Jazzenbackus

[Cuzzie]

So.....more tinkering.

Picked up a set of seymour Duncan Rickenbacker pick ups, but don’t have a Ric, so what should one do - rout a jazz body and see what happens!

Managed to get a USA Fender Highway One body nicely cheap, and an unused status P bass neck (love a status neck!) for a great price, and off we went. In addition I picked up a Stellartone Duo 6 V4 Tonestyler Jazz plate up cheap as well.

Disclaimer - I have no routing tools so a combination of a Firsch Forster not, chisels and Dremel did the routing, so it’s not ‘neat’ but it's functional.

Also at this stage I have not commissioned a Pickguard to fit as this would be the best thing to cover my sins, but Ashtrays give to me by a friend do a decent job.

 

Now of course, silly me forgot that the Rick pick ups are nearer the neck than the bridge, so of course, the volume drop off on the E and G is noticeable!

Just a word for those doing something similar to remember!

 

Options i I thought of were flipping the saddles 180 degrees on the E and G string so the underside is uppermost and that should bring the groove in closer, or get a Schaller 3D Bridge where you can get a string spacing of 14.5mm (this bridge is at about 18mm), fortunately I found a good second hand one so it’s on the way. I am also getting carbon paint for the cavity as it’s a little noisy and the copper tape made it short out.

I did have a little play, and you know what, it really works, full, Rich and punchy.

Will update when finished

 

 

[Reggaebass]

That status neck looks nice cuzzie 👍

[Cuzzie]

4 minutes ago, Meddle said:

Maybe move the pickups to the classic Rickenbacker locations? 

It’s an option, but will be a whole heap more routing/filling - I quite like the idea of pick ups in the wrong bass and position!

[Cuzzie]

7 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

That status neck looks nice cuzzie 👍

It’s my second, I have a jazz status on a P, now a P on a jazz

Also, loving it being mostly black, with the tonestyler it really does sound fantastic

Edited September 15, 2019 by Cuzzie

[Reggaebass]

1 minute ago, Cuzzie said:

It’s my second, I have a jazz status on a P, now a P on a jazz

A jazz status on a p sounds good , that’s my favoured neck size  🙂

[Cuzzie]

@Reggaebass just for you

[Reggaebass]

1 minute ago, Cuzzie said:

@Reggaebass just for you

OMG, that’s so nice in every way 👍

[krispn]

14 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

It’s an option, but will be a whole heap more routing/filling - I quite like the idea of pick ups in the wrong bass and position!

Amen!

[NancyJohnson]

I gave some thought to installing the guts of a Rickenbacker into another bass (I'm not certain whether it was a Thunderbird body or a Jazz), but bailed for precisely the reason you posted - that the string spacing was such that there'd be some overhang.  Ultimately, I just bought a 4003!  It just seemed more hassle than it was worth to be honest and I would never have been happy with the end result.

[Cuzzie]

28 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

I gave some thought to installing the guts of a Rickenbacker into another bass (I'm not certain whether it was a Thunderbird body or a Jazz), but bailed for precisely the reason you posted - that the string spacing was such that there'd be some overhang.  Ultimately, I just bought a 4003!  It just seemed more hassle than it was worth to be honest and I would never have been happy with the end result.

I get you on that, but to be fair (neck aside!) the body build will come in at under £200 and my time which I am giving to me for free.

I generally hate the cost/value for money thing arguments, things are worth what they are worth and everyone spends in their budget, but compared to a Rickenbacker, it is way cheaper, I am not after it sounding the same, and it’s great fun learning and popping things together, with it’s own slant.  

If this fails with the bridge, i’ll fill the body, and do a proper rout, or make the requisite holes and get a pickguard to cover it.

Its probably obvious to most, but in my eagerness i didn’t calculate it, so it’s a word for they who may consider something similar, we learn from mistakes!

[Jimothey]

1 hour ago, Cuzzie said:

I generally hate the cost/value for money thing arguments, things are worth what they are worth and everyone spends in their budget

I completely agree with you, I love cheap basses and modding them!! Firstly because I haven’t got the money to buy expensive basses and I’m only a bedroom player at the mo so I can’t warrant spending too much on them either also If they don’t come out how you want them to you can just fill them etc and try again where as you couldn’t do that with a Rick, Vintage Fender etc

My bitsa P Bass cost me in total about £70 and I personally think it plays better than one of my mates MIA Fenders but I’m probably biased because I made it..........😀

[Cuzzie]

10 minutes ago, Jimothey said:

