Show us your Bitsas!

[rushbo]

I love a bitsa.

The "cheap bass" thread got me thinking about the humble FrankenBass...they don't have to be made of super-mega-expensive components, just as long as they're unique and they tell a bit of a story. Here's mine....

[attachment=228707:bitsas.jpg]

The green one is made out of an Encore body and an Indonesian Squier P neck, with hardware and strings I had left over from other projects. My only expense was £9.99 for a couple of rattlecans from eBay. It was originally a rather sickly sunburst, which I stripped and then replaced with an even sicklier orange. That had to go. I had to do some work to the neck pocket as it was about 2mm too wide to fit the Squier neck, but other than that, a nice straightforward job. Sounds lovely and thumpy. Total cost...about £70

The middle one is my current fave...the body is from the Squier P that donated the neck to greenie (still following this...?) and the neck is from a gen-you-wine Mexi Fender. Pup is from a 2005 US Fender P and it's got a Badass bridge - most of these bits came from good ol' BC. It's got a Kiogon loom of course. It's a monster and sounds brilliant in the context of my old skool, Dr Feelgood-esque, RivvumanBlooze band. This boys and girls, is a keeper. Cost? This is my Fodera moment...about £200. (In case you're wondering, the round waterslide transfer is the lesser crest of Birmingham. As I live near Dudley, I have the Black Country flag on the back, in the interest of balance).

The Red Devil is bolted together from an Indonesian Squier body with a Chinese Squier neck. I had to get a drill attachment doodad to enlarge the holes for the machine heads, tho. I quite enjoyed that. A Warwick bridge, a BassDoc scratchplate, Wilkinson tuners and some stick on "blocks" and all is good. Originally it was a vile purple which was Hell on Earth to strip. It resisted abrasive sanding, Nitromors and loud and persistent swearing, but it finally succumbed to my heat gun on the "Krakatoa" setting. This one is strung with rounds for a bit of extra zinginess, which we all need now and again, am I right? Maybe cost about £140. Yes, it's good for Metal. It used to have an inverted P neck, but the truss rod was faulty. Well, it became faulty after I snapped it...

Indonesian Squier basses are brilliant and perfect for modding. Or just playing as they are...

None of these mongrels would cause Jon Shuker to miss his nap time in terms of build quality, but I love 'em all dearly. And they sound way better than they have a right to.

Now, I've shown you mine...show me yours!

[stu_g]

my bitsa's
white slab body has 2 piece body i forget which wood either ash or alder
usa precision pickup mirror scratchplate and an encore neck which is quite hefty it's not totally finished as it isnt laquered yet will get round to it at some point total cost around £150 mark

second the black bass made from parts i had around, squier indonesian neck with wilkinson 70s style tuners
sunn mustang body with a gotoh dimarzio style pickup and scratchplate from a silver series squier precision cost hard to work out as i had all the parts around

third candy apple bass with squier classic vibe jazz neck,usa p bass body, wizard thumper pickup, usa jazz bridge pickup,vintage fender bridge wired as a fender hot rod precision courtesy of fender support wiring diagrams cost around £200
these all sound the part and the candy apple has a very funky sound
[attachment=228709:IMG_0539.jpg]

[rushbo]

[quote name='stu_g' timestamp='1474925079' post='3141605']
my bitsa's
white slab body has 2 piece body i forget which wood either ash or alder
usa precision pickup mirror scratchplate and an encore neck which is quite hefty it's not totally finished as it isnt laquered yet will get round to it at some point total cost around £150 mark

second the black bass made from parts i had around, squier indonesian neck with wilkinson 70s style tuners
sunn mustang body with a gotoh dimarzio style pickup and scratchplate from a silver series squier precision cost hard to work out as i had all the parts around

third candy apple bass with squier classic vibe jazz neck,usa p bass body, wizard thumper pickup, usa jazz bridge pickup,vintage fender bridge wired as a fender hot rod precision courtesy of fender support wiring diagrams cost around £200
these all sound the part and the candy apple has a very funky sound
[attachment=228709:IMG_0539.jpg]
[/quote]

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about! That candy apple P is a stunner.

[paul_5]

Great thread Rushbo, I'll play when I get some pics taken.

[EliasMooseblaster]

[attachment=228725:onstageProud.jpg]
(Excuse the slightly narcissistic pic, it was the best one I had to hand!)

This bitsa was cobbled together when I spotted a mahogany body going for a reasonable price on fleabay and thought, "ooh, that looks nice." It gathered dust for a long time until I had enough disposable to buy the other components. I got a luthier friend to widen the neck pocket, and spent most of the project trying to combat the fact that the body was almost certainly intended for a short-scale bass! French-polishing it was quite relaxing though.

(Full build diary at https://thecrowfrombelow.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/the-birth-of-aradia-part-i/ )

And does this one count?
[attachment=228726:brenda.jpg]
"Brenda" was originally built from a Brandoni Guitars kit, but underwent a refurbishment a couple of years ago. The main focus was to redo the French-polished finish, but I decided to treat her to a nicer scratchplate, some new pots and a fancy Fender '62 RI pickup.

