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Warmoth Big Single Quad Build

Doner Designs

Doner Designs

Steve Doner
Jun 2, 2012
5,784
6,819
Metro Chicago Area
www.donerdesigns.org
Disclosures
Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
#1
Sold a couple of basses to fund a new project (SpectorCore is still on ebay at the moment). I'll post pictures as the parts arrive and come together. So far I only have the pickups and they are laid out in the planned arrangement on a different body here.

Here's the plan...
  • 1 pc ash body with bocote top & pearloid binding
  • Rosewood neck with ebony fretboard and pearloid blocks
  • BigMan bridge pickup; Big Single middle; Big Single far neck
  • Mini toggle on/off switch for each pickup
  • Audere 4 band noise cancellation preamp (phantom coil system)
  • Gold hardware; Babicz bridge; Hipshot ultralights
The BigMan is two Big Singles under a MM cover, so this is really just 4 Big Singles. Winding is the same for all four and polarity alternates from bridge to neck. There are 5 naturally hum cancelling combinations and 5 more using the phantom coil in the preamp. Pickups made custom so that the poles would be properly spaced.

I seem to be addicted to Warmoth stuff and am likely to sell other branded basses to fund building another one after this.

IMG_0057.JPG
 
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#3
You do know how to play Peter Gabriel's 80's hit "Big Time", don'tcha? :D :thumbsup:

I was thinking of using 2 Big Mans in a reverse jag body I have - was advised against it due to the strength of the magnets - need to email Mr. Nordstrand for suggestions.
 
#4
I was wondering why folks liked the Audere so much, never looked into it, but I think you just explained it (first I've heard of the phantom coil business, neat).
 
#5
bholder said:
You do know how to play Peter Gabriel's 80's hit "Big Time", don'tcha? :D :thumbsup:

I was thinking of using 2 Big Mans in a reverse jag body I have - was advised against it due to the strength of the magnets - need to email Mr. Nordstrand for suggestions.
Click to expand...

You could go with the Alnico 3 magnets if string pull is a concern. I'm not worried about it myself - never had an issue with multi pickup basses before.
 
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#6
bholder said:
I was wondering why folks liked the Audere so much, never looked into it, but I think you just explained it (first I've heard of the phantom coil business, neat).
Click to expand...

The other cool thing with Audere is the Z mode switch which is a different way to give you bass or treble boost with a mini toggle. Somehow it changes the impedance of the pickups (I think). Anyway it gives you more tone control. The price for a 4 band is also very competitive. Unfortunately you cant do both Pro-Z AND phantom coil in the same preamp but either way you can still have 4 band EQ which is more than most factory basses.
 
#10
highway said:
did you get this neck? i had been keeping my eye on it for weeks lol . . .
Click to expand...

Yes, I think that's it - rosewood/ebony with pearloid blocks. The bocote is something I had my eye on when I built my first Warmoth last fall but I didn't want to spend the money at that time. One thing led to another on this one so I ended up selling three that I don't play much to cover the $500 neck and $1,000 body (bocote on 1pc ash with binding, clear finish and three custom routes...it adds up). I will rest easier when the body arrives without any f-ups (though Warmoth quality is fantastic).
 
#11
Doner Designs said:
Yes, I think that's it - rosewood/ebony with pearloid blocks. The bocote is something I had my eye on when I built my first Warmoth last fall but I didn't want to spend the money at that time. One thing led to another on this one so I ended up selling three that I don't play much to cover the $500 neck and $1,000 body (bocote on 1pc ash with binding, clear finish and three custom routes...it adds up). I will rest easier when the body arrives without any f-ups (though Warmoth quality is fantastic).
Click to expand...
are you going to post some closeups? i swear that is the nicest neck i will probably ever see! you def hit the lottery with it!

also have you had other warmoth necks before? they arent 100% identical to fender, so i was very hesitant to buy one without any way to play them.
 
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#12
highway said:
are you going to post some closeups? i swear that is the nicest neck i will probably ever see! you def hit the lottery with it!

also have you had other warmoth necks before? they arent 100% identical to fender, so i was very hesitant to buy one without any way to play them.
Click to expand...

Thanks. This will be a build thread once I get the parts. Neck is shipping with the body and that will take a couple months probably.

I have one other Warmoth J neck (wenge/ebony) and love it though I wouldn't mind if it was a little chunkier. I have an Allparts J neck and it fills my hand up better - almost like a Stingray neck (fatter than a J but not as big as a P). Wenge is a fantastic wood. Between the stiffness of the wood and the steel rods it's by far the most stable neck I have - doesn't move much with humidity whereas some others I have to adjust 3-4 times per year.
 
#13
Doner Designs said:
Thanks. This will be a build thread once I get the parts. Neck is shipping with the body and that will take a couple months probably.

I have one other Warmoth J neck (wenge/ebony) and love it though I wouldn't mind if it was a little chunkier. I have an Allparts J neck and it fills my hand up better - almost like a Stingray neck (fatter than a J but not as big as a P). Wenge is a fantastic wood. Between the stiffness of the wood and the steel rods it's by far the most stable neck I have - doesn't move much with humidity whereas some others I have to adjust 3-4 times per year.
Click to expand...
hmm thanks for the perspective, i was thinking something like wenge/ebony, and i have a cheap p-bass and kinda like the chunk but dont like the p-width. i wonder if a thicker j would be nice.

so i guess the slim contour is out for you? also im really excited for this build thread!
 
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#14
highway said:
hmm thanks for the perspective, i was thinking something like wenge/ebony, and i have a cheap p-bass and kinda like the chunk but dont like the p-width. i wonder if a thicker j would be nice.

so i guess the slim contour is out for you? also im really excited for this build thread!
Click to expand...

There is a lot of information on Warmoth's website about dimensions and the like. Sometimes you can find it faster by searching in google vs trying to find it by browsing their site. For me the slim J would be a no-go but possibly a slim P would be ok.
 
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#17
pjbassist said:
I still want the bass in the original picture. One of the coolest Warmoth builds I've seen...when is that one For Sale?
Click to expand...

At the rate my GAS is going, probably in a year or so. :-)

I shot the family photo below at Christmas and three of the six are gone (to fund the BigMan build) and two others are half-heartedly on the block because of GAS pains. I'm eager to build a 70's J (with the bridge pickup reposition) and a "BigBoy" (a quad like the BigMan but with a JJ at the bridge and single J's at neck and middle). After that it might be time to build another P and flip the one in the picture.

I could see myself getting into a build-test-play-sell cycle but how often I can do it will depend on how much I lose when reselling a Warmoth parts bass.

IMG_8421-crop.jpg
 
#18
Doner Designs said:
At the rate my GAS is going, probably in a year or so. :)

I shot the family photo below at Christmas and three of the six are gone (to fund the BigMan build) and two others are half-heartedly on the block because of GAS pains. I'm eager to build a 70's J (with the bridge pickup reposition) and a "BigBoy" (a quad like the BigMan but with a JJ at the bridge and single J's at neck and middle). After that it might be time to build another P and flip the one in the picture.

I could see myself getting into a build-test-play-sell cycle but how often I can do it will depend on how much I lose when reselling a Warmoth parts bass.

View attachment 634399
Click to expand...
Please, tell me you didn't sell the P bass!
 
#19
jd56hawk said:
Please, tell me you didn't sell the P bass!
Click to expand...

No, not the P. I'm gradually getting rid of all the factory basses in favor of Warmoth builds. Sold the Spector, Mustang and G&L. The Stingray and Custom J are listed but I'm not in a hurry on those since I'm in the middle of a couple projects. But the waiting is so hard that I'm day-dreaming about what's next up.
 

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