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Budget Acid Jazz Bass Bitsa Build


PaulThePlug
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Acid Jazz Bass  

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  1. 1. Acid Jazz Bass

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Ah Mr Vai!... Yep thats the kinda thing...

But i'll probably go for a bit wider broarder bands of the 4 colours with a more gentle swirl... More 'LSD Psychedelic 'Oil Wheel'... less 'Ketamine Migraine'

The Idea is a mix of trying a Hydro Dip, The Melting P Bass Body look of a Jazz Bass Body, together with the Slanty picups from the PJ535 for more melty looks, and Rear Route for more paint... and the fiver extra for a rear rout is way cheaper than a pick guard n bell plate... and PJ on a jazz body isnt as common as on a P Body... then getting a custom Fender look 'Acid Jazz Bass' Decal... and handy my Surname begins with an F!

Fingers crossed it wil be a good trip!

 

Dropping the neck and body off at a local cabinet maker to widen the neck pocket a mm or two... they made a great job last time on the P Bitsa.

Edited by PaulThePlug
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  • 3 weeks later...

Any advice on sorting neck alignment would be most welcome... here is where i'm at...

 

Body back from the cabinet makers...

A bit of the edges of the neck pocket and a nice snug for the neck. Unfortunatly alignment is a little out...

Bridge on center line of the 2 piece join, looks center at the neck but might not be center down the length of the body.

Center.thumb.jpg.cf51c1ae729366218a5ca1198c6aa38d.jpg

Moving the bridge a little to the E left by a couple of mm aligns the elastic strings over the pickup poles a bit better...

PolePieces.thumb.jpg.c7b7328e852fdcf79e9e9261095ef8cc.jpg

Neck / Body join looks like this left, right and bottom...

PocketLeft.thumb.jpg.452192529ba7265eb3d9fc0614b0a52b.jpg

PocketRight.thumb.jpg.358226fdd46b2f1797d76528b1ef806c.jpg

PocketRightUnder.thumb.jpg.174e555304721dac990599f412e466de.jpg

A bit of sponge in the neck pocket to lift it up...

NeckLift.thumb.jpg.7d4876ad6b4446f1d3790945de85f062.jpg

Needs a little of the left side of the pocket a mil, mil 'n half or so from the front tapering to as-is at the heel... which should also get the neck flush-ish on the bottom right of the pocket rather than sticking out as in the pic

LiftLeft.thumb.jpg.3b4b49500827c8996e0a8654e693b281.jpg

LiftTop.thumb.jpg.584383bd9fa17fcbb90dcf429fc03169.jpg

Alignment should then be just about sorted... Fingers crossed!

Bit aprehensive but need to stick some sandpaper with double sided to a bit if wood to keep squarish and go steady.

All is not lost...

 

Worst case i'll go for the authentic pick holder style neck pocket gap that was prevalent and popular under the 70's QC..

 

I really like the body... and the neck looks nice for budget!

 

Edited by PaulThePlug
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Fettled...

Measure up of the overhang was about 1/20" 1.25mm... so went with removing that from tother side to see how that might straighten things up... Sandpaper on a stick and 'drawn sanded' to try n keep things square...

20211119_171011_resized.thumb.jpg.ea4557bf51db47ce541b3481116fdc75.jpg

Neckpocket overhang sorted...

20211119_191751_resized.thumb.jpg.288988bcf87edaff412f30368428b868.jpg

As seen from above... elastic is 2mm so the E String will be thicker, half again... and the G thiner, by half.. so string to fretboard edge looking good.

20211119_191728_resized.thumb.jpg.100bd24331c7220a0386129bb77507b7.jpg

View from the Bridge... a knats up from the 2 piece join line for best pole alignment...

20211119_191646_resized.thumb.jpg.2c92bbc81e91f45e597f92f25e39d626.jpg

Good as i think i'll get it so i'll go with that...  neck holes to be drilled next...

Bridge pencil line aligned with the front of the retainer block is at 35" from the nut, so will need checking before drilling bridge holes. Might wait until after the paint finish water dip to stop water getting in the wood.

Edited by PaulThePlug
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Neck holes drilled n neck screwed on.

Looking at the neck to body join from the back the 2 piece body join isn't central to the neck... so moving the bridge up a few mm above the join line would be right.

Happy Days!.. Drilled the holes for the controls, primer next then screening paint then think about sorting the swirly dip finish...

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Thanks... Weather was a bit damp for priming so rear cover mounting holes, copper tape on the rear cover and screening paint for pickup and control cavitys... 'cotton bud' painted the wire run holes... might drill the jack plug plate and bridge mounting holes later... then i can dismantle ready for priming n painting...

Edited by PaulThePlug
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So after the 'To Cold To Dip' trial i decided to put it all together as-is... just to see...

I've swapped the pickup covers on the Kent Armstrong Vintage PJ set and thumb rest... so plastics in White, with Metalwork of Bridge, Neck Plate, Knobs 'n Tuners in Black.

Body is in matt white primer ready for an 'Acid' psychedelic swirly paint job. Eldest's other half is into their art... (And a Jazz Sax player looking on getting a 6 string bass!) So might get them to Cosmic Paint by hand.

Screw the bits together yesters, wired with a Kiogon VBT Loom, strung it up with rounds earlier... String alignment now good, Intonated OK by clip on tuner, but is a little out according to the Zoom B1on.

Truss rod tweak to reduce the relief, action is about 3.5E to 2.5G... bit of buzz on the open strings, nut looks a little low, but might be down to a high 1st. Fretted it's generally OK across the fretboard.

Overall, quite happy and a bit of 'Budget Fun'... First a P, Then the J... Then.?.

20211203_220807_resized.thumb.jpg.10d1d73a3832f712e669d04c46209d2b.jpg

Edited by PaulThePlug
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