The AJR Custom Bass. A Hobbyists build

[FuNkShUi]

[b][u]The AJR Singlecut Camphor Bass[/u][/b]
I’ve had the bass for over two months. I said id write a little bit about it but I’ve held off a while because I wanted to have played it, gigged it, and recorded with it.
It’s great having a new bass, but sometimes the first impressions can be a bit misleading. Everyone loves their newest toy right?!

Here are some photos:
[url="http://s674.photobucket.com/user/FuNkShUi/media/SingleCut1.jpg.html"][/url]

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[url="http://s674.photobucket.com/user/FuNkShUi/media/Singlecut%204.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s674.photobucket.com/user/FuNkShUi/media/Singlecut%205.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s674.photobucket.com/user/FuNkShUi/media/SingleCut%202.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s674.photobucket.com/user/FuNkShUi/media/Singlecut%207.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s674.photobucket.com/user/FuNkShUi/media/Singlecut%206.jpg.html"][/url]

From the off, communication with Andy was top quality. Bouncing ideas back and forth about every single aspect of the design.
If there was something I particularly liked or wanted, it was taken into consideration, and the idea developed on.
Although our communication was non stop, im sure it could have become a bit . . . tedious for him at some points. But I did’t ever get this impression. So I kept on
We had one issue at the start where, unknowingly, the design was a little too close to another well respected luthiers design. Not a problem, as we had a couple of ideas of how we wanted the bass to look, we reverted back to one of the originals.

I understand that looks wise it wasn't to everyone’s taste, but it was literally, exactly how [b]I[/b] wanted it to look. Even down to minute details such as the thin black separation between the alder body and camphor top. My thinking, on having such a "different" looking bass being there are plenty of Fender, and Fender clones out there, so if I’m going to have something made for me, i want it to be unique. I think we achieved that.
So after about two weeks’ worth of emails we decided on a “spec sheet” and design.

This is what we ended up with:
* Singlecut bass
* Chambered body made from Alder, with a Camphor top. I asked for it to be as light as possible. Ended up 7Lbs 8!!!
* Thin black demarcation between the two woods.
* AAA Grade Ebony fretboard with no fret markers
* Luminlay markers on the top edge.
* Neck to be a through body design made of mahogany with a central Walnut splice. Profiled similar to my existing Warwick Streamer, and 34”
* P + J Pickup design, using Passive DiMarzio Pickups
* Seymour Duncan 2band EQ
* Hipshot Drop D Tuning.
* “Warwick” Just-a-nut
* Headstock to be Andy’s own unique asymmetrical design. I wanted it to be asymmetrical to mimic the body shape.

From start to finish It took about 3 months to build. It didn’t feel anywhere near as long because of the constant communication, and I could see what was happening every step of the way in his build diary.
(Found here [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/271204-single-cut-camphor-and-alder-pj/page__st__30"]http://basschat.co.u...pj/page__st__30[/url] )

Seeing it being built in real time was something special. For me at least. It definitely added to the experience.
The finish is flawless. Andy is something of a perfectionist, as I’m sure any of you who follow his builds are aware.
Even the bacon sarnies on the day of pickup were made and cut to perfection. No gaps between. . . anything. Fretwork is perfect, the covers sit flush and the setup was exactly how I asked for it to be. As low as possible, without having fretbuzz. Its wearing Flatwound chromes. It’s clear to see that everything has been considered. Really impressive for something that was built in someone’s home and shed, with no fancy machines, by a hobbyist (his words).

The camphor top wood has an exotic feel with intricate patterns all across it. It is a deep brown colour with hints of a fiery burnt orange tint coming through under certain light. It has a high gloss finish. I was a bit weary to have the high gloss finish, only because I was concerned any dings would be easily visible. So far though, no such issues. And I LOVE the camphor. The AAA grade ebony fretboard was left without fretmarkers because we felt the “cleanliness” of the all black fretboard complimented the complexity in the camphor. It was for this reason we kept all the hardware black too. The pickup covers were designed by Andy. Originally they were going to be all Camphor, but after seeing them, felt it took away from the look. So Andy suggested the half Camphor, half ebony ones it ended up with. Again, sticking with the theme that I wanted it to be unique, I’m very happy.

There is a forearm cutaway across the bass, coupled with a carved back, that makes it extremely comfortable to play. The cutaway also shows off the black demarcation veneer quite nicely. The bridge has been set as far back as possible to shorten the feel of the neck. 34” scale isn’t particularly long for me, being 6ft 3 anyway, but it certainly adds to how great it feels to play. The singlecut design gives easy access to the upper frets, with a special mention going to the curved end on the fretboard that gives one extra fret to the high register. Of course, this was vital

I’ve had the bass for three months approximately. Probably played 15 odd gigs and many hours of practice. It hasn’t failed on me once, and no issues have cropped up. I’m aware that three months isn’t really indicative of it’s true reliability, but short of waiting 3 years to do this review, what can I do?? Every time I’ve used it, it’s worked as I’ve wanted, when I’ve wanted. Thumbs up from me.

