yepmop

Welcome Chris Yep, agree with everyone else, nylon tapewound strings are the way to go, but as Len suggests one step at a time I'd leave the de-ftetting to later or even trade in for a fretless squire or equivelent. Tony

Well the next failure and one of the simpler jobs was the Black Nickel Machine Heads, they looked really cool until I found out the Machine Head barrels don't physically go through the ferrule aaaahhhh!!! Contacted the seller on ebay and they micro metered their stock of these and they have the same problem (they're not happy at all), They are sending me chrome replacements that do fit, so happy they are getting replaced but miffed I 'll have to wait a couple of days.

Yes very nice, good job!

Well have now complete the headstock decal. This neck was just to practice on as if this project turns out okay I will start another using genuine fender body and neck, overall I think I done a fare job. Please note this guitar will never be sold and I will probably end up giving it to my 9 year old son who is hinting he'd like to learn to play bass rather than 6 string. The process of adding a decal is more time consuming and quite a delicate process than I thought (took a week to complete), but I'm happy, by the way the Serial Number is my date of birth :-) The next scary bit is aligning the neck to the body and marking out the drill holes, as to the drilling (any advise on this much appreciated) I've measure the maximum depth I need to go and will subtract 3 mm, as to the drill size I was thinking as I haven't a drill stand, I will use a very fine drill to make the holes then use a half size drill to make the hole bigger (with a small spirit level attached to the drill) and then use a slightly smaller than the screw diameter to make the final holes. [url="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060586.jpg"]http://i303.photobuc...98/P1060586.jpg[/url]

[size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Got the Scratchplate from Pappa D's the following day! unfortunately, the holes don't match up to what's on the bass?? not the end of the world but it's almost swaying me now to strip back and re-spray. [/font][/size] [size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Also, found that the pots did not fit the holes either, but a bit of sand paper on a pencil solved that.[/font][/size] [size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]I've attached a few pictures, the kit consists of;[/font][/size] [size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Squire Precision body[/font][/size] [size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Dr Parts 20 fret maple Precision neck[/font][/size] [size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Wilkinson Precision/Jazz bridge.[/font][/size] [left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive]Axesrus P Bass Pickups (as recommended by a few people on here).[/font][/size][/left] [left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#464646]Some "Smokey Shadow" coloured Machine heads (not painted ones) and string guide.[/color][/font][/size][/left] [left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#464646]Fender neck plate.[/color][/font][/size][/left] [left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#464646]Scratchplate.[/color][/font][/size][/left] [left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#464646]1 of John's excellent wiring harnesses and knobs.[/color][/font][/size][/left] [left][size=4][font=comic sans ms,cursive][color=#464646]Copper shielding.[/color][/font][/size][/left] [left][font="'comic sans ms"][color="#464646"][url="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060585.jpg"]http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060585.jpg[/url][/color][/font][/left] [color=#464646]A picture of the pickups temporarily installed for scratchplate alignment.[/color] [url="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060587.jpg"][color=#464646]http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn138/yepmop1898/P1060587.jpg[/color][/url] [color=#464646]Cheers[/color]

Well got my Cheapo scratchplate from China today and although of quite a good quality, it doesn't fit (it's about half inch too small!!!!) well that my lesson taught for being a tight arse git! I've now ordered one from Pappa Ds, sometimes it just doesn't pay to cut corners.

Hi All I've just started my first build and doing it with a mixture of high/low/mid range quality bits to see how I fare before going for the big boy stuff. Was originally going to re-spary the Squire P-Bass body I got from flea bay but it's in better shape than I thought it would be and quite like the colour (dark Blue), but may change my mind later as I really want to spray it bright yellow!!! So far I've sanded and chiseled the body to accommodate the all maple Dr parts neck. I've added a decal to the neck and in the final stages of sanding and buffing the headstock. Just waiting for the 3 ply scratch plate to arrive from China (well for £4 can't complain at the time it's taking) before doing the electrics. Really enjoying what I've done so far and really like seeing what others are doing. Has anyone used the bodies available here [url="http://www.guitarbuild.co.uk/product.php?prodId=82&category=&secondary=&keywords"]http://www.guitarbuild.co.uk/product.php?prodId=82&category=&secondary=&keywords[/url]= Will get some photos once the neck is completed. Cheers

Absolutely stunning, a job well done.

Welcome

Wow - looks stunning, I've only ever heard the 6 string versions of Electra guitars, what does it sound like? Had a look around the net but can't find any, what's it like to play.

As an update I sanded the pocket and had to also do a litlle chiselling around the corners of the pocket as the neck heel did not quite reach home. Not a bad job all in all I have about a quater/half a MM movement on the neck in the pocket when I attach the neck (but not bolted on), I'm hoping this will be okay once the neck is bolted on, I may as insurance put a peice of business card down one side as a shim to make it more sucure. Have got all my other bits to proceed with the built so may start over the weekend. Thanks for all the advice Tony

Excellent lesson, Thank You

Hi John Welcome from another 50+ newbie

[font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]Bought a P Bass wiring harness from John, excellent piece of workmanship, would highly recommend to anyone.[/color][/font] [font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]Tony[/color][/font]

[b]Stunning, would love to hear how it sounds.[/b]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1335490792' post='1632206'] Is the neck new and the body s/h? Prob go for the body. Bear in mind you don't want to allow the neck to go wonky, use a block to sand, or a file so it stays flat. Fill the bridge holes and re-align the bridge when the neck is on. [/quote] Yes the neck is new and the body s/h, Looks like it's the neck pocket then, I'll count the sand strokes each side and regularly check to see when it slots in. Many thanks for your advice Al Heeley & Mr Foxen much appreciated.

