Project Basses

That might be. I was just talking about the specific P sound I have come to like :slight_smile:

like at :30 in here:

Pretty sure that’s a P, he’s playing a P in their other videos.

I do too. In fact I used to think that if I ever wanted a P-bass I would want a P/J, but now that I have a P/J I am a even ready to ditch the J. Then again my P/J is a Warwick so it is very growly on its own, even cranked Full P.

@howard Now that’s an interesting turn in the conversation regarding the J . I’m seriously thinking about a J but after chatting to a mate today he’s reckoning if I try a P I’ll never go back to anything else :face_with_hand_over_mouth: Are you of the same opinion?

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I’m starting to feel that way. The problem with fenders is that I like the J necks more :slight_smile:

I find myself often dialing my P/J to full P though.

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The neck is exactly where my issues with the P lies . I too prefer the J neck .
And I too use the reverse p pick ups on the Ibanez way more than a blend or the bridge pick up . Who knew bass would get so complicated lol

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… and I prefer the P neck but this point is very very personnal. you can find P-style basses with a P/J configuration and a J style neck, for exemple Sire makes some of those hybrid basses.

the J tone is thinner, probably more refined but less punchy/agressive/fat. I myself don’t see myself playing a P/J because I know I would be always on the P pickup only. but this does not mean that the J tone is not good, obviously.

the P has something “raw” that’s pretty unique, I think. it’s pretty much the equivalent of the Telecaster in the guitar world.

a word about the reverse P pickup : I’m convinced that it’s a better choice than the conventional P orientation, but I’m also convinced that it’s really a very small detail. I think I would love a Precision with only one mod : the reverse pickup. would look sick.

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@terb you have a picture in your head of how she will look. I hope that now that you have moved you will get her into your hands
Jamie
:slightly_smiling_face: :guitar: :guitar:

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thanks but I still have various project instruments to finish : the plywood P (almost finished) and two guitars ! then I will think about the next one … :v::grin:

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@terb

Thank you for your insight :+1:
I love this place for that very reason

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Here’s my project bass!

It’s got some issues. Basically has no action, no intonation to speak of. Neck dive is definitely a problem too. But, I plan to address that over time. :laughing:

It’s a NOS MIM P-Bass Standard Neck; not the Player P-Bass Neck. It feels so good, just like my Tele (same generation I suspect before the gloss came). I just wasn’t feeling it with the Fender MIM Player Bass necks, so I decided I should try to build the bass I wanted Fender to sell me. I would have ordered a Jass neck, but I want another PJ, so I guess I’ll get the chance to try a Modern-C P-Bass neck.

The neck is nearly perfect; the nut isn’t quite centered, but then it isn’t cut either. That will be a new experience…

My next step though is to look at bodies. To get the color I want and a good fit for this original neck, I’m thinking Warmoth. Anybody join a Fender neck to a Warmoth body before?

Thanks!

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Here’s a couple tracks on my Streamer to show what I meant about liking the tone better dialed full P. Warwicks are bright and growly anyway and while the J adds some nice tone, just the P sounds awesome and I think I prefer it.

The problem with this is that with a P/J, the P is closer to the neck (since it is, of course, the neck pickup) than it would be on a normal P, so it misses out on some of the brightness it would have moved a cm or so towards the bridge.

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I think I’ve done that, about 20 years ago. it should work perfectly as Warmoth parts are perfectly cut to Fender standards. Warmoth quality is equivalent to the Fender Custom Shop products, it’s seriously high end.

the two tones are good in my opinion. it all depends on what you like and how you use it ! I find that the P+J tone is very well balanced. the P-only tone sounds deeper and less percussive than what I would expect. I mean that the frequency spectrum seems extended in the low range, I don’t recognize so much the low-mid punch. (but also it depends on the amp, the settings, the picking technique …)

if you want, we could take some mesurements on our basses to see how far is your P pickup compared to a real Precision.

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Good idea! On mine the front edge of the P is about 6cm from the last fretwire.

I am pretty sure the relative lack of mid harmonics and punch you mention os because it’s biased towards the neck, yeah.

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Thanks @terb Good to know.

Just curious about the P vs. PJ converstation; does the neck figure in to the pitch as well? Talking J-bass neck vs. P-bass neck.

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JB and PB neck are 100% compatible and interchangeable. the difference is the shape near the headstock : the JB neck is thinner (about 38 mm wide) than a PB neck (about 42 mm wide). but the neck pocket and the scale are strictly the same.

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not sure it’s the best way to measure because I’m not sure at all we have the same number of frets !

I measured from the magnets of the E/A side of the pickup, to the 12th fretwire, assuming that your Warwick is also a 34" scale instrument. the measure is 28.1 cm.

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I would have recommended to use pictures to avoid vebal confusion but I see you already started with that.

I follow your discussion with interest but I have nothing to contribute myself for your builds.

However I shuffled some ideas around in my head and the vision is becoming more and more clear. I want to do a minimalistic build that’s comfortable and I like headstocks so basically something like a Rickenbacker with an armrest and headstock.

Two reasons for the minimalistic design. First is that I want to reduce printing time and second is that I like minimalistic design.

That said the first step would be repairing my 3d printer which I keep avoiding.

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@juli0r I take it that you would create grid design to see the final product?
This may sound odd, but if you were to send me the image with dimensions. I could see how I could do by hand but also letting the wood have a say.
Or a meld of materials :slight_smile:

Jamie
:guitar: :triangular_ruler: :guitar:

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So far I actually was more in the digital world than to draw on paper because if I actually want to use my printer then I have to create a 3D model of it anway and then cut that model into printable chunks.

Maybe I could recrute one of my architectural draftswoman friends to create the 3D model for me. They have more experience in those 3D modeling programs and then I would have to somehow convey my vision to her anyway.

Yes. That is probably how I should start, with a grid design. Thank you.

Juli another thought. @juli0r
Printing around wood to get the best of both worlds. Or printed frame for wooden panels.
Jamie

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I’m open for that overall.
Also I like the Rickenbacker/Minimalist as an Idea thinking about the effort needed I now tend to jump back to the build kit and do that first as initially planned. Then I’d also have more of an idea of what to have in mind when building and everything.

I’ll have a look. Should get my salary soon so I will finally know how much I still get with the reduced work and if viable I would order a build kit first. Just to get more comfortable with the process.

You had me so excited that I wanted to play fast before playing slow if you get my analogy :wink:

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