Bassassin Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Not sure whether this should go here or in Porn, since it's pretty much done now, but I'm sure you'll agree, this ain't something you see every day: [attachment=57742:full.jpg] [attachment=57743:headstock.jpg] [attachment=57744:front.jpg] [attachment=57745:back.jpg] This sort of combines two things I've hankered after for a long time - a P with a maple/blocks neck, and a see-through bass, which I've wanted ever since seeing that pic of Geezer Butler playing a Dan Armstrong on the Sabbath Vol 4 album sleeve! The glitter is just an added bonus - as will be the colour-changing LEDs once my battery box arrives... This has been an ongoing project for some time, starting with the body & scratchplate which I got off Neepheid probably about 2 years ago. I was a bit concerned about this because there's quite an ugly-looking crack running from one of the screwholes in the neck pocket. However it originates inside the pocket & doesn't go through the body, meaning with the neck in place string tension actually pulls it closed, and it shouldn't get any worse. I flowed superglue around it & plenty was drawn deep into the crack so I think it's pretty stable. My personal prerequisites for a project P involve a Schaller 3D bridge, DiMarzio Model P pup & a blocks/maple neck. I'd hoped to put a pearl-block neck on this - in fact I bought one of a BCer earlier in the year but the ParcelFarce gremlins had that one. Anyway, Mr Foxen on here sold me a cheap, nasty and slightly broken black block neck ("Artist" brand, which I think was budget Korean stuff from a few years back) for very little money, which made it fair game for some experiments. I re-shaped the area behind the nut, which had been badly damaged and more badly repaired and installed a Gibson-type nut, like on old JapCrap P copies. The headstock was a bad attempt at a Fender shape so I hacked it down to resemble a '51 P. This was the first time I've reshaped a headstock & I'm very pleased with the result. [attachment=57747:P1010580.jpg] [attachment=57748:reshape800.jpg] The body came with an insipid translucent red glittery scratchplate, which I didn't like particularly - however a bit of black paint on the back improved it massively, in fact I liked it so much I decided the headstock should match... Things could have been a lot quicker & easier if I'd known about[url="http://www.specialistpaints.com/product.php?p=flakes-canz"] these guys[/url] at the time, but all my searching turned up no rattlecan glitter paint! So I ended up spraying the front black & while the paint was tacky, sprinkling a tiny amount of red glitter (from the local craft shop) onto the head. Ten million coats of lacquer later, the result was pretty convincing. I've cut it back but it's still a bit orange-peely - even after allowing it 3 weeks to harden it's still a bit soft, presumably due to the amount of lacquer. I might have another go in a month or so, if I can be arsed. Anyway having acquired/raided the spares box for all the bits (the DiMarzio came off an old P copy I got for £40. And sold for £150...) it was time to put it together. Surprisingly it all went well - drilling the body to fit the Schaller bridge wasn't the terrifying ordeal I expected (acrylic's as easy to drill as wood) and I shimmed the neck to fit the very wide pocket with pieces of thin perspex, cut to shape & tacked to the heel with dots of superglue. There are still huge gaps between the scratchplate & the heel and I've yet to devise a way of making these less conspicuous, but I can probably live with it. So what's the point? That's debatable - the neck is not fantastic, it's a clunky treetrunk of a thing, the frets are rough & badly fitted, even after re-gluing several loose ones, tidying up the ends & crowning/polising the lot. It plays OK but not great, sounds very good, and weighs in at a fraction under 14lbs. I somehow doubt I'll be gigging with this! Its future - if it has one - possibly includes a better neck and a different scratchplate, and if it's ever going to get out of the house, my future involves weight training... Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 This is totally awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protium Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Looks surprisingly nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 I don't quite see what is wrong about the bass. It looks quite splendid! The headstock is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 [quote name='EdwardHimself' post='939979' date='Aug 30 2010, 02:04 PM']This is totally awesome [/quote] +1 That is VERY cool! I'd be well proud of that if it was mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 For a P-shaped bass that looks pretty damn good! Acrylic/perspex bodies always end up being ridiculously heavy. I've played the Crimson Guitars Charlie Jones acyclic bass with the matching acrylic neck and it's just too heavy to take seriously as an instrument. I've also got one of the Wesley acrylic basses which is bearable for weight because it's got such a small body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Nice one, thumbs up from me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 where would one get a acrylic p-bass body? i like the idea very much... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 [quote name='AndyTravis' post='940121' date='Aug 30 2010, 05:14 PM']where would one get a acrylic p-bass body? i like the idea very much...[/quote] This was actually from an Axl - branded cheapo, I think they were around five or six years ago now. They come up from time to time on Ebay and don't tend to be very dear - which might be connected to the hideous headstocks they had: [attachment=57758:Img_3572.jpg] J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 (edited) hoho, super, cheers. ...dimensions wise, are they pretty bang on to a Fender? If i stuck a Fender Gregory on there, would i look like a berk? [url="http://www.eugenehechavarria.com/?p=216"]http://www.eugenehechavarria.com/?p=216[/url] or try and sell one as a rare Fender for £600! "Here is an ultra rare plexi glass Precision Bass. The body is made of lucite acrylic. See-through plexiglass. The neck is a 1997 Fender USA Precision Bass Classic series bass which features a slim Jazz Bass profile maple neck with a rosewood board. The original Fender tuning pegs are present. The pickup is a white capped EMG AXL passive Precision Bass Unit. The bass is finished with an amber-sparkle coloured pickguard." Sorry for the HiJack Edited August 30, 2010 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassPimp66 Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 WHAT A GREAT LOOKING BASS !