[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][color=#282828]So to the sound. . . .I love it. Again, exactly the sound i wanted. Old school, warm vintage vibe off the front pickup, and a nice articulate sound off the rear. Pickup pan in the middle and i get the sweet spot that blends both pickups perfectly for "my sound". I would describe that to be warm, bouncy and well-rounded with no harsh edges. Playing in a Motown covers band, “clank” and “rasp” are not characteristics I desire. [/color]
[color=#282828]Everything is clean and clear. I don't use any effects or overdrive, and as such, wanted to avoid any pickups that had a high amount of gain/break up (I’m not sure of the technical terms, but i didn't want any distortion from them). I asked for a 2EQ set-up, as i like to keep things fairly simple to use. This is also the same set up i have used for the last 5 or 6 years. Not interested in sweeping frequency selectors and the such. It has a push/pull function for active/passive kind of effect, which i really like. Andy informs me it is for a shaped EQ setting that is meant to be more suitable for slap. For the purposes of the video I demo’d in later, I called it “passive mode” . The DiMarzio PJ pickups and the Seymour Duncan 2EQ are a perfect match for my uses. I’m extremely impressed with the EQ. The tonal variation i can get from them is great. I can go from dubby bass sounds by panning to front P/up boosting bass and cutting treble, to cutting rock/punk by panning to the back and boosting treble. With a whole plethora of other sounds in-between. [/color][/font]

Here is a video to demonstrate the different sounds the bass can make.
It’s recorded DI. No effects. No processing. It’s just me playing over a backing track which me and a friend made, altering the on-board EQ as I went. In hindsight, I should have used some compression, but this is as true a recording of the bass as I could make it.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Hen48nGQk&feature=youtu.be[/media]

Apologies for the volume changes between settings and notes, but as I said, this was recorded in one continuous take directly into Reaper with no production at all. The video was taken off an ipad and then sync’d to the recording in iMovie. There is an audible volume change on the recording, because in the real world, there IS an audible volume change. You can hear the slight mistakes I make too, but I’m fine with that, because in the real world, we all make a few mistakes don’t we?

To be honest none of the settings are how I actually use the bass when I gig it. They are the extremes, for demo purposes. Whether that be full bass, no treble. Or full Front pickup with full treble and no bass etc.
I actually use it slightly favoured towards the rear pickup, with bass and treble boosted a little bit. If I used roundwound strings, I wouldn’t boost the treble at all.

Ok, so to the issues or things I would change….
There has been one issue which niggled at me. The output volume was considerably less than on my other basses. Andy said as much before i picked the bass up. But i thought, really, this isn't a problem, just turn the volume up right? Well i am in a function band and only use a single 12" speaker @ 8 ohms as a stage monitor, and i couldn't get the volume loud enough without taking a 2nd. I didn't want to do that.
Andy offered to pick the bass up to fit the pickups higher, send a volume pedal and a whole multitude of other fixes. One such fix was raising the pole pieces. I did just that and…… problem solved. Made a world of difference to the volume, and made the bass have the same kind of output as my other basses. No more issues. . . Well, my one other issue was i was worried to gig it! I've played a '87 streamer for the last 5 or 6 years, and it has some wear on it. As such I've never really been too concerned about a little bump. The single cut is pristine, and i was genuinely concerned to gig it!! Got over that pretty quick after i gigged it once.

It's an amazing bass. I couldn't be more pleased. I'm sure I'm only as happy as anyone who has been through the process of having their own "super bass" made for them. But i couldn't be more delighted with the outcome, and would highly recommend Andy to anyone. As with most things though, seeing/playing is believing. Anyone who is considering a build from Andy is welcome to come and put the bass through its paces. It IS that good.

If you've taken the time to read this, you're good people

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Beautiful! I'm a sucker for those high-gloss finishes. I'm not familiar with the builder but I'll definitely check them out.

[FuNkShUi]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1462457325' post='3043171']
Beautiful! I'm a sucker for those high-gloss finishes. I'm not familiar with the builder but I'll definitely check them out.
[/quote]

Thanks.

It's Andyjr1515 off this 'ere forum!
Sorry, i shouldn't have assumed people knew that!!

[Rich]

Have embedded the vid for you
Beautiful instrument.

[FuNkShUi]

Thanks Rich

[TheGreek]

Can see and hear why you're so pleased with this.

