Getting a little ahead of myself here, but I can't stop thinking big. 
Once I get the details worked out on the prototyping bass (the Squier Vintage Modified 70's Bass that has already been modified to a 2-channel output), I'll be transfering what I have learned on the prototype to a Warmoth based build. For a while I had a hard time selecting which body style I wanted to use. It had to have pickguard options, and a large pickguard as well. It had to feel good against my body, and also to my right arm (picking/playing hand). I didn't so much give a hoot what it looked like, I don't care about "looking kewl" or any of that stuff. I've found that if you play well, the ugliest of basses suddenly begins to ~look~ very cool to observers. The better the sounds coming from it, the better looking it becomes.
Anyhow, I had considered several designs, one of which has been the Jazzmaster. I still wasn't totally settled on it though. That is, until I saw THIS one (belonging to Talk Bass member primussucks9126)
Shhhweet....
So once I saw that I began to look into the Warmoth Jazzmaster Bass 4 body more deeply. Per usual Warmoth there are a number of pickup choices and control cavity options. They'll do a reverse-P pickup too. After goofing around with their "bass body builder" page, this body came out to $185 after I got done selecting options (no, I did not buy it, I was just making wishful). Body weighs 5-pounds even. A Jazz bass body without paint weighs just about the same. I'm figuring on using alder, maybe maple. My Cort A4 is solid maple and it's as heavy as a manhole cover. Besides, Geddy's J is alder or swamp ash (dunno, I'm not sure what Fender was using on 1972 Jazz basses). On the other hand, I know Rics are Maple bodied, and my Squier VMJ is "soft maple" and it sounds really nice. So I'll have to think that out. Using maple for a Warmoth body raises the cost from $185 to $220 ... the additional $35 won't break the bank but it is worth noting.
If I am going to use a 3rd pickup (and since I have this totally cool new router) once the 3rd pickup cavity is cut I will most likely just cut interconnecting channels between all of the control cavities to simplify wiring and shielding. Perhaps something like this ......
Or maybe like this .......
I configured this pickguard using their pickguard selector page. I love the red outline, and the controls would be really nice for parallel/series other-worldlyness and other switchable options. The 5-way "Strat-type" switch on the upper horn has potential!
The black pickguard/red outlines looks really great on unfinished/oiled alder. My Shredbilly is like that.
If I get completely nuts and decide to just hack out my own body shape, I could go with the Warmoth "Chunk 'O Bass" slab and have them pre-rout everything ...
I did their ~virtual build~ thing and it came out to $123 for an alder one with P/J pickup routs, the neck pocket, and a rear-rout control cavity.
So, either a ready-to-go unfinished body or go with the Chunk 'O Bass setup. Hmmm .... the chunk is pretty appealing, I could cut it to any shape that suits me. But I honestly think the Jazzmaster Bass 4 body will be a great way to go. I can have them add a 3rd pickup cavity for $40 (anything not already in their CNC library is done by hand with a router, and they charge $40 per hour with a one hour minimum .. so that means that a 3rd pickup rout will cost 40 munnies).
I know that I'm getting ahead of myself here. But I needed a course and heading to keep things in perspective.
By the way, that beautiful Blue-on-White Jazzmaster with the Jaguar guitar chrome control plates belonging to member primussucks9126 may be heard here .....
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/rick-4003-neck-pickup-p-bass-875536/index5.html - POST #93. He posted a number of audio tracks of it's abilities there. Here's that posting with the demo links ...
Ok, so my next step is to procure some test pickups for the prototype. I'm working a trade with member Doner Designs for some Jazz bass pickups, and I have located some P-bass ~tetris block~ pickups on ebay for under $20 buckets.
The hardest part is getting up the courage to honk out a bathtub pickup cavity, going to Lowes today to pick up a plunge bit or two for my new Bosch 1617EVSPK router that I got for x-mass (thanks mom!). Even at 52 years old I still love getting toys for Christmas!