[petetexas]

Here is my " bitsa " Jazz .
Body 2 piece alder finished in Olympic White , Neck one piece maple satin fin . Both from Nortwest Guitars, Put transfer on headstock myself - and spryed over it .
Nordstrand pickups , Wilkinson M/C heads . Gotoh bridge , old scratchplate and control plate lying around , CTS pots & jack .
Been gigging it now for about 12 months . LOVE IT ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[url="http://s1298.photobucket.com/user/petetexas/media/SDC11849_zpshsvkabhq.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s1298.photobucket.com/user/petetexas/media/SDC11850_zpsvawjuqrr.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s1298.photobucket.com/user/petetexas/media/SDC11847_zpsz4qlvgqd.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s1298.photobucket.com/user/petetexas/media/SDC11844_zpsms7d2wio.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s1298.photobucket.com/user/petetexas/media/SDC11841_zpsdpmglxag.jpg.html"][/url]

Total cost abot £450 , price of a Mex Jazz - but Mex Jazz do not have Gotoh Bridge or Nordstrand Pups !

Pete

Edited November 27, 2016 by petetexas

[bartelby]

This has been posted in a few threads but:



Marlin Slammer body (not ply but maybe a 5 piece body) - from a Marlin slammer I was given
Rattle can sprayed Marlin scratchplate.
Fender High Mass bridge - I swapped a BBOT for it.
Pickups - China's finest £5 jobs.
Harley Benton [size=4][color=#000000][font=sans-serif]JB-75 lefty neck - from a deko. Cut down the headstock and flipped the nut[/font][/color][/size]
[size=4][color=#000000][font=sans-serif]"[/font][/color][/size][color=#000000][font=sans-serif]Parts bin" electronics [/font][/color]


It actually feels really nice to play but the pickups are, not surprisingly, pretty sh*te.

[Gottastopbuyinggear]

[quote name='petetexas' timestamp='1475496564' post='3146340']
... Both from Nortwest Guitars ...
[/quote]

That looks fantastic - classic combination, white and tort.

I'm quite interested in doing a bitsa with a body and neck from Northwest Guitars myself, and/or replacing the neck on my MIM jazz. Could I ask you to do me a favour and confirm the heel width is 62mm? The Northwest site quotes 62mm for the Jazz, and 63mm for the precision neck, but I always thought they would be the same width and be completely interchangeable. Also, can I ask was the neck a good fit to the body or did it need any adjustment, and what was the fretwork like? I assume the nut was uncut? Sorry, that's quite a few questions, but grateful for your experience!

[JamesBass]

Where do people source their bits from? I'm after another P bass but I can't find an off the shelf to fit my spec wants, and custom just seems too expensive!

[Grangur]

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1476128375' post='3151627']
Where do people source their bits from? I'm after another P bass but I can't find an off the shelf to fit my spec wants, and custom just seems too expensive!
[/quote]

A good start is to scour evilbay and Scumtree for a budget bass as a start. Then use the body and neck and be prepared to change everything else.

If the neck/body joint is loose, get veneer to stick to the side(s) to tighten the joint. other than that it's all down to you what you do.

[rushbo]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1476129770' post='3151647']
A good start is to scour evilbay and Scumtree for a budget bass as a start. Then use the body and neck and be prepared to change everything else.

If the neck/body joint is loose, get veneer to stick to the side(s) to tighten the joint. other than that it's all down to you what you do.
[/quote]

This.
I love Squier basses - they make brilliant "modding platforms". They used to be ridiculously cheap, but now people have got wise to how good they can be, the prices have crept up. I did score one earlier this year for £25 tho...needed some TLC, but generally it was OK. Chinese ones aren't as good as the Korean or Indonesian ones, but the bodies especially are fine. Grab some hardware from BC/Fleabay/Gumtree and you're off - oh yeah, try Shpock too - a few bargains to be had there.

[petetexas]

Hi Gottastopbuyinggear,
The neck to body fit was ok, but had to shim the neck angle to get enough clearance of pups and height of bridge . It did take quite a bit of extra work to get the neck aligned to body .
The nut was not cut , had to do that myself ( being an ex guitar teck of some 20 years - was no problem )
The fretting is OK ,but for the first few months , I was continually dressing fret ends ( I think the wood used was not seasoned correctly and was shrinking , making the fret ends stick out - but its ok now .
I will measure up the width later on today for you , and also dig out the posting I did on the build of this .
I have used her now for about 12 months gigging , and would not change her .
Pete

[gary mac]

My home built gigging bass.

Fender Jap 62 reissue neck.
Squier body.
G&L MFD pick ups.
Babicz bridge.

Lightweight and an aggressive, growly beast of a bass.

[url="https://flic.kr/p/FBFMGn"][/url]

[petetexas]

Nice one !

