neepheid

[quote name='jono b' post='144548' date='Feb 21 2008, 05:39 PM']I'm glad I stumbled across this thread, it's inspired me to do something with an old Squier Strat body I have festering under the bed. It's not a bass though, would a guitar build diary allowed on here ? A question though. Where can I get spray primer from? Is it a B&Q-able thing?[/quote] Oops, didn't notice this post. Sorry. Well I can't speak for B&Q stuff, but I've been recently using the nitrocellulose lacquers from Steve Robinson (Manchester Guitar Tech) and I have to say I've been impressed so far - just been clear coating necks at the moment, but it's gone on so easy that I don't suppose his other lacquers will be any different. Remember though - GET A MASK and make sure your work area is well ventilated.

[quote name='allighatt0r' post='156258' date='Mar 12 2008, 06:52 PM']Recently my brother bought himself a £99 6 string bass, and the price tag shows... but it's given him his first experience of a 6 string and he likes it, and it's a bit of a project upgrading it, new strings, nut, ...whatever. And as the tone layout is frankly stupid (two volumes, one for each pickup, and no less than three passive tone knobs (each pot has a capacitor....)) So, we've come to the conclusion that it wouldn't be a bad idea to make it into an active bass, changing the three tone knobs into a three band EQ... I was wondering what would be the best way to go about doing this, should i try to purchase a ready made wiring set on Ebay, or would it be better to make one myself, buying a 9-volt battery adapter and some wires from Maplins and soldering the lot together, between me and my dad we have some half decent wiring and soldering experience. Thanks for any help in advance. [/quote] I've had good results with Artec pre-amps, with 5 holes in the face of your bass, the SE-3 seems ideal: [url="http://www.artecsound.com/se3.html"]http://www.artecsound.com/se3.html[/url] You can get it from Thomann: [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/artec_se3_basselektronik.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/artec_se3_basselektronik.htm[/url] Remember you'll have to find somewhere to put a 9V battery. I usually get the router out and install a proper battery box.

[quote name='steve' post='156150' date='Mar 12 2008, 04:17 PM']PICS!!! have you looked at Squier 5 string necks? mine's like an aircraft carrier, i'm (very) idly considering using it for a six, maybe even some kind of classical thing[/quote] They look quite good, but they're not long enough. Because of the body being the shape/size that it is, any neck must be a 24 fret neck to give enough heel/body area. Pics you say? It's got some finish on it already, and someone attacked it with a forstner bit, but I'll rescue it.

No, the import duty will be waived because it comes to less than £7.

[quote name='tauzero' post='155837' date='Mar 12 2008, 10:43 AM']As long as the pickups are solid bars all the way across - the Bart 6-string pickups, for example, couldn't be used as there would be no signal from the A string. And there's also the bridge to consider, you'd really want one which started life with a monolithic bridge rather than individual bridge units as you should then have a bit less trouble filling and drilling. Oh, and probably not string-through originally either.[/quote] Oh don't worry, I am butchering the 6 string just for the neck. The bridge is a Badass V - can cut the saddles to suit and it will be drilled for string-thru. The body is a rescued mess of someone's aborted project, needs a lot of alterations anyway - neck pocket, pickup routs, control cavity is all to pot. But it's a lovely piece of zebrawood/zebrano and it needs to be made into a viable instrument. I'm intending to use EMG 40 pickups, they're bars.

Report it. Everyone.

I'm definitely more P than J so I'm trying to source a nice wide spaced 5 string neck. I'm quite in love with the Warmoth Wide Gecko 5, but I'm not in love with the price! I'm thinking I could find a cheap 6 string from eBay, change the nut, fill the existing tuner holes, slap a headstock veneer on to cover up and redrill for 5. Does this seem plausible?

Don't often see a Squier Katana. Here's one. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220210591058"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=220210591058[/url]

I might be able to pick up a second hand Hartke 3500 head for £140. Is this a good deal? Worth living on beans on toast for a few weeks?

[quote name='thedarxide' post='155100' date='Mar 11 2008, 09:37 AM']i'll wire it like an OLP.[/quote] Remember to use linear pots for that genuine "all or nothing" OLP tone!

