe not, but it might be worth taking a caliper or rule to a Jazz to find out. It would be better still to actually try out a Jazz with a capo to see if it feels right to you.

Needless to say, it would be comparatively easy to "flip" a Jazz.

You sure wouldn't have any trouble finding strings for it!

 

[DavesnothereCA]

I read about it in another post. I don't have a 34" scale Jazz to check, but I did just measure my SX short scale PJ (1.5" nut) at the 2nd fret and it comes to 1.635". The Jazz neck may even be a little bit wider at that point since the distance to the 2nd fret is longer. Maybe not, but it might be worth taking a caliper or rule to a Jazz to find out. It would be better still to actually try out a Jazz with a capo to see if it feels right to you.

Needless to say, it would be comparatively easy to "flip" a Jazz.

You sure wouldn't have any trouble finding strings for it!

~
It'd be open season on strings fer shoor !

After confirming your idea, I might start watching for a Squier Jazz on Kijiji, and some of those have Maple fretboards. - As you would expect, full scale Fenders and Squiers get listed pretty frequently, but I've generally ignored them these days.

I have some used active EMGs which would drop right in, and have seen them recently in my ton of totes and boxes, if I can also find the spare pots of which I did not use all from the EMGs bought new in 1985 for my Ric.

It would be an interesting experiment, and one potential advantage of capo-ing to shorten the scale of a specific bass is that you are guaranteed a shorter reach, whereas choosing a different bass can bring other variables into play, such as how much body there is on the South side of the bridge.

That is why my short scale Hofner does not have as short a reach as some might expect, compared to a full scale Fender or a Ric.

OTOH, the Mini-P does have a shorter reach, due to its layout being the same as a full scale P.

All stuff to make a person go "Hmmmm...."
~

 

[Volker Kirstein]

The only thing about putting a capo on a full sized jazz to make a pseudo shorty is that it still weighs the same (a lot), and takes up the same amount of real estate (a lot) on stage.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

The only thing about putting a capo on a full sized jazz to make a pseudo shorty is that it still weighs the same (a lot), and takes up the same amount of real estate (a lot) on stage.

~
I was getting to that !

Though room on stage is not an issue for me, weight still would be.

I hinted about that here : The Squier Mini Precision Bass Club

BTW, capo at the 3rd fret would be pretty close to a Mini-P scale.
~

 

[Matt23]

Another full day of playing the Mini P. It’s so good. I mean, not just for the money. The whole package is so fun to play. I’ve spent the day with the tone pot at about 20% relearning Stevie Wonder tunes I’ve not played for years and all the pentatonic licks and runs. Going to do a bit of recording tomorrow. All my most recent basses have been high end Jazz V’s, I picked this up as gigging is off the charts for a good few months yet, and just to get back to playing songs I love. I play bass full time (outside of world pandemics!) so I don’t spend much time playing just for my own enjoyment... this Mini P is definitely bringing a touch of that back. I don’t think it needs any modification, as it seems I got lucky and it’s all perfect. All I need to grab is a case and we’re set!

 

[macmanlou]

The only thing about putting a capo on a full sized jazz to make a pseudo shorty is that it still weighs the same (a lot), and takes up the same amount of real estate (a lot) on stage.

You'd be stuck with the overall size, but you could go with a Warmoth chambered Jazz or chambered "Dinky J" body to significantly reduce the weight. Plus you could have them rout it for pickups, controls, and active electronics as per your needs. I'd check out the ergonomics of a capo-ed stock Jazz first, though. Warmoth makes good stuff but they aren't exactly cheap.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

You'd be stuck with the overall size, but you could go with a Warmoth chambered Jazz or chambered "Dinky J" body to significantly reduce the weight. Plus you could have them rout it for pickups, controls, and active electronics as per your needs. I'd check out the ergonomics of a capo-ed stock Jazz first, though. Warmoth makes good stuff but they aren't exactly cheap.

 I have no interest in capoing a jazz; I already have a J&D mini jazz (as well as a full scale parts behemoth) for all my jazz bass needs.

 

[macmanlou]

 I have no interest in capoing a jazz; I already have a J&D mini jazz (as well as a full scale parts behemoth) for all my jazz bass needs.

Sorry, I posted that for @DavesnothereCA . Most minis and short scales have 1 1/2" wide necks, which are too narrow for him. Capoing a Jazz would provide about 1 11/16" width at the 2nd fret.

 

[Bassamatic]

I think what he's describing is a kill switch, which is just a SPST switch on one of the jack or pickup leads. It's a very easy mod.

Yes - a mini-toggle that just goes across the output jack to short the output (passive basses only!) SO HANDY to kill the output during rehearsals or between sets without losing your settings. On my high end basses I installed a mercury tilt switch to avoid making a hole in the bass. When the bass is turned straight up or put on the stand it kills the sound automatically!

 

[DavesnothereCA]

You'd be stuck with the overall size, but you could go with a Warmoth chambered Jazz or chambered "Dinky J" body to significantly reduce the weight. Plus you could have them rout it for pickups, controls, and active electronics as per your needs. I'd check out the ergonomics of a capo-ed stock Jazz first, though. Warmoth makes good stuff but they aren't exactly cheap.

