Shaggy

Lol, thanks for saying so bassaussie, but if you look at the build diary sub-forum you’ll see projects far more ambitious than mine, there are BC-ers who are proper luthiers........

New Amsterdam - Elvis Costello

I’ve sourced everything for my builds on here and eBay; if you’re not in a hurry and keep a project on the back burner, then eventually something you want will turn up cheap. That said, often the specific parts I need are only available in (eg) the US, and not cheap. As I’ve said, I don’t think I’ve lost money on mine over the years, but best to build just for yourself and avoid thinking about resale value. One I forgot about (and still own) just to show bitsas don’t have to be Fenderesque - this was acquired as a nice bitsa P/J Fenderbird from a local BC-er, and gradually morphed into a “Mike Lull-type” custom Thunderbird with every component except body replaced: Warmoth one-piece mahogany body with book-matched cocobolo top. MIK Epiphone T’bird neck 1980’s Gibson logo Schaller M4S tuners (as on Victory bass) Dual Thunderbucker ‘66 pickups imported from US (cost probably over twice everything else put together, but fabulous pickups.....) Solid brass ‘60’s type bridge & tailpiece (also from US)

Spitfire - The Prodigy

A couple of my previous builds: custom fretless "Stingray" build around a 1980 MM Sabre neck that I'd put an African blackwood fretless board on (the original fretted rosewood board had split); body cut and routed from a solid plank of Bubinga, with quarter inch Thuja burr facing. Neck plate and cavity covers cut from solid brass sheet; battery cover is hinged. Seymour Duncan MM p/up and circuit. Nice, but I made the body too thick, so it weighed a ton........ Also pic of a P bass bitsa build around a 1979 MIA Fender ash body; originally built with a '79 Fender fretless maple neck on, but pictured with a MIJ RI fretted rosewood one.

Hot pants - B52’s (also with a shake........)

When I see an elephant fly - Cliff Edwards (from “Dumbo” movie)

That’s horrible. I love it.

Good thread. For me, making bitsa basses has been one of the most rewarding things about taking up bass, and maybe it was inevitable given my nerdish predilection for putting together Airfix models when I was a kid (I still have a boxed HMS Victory kit in the garage waiting for an idle weekend; bought close on 40 years ago......) I certainly haven’t made any money on it but usually recoup costs when selling on, and doubt I’ve ever built the “holy grail” of basses, but it’s immensely satisfying - no element of it is particularly hard - and you can put together that dream bass that’s always been in your head. For me, it inevitably starts around a single part that I acquire often for no particular reason (usually on BC) - for the most recent P bass build (pictured) it was the Oly White body, so the plan became a ‘70’s type Dee Dee Ramone / Paul Simonon type bass, fitted with the very nifty Stellartone Tonestyler. Current build started with a pair of Celinder Jazz p/ups acquired for a mere tenner, so it’ll be a more boutique type J bass (I’m French polishing the body at the moment, whilst watching the rugby.....) Once you’ve got the bitsa bug you’re hooked...... edit: meant to say that apart from Chris’s 3 basses FS that I’d commented on; this one was the most impressive I’ve seen in recent years, you’d be pushed to find a kosher Fender this nice:

Heart of the sunrise - Yes

Not called Helga, by any chance? But fully agreed that it’s a much flatter playing field for electric instruments than acoustic. These days I generally play a mid-range Warwick Streamer in preference to some of my higher end instruments (eg an Alembic S1 and a pair of Wals) as it sounds fine, and sits so comfortably in my hands that I don’t have to think about it. But when it comes to flamenco guitars (which I’ve played for almost as long as bass) my 50 year old Contreras is like a living, breathing thing compared to almost anything else I’ve played. You couldn’t buy a cheap one.

There was a fabulous looking Enfield Cannon FS on this forum a couple of years back that I was seriously contemplating pulling the trigger on, but I sounded out a BC-er who I knew had owned one, and whose opinion I’ve come to value. He said they were beautifully engineered and finished basses, but the pickup switching options were almost too OTT - as with most basses one ends up using only one or two settings - and also battery drain was relatively high. He’d moved his on. Just opinion mind, and they seem to have found a solid niche in the market.

My camera never lies - Bucks Fizz

Crazy horses - The Osmonds

Funky Gibbon - The Goodies

Rooms on fire - Stevie Nicks

Riot in cell block no 9 - Dr Feelgood

Barefootin’ - Robert Parker

Walking in the perfumed garden of Gulliver Smith - Marc Bolan

Pennies from heaven - ‘ol blue eyes

Night boat to Cairo - Madness

Neon angels on the road to ruin - Runaways