[quote name='colda' post='154821' date='Mar 10 2008, 07:25 PM']Which just leaves the finish, during the past few weeks my mind has gone through many ideas from a standard black finish through to totally custom artwork but I've always held back until I knew the situation with the wood, now that it's been decided that a natural finish isn't going to happy my mind is in a state of confusion as to what to do with the body, I have the original single ply pickguard that I'm happy to replace, only thing is that it's a 14 hole thing rather than the standard 13 hole arrangement, am I right in assuming that I can still use a 13 hold standard pickguard and just have to make new screw holes where required? Any suggestions on the finish? - help me out with ideas! Am now itching to get it all together and start playing it![/quote] Yeah, pickguards are a pain. I've had success using MIM guards from WD Music. I filled the old holes with wood filler and sanded down, then placed the pickguard on the bass (having the neck attached and the pickups in place really helps to make sure everything's lined up well. I use a pencil to draw through the holes in the pickguard, drill them with a Dremel (well, B&Q's cheapy ripoff ) then you're good to go with some nice shiny new pickguard screws. Check out [url="http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/lacquer.html"]Manchester Guitar Tech[/url] for lacquer and refinishing ideas. I've been using some of the lacquers from there recently and I've been impressed so far with the results.

Do you mean the grub screws that go through the saddle down to the base plate?

[quote name='thedarxide' post='154501' date='Mar 10 2008, 01:19 PM']I picked up a Vintage Stingray, it's got three knobs, and one pickup. I'd assume 1xvol and 1x tone, but what's the third one for? to be honest, apart from the vol, the other two seem to do very little. I briefly had a look at the wiring but nothing jumped out at me....[/quote] Can't speak for the Vintage, but on OLP copies, the pickup is wired as front and back coils with seperate volumes for each and one tone.

Check the dimensions of either of these Seymour Duncans? [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/basslines/progressive-1/scpb2_hot_for_s/"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass...cpb2_hot_for_s/[/url] [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/basslines/progressive-1/scpb3_quarterpo/"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass...cpb3_quarterpo/[/url] As for the bridge, you do get 4 saddle Musicmaster bridges which would probably fit the existing screw holes, but be sure that they allow for stringing through the back of the bridge plate - some are geared up for through body stringing See this one - through body stringing only - no holes at the back of the plate: [url="http://images.channeladvisor.com/Sell/SSProfiles/43000047/Images/1/MusicMaster%20Bass%20Bridge%20051803.JPG"]http://images.channeladvisor.com/Sell/SSPr...ge%20051803.JPG[/url] I'll see if I can locate something suitable. You could always get one of these and drill the holes in the back that you need for top loading. Or you could modify for through body stringing Of course, if you're prepared to do some drilling and filling, you can fit pretty much whatever you like

Welcome to the forum

I'm going to be in Houston in a few weeks and was just wondering if anyone had any pointers on where to go to drool at basses and associated gubbins, and maybe pick myself up a wee present. Cheers

Did someone say "north"? Welcome aboard.

[quote name='johnnylager' post='151576' date='Mar 5 2008, 10:39 AM']Absolutely. Use yer [b]noggins[/b] or studs. And glare at your work colleague from time to time to keep him on his toes.[/quote] That's the word I was trying to remember. I say dwang, but I thought that I'd get a blank face at that.

1. That's up to you. How much does the damage bother you? 2. Wood screws in conjunction with point 3 below. 3. I think you should be finding the posts in the wall and screwing into that. Screw + wood is a lot more secure than screw + stupid plug thing + plasterboard.

I just put my number down as 999

Lighter fluid. Just don't smoke while you're doing it

[quote name='finnbass' post='149453' date='Mar 1 2008, 02:35 PM']That's why they are frequently referred to as 'Parcelfarce' [/quote] Royal Fail, DH-hell, sh*ttylink - the puns are endless

Awful, I had one of a similar nature (my money's on them all being made in the same factory with different importers logos grafted on). Shoddy fretwork and general finishing, iffy intonation that you can't sort and one of the strings was not picked up by the piezo element as well as the other three. You'd be much better saving up and getting something half decent. That way there's more chance of you actually wanting to play it and if it doesn't work out, you'll get most of your money back selling it on here. I ended up giving mine away on Freecycle - couldn't ask anyone for money for it with a clear conscience.

Welcome aboard

Welcome to the forum