Lefty PJ assembly experiment COMPLETE

[uk_lefty]

Well this is frustrating isn't it?! 

The screw holes for the bridge were not thick enough, no screw holes for the strap buttons and I needed to drill a new pair of holes for the strap buttons, as well as new screw holes required for the tuners... So I've got the drill out! 

First things first, held the screw up against the drill bits to make sure I've got the right width then set about widening the bridge mounting screw holes, fitted the bridge. Strap button screws are the same width so they're drilled and the strap buttons are on. I'm feeling good about this. 1/4 inch hole required for my series/ parallel switch so I look up the measurement in mm, attach a correct wood drill bit and drill it out. 

Frustration strikes. Existing pot and jack holes are not drilled wide enough, so out comes the file. Then disaster number two... This bass has no pickguard. Therefore the pots need to come through a piece of wood, not a few mm of pickguard. I think I need to remove some material from inside the control cavity so that the pots, switch and jack can all protrude enough to then be screwed on securely. I have no clue how to do this!!!! Aaaaaaaaargh! 

Edited April 12, 2021 by uk_lefty

[Pea Turgh]

41 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

Well this is frustrating isn't it?! 

The screw holes for the bridge were not thick enough, no screw holes for the strap buttons and I needed to drill a new pair of holes for the strap buttons, as well as new screw holes required for the tuners... So I've got the drill out! 

First things first, held the screw up against the drill bits to make sure I've got the right width then set about widening the bridge mounting screw holes, fitted the bridge. Strap button screws are the same width so they're drilled and the strap buttons are on. I'm feeling good about this. 1/4 inch hole required for my series/ parallel switch so I look up the measurement in mm, attach a correct wood drill bit and drill it out. 

Frustration strikes. Existing pot and jack holes are not drilled wide enough, so out comes the file. Then disaster number two... This bass has no pickguard. Therefore the pots need to come through a piece of wood, not a few mm of pickguard. I think I need to remove some material from inside the control cavity so that the pots, switch and jack can all protrude enough to then be screwed on securely. I have no clue how to do this!!!! Aaaaaaaaargh! 

Maybe just ask Ki0gon for a loom with long pot shafts?  So much easier than chewing the wood out.  I’d also be worried about long-term strength if thinning down the wood to mount pots.

[uk_lefty]

20 minutes ago, Pea Turgh said:

Maybe just ask Ki0gon for a loom with long pot shafts?  So much easier than chewing the wood out.  I’d also be worried about long-term strength if thinning down the wood to mount pots.

One step ahead. He'd already provided the pots, we've had a discussion on it and best way is to adjust the body somehow. 

[uk_lefty]

And do the experiment ends.... 

I reached my limit and took the bass to the luthier who does my set ups and repairs. The bass needed a lot of finishing and setting up. Work included:

Replace the jack for one with a longer fitting to go through the body, 

Dowels used to fill oversized control holes, 

Tuners needed some metal grinding off so that they all fit the rear of the headstock (Wilkinson tuners on an MIM Fender neck), 

Pickups fitting to wiring loom and bridge earth wire installing, 

Neck shim, 

Set up

A lot of work to finish but my goodness the bass looks ridiculously good. Very light, action is perfect. Pictures to follow. 

[uk_lefty]

She's done! 

This was supposed to be a learning experience. So what did I learn.... Nothing ground breaking, some I already knew, but here goes:

Not all "standard parts" are the same. For example the tuners for an MIM Fender are different to any standard replacements. And even then its not just the screw holes but also the overlapping of the metal backing. Should have got direct replacement tuners then I could have fitted myself. Also pots, jacks etc. No such thing as standard, there's minor variations that make the difference between fitting and not fitting. 

Buying necks and bodies from different suppliers is a faff even when the measurements should be right. It took me three necks bought to get a good fit, spending more than I expected, and even then I was compromising on the exact spec. 

Pre drilled bodies may need some more drilling. They also may need some holes tightening up as they are pre drilled too wide. 

Setting off to create one thing will probably lead to making something different. Some positives, some negatives. 

If you don't have the time, skill or tools to do this kind of thing YOU DO NOT HAVE THE TIME, SKILL OR TOOLS TO DO THIS KIND OF THING. There's cheaper ways to learn. If in doubt, get a professional in. 

I'd have spent less buying a Sire PJ and had the option to send back if things aren't working properly. 

Cheap pickups are cheap because they aren't very good. 

Modern MIM Fender P necks are amazingly thin. But better quality than 90s MIM necks. 

Anyhow, I think she looks and plays quite nicely. 

Edited May 17, 2021 by uk_lefty

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, uk_lefty said:

 

I'd have spent less buying a Sire PJ and had the option to send back if things aren't working properly. 

True, but you don’t get that sense of satisfaction. Well done, Sir, well done. 👏👏👏

[uk_lefty]

2 minutes ago, ezbass said:

True, but you don’t get that sense of satisfaction. Well done, Sir, well done. 👏👏👏

Ha! Well I did need help getting it finished. The email to the luthier started "Terry, I've done it again..." because he's used to me bringing him beaten up second hand basses. When I collected it from him I said I was a bit embarrassed by it and he said "I'm surprised it wasn't in a box, people usually buy kit guitars and don't even get as far as screwing the bits together. I get hundreds of them a year" that made me feel a bit better! 

[uk_lefty]

Who said this was complete? Bought a set of DiMarzio PJ pups didn't I? I've got the P in only so far, needed a bit of extra careful drilling, for which I bought a hand drill like the ones we had in primary school, but MY WORD WHAT A SOUND! That is proper, proper P bass now. Something I've not had before, big dollops of thick, rich bassiness. I've installed them upside down and got the him bucking mode working now too. I need a lie down for a while before I put the J in. Have already decided this is going to band practice tomorrow! DiMarzio pups and a Kiogon loom, perfection.