70s/80s P bass build

[Belka]

So, I've always wanted to do a P bass made to my own specifications, and recently after selling my Nate Mendel Precision, I found myself in possession of parts I'd modded it with (I brought it back to its original state before selling it).

Basically, the bits below: Duncan Antiquity 2, Kluson bridge, pickup covers and white pickguard.

 

Edited May 15 by Belka

[Belka]

Next step was obviously a body and neck. I decided to go '70s for a couple of reasons - I always liked the late '70s 'S' series basses, which most other people seem to think are the very worst in terms of Fender QC, but I really like the aggressive tone. Hence, I decided to go ash and maple.

 

This is very much a tribute to the era rather than something 100% accurate - so although I managed to get a northern ash body (from Guitar Build), it's a '60s version without the channel cut between the pickup cavity and the control cavity. It'll all be under the pickguard anyway so no problem there.

 

I went with one piece maple for the neck. I pushed the boat out a bit and ordered from Musikraft in the US. Allparts and Warmoth don't do the correct 7.25 radius on their repro necks. It's currently in production, not sure when it will arrive.

 

An era correct decal has also arrived.

Edited May 15 by Belka

[Belka]

The next thing to think about it colours. The white scratchplate was used in the early '80s on the International colours series. Below are the options I'm considering all with white pickguard and maple neck:

 

Monaco yellow, Capri orange, Sahara taupe, Cherry burst.

 

The others don't appeal so much - Cathay ebony and arctic white look too much like regular basses, albeit with white pickguards instead of black. Morocco red is nice but a bit too close to Dakota red to stand out. Maui blue is great but I have another Jazz in that colour, and Sienna burst just doesn't look as good as cherry burst.

Edited May 15 by Belka

[SpondonBassed]

I like the Monaco yellow.

[Pea Turgh]

What about mocha?  That grain would gert lush darkened up a bit.

[Richard R]

Yellow.

With matching hush-puppies.

[SpondonBassed]

1 hour ago, Richard R said:

Yellow.

With matching hush-puppies.

 

Yes.  I can see that.  In fact... I can't unsee it so I've inflicted it on you lot too.

 

9 hours ago, Belka said:

 

[BTops]

Don't do beige

[PaulThePlug]

Lovely Body...

I'd be wax finish, no scratch plate little control plate. How about Cream Covers for that 70's DiMarzio look?

My First Bitsa...

Edited May 15 by PaulThePlug

[tauzero]

That ash body looks like a nice bit of wood. It would be a shame to cover it up with paint.

[Doctor J]

Another vote for monaco yellow but it would look much better with a black scratchplate. I made a strat with that combination and it's a great look.

 

The only bit I don't get is putting a Fender decal on something which isn't a Fender.

[Belka]

Quick update - so yesterday the neck arrived from Musikraft. Very happy with it - the quality seems very good and it feels very comfortable. I was stung for around £60 import duty however. 

 

I am thinking I agree with those who posted here that it would be a shame to cover up the nice grain of the ash, so I am planning to probably do it in a cherry burst. 

[Inga]

late 70s is the best as always, you're on a good path and good decisions here, top man

[Belka]

Well, it's finally finished. In the end I went in a completely different direction with the colour - a subtle pearl white (my first bass hero was Duff from Guns 'n' Roses). The guy who painted it did the neck as well -  it now looks less like an original '70s Precision and more like one that was refinished by a hair metaller in the '80s.

 

It sounds amazing too - it's a heavy beast but the ash/maple really gives it some snap, which is exactly what I wanted. The normal deadspot you get on 34" basses is barely there either, which is a bonus. Nice low action too.

[Jackroadkill]

Oh, helllooo!  That's very nice indeed.

[Andyjr1515]

Nice job 👍

[Hellzero]

The colour looks like a faded Daphne Blue, which is my favourite Fender/Dupont colour. 😍

 

That said, the dead spot is not inherent to the 34 inches scale, but to the bass, and here more precisely the neck construction, which is why Leo Fender enlarged the headstock on the new 1957 Precision Bass, but it didn't totally work, even if it was a huge improvement.

 

The dead spot is the frequency resonance of the whole assembly, and even a Steinway grand piano has one around the A6, cleverly moved a very few comas higher or lower depending on the master crafter, but you can still hear it...

[Richard R]

39 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

, the dead spot is not inherent to the 34 inches scale, but to the bass, and here more precisely the neck construction, which is why Leo Fender enlarged the headstock on the new 1957 Precision Bass, but it didn't totally work, even if it was a huge improvement.

 

So that's the reason for the stupidly large headstock on Fenders? Cheaper than changing the neck construction, I grant you,  but it's a decision that resulted in a fugging ugly design.

 

I am intrigued though. How do you determine if a neck design will have a dead spot, and where? Or know that putting more mass at one end will change that?

 

[Hellzero]

1 hour ago, Richard R said:

 

I am intrigued though. How do you determine if a neck design will have a dead spot, and where? Or know that putting more mass at one end will change that?

Any material will have a dead spot as it has a resonant frequency, for wood it's really audible around the D2 and it's upper harmonics, and if you add more mass to the headstock you'll move it between two notes, that's the idea.

 

Carbon or composite designed instruments are the less prone to audible dead spot: There will be one as it's inevitable, but it will be at very high frequencies.