3below

AKG D5 - sounded best when we A/Bd it with several others for female singer. Try several in good music shop.

Print image as large as possible onto A4 graph paper. Find big squared paper. Use the original A4 print to give coordinates and just scale up onto the big squared paper. Another easy way is to find a friend / colleague who has IT skill and a big printer. Provide suitable incentive and you will get a template printed out.

[quote name='Slipperydick' timestamp='1441569842' post='2859957'] Save the picture, crop and re size it in paintbox, save that on a stick, take stick to a decent high stationery shop and as them to print it on A2 paper. Low tech solution like that should cost you about a quid. [/quote] +1 for the obvious

On the well known auction site you will find pantographs for about £8. Use one of these to trace round and enlarge the image directly onto mdf or plywood.

Following on from the trace image method on screen: large sheet of paper, stick on wall. Use pc projector at a suitable distance to project image on paper. Draw round image . Stick paper on mdf or ply, bandsaw and file away till happy. I would recommend carrying out a full written risk assessment and then wearing personal protective equipment when playing the guitar, could take someone's eye with those points Good luck with the build.

Suspect rasp and sandapaper as mentioned earlier. I would also make a template gauge with the correct chamfer. Use this to check for consistency (often) and with skill do not take too much off.

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1441405703' post='2858758'] i forget on a weekly basis and often wonder how i have managed thus far its like riding a bike [/quote] +1 On one occasion which will live with me forever, I played like I had bought a bass two days previously. 40 yrs bass playing had been lost.

Result

KK bass pickup and pre bought. Super fast arrival, brilliant packing. Excellent communication. Thanks

Do we have a cure yet?

Endorsements & commercial interests or am I just cynical?

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1440837654' post='2854186'] ....... Warwicks are either C or U shapes (I have examples of both). [/quote] Likewise, and for the same model bass they are very different to play. Linking in with Alyctes idea of a database of bass dimensions, why not make cardboard templates of the profiles at nut / first fret and 12th fret. Photograph the profiles with ruler scale in picture. +1 to Manton Customs, it is all personal preference.

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1440799039' post='2854046'] ....It doesn't make sense (to me) that there can be much wrong with the frets if the other strings are intonated correctly right the way along the neck. Check the nut slot depth though, if it's too shallow you'll have issues with the fretted notes nearer the nut. Neck relief should be a slight concave bend, I hope that's what you mean when you say there's a 'nice concave bend' because it's thickness of card territory you're after. [/quote] Good advice above on nut slot and relief and the sense check is excellent. If the ADG strings are ok the frets / neck / nut / bridge are likely to be spot on. Fender (and other mass market bass builders) have got this down to a fair art.

Concave neck (relief) is good. Quite staggering fret wear can be ok. My first thought is duff E string (even from new). I struggled to get a bass to intonate correctly until I eventually figured it was a duff new string. It was the only one I have encountered in 44 yrs of bass playing however Other thoughts: Nut slot smooth? put some wax or pencil graphite in it, ball end secure against bridge? Pull string firmly a few times to take any slack out (I have read on the Internet that this is not recommended but has never caused any issues for me). Last question is how out of tune? Noticeable to hearing or a few dots out on the tuning meter - finger pressure can make notes go sharp on tuning meter.

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1440769129' post='2853706'] Thanks 3below. That's very close to a P (about 6mm closer to the bridge than my '72). I'm now thinking maybe a G&L humbucker in the P position like an L1000, mmm ... [/quote] 6mm in the scale of things is about 0.7% difference on the open strings reducing to about 1.4% difference at 12th fret. My take would be that this is not a significant difference. Retrofit MFD will be more straightforward (cheaper and non destructive) than MFD humbucker. I also like the 'aggressive' mfd tone, I can get shades of Gibson EB, The John Hall bass, J bass and P.

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1440760204' post='2853564'] Good point re pickup position. Can someone measure from 12th fret to centreline of polepieces? (it's a more consistent measurement than from the saddles) [/quote] Very true on consistency, E/A (288[color=#333333][font=Verdana, Geneva, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=4]±1)[/size][/font][/color]mm D/G (315[color=#333333][font=Verdana, Geneva, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=4]±1)mm[/size][/font][/color]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1440756300' post='2853510'] It's a mod I've been intending to try for a long time but just haven't as yet. I await the outcome of your project [/quote] At one point G&L fitted a Schaller PBX as standard. I just turn the volume and tone down to tame the MFD into a more traditional P bass tone.

On mine (1988) bridge saddles to centre of pole pieces: D/G 125mm E/A 157mm.

Long nosed pliers that have serrations on the gripping face. Push pickup down and protect it with some insulating tape. Grip the screw with the pliers parallel to the body (i.e. the serrations are helping with the twisting). and gradually unscrew a little at a time. If the pliers slip you may also be able to carefully file some flats on the screwhead that will help. Protect bass body with some cardboard stuck down with masking tape or similar - it is all too easy to slip.

[quote name='Manton Customs' timestamp='1440668766' post='2852776'] Anyway, careful colour matching with wood dye should get it looking less noticeable, once it has dried you could give it a coat or two of paste wax (Briwax, Liberon etc) to restore a bit of sheen. [/quote] Briwax / Liberon has worked wonders on my SG satin (now wax glossy) bass