Your own personal Bass ideas.

[CaribooBass]

You can mod a bass with all sorts of things these days. From pickups to pick guards there are endless ideas on what you want to do.

But isn’t this just parts replacement?

I saw a video the other day, that I wish I could find again where the makers of the bass drilled a hole in the top of the body to project more sound to the player.

So this brings me to my question; have you done a modification to your bass so you can play it better?

A body mod because you have big hands? Or even smaller hands.

An extra strap lock to help with balance or keep a more stable position for you bounce around a lot on stage?

These are the personal mods I have seen in person. Can you show us yours ?

Thanks
Clayton

 

[lug]

 

[MrAB4003]

I replaced the preamp on my 2008 Squier Affinity Jazz Bass earlier this year because the volume knobs did not work properly. I switched it to a master volume - master tone - pickup selector configuration similar to what's on my Rickenbackers. I would make this mod to the next Jazz Bass I buy because I don't like the VVT configuration.

This bass is also my piccolo bass, so I guess the lighter gauge strings are a mod of sorts. It's role in my collection (playing rhythm, leads, and solos) is certainly different than the roles of my other basses.

 

[2saddleslab]

Done mods on all my basses. Most are parts replacements. Others are for better balance.

I've strategically placed a strap button under the neck heal of my Gretsch 6072 reissue for better balance when standing.

I've also added short spacers to the top horn button of some basses, as every little bit helps.

While a this mod is technically a parts replacement, I swapped the Fender OEM high mass bridge w/ a custom 2 saddle string thru, which is a bit more involved.

 

[JRA]

...have you done a modification to your bass so you can play it better?

yes, the last 4-5 axes that i've purchased (with the intent to modify) have several things in common among them that are intended to help me play the things better:
- strap buttons relocated to counter neck dive.
- all of the fretted necks that came on the axes have been replaced with fretless necks.
- in pursuit of lightweightedness (makes playing better!): tuning machines have been replaced with lightweight machines.

the rest of the mods have been more of the parts replacement variety: bridges, electronics, pickguards, and stuff for "looks."

 

[mexicanyella]

Is the strap button extender on the Spirit headless bass an adjusting tool for coil over shock absorber springs, or motorcycle steering head bearings, or some such?

 

[Bassdirty]

......... the makers of the bass drilled a hole in the top of the body to project more sound to the player.
...

Sounds..interesting...

T$

 

[Jefus]

I love having dual outputs, one for each pickup, on my 8-strings. But sometimes you don't want to irreversibly modify a nice bass, so you get a little creative...

 

[edencab]

years ago I chatted briefly about a travel / lightweight bass...these were my thoughts

I did think at one point that a body in the shape of a guitar pick, teardrop shaped, sort of like if you carved 75-80% off a Musicman Stingray around the pickguard or like a 1/4 to 1/3 sized Bongo bass without the horns.
I'd say a P-bass for pickups as I have a Jazz that I like....If I was making my own, I'd get a set of Bill Lawrence P46 pickups. Although given the shape, maybe Musicman style by Seymour Duncan or Aguilar. I'd prefer passive, for ease of build/electronics/no batteries to deal with/weight. I'm just a plain straight ahead rock(Zep/Floyd)/blues/motown/reggae kinda guy. ..nothing fancy: 1 Volume & 1 Tone

Dark solid green (maybe with a bit of sparkle) with a white pearloid or black pick guard (a mini Musicman style shape?), chrome hardware
or white body with black pearloid or tort pickguard, black hardware

-probably just a 4 stringer......either a short scale or regular 34"....I haven't played too many shorties so I don't know if they are what I am after

-probably want a thumb rest as well...
I'd put some brand of flats on it (I love the Fenders on my jazz, but would try another brand)

 

[lug]

Is the strap button extender on the Spirit headless bass an adjusting tool for coil over shock absorber springs, or motorcycle steering head bearings, or some such?

Long spanner wrench of of Amazon for I think about $15. The little strap extender for the Steinberger did give me the idea, but I wanted the extention to go a bit father out.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Since I scratch built my own, I don't usually do mods. However, my fretless 6 is a highly modified Franken bass build. The build thread is in my sig.

 

[Killing Floor]

I have never bought a bass or guitar I didn’t like to play. I’ve only done parts exchange mods.
Does removing frets count? I had that done one time.

 

[39-Bassist]

Yes...it's called a fret level, round the edges and polish, then do a setup!

 

[Honkey tonk]

Most definitely my fav. Bass mod ever...
Drum triggers under the strings , play bass and drums same time

 

[lovechick]

Long spanner wrench of of Amazon for I think about $15. The little strap extender for the Steinberger did give me the idea, but I wanted the extention to go a bit father out.

Thanks Lug. I don't remember if I saw a write-up here or watched a YouTube video, but I copied your homemade strap extender idea for my Cort headless and couldn't be happier with the results. For those who don't know, these types of basses are essentially unplayable without some sort of add-on like this.

 

[2saddleslab]

Thanks Lug. I don't remember if I saw a write-up here or watched a YouTube video, but I copied your homemade strap extender idea for my Cort headless and couldn't be happier with the results. For those who don't know, these types of basses are essentially unplayable without some sort of add-on like this.

During my foray into ASAT basses I came across the same issue so came up w/ the ASE [ASAT strap extension], which made all the difference in the world. Ended up selling about a dozen to ASAT bass owners around the globe.

 

[Jefenator]

If I had a half a million bucks to blow on a production run, I'd release the "Maple Monster".
Basically a 2-pickup natural finish Stingray-type 5-string with 20mm spacing and a rosewood fingerboard. It would be my great contribution to the bass guitar world - and would probably sell like a wet paper bag full of dog poo.
The production model would have all kinds of coil switching possibilities. But for my own personal use, I would probably settle back on two dope single coils like I always do.
I'm not too motivated to make it because this already exists:

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Does adding ashtrays on Fenders (to rest your thumb on) count? If so, done that on a couple of basses.

Most of mine centers around pickups and preamps, since I'm not at the level to do real body modification or something like that. A few of the ones I'd like to mod are "holy grail" basses...such as a lighter body and easier neck on a Wal MK or thinner/flatter neck on a Warwick bass.

 

[red_rhino]

(with the intent to modify)

That sounds like a charging enhancement to a criminal offense.

 

[Relsom]

Back in the '70s I toyed with the idea of making a bass with retractable frets. I've read over the last few years that someone is actually making one.

Something I actually made in the late '70s was my headless EB-O, which was a project born out of one with a broke off headstock that I bought cheap. Strap buttons made great pulleys to spread the strings out behind the bridge. I used standard large format tuners with the keys machined down to accept a drum key. I had extra long posts made to extend through the body. Too bad I don't have a photo.