Bridgehouse

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1490539307' post='3265775']
I'm on a similar path as yourself right now, except I'm being even fussier, I want a vintage 60s style P neck, wide and shallow, but with a compound radius, a modern bridge, modern/better access to the higher frets, as well as a vintage sound, in a rather fetching Sunderland AFC red! I promise I'm not too demanding!

My search has taken me to custom built for sure!
[/quote]

I've really got used to the 7.5" radius on my 64. The old fender bridge has it's advantages too - easy to adjust string spacing and I've found it very easy to dial in the right string height and intonation settings - much easier than I thought it would be. Oh, and where are these higher frets that you speak of?

[quote name='Hooch' timestamp='1490530411' post='3265700']
I can do such a comparison on my Lakland P if it's any help. I think it's very close to the 64-shape, plus the vintagey frets. As for the differences, slab RW vs veneer one, flatter fingerboard board too.
[/quote]

It would be useful to know, thanks!

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1490516355' post='3265555']


That's very interesting. I'll have to do that!

It's a shoulder thing for me too, less is good.
[/quote]

I wasn't sure it was going to be meaningful at first, but was pleasantly surprised by the result actually. As a comparator it gives a good account of itself.

Uh.. this is a 1.75" nut and slim neck profile, right?

[quote name='drake' timestamp='1490445785' post='3265186']
Don't think the Mike Dirnt Precision has been mentioned? A veritable telegraph pole of a neck and with a rosewood board too I think?
[/quote]

I think I've arrived at the conclusion that wide but slim with a very soft vee is the preference.

I'm on the lookout for a classic 50s even tho they are maple, as I think the maple/rw thing is a red herring!

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1490372081' post='3264728']


Thanks! Not a member of the Fretboard, but now I may have to be...
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There's actually quite a few bass builds over in the Making & Modding section. Bass traffic is low generally tho - much more expertise and experience over here!!

The maker is well known over on the fretboard - he doesn't advertise, and there's no website. Most of his sales are for a charity he helps to run. If you pop over there and search for gspbasses you'll see plenty of his builds. Sadly the only way I know to get in touch is through the fretboard.

Sometimes he does a bulk sale of stuff he's done on the classifieds there and you can pick up a really good quality body and neck for circa £250 - £300.

The quality is actually quite astounding..

If I changed my username to my #1, it would be the price of a 1st class stamp....

I hope I haven't accidentally started a rush on solder wire

To be fair, it's actually been interesting trying to understand what I like about one neck shape compared to another. I always thought I preferred the 64 to the 74, and the 74 to the stingray. When looking at the profiles I can sort of see why - the 74 sits in between the two in terms of slimness, shoulder and profile.

If the roadwoarn/classic 50's is even just in between the 64 and 74 in profile then I think I'm on to a winner.

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1490367092' post='3264658']
^^ That looks like a fun game! My '57 RI has a wide neck like yours but is apparently a "soft-V" - it's damn comfortable though I've not noticed it feeling particularly like a V. Need to go & buy some solder.
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Looking at the 12th fret one on my 64, I actually think it is a slight soft vee - very subtle and you're right, it's difficult to tell. I reckon that would explain the lack of shoulder though..

[quote name='fftc' timestamp='1490366496' post='3264652']
So a custom neck based on the profile of your '64 is what you need.
I understand Shuker can do that for you.

Not sure I'd want to drag a custom Shuker through the mud either though!
[/quote]

Lol - nor me! I will need to find a 50s classic or RW in a shop and see how the profile compares. Close would be good enough for muddy field duties

Body and neck were GSP Basses - I specced out what I wanted and after the usual wait time, they appeared! Brilliant quality.

Here's a daylight shot as promised:

Thought I would share a bit more of my thinking and experimenting.

Couldn't really understand why the neck profile on the '64 was so appealing. I play guitar too, and I can adapt to most shapes - some I prefer, some not, but not to this degree.

So I did a very crude 'solder wire' based profile exercise. (Sad, I know..)

Here we go:



The '64 is clearly a flatter, slimmer, wider profile - but for me the biggest difference is less 'shoulder'

I think combined with vintage frets and the 7.5" radius board, I have my answer. Maple or RW doesn't matter, I don't think. It's the neck profile, and to some extent the nut width (but not exclusively)

Well there you go.

New Partsobass day!

I got hold of a body and neck recently:



Decided to do a funky kind of build with it.

So, after Nitro was purchased, I completed a Satin finish on the neck:



And the body got a coat of Satin Surf Green:



Today was assembly time, and so the following was added:

- Fender neck plate + screws
- Schaller BM machine heads
- Standard P Bridge
- Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder single coil
- Associated electronics (!)
- Satin Black Pickguard
- Chrome Control Plate
- EBMM Straplocks
- A set of La Bella Low Tension Flats

And lo and behold:



Sorry about the colours in the next two - stupid white balance!





I shall take some more daylight shots tomorrow, so you can see how the Surf Green looks...

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1490263005' post='3263658']
Like the look of your latest project BTW Bridgehouse - nice colour too
[/quote]

I'll do a thread on it when it's done

I've been thinking this one through, and doing some playing to try to pin this wide nut thing down. Why do I like the 64P neck so much?

Well, let's have a look at the other 2 basses I have. 74P - Nut width is 41.3mm, thin(ish) C shape, 70's frets (medium) and Maple. Stingray - Nut width is also 41.3mm, classic Stingray shape, the usual Stingray frets, and Maple. Both are strung with Chromes.