Hi All I'm embarking on my first bass build and today I received my all maple neck (Dr Parts) to go onto a Squire P bass body. the only problem I have at the mo, is that the neck is about 1mm to wide for the neck pocket. Looking around the net there seems to be a split decision on whether to sand the pocket or sand the neck. My logic (be it a bit misguided) tells me to do the neck (but only the part that goes into the pocket), would this be right? Has anyone out there had a similar issue? if so, any advise? Any help/advise appreciated Thanks

[quote name='clarkpegasus4001' timestamp='1335453342' post='1631461'] WOW! Welcome to the forum Tony from another Tony who happens to be 50+ I only wished it had been me who had swopped your old Rick. Great to have you aboard. [/quote] I love Rickie's especially the sound that Geddy and Chris S get out of them, but I found the Necks did not suite by stubby fingers and I got on better with Fender basses. Hugely jealous that your're in a Budgie Tribute band, I met Burke Shelly in the mid 70s at a Budgie gig really nice guy, so was Tony B, probably the most underrated band of all time. Watched your clip from your site, very impressed! Cheers

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1335446354' post='1631284'] Lovely job. I like the white with black scratchplate YepMop If you use car paint you can finish it off with some clear nitro to give it a hard outer shell - it'll age nicely too if you do that Just make sure you let the paint dry properly (I'd leave it a week or so) befoer you start he Nitro, and that will need at least 2 weeks before you fine sand it smooth and buff it [/quote] Many thanks for the tip brensabre79 much appreciated

Fantastic job!! I assume from the colour description you used Car paint? If so, does it have quite a hard or soft feel to the finish, I've read that it can take a number of weeks to eventually harden? I'm about to embark on the build myself and I'm still oomming and rrring on whether to use nitro paint or car paint, I've read good and bad reports on both. Think I might invest in a heat gun to remove the previous covering, I was thinking of using paint remover and sanding but it sounds a bit too messy for me.

[quote name='stef030' timestamp='1335369680' post='1630060'] welcome. bloody hell,we are all coming out of the woodwork, me a 50something been playing since 13,with a 10 year break ending 18 months ago, oh and I live not far in hastings, [color=#ff0000][b]so it would seem that the south coast is gods waiting room for bassplayers[/b][/color],thats nice [/quote] Or is it because that's where most of the old folks homes are located in the UK I'll get my zimmer (now that could be a good name for a the custom Classic Bass I'm building, the "Zimmer - Victor Meldrew" model )

I've just added some Fender flatwounds to my Vintage Icon fretless and just lovin the sound and yes a little duller than the rounds but for me it's the sound I wanted. I've not used Rotosound flats in years, so don't know how they fare against the Fender's, but will possibly give them a try in a few months. I still [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]get plenty of mwah out of the flats, but no quite as pronounced as you do with rounds, but I would expect that anyway.[/font][/color]

[quote name='Mickeyboro' timestamp='1335184016' post='1626787'] Welcome! I learned on a fretless jazz copy - then put the bass away until the kids had grown up. So you won't waste as much time as I did! What was your band called? M [/quote] The Band's name was George Mac's ARC Connection (2 bands formed as 1 hence the odd name) we were a SKA band doing all our own material and used to practice in the next studio room to Madness at Halligans Band centre in London, those were the days

Hi All I'd not touched a bass in 31 years until my 8 year old son took an interest in music a year or so ago and also in playing the guitar (6 string). He started lessons at school and is very good at what he knows and it rekindled my need to play again (be it only along to records). I've now got a Vintage Icon series fretless Jazz bass (nothing like making it difficult for myself in not having touched a bass in 31 years) and loving it! I only wished I had the learning possiblities the kids have today when I first started, You Tube, Instructional DVDs, Tabs on the internet......... In my day you never came accross Bass guitar tutours, you bought a book and had to work everything out by listening to vynal records or asking someone that played bass!! Also wished I had kepy my gear, I once owned the 5th Rickenbacker 4001 ever built, but eventaully swapped it for a 1967 Fender Jazz and a little dosh (aaahhhhh). I've managed to get a few musicians from work involved in playing at a works do, so really looking forward to it. The reason I gave up all those years ago, was that Warner Bros cancelled a recording contract my band had just negociated with them (it's a complicated reason) but it really broke my heart and along with the girlfiend at the time who wanted me to choose between her and music, I decided on her (wrong choise big time - but hey). Still slowly getting back into it and really looking forward to the day I can properly jam with my son. I'm helping develop his musical knowledge by exposing him to different styles from classical to jazz to Metal to funk and he loves it. Sorry seemed to waffled on a bit here. Cheers Tony