N(B)BD - Custom 54p

[lou24d53]

New (build) bass day.

So I finally finished my build, so its happy new bass day to me. I wanted a modern take on a 1954 Precision, a la Mike Lull's 54P...so I made one at less than half the price.

Tried it out last night at rehearsal and that Lindy Fralin pup is dynamite.

There's a thread in the build diaries forum if anyone's interested in reading more.

The spec was:

• Allparts Replacement neck for Tele-Bass - sold maple - no finish
• Lindy Fralin '51 P Bass, Split Single Coil
• Stellertone, Tonestyler Bass Ten
• Hipshot Ultralite Y Tuners, Shiny Chrome, 1/2" / 13mm
• Hipshot B-Style Bridge, Aluminium, Chrome, 19mm spacing – FM2 American Deluxe String Thru
• Hipshot String Ferrules, Chrome
• Hipshot String Tree, Chrome
• Allparts Tele-Bass Control Cover, Chrome
• Allparts Tele Jack Plate, Chrome
• Allparts Neck Bushings, Chrome
• Fender Neck Screws, Chrome
• Schaller Classic Strap Locks, Chrome
• Sonik Domed Control Knobs, Chrome
• Tru-Oil

[bloke_zero]

Sweet build!  How does the Tru oil feel on the body?

[lou24d53]

11 minutes ago, bloke_zero said:

Sweet build!  How does the Tru oil feel on the body?

It's sooooo smooth, like glass almost.

When I hold it up to the light, you can see that the grain hasn't 100% filled, but I'd honestly say we're talking higher than 95% filled though, as in that you can see the faintest of grain still showing, it is there ever so slightly, but you certainly can't feel it as it's so polished and smooth...so chuffed with it.

Played it for a full rehearsal last night and honestly the sound coming from that Lindy Fralin split single coil just makes me smile so much, was cutting through effortlessly...I thought my 2011 US P had warm, punchy pick-ups, but this is next level.

Making a minor tweak already, about to buy a Hipshot Bass Xtender to allow me to drop to D more easily, couple of we've only started doing since I starting this build that I need it for.

[bloke_zero]

I did the neck on my last build with Tru oil and really like the feel - sort of organic somehow without being sticky - nice to hear that the body came out good.  I think a little texture is a good thing!

I'm really tempted to go single coil for my next bass which will be a P-bass.  Something about stripping back to the basics that is very appealing.

[lou24d53]

8 minutes ago, bloke_zero said:

I did the neck on my last build with Tru oil and really like the feel - sort of organic somehow without being sticky - nice to hear that the body came out good.  I think a little texture is a good thing!

Well, actually as it turns out, the only part of the neck which remains as being 'raw' Tru-Oil is the back of the neck.

I had done the full fingerboard, neck and headstock with Tru-Oil, but to be honest, the more coats I added to the fingerboard, there was a 'guminess' to it at the frets, it looked messy, had a build of fibres from the cloth I had used (novice mistake, I didn't invest in 100% lint free!) so I ended up sanding it down and coating using a clear Nitro.

Similar with the headstock, the Rothko and Frost decal I bought for it, the instructions specifically stated that they don't work with Tru-Oil, so I then had to Nitro both the front and rear of the headstock to apply it.

There's a line literally behind the nut on the rear of the neck where the Nitro stops and the Tru-Oil remains...would need CSI to find it though if you didn't know it was there!!

Edited October 15, 2019 by lou24d53

[bloke_zero]

Yeah the fretboard is painful - I did mine with latex gloves - coat/harden/wirewool cycle of a day per iteration.  Did it 3 or 4 times and came out non-gummy.  I was worried about that initally, but it went off fine eventually.