Project Basses

Here it is.

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Might need to check if it is the right type of wood however, I guess. Something with an open grain.

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Interesting but the body I’ve got doesn’t really have that grain unfortunately. As for the colour , that’s going to be revealed once it’s finished lol
I’ve just put the second coat of oil on the neck so that’s well on it’s way but the temperature and humidity here atm has put back any thoughts of painting. Got to try and get some heating sorted out in my shed

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So, over in the GAS thread I revealed that I’ve decided to build my second bass, rather than buy it. Call me a masochist. However, because I want it to have some specific features, I ordered the parts piecemeal from Amazon, as opposed to buying a kit.

Specifically, it’s going to be a HH FrankenJazz with a P neck. Why? Because why not :smiley:

And thus, the first batch of parts arrived today. Can you tell me what’s wrong with this picture?

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Building your own bass is harder than you think.

:grinning: :rofl: :sweat_smile:

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Apparently packing things in little plastic baggies is as well :rofl:

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Wow, killer bridge. Is that Hi-mass or Lo-mass? Maybe it is string thru bass?

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More like string along bass :smiley:

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Ummmm . . . it’s the cables for the new bridge? . . . :thinking:

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@Jazzbass19, just to follow on, I did not order ANY strings amongst the parts that I have ordered. I have a set of unopened Rotosound SwingBass RL66 strings that are waiting for their turn in this project.

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Great looking Bridge @MC-Canadastan :joy: :rofl: :joy:
Make sure you install it in the correct position.
Cheers Brian

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The parts trickle continues. This beauty came in yesterday:

I’m blown away by the quality of this faceplate. The floral pattern is actually done in blacked out bas relief and the plate is about 3/32" thick. Obviously, I’m not sure as to the durability of the surface finish, but for $9 Canuckistanian shipped, how can anyone complain? Or compete for that matter?

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Wow!
that sure looks like it cost way more than that. :+1: :+1:
This will look really nice. looking forward to watching this bass come together.

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I’m also blown away by the quality of this next piece, however not entirely in a positive way.

The good:
It’s massive and solid. There is no way for the bridge to distort in any way. I’m sure it’ll contribute to a decent sound.

The bad:

  1. The fore and aft travel of the saddles is 3/16" either way, less than 1/2" total. I will have to be pretty goshdarned exact with the bridge placement.
  2. The threading of the saddle grub screws is crap. In particular the inner screw on the A-string saddle bottoms out in the saddle, not below it.

The ugly:
The chrome over the surface of the bridge has some flow lines and “apprentice marks”.

Remedial measures:
I’m going to shorten the intonation screws by 3/8" so that the placement of the bridge is easier (won’t affect the maximum saddle travel in any way).
I have chasing taps and dies in the right size, I’m going to take apart the whole bridge and re-tap the threads in the saddles and bridge, as well as chasing the threads on the grub screws.

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I got new saddles for a Stingray bridge to rebuild the bridge on my EBMM Stingray 4 before selling it. Two of the screws in the D and G string saddles were stripped so you could not adjust the action.
I ordered a new saddle set for $20, and while rebuilding it, the saddles themselves, were cross drilled (concentric with the saddle) to lighten it i Guess, and the adjustment screws were not tapped all the way thru, like your A string.
I ended up using a combo of the old saddles and new saddles because I did not have a tap to chase the threads, and no deburing tools or files or anything I would have needed to make those work and look good.

The surprising thing about it was.

I ORDERED THE NEW SADDLE SET DIRECT FROM ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN.
I just wanted it done, and was able to make it work with the combo of saddles, but using all the new screws and springs, so it was not a total loss, but I expected more from EBMM.

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That’s the thing. It’s never a certainty that a name brand OEM part will actually be better.

That said, usually they will be better than Grade A Chinesium knock-offs.

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IF you get from a OEM of upgraded and premium hardware, then it damn sure better be finished, and nice and shiny.
But if you get it from an OEM instrument builder, no matter how good, they still have a 3rd party manufacturing the pieces of hardware. So, the quality is not always caught if it is taken from the box it was shipped to the OEM in, and pack it in a bag, and ship it to a customer.
But
When they are assembling the basses and hardware at MM in San Luis Obispo, they catch and fix that stuff. I would not be a happy camper if I ordered a $2500 bass, and little details like a saddle not being tapped all the way thru slipping by a master craftsman or luthier, that would be unacceptable. I doubt it happens on the USA build instruments of that caliber. Maybe on the cheaper US built instruments (if there are any) it might happen.
And for sure, coming right off. a shop floor in Chine, where they probably turn hundreds of thousands of little round saddles every day, and inspect maybe 10%, it is bound to happen, alot, as much as 90%, tho I doubt it is that high. Its probably 25% - 40%.

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Finally a temperature up/ humidity down day :partying_face:
Reckon the body has about 75% of the coats on it now and I’ve also begun painting the headstock to match the body of the bass.
Good news is there is no change in the weather until Monday so I’m hoping I can get the clear coat finished by then on the body at least.
Should mean I’ll be able to polish it after a decent drying period and begin putting the electrics in .
As for the colour, see below :scream::mask:

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Oh yeah, I love that.
It is close to this $25,000 Washburn MetalMan M Bass that Dimebag had made, custom, to give out to friends. He also had a signature Dean MetalMan M that you can still find, in the custom green and yellow color, appropriately called DimeSlime. Very similar color green.

This particular Bass went to BeefCake of GWAR. He played it in videos, and on tour, then donated it to an auction. It was sold it to a private DIMEBAG collector, who has what is described as the biggest DimeBag collection in the world.

He then sold it to Essex recording studio in the UK, and they are now selling it on Reverb. They have a huge collection of celebrity and collectable guitars and basses for sale in their Reverb shop, if you ever want to just look for shits and giggles. And if you are crazy enough, you can spend a few to many thousands of dollars and own one or two. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

The MetalMan M (from Dean, is the shape of the Flying V, with the extra part under the headstock that makes it look sort of like a star) was Dime’s guitar, but Washburn and somebody else started making him guitars, I think towards the end of his life, before his murder. That is why or how this bass is custom from Washburn and not Dean.

Ha Ha, but look, no matching headstock, YOU WIN!!!

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Oh I like that !
Just need a little lottery win and I’m sure I’ll be in a crazy shopping spree lol

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