With everything flat the bass sounds exactly as I'd want a bass to sound - boosting the Bass and Treble added that extra "oomph" that's sometimes required to deal with [i]over enthusiastic[/i] guitarists. The tones from the rear pick up are just amazing, these are the tones that most of us are seeking ([i]and spending small fortunes trying to obtain)[/i]. It's good to know that it is possible to get these tones, even if it means commissioning Andy to get there.

Andy did some great work on a neck I sent him last year so was my "go to" man when I decided on who I'd get to do my next project.

Andy's currently breathing new life into an "Alembic look-alike" I acquired but was in far worse shape than I originally realised - so far he's really only been doing "retro-work" - dealing with the existing woodwork and it's many years of neglect but Andy's great for keeping client's apprised of progress and set backs which, to me, confirms his ethos of "as close to perfection as possible". I love his work ethic - his attention to detail and craftsmanship are like a lost art, something which is rare in today's world. The fact that I have regular input into the development is also reaffirming. You know just by talking to Andy that he cares about what he's doing and that you're going to be ([i]more than[/i]) happy with his work.

I know when I spoke to Kert about this bass he had nothing but good things to say about it and Andy's work - as I said, I can see and hear why - a really beautiful looking bass with all the right tones - I'm jealous and not at the same time - I know that in the not too distant I'll have a piece of Andy's work which will not only look the part but will deliver the rich warm tones that I want from a bass with the assurance of great build quality.

Andy, by his own admission is a "hobbyist" builder, but he's really professional at it...

I don't suppose there's any chance that I can borrow this till mine arrives??

Edited May 5, 2016 by TheGreek

[Twincam]

I really like it. Love the wood choice and although a little different I'm liking the headstock too. I normally hate that single cut style body but I think it works well.

One thing though could you put up a sound test without the backing track please. I'm about to ask this on someone's amp test as well as I can't really hear the intricacies etc over a backing track.

[FuNkShUi]

Thanks Mick. Still cant have it though

Twincam - Yeh i can do that.
Should be relatively easy to just take the other instruments away.
Although it'll expose the rushed recording for being a rushed recording, and all the "little intricacies" you'll hear will be bum notes and string noise
As you can tell, i love the whole build. The headstock is possibly my favorite bit though

Edited February 21, 2017 by FuNkShUi

[Andyjr1515]

Thanks for this, Kert

Gosh - you and Mick could make an old-git blush

I'm delighted that you like the bass so much...it was a thrill to see how it ended up from those early tentative discussions. I loved doing it. Every one of these projects brings something new and that's where the satisfaction comes from. Mick's 'Alembic-esque' is still at the will-it-or-wont-it stage but it will be just as great a thrill to get that to how Mick and I have it in our heads.

Great hobby this...and some great folks on this forum

Andy

Edited May 5, 2016 by Andyjr1515

[alembic1989]

Beautiful..I love that camphor.

[FuNkShUi]

Great to see the progression go from ideas to a finished product

[MoonBassAlpha]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1462458856' post='3043194']
Have embedded the vid for you
Beautiful instrument.
[/quote]
Cheers for that, now I can't view it on my Kindle Fire!

[FuNkShUi]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1462484436' post='3043542']
Cheers for that, now I can't view it on my Kindle Fire!
[/quote]

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Hen48nGQk&feature=youtu.be"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Hen48nGQk&feature=youtu.be[/url]

Theres the link

[mr zed]

I was watching this build unfold whilst lurking in the 'build diaries' section. Really enjoyed seeing it come together. Great work and a fascinating process. When the build was complete, I was both in awe with the finished bass (not to my taste but the quality of work is top class)and gutted that it was complete - I miss the regular updates. I hardly venture into the build diaries section now.

[Bassassin]

What a beautiful bass! I don't usually like singlecuts, but that's a real looker, maybe the nicest SC I've seen.

Superb craftsmanship & design from someone who doesn't style himself a pro builder too - might have to have a chat with Andy about a twin-neck headless fretted/fretless one of these days...

Jon.

[FuNkShUi]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1462550185' post='3043998']
What a beautiful bass! I don't usually like singlecuts, but that's a real looker, maybe the nicest SC I've seen.

Superb craftsmanship & design from someone who doesn't style himself a pro builder too - might have to have a chat with Andy about a twin-neck headless fretted/fretless one of these days...

Jon.
[/quote]

Thanks.
I reckon Andy will be up for that challenge too

[Dad3353]

Having followed the 'build' topic, seeing the finished instrument being (well...) played, and with obvious enthusiasm really rounds off the story. Wild applause for all involved; thanks for the 'build' share and thanks for the vision of the result. Just a couple of 'typos' to correct in the video and it'd be perfect..! .
Great stuff.

[FuNkShUi]

Awwwww did I miss a few?!
Tried my best too