And now, ve dahnce .... shprockets.....
Once I get the details worked out on the prototyping bass (the Squier Vintage Modified 70's Bass that has already been modified to a 2-channel output), I'll be transfering what I have learned on the prototype to a Warmoth based build. For a while I had a hard time selecting which body style I wanted to use. It had to have pickguard options, and a large pickguard as well. It had to feel good against my body, and also to my right arm (picking/playing hand). I didn't so much give a hoot what it looked like, I don't care about "looking kewl" or any of that stuff. I've found that if you play well, the ugliest of basses suddenly begins to ~look~ very cool to observers. The better the sounds coming from it, the better looking it becomes.
Anyhow, I had considered several designs, one of which has been the Jazzmaster. I still wasn't totally settled on it though. That is, until I saw THIS one (belonging to Talk Bass member primussucks9126)
Shhhweet....
So once I saw that I began to look into the Warmoth Jazzmaster Bass 4 body more deeply. Per usual Warmoth there are a number of pickup choices and control cavity options. They'll do a reverse-P pickup too. After goofing around with their "bass body builder" page, this body came out to $185 after I got done selecting options (no, I did not buy it, I was just making wishful). Body weighs 5-pounds even. A Jazz bass body without paint weighs just about the same. I'm figuring on using alder, maybe maple. My Cort A4 is solid maple and it's as heavy as a manhole cover. Besides, Geddy's J is alder or swamp ash (dunno, I'm not sure what Fender was using on 1972 Jazz basses). On the other hand, I know Rics are Maple bodied, and my Squier VMJ is "soft maple" and it sounds really nice. So I'll have to think that out. Using maple for a Warmoth body raises the cost from $185 to $220 ... the additional $35 won't break the bank but it is worth noting.
If I am going to use a 3rd pickup (and since I have this totally cool new router) once the 3rd pickup cavity is cut I will most likely just cut interconnecting channels between all of the control cavities to simplify wiring and shielding. Perhaps something like this ......
Or maybe like this .......
I configured this pickguard using their pickguard selector page. I love the red outline, and the controls would be really nice for parallel/series other-worldlyness and other switchable options. The 5-way "Strat-type" switch on the upper horn has potential!
The black pickguard/red outlines looks really great on unfinished/oiled alder. My Shredbilly is like that.
If I get completely nuts and decide to just hack out my own body shape, I could go with the Warmoth "Chunk 'O Bass" slab and have them pre-rout everything ...
I did their ~virtual build~ thing and it came out to $123 for an alder one with P/J pickup routs, the neck pocket, and a rear-rout control cavity.
So, either a ready-to-go unfinished body or go with the Chunk 'O Bass setup. Hmmm .... the chunk is pretty appealing, I could cut it to any shape that suits me. But I honestly think the Jazzmaster Bass 4 body will be a great way to go. I can have them add a 3rd pickup cavity for $40 (anything not already in their CNC library is done by hand with a router, and they charge $40 per hour with a one hour minimum .. so that means that a 3rd pickup rout will cost 40 munnies).
I know that I'm getting ahead of myself here. But I needed a course and heading to keep things in perspective.
By the way, that beautiful Blue-on-White Jazzmaster with the Jaguar guitar chrome control plates belonging to member primussucks9126 may be heard here .....
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/rick-4003-neck-pickup-p-bass-875536/index5.html - POST #93. He posted a number of audio tracks of it's abilities there. Here's that posting with the demo links ...
Ok, so my next step is to procure some test pickups for the prototype. I'm working a trade with member Doner Designs for some Jazz bass pickups, and I have located some P-bass ~tetris block~ pickups on ebay for under $20 buckets.
The hardest part is getting up the courage to honk out a bathtub pickup cavity, going to Lowes today to pick up a plunge bit or two for my new Bosch 1617EVSPK router that I got for x-mass (thanks mom!). Even at 52 years old I still love getting toys for Christmas!
And now, ve dahnce .... shprockets.....
