Some really great recent bitsas on this thread!
There was a time around 15 years ago I was building a bitsa pretty much every year, but lately been winding the bass playing down, got too many basses altogether, and spending time and money on other things.......
However, I realised last year that I had enough parts lying around to build probably at least 2 complete bitsas - so thought I'd make the effort to make a final pair.
The first, a fairly conventional Jazz-type, was really just a matter of putting the parts together; most of the work was in finishing the body. All parts previously used (mainly from here and eBay) except for circuit, control knobs, and neck plate.
Ash G&B jazz body with rear-routed controls, slab top with tort binding (NB: top is not a separate facing / cap but the front of the body wood). Sealed with French polish- which nicely accentuated previous wear - and top coated with clear nitrocellulose lacquer.
Squier (Indonesian) Jazz neck and tuners - surprisingly nice
Passive Cellinder Jazz pickups, VVT passive circuit (CTS / Switchcraft)
Badass II bridge
Schaller strap-locks
You'll notice it's not finished; I haven't cut out a rear control cavity cover - mainly as my garage has been too bloomin' cold! 🥶 But already using it as my home practice bass; it plays nicely, and as you'd expect the Armstrong-made Cellinder pickups sound sublime