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 It's a shame it doesn't play as well as it looks, because it looks really rather nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 [quote name='AndyTravis' post='940174' date='Aug 30 2010, 06:26 PM']hoho, super, cheers. ...dimensions wise, are they pretty bang on to a Fender? If i stuck a Fender Gregory on there, would i look like a berk?[/quote] I'd say it looks dead-on, I don't have a pukka Fender to hand for a comparison, though. As far as I can measure without ripping it all apart, the neck pocket's 64mm at its widest point, and 18mm deep. The original bridge had standard 5 screws at the back with 2 extra at the front so a Fender bent tin or Gotoh/BA2 replacements would drop right in. Pretty sure you'd need to drill new holes if you were going to use a different scratchplate, but like I said it's easy material to work with - just start the holes with a sharp bradawl and it drills like wood - with the added advantage that you can see exactly how deep you're going! Marvin - it doesn't play that badly, to be honest it needs a bit of setting up. I did the fretwork before I modded the headstock, and built it up to see how it played then & it was quite a bit better than it is now. The neck's moved a bit while it's been off the bass, & also I originally had ugly-looking wood shims in the neck pocket. Having swapped these for acrylic ones, I don't think the neck's sitting exactly the same in the pocket now, probably because wood's compressible & acrylic ain't. The alignment's shifted fractionally too - not a problem with the Schaller bridge, but annoying all the same. The single biggest problem with this bass is the weight - it's starting to make my house subside! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arsenic Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 It does look nice, and the headstock shaping went really well. - and I used to have the same desire for a see-through bass after seeing that very same picture on the Sabbath album cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 [quote name='Bassassin' post='940295' date='Aug 30 2010, 08:08 PM']Marvin - it doesn't play that badly, to be honest it needs a bit of setting up. I did the fretwork before I modded the headstock, and built it up to see how it played then & it was quite a bit better than it is now. The neck's moved a bit while it's been off the bass, & also I originally had ugly-looking wood shims in the neck pocket. Having swapped these for acrylic ones, I don't think the neck's sitting exactly the same in the pocket now, probably because wood's compressible & acrylic ain't. The alignment's shifted fractionally too - not a problem with the Schaller bridge, but annoying all the same. The single biggest problem with this bass is the weight - it's starting to make my house subside! J.[/quote] Sorry mate, must have read a bit too much into your post. More niggles than bl00dy awful then? I do like the comment on it's weight . It's definitely a looker. All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 You know, I'm surpised no-one cuts the acrylic bodies in half to put chambers in them to reduce the weight. Do a good enough job and it would probably look pretty goddamn sweet. Also Jon, you appear to have a dire case of the sparkles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Unfortunately cutting chambers into acrylic spoils the clean see-through lines. Its also really difficult to polish the inside surfaces to the same finish as the outside, so it won't have the same visual impact. Even the very expensive Charlie Jones bass made by Crimson Guitars doesn't look very good when you get a good look at it, as every internal cut surface expect for the control cavity has gone opaque. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Ha ha, I had forgotten about this. Nice work Jon, looks good. Perhaps a tripod thread would be a good addition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 I love it! Looks ace! I've always wanted a lucite bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted August 31, 2010 Author Share Posted August 31, 2010 [quote name='silddx' post='940846' date='Aug 31 2010, 12:12 PM']I love it! Looks ace! I've always wanted a lucite bass.[/quote] Me too - right up until I put it on a strap - oowwwww! I have to say I am delighted with how good it looks, and pleasantly surprised at the support I'm receiving for this act of utter folly! Band practice tonight - I'll get to find out which I succumb to first - spinal damage or the ridicule of my bandmates. Will I make it through an entire song? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 +1 for the love! What a great project and a very tastey looking Bass to boot! I really like the matching headstock and pickguard. A combo' you very rarely see! I also love how the cream pup cover matches with the maple fingerboard too - that's a really nice touch I think. 'Collars and cuffs' he he Defintely one of the nicest DIY projects I have seen on BC. Congrats and well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted September 3, 2010 Author Share Posted September 3, 2010 [quote name='dood' post='944657' date='Sep 3 2010, 03:52 PM']+1 for the love! What a great project and a very tastey looking Bass to boot! I really like the matching headstock and pickguard. A combo' you very rarely see! I also love how the cream pup cover matches with the maple fingerboard too - that's a really nice touch I think. 'Collars and cuffs' he he Defintely one of the nicest DIY projects I have seen on BC. Congrats and well done![/quote] Why thank you sir! I'm actually really chuffed you picked up on the pup/fretboard thing! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Is that a DFA switch? Amazing job on the headstock btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 That's fantastic, I want one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted September 13, 2010 Author Share Posted September 13, 2010 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='954644' date='Sep 13 2010, 12:51 PM']Is that a DFA switch? Amazing job on the headstock btw. [/quote] Incredibly, it's actually a fully functional series/parallel switch! I have a Westbury Track II with a DiMarzio Model P wired in the same way & I like the slightly brighter & thinner tone, works better in my band than a standard P thump, so I thought I'd bung one in this. Too bad the bloody thing makes my left arm go numb after 2 songs - back to the gym then! I was absolutely made up with how well the headstock worked - re-shaping it was very rewarding & good fun too, and the paint worked out much better than I had any reason to think it would. However, if I try & do another glitter/flake finish (and I think I will), I'll be trying this: [url="http://www.specialistpaints.com/product.php?p=flakes-canz"]http://www.specialistpaints.com/product.php?p=flakes-canz[/url] So much less stress! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.jpg.7e18f76540598a8efc0e6ca9be453059.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.