Trying not to buy a new bass, but is this too much modding?

[DDR]

What do you recon?

 

I got a Mexican 50's style P bass, fiesta red, it was my first bass I bought in 2013. I've bought and re-sold a few others since but this one i just wouldn't. It sounds good (i put the 1962 pickups in there at some point), the chunky neck feels right in my big ol hands... some of the notes up top are out of tune but it's like family... 

 

I do desire for example a Sire P5R (when they bring out a sonic blue version - will they?)...

 

So, in my quest not to buy another bass... could be worth replacing the maple fretboard with rosewood (is that even possible?), fixing the tuning, color the body sonic blue and have the neck smooth-rounded... I mean, can it be done? Any idea what kind of costs do you recon I'd be looking at?

 

Hope all is well, thanks in advance for your thoughts

 

D

[itu]

Sounds like you're after a new bass. Easier, cheaper, faster.

[neepheid]

2 hours ago, DDR said:

What do you recon?

 

I got a Mexican 50's style P bass, fiesta red, it was my first bass I bought in 2013. I've bought and re-sold a few others since but this one i just wouldn't. It sounds good (i put the 1962 pickups in there at some point), the chunky neck feels right in my big ol hands... some of the notes up top are out of tune but it's like family... 

 

I do desire for example a Sire P5R (when they bring out a sonic blue version - will they?)...

 

So, in my quest not to buy another bass... could be worth replacing the maple fretboard with rosewood (is that even possible?), fixing the tuning, color the body sonic blue and have the neck smooth-rounded... I mean, can it be done? Any idea what kind of costs do you recon I'd be looking at?

 

Hope all is well, thanks in advance for your thoughts

 

D

 

All of what you're describing is possible - but it would be far better (not to mention cheaper) to get a new bass.

 

The out of tune thing sounds like a setup issue, intonation, specifically - so why not stave off the GAS monster by learning how to set up your bass?

[A.G.E.N.T.E.]

Keep the fiesta red as it is and get a new bass.😊

Edited September 9, 2023 by A.G.E.N.T.E.

[DDR]

devils 😄

[DDR]

On 07/09/2023 at 23:32, neepheid said:

 

All of what you're describing is possible - but it would be far better (not to mention cheaper) to get a new bass.

 

The out of tune thing sounds like a setup issue, intonation, specifically - so why not stave off the GAS monster by learning how to set up your bass?

 

I thought this yesterday as i parted with hard earned cash for some simple setup adjustments... but whenever i've tried in the past i've always fkd up the bass to a point where i have to take it to someone to fix what i've done..

 

any suggested learning videos or something?

[LukeFRC]

There's a Roger Sadowsky one somewhere that's quite good.

If you've got a bass you like (and you do considering how it's outlasted other basses) it's worth keeping as is. 
Intonation can be fixed, and depending on what "smooth rounded" is it's probably ok too... 
Refinishing quickly starts to cost more than the Sire if you're doing it properly. 

By the time you're refinished it and got it set up you can buy the Sire and teach yourself to do basic setups. 

[DDR]

7 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

There's a Roger Sadowsky one somewhere that's quite good.

If you've got a bass you like (and you do considering how it's outlasted other basses) it's worth keeping as is. 
Intonation can be fixed, and depending on what "smooth rounded" is it's probably ok too... 
Refinishing quickly starts to cost more than the Sire if you're doing it properly. 

By the time you're refinished it and got it set up you can buy the Sire and teach yourself to do basic setups. 

i like the idea of giving in to GAS obviously haha but i was hoping to restrict it somehow... IF it's genuinely the best thing to do tho.....

[DDR]

vibes! thanks!

 

 

[LukeFRC]

1 hour ago, DDR said:

i like the idea of giving in to GAS obviously haha but i was hoping to restrict it somehow... IF it's genuinely the best thing to do tho.....

If the choice is between spending money on modding vs spending the same money on a different instrument It’s not giving in to GAS- it’s long term saving money 

[fretmeister]

Learning to set up your bass is one of the best investments in your time you can make.

 

Being out of tune at the top is almost always an intonation issue - basically the bridge saddles are either too far forward or too far back. Intonation is linked to string gauge so if you move to higher or lower gauges then you can expect to need to tweak the bridge saddle positions when you do that.

 

When changing string gauge / tension like that it is also very common to need a truss rod adjustment too. It can be a scary idea as the web is full of people claiming they destroyed their instruments but on a well made instrument if you follow the rules then there is nothing to it BUT BUT BUT make sure you use the right tool. 

 

 

As for the original question - the amount of work you are thinking about will cost more money than buying a new bass. Fretboard swaps are possible if there is a separate 'board (some older instruments did not) but it's a lot of work to get right. Good paint jobs also cost quite a bit.

 

Worst of all - if you don't like the work then you really have ruined the bass you love.

 

So get something else as well, even if you have to save up for a while.

[Andyjr1515]

On 07/09/2023 at 19:11, DDR said:

It sounds good (i put the 1962 pickups in there at some point), the chunky neck feels right in my big ol hands...

Trouble is, modding the neck will make it sound different (not necessarily worse, but definitely different) and it will feel different...

 

On 07/09/2023 at 19:11, DDR said:

some of the notes up top are out of tune

...and as @fretmeister says above, this will be just a set up issue - easily fixed and something you would want to learn in any case if you were considering changing the neck

 

So I agree with the others, best to:

 

-set up your present bass which will mean you keep the stuff you like and get rid of the stuff you are not happy about

 

- buy another bass for no better reason that you can never have too many basses

 

 

 

[Richard R]

Next time @Andyjr1515 is at the Midlands Bash, we'll get him to do his most excellent setup talk again. But this time we should video it, properly, and pin it to the top of Repairs and Technical. 

 

Of course after that threat I may never see him again 😪

[Andyjr1515]

1 hour ago, Richard R said:

Of course after that threat I may never see him again

See who?

[DDR]

thanks everyone! I'm checking this out... getting some mild GAS too... but trying to focus on self setup

[TeresaFR]

It sounds to me like you need to find a bass that fits all or enough of the criteria to dethrone your MIM P bass, but without you just throwing money away buying a bunch more.

[Geek99]

Why don’t you just buy an extra maple p neck and swap them as the mood takes you ?

 

if you’ve had the bass this long, you will assuredly get sellers remorse forever if you offload it now 

Edited September 18, 2023 by Geek99