SOLD Tom Clement Kim #404 Maple Burl/Birdseye Fender Jazz inspired bass Nordstrand 4.4 Quad Coil Pickups

7.6lb Clement Kim with dual Nordstrand MM 4.4 Quad Coil Alnico V pickups. Original build price was ~$2600 and was designed to be my take on a Fender Roscoe Beck IV Bass.

Tom Clement's Kim is an updated Fender Jazz styled body - that just a bit more ergonomically friendly. The 24 fret 3-piece maple neck, with a scalloped neck heel, ensures plenty of room to access the higher register.

Current specs: AAA Maple burl top; Butternut body (tone is centered between Maple and Ash with the weight of Swamp Ash); 3 piece maple neck; 34” scale; 24 frets + Zero Fret; AAA Birdseye fingerboard; Lumilay fluorescent (glow in the dark) dot inlay side markers; Hipshot lightweight tuners; (Passive) Nordstrand MM 4.4 Quad Coil Alnico V pickups and a Babitcz bridge. Neck width at the nut is Fender Precision and the weight is 7.6 lbs.

Both Nordstrand humbucking pickups are wired Series/Single Coil/Parallel. The 4.4 version ensures hum-cancelling in all of the switch positions. Parallel is classic Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray (EBMM) tone. Series increases the Mids with tons of growl. Single coil is classic hum-bucking Jazz tones with a bit more girth all around - not as scooped as in Parallel and not as mid heavy as with Series.

Classic EBMM Stingray snappy slap tone. Chords leap out with the choice of woods - no mud here... Tone controls and pickup switches make the tone bright or mellow or infinitely in between.

Price is PayPal, bass comes with the case, shipped and insured in a NEW box and packed very well.

Since I'm funding a new bass build, no trades desired unless you have a Christopher DBG & I'll add cash.

Thanks for looking & PM if interested.

John

 

Post Memorial Day Holiday reduced price bump...

Price is still shipped ConUS.

John

 

Lower price bump...

John

 

Oh and notice that the pickups are reversed from the EBMM design.

On my EBMM Stingray I always hated the two tabs locking my thumb in one position when playing on the E string.

Orienting the pickups this way gave me more room and was more comfy comfy...

John

 

Yep!

Stacked Vol (center/top), Tone (outside ring/bottom, passive treble cut) for each pickup.

Bottom switch series/single coil/parallel for the neck pickup. Top switch series/single coil/parallel for the bridge pickup.

John

 

Clement Kim lower price bump!

 

Thanks and glad to help!

Know that there wasn’t much of a tone change with that wiring on the Nordstrand Bigman pickups (Nordstrand is correct in saying they’re wired VERY hot). Can’t say whether it would be different with other pickups though.

IMHO Series/Single Coil/Parallel was a much better wiring option. Of course YMMV.

John

 

FingerDub,

Great question. I’m tempted to say that while you like a Ford Pinto, I like a Ford 32 roadster. Both are Fords and both are “cars”, but each are different interpretations of said “car”. But that could also be interpreted to be in poor taste and I wouldn’t want to speak to your “car” tastes on your behalf.

FWIW, that is the way Tom design’s his basses and frankly, it both looks fine in person and is very comfy! This is my third Clement bass and his bass designs just work...

Know also that the Babicz bridge also has a fairly long plate in the front (on the pickup side) and the rear coil of the Nordstrand pickup is in the 70’s Fender Jazz position (closer to the bridge), front coil was in the ~60’s position.

Also I originally spec’d the bass with Nordstrand Bigman pickups with switching between front & rear coils for both pickups. For me there wasn’t enough of a tone change (that and I wasn’t a fan of the mid heavy Bigman tone) so I swapped the Bigmans out for the Nordstrand MM style pickups with different switching. I much prefer the tone with the 4.4 quads installed and the current Series/Single Coil/Parallel switching.

Lastly, the neck is a 24 fret neck and extends into the body more than a standard Fender, making it appear a tad cramped - but know that it ain’t so...

John

 

Lower shipped price bump. Custom Tom Clement Kim now $1425.

John

 

Attached are additional pics that came from Tom when the bass was first built. These pics were with the Nordstrand Bigman pickups.

John

 

Yep, it’s passive. Sold the Bigmans to fund the Nordstrand MM pickups - so no the Bigmans are not included. FWIW, I love the MM pickups as wired Series/Single coil/Parallel.

Also, if it doesn’t sell, I’ll keep her and save up for the Christopher DBG. Tried hard to get Tom to build a Christopher-esque bass a while ago (Christopher DBG’s are made by SmithCreekMandolins), but he didn’t bite.

(And) While Tom declined, I really miss my 6’ers so I don’t think he and I are done... That said, if I can figure out who ended up with my fretted and fretless TC Phoenix’s, I’ll gladly buy them back!

John

 

Jim,

Terrific meeting you today - thanks for the bass plug too! Your left arm situation is a real bummer, though I think you may be on the right track with a 30" or 32" bass. Remember Kalium'll make you some terrific strings whatever you decide...

Reach out if I can be of help.

John

 

Just weighed the bass again and it is 7.6 pounds on the bathroom digital.

John

 

Lowered the shipped price one last time. Now $1300 shipped. If it doesn’t sell, I’ll keep her!

John