Dolando

Hi, I currently have a set of Tonerider jazz pickups in an ash fretless jazz with ebony fingerboard. I'm on the lookout for a different set of pickups. They just seem a bit lifeless on a fretless. I'm using rotosound jazz bass strings, so could be the string choice or even both... Any ideas on pickups (or strings for that matter) for a jazz bass fretless for a more modern rounded fretless sound with a hint of jaco mwah? Or, would a pre amp help with this? Ah help wood be great thanks, Adam

Just a little update.... All the parts have now been ordered minus a couple of electrical switches. Warmoth parts should be here in a few weeks, can't wait for that. Yesterday I ordered a custom nordstrand NJ5S in 17.5mm bridge spacing for my neck pickup. Aswell asthe pickuo, also on its way are black ultralite tuners, black A style bridge, hipshot knobs and hipshot string retainers, they should be here in about a month, wish it was sooner, but will be worth it. Its looking like a new year build, but will be posting plenty of pics, so don't you worry about that. Thanks, Adam

Yea I think you're right, just curious to how hard it would be. Sounds like a lot of fiddling about. It's a deluxe 5 fender headstock with 4 on one side and 1 on the lower side. Just wanted something light, as its a warmoth neck made from Wenge and ebony, so wanted to keep the weight down. Thanks, Adam

Yea, I hear nothing but good things about warmoth. Think I'm going to have a switch that switches between humbucker series, single coil and humbucker parallel. Gives me various options but not too many, I think you can easily over complicate things. No idea on the wiring diagram for the preamp and that kind of switching, cross that bridge when I get to it I suppose. Thanks Adam

Hi, I've looked at these tuners, but was wondering if anyone knows of slightly cheaper alternatives? Don't necessarily need to be Ultralite, but the lighter the better, and they need to come in black. I was looking at around £100 for a 5 string set. Thanks, Adam

Right, so do you know what finish they put on the black tuners?

Warmoth bass on order and I have the Nordstrand preamp and my nordy mm5.4 arrived today.

Hi, I have a chance to get a set of cheap hipshot ultralite bass tuners in chrome, I was wondering how difficult it would be to take these apart and get them sprayed black. Not sure if they'll contain lots of little washers etc. Has anyone repaired these or taken them apart for whatever reason? Cost of spraying is no issue, my girlfriends dad sprays cars, and has already sprayed a neck plate and screw heads for me. Thanks, Adam

I've played a couple of basses with the mm on the bridge and I really like it. Mainly played a Warwick FNA Jazzman and a sandberg California TM I think it is and you get a good growl with it at the bridge. So if I just have it at the bridge, ill have a series/parallel and coil splitting switch for that so I can still get a normal jazz tone, or have 2 MM pickups and have it for both.

I thought I'd give people an update. Sorry it's been slow. I'm very bad at making decisions especially important ones like building a bass. Anyway I have made 2 purchases. Not a body or a neck I'm afraid, but a nordstrand mm5.4 and a nordstrand pre amp from bass-a-licious (thanks mate) I only got the pickup as nordstrand are currently having supply issues and won't be available in most places till possibly the new year, and bestbassgear had 1 left so I jumped at it. Also, i would like to say that i cant fault nordstrand for customer service, Adrian has been so helpful in options to have, he emailed back within an hour in some cases, big companies loose this personal touch sometimes. I emailed delano and they took a week to reply to a simple price list request. Back on topic, I am no longer going for the teak/ipe neck as I have had no experience with these so I'm sticking to what I know and going for a Wenge neck with Wenge fingerboard. I am yet to decide if I go for the MM/Jazz pickup combo, or 2 MM pickups like a G and L and have a series/parallel, and coil splitting switches wired similar to the Warwick corvette $$. I have attached a couple of photoshop pictures of what I'm going for. Any suggestions on design or mainly what pickup combo you think I should go for, I'm all ears. Thanks, Adam

I'm still working out the details, so not ordered this yet, but I will be posting plenty of pics when it arrives, don't you worry about that.

Luke I said, my Warwick is 34" and the B on that sounds fine. Thought I'd check to make sure nothing was somehow different on the warmoth necks.

Thanks. I can't wait to get it ordered and start building it!