 I have no interest in capoing a jazz; I already have a J&D mini jazz (as well as a full scale parts behemoth) for all my jazz bass needs.

Sorry, I posted that for @DavesnothereCA .

Most minis and short scales have 1 1/2" wide necks, which are too narrow for him. Capoing a Jazz would provide about 1 11/16" width at the 2nd fret.

~
While I have no Jazzes per se, I do have several long scale basses.

Two of them are Ibanez, and each has a 1.5" nut width, so I guess that I could try this on one of them.

That said, part of what stands to make this experiment successful is that bass necks generally get wider as you move to the higher frets.

My full scale Ibanez basses get wider as you go up the neck, but not as much so as a Jazz would.

OTOH, my Ric starts out wider at the nut, and progresses to a bit less wide at the high frets than a long scale Fender.

However, back during the 70s, I once had a Hagstrom which IIRC had a rather narrow neck which also was constant in width all of the way up, and which might have been a medium scale bass.

- - -

Those Warmoth chambered Jazz or chambered "Dinky J" bodies might be worth a look.

Thanks.
~

 

[HaphAsSard]

has anyone talked about drilling holes in the body behind the bridge at 45 degrees and making this STRING-THROUGH? You would get more than an inch and could then use most short-scale strings- at least the rounds. I have intended to do this to one of my miKros and have the ferrules for it. There is actually more room on the miKro.

If I had one I'd definitely do it. Well, I'd have it done: I'm the opposite of handy. ("Footy"?)

 

[RodRy]

STRING-THROUGH??

Just got mine today after waiting 3 months for it to arrive at my friend's store. I must say I am impressed! It looks good, it feels good and it sounds good, even with clearly very cheap strings it comes with. I will be making my mods over the next few days, including a new pickguard from earpilanz on eBay, and my normal mod of a mute mini-switch near the output jack.

I started to change the strings and to put on a set of short-scale Pressurewounds, and was then reminded that this is NOT 30" but 28.5" scale! Oh -right!

I haven't looked through all 100+ pages of this thread - has anyone talked about drilling holes in the body behind the bridge at 45 degrees and making this STRING-THROUGH? You would get more than an inch and could then use most short-scale strings- at least the rounds. I have intended to do this to one of my miKros and have the ferrules for it. There is actually more room on the miKro.

Comments??

View attachment 4148507

Have not heard of anyone doing 45 degree angle holes, but some have replaced the bridge and then drilled holes all the way to the back of the instrument. Seems to me that's an easier path to take. But careful measurement, jigs and planning should be used to get the best results.

 

[RodRy]

~
I completely agree with that !

For example, an American built Fender Jazz would not do it for me, even if it was FREE, unless I could order it with a few changes from stock.

I like the Jazz body shape, but first it would have to be made from a light weight slab of wood.

Then it would require alternate pickups which individually cancel hum - maybe active as well like EMGs, or with a preamp in the control cavity.

And the neck would need to be that of a P bass, to get the correct nut width for my hands and brain.

Oh, and a Maple fretboard and Hipshot USA Ultralite tuners.

Though if it was free, I could always flip it and get something else.
~

They make those. They call them Precision basses.

 

[RodRy]

~
And tune it so that it is in standard pitch at the capo.

What a crazy idea !

I had heard of folks doing this to test whether they might like a shorter scale, but had not thought of it as a permanent solution to neck width issues.

Have you done the math on this, or was that only a guess ?

Still, the bass would have to satisfy the other criteria which I mentioned earlier, in order to get played much.
~

My Jazz has flats, and is tuned DGCF. I don't bother with a capo, because I like to be able to drop down to low D.
Wait, what's this thread about again?

 

[RodRy]

Another full day of playing the Mini P. It’s so good. I mean, not just for the money. The whole package is so fun to play. I’ve spent the day with the tone pot at about 20% relearning Stevie Wonder tunes I’ve not played for years and all the pentatonic licks and runs. Going to do a bit of recording tomorrow. All my most recent basses have been high end Jazz V’s, I picked this up as gigging is off the charts for a good few months yet, and just to get back to playing songs I love. I play bass full time (outside of world pandemics!) so I don’t spend much time playing just for my own enjoyment... this Mini P is definitely bringing a touch of that back. I don’t think it needs any modification, as it seems I got lucky and it’s all perfect. All I need to grab is a case and we’re set!

Speaking of cases, who's tried hard shells for their Mini P? Seems like a Strat case would be pretty good.

 

[RodRy]

Yes - a mini-toggle that just goes across the output jack to short the output (passive basses only!) SO HANDY to kill the output during rehearsals or between sets without losing your settings. On my high end basses I installed a mercury tilt switch to avoid making a hole in the bass. When the bass is turned straight up or put on the stand it kills the sound automatically!

That's a neat idea. For me, I play with my instrument volume maxed almost always, so if I want to kill the sound, I just roll the knob back to off. My amp input is where I do the settings for how much gain is coming in. But the mercury tilt switch is pretty snazzy!

 

[SBassman]

Speaking of cases, who's tried hard shells for their Mini P? Seems like a Strat case would be pretty good.

I imagine a strat case Would fit. I use a Chromecast regular guitar bag, and that fit nicely.