64P is 44.5mm nut width, thin profile, thin and skinny vintage frets and Rosewood. It's strung with Tis.

I'm actually thinking it's a combination of factors. It's the 44.5mm nut, the thin neck, the rosewood, the frets and the TIs on it.

Having a sniff around the internet tonight, I may just have to go out and try a bunch more basses and see what's out there. For instance - Bass Collection Power or Detroit - 43mm nut, rosewood board, medium frets, super-thin 60's profile. Now, that's actually pretty close for £325. I'd also like to try a Fender RW 50's, and the classic 50's as well, but at that kind of money there's an awful lot of used out there that might work..

[quote name='Hooch' timestamp='1490210470' post='3263314']
Some thoughts on Lakland Bob Glaub sig may be useful there. Got a japanese Shoreline one, neck is wider than the C-shaped 66 Fender i had. 44mm for sure, maybe more, with a really comfy C shape, close to vintage Ps. I guess Skyline series may tick these boxes too, plus being easier to find and a tad cheaper.
[/quote]

Thanks - I shall check them out

You lot aren't helping now!

I will need to try a 50's (roadworn or not), and a Squier JV, and possibly some of the other early 80's US ones as they too seem to have a 1.75" neck.

Failing that, it's a limelight or get the friendly body and neck builder to do a standard P with a wide neck for me. Which means buying more cans of nitro.. I have about 20 in the garage waiting to dispose of already........



This is the latest project btw:

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1490201092' post='3263201']
The Harris model weighs as much as an anchor too.

Harris was my first real bass hero when I started playing in the 1980s and I'd love his sig model - but with some of them hitting 12lb. No chance.
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Yeah, that would make my '64 P at 8lb 3oz feel like a hollow body...

Gah. Reckon I will have to go maple neck. At least I'd spot which one is which when they are hung up on the wall!!



Might put an ad in the WTB section.. will look a bit odd tho, asking for any Fender P of any description as long as it's cheap and has a 44.5mm neck

All - thanks for the comments..

I'm actually in the middle of putting together a '52 style precision partsobass - it's a 41.3mm neck so it will be an interesting comparison - being single coil tho, I don't want to rely on it for gigging, but I might get the guy who made the bits to do a 44.5mm neck for it..

In truth, I wanted a ready made job so it's quick and easy.

The wide neck is a little odd at first - but I just find it so easy to get about on it and the space is really liberating - my fingers don't fall down the gaps, rather it allows them a bit of movement, and you can bend/vibrato a lot easier.

If I can track one down, I'd like to try a 50's Mex to see how it compares and stacks up. The Pino looks great, as does the Steve Harris - but again, both lots of ££!

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1490197167' post='3263152']
Interested in the dates you cited earlier, my '71 Precision definitely has a B neck as opposed to a C.
In any case, it's not quite a 'cheap' alternative, but the '63 American Vintage fits the bill (if you're looking for it to 'be a Fender'), plus likely to be quite similar to your '64:

[url="http://shop.fender.com/en-GB/electric-basses/precision-bass/american-vintage-%2763-precision-bass/0191010800.html#prefn1=refinement-body-shape&prefn2=series&prefv1=Precision+Bass&prefv2=American+Vintage&cgidx=electric-basses&start=1"]http://shop.fender.c...-basses&start=1[/url]

If not, another vote for an appropriately spec'd JV Squier

Si
[/quote]

Meant to say - the AV 63 would be a great choice - but quite *cough* steep at nearly 1900 notes new..

I'm being disciplined in not spending too much, as I don't want it to end up being another 'nice' bass that I molly coddle and wrap in blankets, only to not then take it out to those rainy, mud infested sleep under canvas beer-filled festivals!

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1490197167' post='3263152']
Interested in the dates you cited earlier, my '71 Precision definitely has a B neck as opposed to a C.
In any case, it's not quite a 'cheap' alternative, but the '63 American Vintage fits the bill (if you're looking for it to 'be a Fender'), plus likely to be quite similar to your '64:

[url="http://shop.fender.com/en-GB/electric-basses/precision-bass/american-vintage-%2763-precision-bass/0191010800.html#prefn1=refinement-body-shape&prefn2=series&prefv1=Precision+Bass&prefv2=American+Vintage&cgidx=electric-basses&start=1"]http://shop.fender.c...-basses&start=1[/url]

If not, another vote for an appropriately spec'd JV Squier

Si
[/quote]

Your '71 may well be a B - The B became standard in '73 (IIRC) but B necks would have been available before then..

[quote name='fftc' timestamp='1490191568' post='3263076']
I know you would prefer rosewood but this just popped up on fb.

[url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/689090051102626/permalink/1461682280510062/?sale_post_id=1461682280510062"]https://www.facebook...461682280510062[/url]
[/quote]

I'm beginning to think I need to consider maple as well

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1490182165' post='3262904']
Vintage. The JV Squires were made at a time when Fenders main output perhaps wasn't at their best so the JV Squires were a good option for the vintage Fender sound/feel - IMO they're not as nice as true vintage Fenders & aren't as good as some of the the vintage re-issues that Fender are putting out now but they're potentially better than a lot of basses Fender were putting out in the 80's/90's. A good option if you can get one for a decent price - up to you to decide what a decent price is, some owners are a little optimistic though.
[/quote]

Thanks for the info - I will have to have a look around to see what the going rates are for them. It's a shame there isn't a new alternative (so I can go try them out) with a relatively low price!

How do the JV Squiers sound? Are they more vintage or modern sounding? (I guess I'm asking what's the output of the pups?)