[JamesBass]

Cheers for the advice guys! If I were to want new bits to build with, where's a good place to look? I;E, Body and Neck.

[umcoo]

'73 Jazz body
Warmoth birdseye maple tele-bass neck
Schaller bridge and M4S tuners
Rio Grande "Muy Grande" pickups
Ki0gon wiring loom

Lovely

[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/goat_punisher/media/WP_20160920_004_zpsbkjpttae.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/goat_punisher/WP_20160920_004_zpsbkjpttae.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Gottastopbuyinggear]

[quote name='petetexas' timestamp='1476174444' post='3151891']
Hi Gottastopbuyinggear,
The neck to body fit was ok, but had to shim the neck angle to get enough clearance of pups and height of bridge . It did take quite a bit of extra work to get the neck aligned to body .
The nut was not cut , had to do that myself ( being an ex guitar teck of some 20 years - was no problem )
The fretting is OK ,but for the first few months , I was continually dressing fret ends ( I think the wood used was not seasoned correctly and was shrinking , making the fret ends stick out - but its ok now .
I will measure up the width later on today for you , and also dig out the posting I did on the build of this .
I have used her now for about 12 months gigging , and would not change her .
Pete
[/quote]

Thanks, Pete. I'm not afraid of a bit of nut fettling, or fret dressing, so I'll probably give it a go. I've never shimmed a neck before, but I can't see that being too difficult - I might check how much it'd cost to get some of the pre made shims that StewMac have started selling if needed.

I'll have a search for your build thread too.

[petetexas]

Hi, I cant find my build thread anywhere ..................................
I have always used thin veneer ( of different thicknesses ) of about 12 mm wide across the width of pocket . Never had any issue with joint not being solid , or any loss of sustain . In fact the Bitsa Jazz above , I am thinking of putting some form of damper by bridge , because there is too much sustain .
One thing I did ( this may be of help - may not ) when I aligned the neck to the body , I laid a 24" steel straight edge along each side of the neck , and once it was dead center to the pup cut outs , scored ( hidden underneath the scratchplate ) two lines which I can use in future if I ever have to take the neck off .
Any other questions , just ask .
Pete

[Mylkinut]

Here's mine:

[url="http://s3.photobucket.com/user/mylkinut/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20161012_082826_zpsdkl4wdpq.jpg.html"][/url]

Harley Benton JB-75 ash body
Fender American Standard neck
Few other Fender odds-and-sods: thumbrest in the late-70s position, chrome cover etc, 70s style scratchplate etc
Black flats

The body came from the Thomann Flohmarkt (flea market) a couple of years ago. I have family who work there so make the pilgrimage every so often. They essentially sell off any factory seconds and surplus own-brand stock for very cheap, and I managed to score this body for next to nothing. I had a fretless neck fitted to it for a while, but wasn't for me. The Wilkinson pickups are surprisingly punchy - I quite like them.

The neck was an impulsive eBay purchase, and took some work to get fitted. It's nice and snug now though.

The odds and ends were just spares I had sitting around. I've got a '77 Precision, so quite like having a thumbrest above the strings. The chrome cover is just for looks.

It's still a work in progress. The reason the body was a factory second was because the bridge isn't very centered, so I think I might sort that out at some point. To be honest I don't notice it when I play, it just looks a bit weird!

[petetexas]

That looks Brilliant , I love natural a wood body . Is it Rosewood fingerboard , or ebony ?

Edited October 12, 2016 by petetexas

[Mylkinut]

It's rosewood, but easily the darkest I've seen. Looks great in the flesh!

[petetexas]

Hi Gottastopbuyinggear,

Width at the deepest part of the neck pocket is 62mm on my Bitsa .

Hope this helps

Pete

Edited October 13, 2016 by petetexas

[Gottastopbuyinggear]

[quote name='petetexas' timestamp='1476372118' post='3153748']
Width at the deepest part of the neck pocket is 62mm on my Bitsa .

[/quote]

Thanks, Pete. According to my trusty digital vernier calipers the width of my MIM Jazz at the very end is 63.8mm, which ties in quite well with the quoted 2.5" I've seen for Fender necks - that would be 63.5mm, so that's pretty close.

That's almost 2mm more that your neck from Northwest, so I'm not sure that it would be a good solution for a replacement neck. But the main driver for that is just aesthetics - I fancy a maple board, so it's not exactly urgent. Still thinking of doing a bitsa with both neck and body from them, though...

[jimbartlett]

Here is my Precision Bitsa.

Body, electronics, machine heads and bridge all from here on Basschat. The neck was a generic P Bass neck off eBay with an added water slide decal. I have a pair of Entwistle PBXN pickups with replacement white covers.

Got it strung with Fender flatwounds and it sounds and plays bloody amazing! A very happy bassist here!

[jimbartlett]

Just playing it now. These Entwistle pickups are fantastic!

Edited November 2, 2016 by jimbartlett