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Bravewood- order imminent


cameltoe
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Have long lusted after a custom 'Fender', having had nothing feel as good on me as a P bass in my playing years.

Bravewood instruments look fantastic to my eyes, John is local to me, and seems to have a love for vintage fenders. Which is what lead me to him- the best feeling P basses I've owned have been vintage reissues. It's something about the deep contours, or the neck, or the way they feel played-in.

I'm hopefully going for a light-relic lookalike of this:
[IMG]http://ksmguitars.com/BassBridgePackage/American_Vintage_57_Precision_Bass/0190115801_frt_wlg_001.jpg[/IMG]

Excited already!

Am specifying a slimmer neck, with a 40-41mm nut (haven't finalised details yet) and a very light body.

I am toying with the idea of throwing a 33" scale into the mix- I believe (rightly or wrongly) that this may feel more comfortable to play. I have no issues really with a 34" scale, but when you are ordering custom your mind does wonder.... Whether John would be open to this is another matter, I probably wouldn't be if I was making vintage correct fenders!

Anyway, just here really to say it's finally gonna happen and I'm excited, now I just have to find a way of breaking the news to Mrs Cameltoe. Might wait til the deposit goes down before I do that!


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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1435954461' post='2814027']
Maybe have a chat with Limelight too...
[/quote]

I thought about this, and although I love the way limelights look, I'm limited for choice as they use off the shelf parts. I did enquire with Mark at Limelight if he could supply a slimmer P neck, but you are kinda stuck with standard allparts jazz or precision necks. I would want 7.25" radius too.

Limelights do look truly brilliant, and I have heard nothing but good things. I feel there is something a bit more special in having a bass crafted for me from scratch from raw materials.

Who knows, I may hate it! I've done the 'play it first' thing, but I would like the bass in my head to be built, and it's a bass I'm unlikely to ever find unless I spec it.

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Were it me . . . I'd do the capo trick. For a 34" scale bass - from the 1st fret to the bridge is roughly 32" inches. From the 2nd fret is a little over 30".

See if you like it. I find it a bit loose with the light gauge strings I prefer on 34" scale instruments. Feels nice with 45 - 105's though (with a capo on the second fret, with the bass in D standard).

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I had a Bravewood strat a few years ago and it was outstanding. My dad has had his '62 Jazz bass refinished by Bravewood and it is some of the best finish work i have seen. Highly recommended.

I will be getting a Jazz bass built by him when funds allow.

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[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1436167912' post='2815421']


That is stunning... :o
[/quote]

That's a stock image of an AV '57 reissue.

I'm hoping to replicate that with a light relic finish. Nothing too over the top, just enough to ensure I'm not afraid to take it out and play it.

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Had you thought of other tweaks?
[list]
[*]Could do a 50-57 headstock (lighter - reducing neck dive)
[*]Vintage bridge (cos they're better)
[*]You sure you want ash/maple? That maybe rather nice but might be a bit trebly?
[*]Gotoh - Res-o-lite machine heads? (Cos they reduce neck dive)
[/list]
Just thinking ...

Davo

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[quote name='Davo-London' timestamp='1436278993' post='2816668']
Had you thought of other tweaks?
[list]
[*]Could do a 50-57 headstock (lighter - reducing neck dive)
[*]Vintage bridge (cos they're better)
[*]You sure you want ash/maple? That maybe rather nice but might be a bit trebly?
[*]Gotoh - Res-o-lite machine heads? (Cos they reduce neck dive)
[/list]
Just thinking ...

Davo
[/quote]

Hi Davo,

The Gotohs are definitely on my list. I bought a set of GBR640's to combat neck dive on my Roadworn P and they did a cracking job.

Headstock- hadn't thought about a smaller headstock, if I was going to go this way, I'd be tempted to go for a reverse. Just because I grew up listening to grunge.

Ash-maple. Interesting. I've never had an Ash bodied bass, I am aware they can be brighter sounding, but it's the grain I'm after. I've always been happy with Alder, so would be fine to go for Alder if a suitably light-weight, grainy piece of wood can be found. Maple is a definite though, I just love maple necks. I will discuss this with John.

Vintage bridge- again, I've always been happy with the bent bit of tin with threaded saddles. Hadn't considered a two-saddle vintage jobbie.

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[quote name='Christian Houmann' timestamp='1436274763' post='2816633']
Cool! I talked with John about 33 scale but he didn't do it
[/quote]

Was this because he didn't want to? I have to say, it's definitely a '57 reissue vibe I'm going for, so if he's unwilling then I totally get it.

I've never had a 33" scale, but I want to know what my options are, as I'm having a bass built from scratch! In my uneducated opinion it should add to the playability of the instrument, I do find a standard length a bit of a stretch.

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[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1436379581' post='2817740'] Was this because he didn't want to? I have to say, it's definitely a '57 reissue vibe I'm going for, so if he's unwilling then I totally get it. I've never had a 33" scale, but I want to know what my options are, as I'm having a bass built from scratch! In my uneducated opinion it should add to the playability of the instrument, I do find a standard length a bit of a stretch. [/quote]

From John
[i][color=#444444]Regarding scale length, I'm afraid I don't offer alternatives on the vintage replica stuff as the jigs and templates are all made and vintage accurate.[/color][/i]

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[quote name='Christian Houmann' timestamp='1436597497' post='2819361']


From John
[i][color=#444444]Regarding scale length, I'm afraid I don't offer alternatives on the vintage replica stuff as the jigs and templates are all made and vintage accurate.[/color][/i]
[/quote]

Awesome, thank you.

I have to say, John has been very pleasant in all communication thus far and I'm really looking forward to getting the order in!

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Well I went to see John today, and I was totally pleased with how pleasant a guy he was, and how much attention he gave to me and my request. We spent a lot of time talking about what I like in my instruments, and he played all my basses to better understand what I'm after. I had a feel of a Precision he had kicking about, and he was more than happy to show me some work in progress. His stuff looks ace. I'm chuffed to say the order has gone in, and I'm very much looking forward to getting it!

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