I completely agree with you, I love cheap basses and modding them!! Firstly because I haven’t got the money to buy expensive basses and I’m only a bedroom player at the mo so I can’t warrant spending too much on them either also If they don’t come out how you want them to you can just fill them etc and try again where as you couldn’t do that with a Rick, Vintage Fender etc

My bitsa P Bass cost me in total about £70 and I personally think it plays better than one of my mates MIA Fenders but I’m probably biased because I made it..........😀

Bedroom player or not, makes no difference IMHO. If you were doing a gig, would you borrow your mates MIA Fender, or rock your bitsa.....?! One of the biggest compliments I had was from a mate who is a proper player that tried it. He said ‘i’d Take this out and gig it’ simple pay on the back for me as he knows his beans.

I am biased towards my bitsa too, but then again if you like me had put thought into how components compliment each other it should be the way. Not saying I am Billy sheehan, but Yammy didn’t make him a bass, he hammered and battered his together and they reproduced it. Tim commerford does his own pedals.

I am not a Luthier yet, but a scrounger and cobbler I am happy to be!

[Jimothey]

16 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Bedroom player or not, makes no difference IMHO. If you were doing a gig, would you borrow your mates MIA Fender, or rock your bitsa.....?! One of the biggest compliments I had was from a mate who is a proper player that tried it. He said ‘i’d Take this out and gig it’ simple pay on the back for me as he knows his beans.

I am biased towards my bitsa too, but then again if you like me had put thought into how components compliment each other it should be the way. Not saying I am Billy sheehan, but Yammy didn’t make him a bass, he hammered and battered his together and they reproduced it. Tim commerford does his own pedals.

I am not a Luthier yet, but a scrounger and cobbler I am happy to be!

I forgot the the most important reason my missus won’t let me spend a lot!!!

I'm exactly like you I’m not a luthier but I love experimenting and trying different things and in the end having a completely custom bass that no one else will ever have!!

I do strive tho to do work to the same standard as Jabba and Andy etc but I’ve got a long way to go yet!!

IMHO there are too many brand snobs out there!!..........😀

[Cuzzie]

2 minutes ago, Jimothey said:

I forgot the the most important reason my missus won’t let me spend a lot!!!

I'm exactly like you I’m not a luthier but I love experimenting and trying different things and in the end having a completely custom bass that no one else will ever have!!

I do strive tho to do work to the same standard as Jabba and Andy etc but I’ve got a long way to go yet!!

IMHO there are too many brand snobs out there!!..........😀

I have just been put on a 3 month buying ban from the Mrs, fortunately I ordered some stuff a couple days ago....

Jabba, Andy, Christine etc. They are a complete other level, but so humble to learn stuff from.

Brand snobbery........I don’t mind playing anything at all, even a Fender, but I will day I find it hard to beat a Sandberg bass or a Status neck - they are sprinkled with fairy dust

[Cuzzie]

And the custom bass thing is very important - being different is good!

[Jabba_the_gut]

7 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

I have just been put on a 3 month buying ban from the Mrs, fortunately I ordered some stuff a couple days ago....

Lucky that!! Just order stuff and get it delivered to a mate.....

I do like the look of the Status necked P.

[Cuzzie]

9 minutes ago, Jabba_the_gut said:

Lucky that!! Just order stuff and get it delivered to a mate.....

I do like the look of the Status necked P.

If your passing drop me a line and come and play, vice versus for me past you - she has twigged I get stuff delivered to work and to mate’s and also popped a ban on that......probably a good thing! 

Still got one project left to do after this

[Cuzzie]

New bridge arrived and I cannot wait to fit it and see if it brings the strings in enough, it’s a beautiful hunk of metal.

rout cavities graphite painted, looks better already and hopefully will be well shielded.

[krispn]

Woof!

 

[Reggaebass]

That looks like a nice solid bridge cuzzie , and it has the grooves for the Allen keys 🙂

[Cuzzie]

15 minutes ago, krispn said:

Woof!

 

Lord Flasheart  I presume

[krispn]

What's that? Where have I been?

 

[Cuzzie]

3 minutes ago, krispn said:

What's that? Where have I been?

 

Blackadder

[krispn]

Everywhere  😉

Edited September 18, 2019 by krispn

[Cuzzie]

Gratuitous pics

as Mrs Mia Wallace said ‘Gaddamn, I said Goddamn!’

It is a fine looking bridge......That bridge cover may get canned.

E and G strings pulled in at the narrowest (not properly strung)

For those interested - Middle hole aligns with a Fender 5 hole bridge - the other 2 are new drills