Warmoth Build: Jazz Bass V, 60s styling, modern twist!

[JimBobTTD]

[size=3][b]The idea:[/b][/size]

A Jazz Bass done in the old style - nitrocellulose finishing, passive electronics, Olympic White, but with 5 strings and modern hardware.

[size=3][b]Why?[/b][/size]

Because I don't have anything like it at the moment; I only have active basses which look rather modern. I have a blues project on the horizon which will require something more traditional and I have found that my EMG-loaded basses sound wicked in hard rock and metal, but their sound is far less suited to older and/or softer styles of music.

I wanted nitrocellulose for both the base coat and top coat because I believe that it makes for a more resonant instrument. I have a Strat which I finished in this way which sounds great and really feels alive when I play it. Many claim that this is snake oil / wishful thinking / rubbish and it may very well be, but I don't think so and besides, this is my project! So I went for nitrocellulose base and top coat.

The original plan was to do the finishing myself. However, with a baby on the way and nowhere to do the finishing other than inside our flat, that was vetoed. Instead, I have gone with a gentleman in Kentucky to do the finishing for me.

[size=3][b]The parts:[/b][/size]

A maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, 1 3/4" nut width, 10" radius, 6105 frets. There is "bonus flame" on the neck. It isn't very much, but it is a nice touch. The pictures aren't the best (I forgot to steal them from Warmoth's site before purchasing, so I don't have the hi-res versions. I have expanded the pics a bit, though):




This will have a slight tint on it.

[b]Alder body, top rout.[/b] This was not a "showcase" (made already) item, so it will be done by Warmoth now and so I don't have a pic. It will have the output jack on the side so I can use the Jazz control plate for volume, volume, tone and series/parallel switch. It is also going to have a double battery box on the back so if I ever want to change it to active and want 18v, I can.

[b]Hipshot A bridge, chrome (stock pic from Hipshot)[/b]


[b]Hipshot Ultralite Tuners, all chrome (stock pic from Hipshot)[/b]


[b]Seymour Duncan SJ5 67-70 set[/b]
I got these off Ebay. They were made for a custom builder and don't have the cheesy logo on the front. Score! [Pic later]

[b]Parts:[/b]

Gold string ferrules. I wanted a little flashiness which was just for me, and Warmoth were out of chrome and I wanted the neck before someone else jumped on it.

An array of Fender parts:
Neck plate
Control plate
Knobs
String guides x 2 (from wesfinn here)

Schaller strap buttons, chrome
A neck plate cushion.
CTS 250k pots
Orange Drop 0.047 capacitor

And that's about it. I don't think there will be all that much movement until the body and neck are done. It will take the finisher 4-6 weeks to get it all done (rather quickly, I think/fear) and a couple of weeks before that for Warmoth to get the parts to him. I'll put up the occasional update and some more pics when they are ready.

[JimBobTTD]

This is the style I am after, except without the relic aspect.

[henry norton]

Back to basics! Sounds really nice and will probably end up as your number one player. I don't particularly agree with the 'nitro sounds better' argument but I strongly believe the more pleased you are with the guitar - the more you like it - the better you play, which is as good a reason as any to go for cellulose. It'll certainly age better than most two pack finishes too.

[Soloshchenko]

Sounds awesome mate. In truth I prefer Warmoth projects when they are like these, kind of back to basics with no bells and whistles. Good luck with it, I think Warmoth quality is as good as anything you'll find.

[ThomBassmonkey]

If you don't mind me asking, in what ballpark is it going to cost? I've put up a thread elsewhere about buying a cheap-ish bass and doing some customising on it. Ordering the parts from somewhere like Warmoth is the other option but I don't realistically know how much it'd be.

[henry norton]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1120389' date='Feb 8 2011, 07:27 PM']If you don't mind me asking, in what ballpark is it going to cost? I've put up a thread elsewhere about buying a cheap-ish bass and doing some customising on it. Ordering the parts from somewhere like Warmoth is the other option but I don't realistically know how much it'd be. [/quote]
The prices of Warmoth stuff varies massively depending on what you want - if you're prepared to finish a body and neck yourself for instance you could save a couple of hundred quid when you take into account what they charge, special finishes and the dreaded VAT/Import Duty. Stuff like bound fingerboards and block inlays add allot to the price as do fancy facings on bodies. They have a pretty good 'neck & body builder' section so you will know exactly what the basic price will be for what you want, then add on shipping and duty etc (about 40 percent according to someone on the forum). One thing is certain though, they're NOT a cheap option but they are very nicely made and you can have pretty much anything you want.

[JimBobTTD]

I am fortunate in that I have a music company - this means that I can write off all costs to tax, plus VAT is refunded (it's more complicated than that, but you know what I mean). I am also fortunate in that the US dollar is weak and the Swedish krona is strong.

However, the costs are around $1000 excluding postage and tax. This includes parts. My parts list is as follows:

Body
Neck
Neck Plate
Neck Plate Screws
Neck Plate Pad
Machineheads
String Guide x 2
Bridge
Ferrules x 5
Pickups
Pickup mounting foam
Capacitor
Pots
Toggle switch
Jack plate
Jack socket
Knobs
Scratchplate
Control Plate
Screws etc
Strap buttons
Sanding Sealer
White finish
Clear Laquer
Wire
Shielding tape
Decal
Battery Box

Although I have decided not to finish it myself this time round.

[umcoo]

Looks good Jim, I'm currently planning a Warmoth of my own.

Quick question - if you have a neck or body made/finished, do Warmoth take the payment before or after it's complete? I've only bought from the Showcase before and never had anything 'custom' made for me that takes a few weeks.

Cheers

[SisterAbdullahX]

[quote name='JimBobTTD' post='1107834' date='Jan 30 2011, 07:25 AM'][size=3][b]The idea:[/b][/size]

A Jazz Bass done in the old style - nitrocellulose finishing, passive electronics, Olympic White, but with 5 strings and modern hardware.

[size=3][b]Why?[/b][/size]

Because I don't have anything like it at the moment; I only have active basses which look rather modern. I have a blues project on the horizon which will require something more traditional and I have found that my EMG-loaded basses sound wicked in hard rock and metal, but their sound is far less suited to older and/or softer styles of music.

I wanted nitrocellulose for both the base coat and top coat because I believe that it makes for a more resonant instrument. I have a Strat which I finished in this way which sounds great and really feels alive when I play it. Many claim that this is snake oil / wishful thinking / rubbish and it may very well be, but I don't think so and besides, this is my project! So I went for nitrocellulose base and top coat.

The original plan was to do the finishing myself. However, with a baby on the way and nowhere to do the finishing other than inside our flat, that was vetoed. Instead, I have gone with a gentleman in Kentucky to do the finishing for me.

[size=3][b]The parts:[/b][/size]

A maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, 1 3/4" nut width, 10" radius, 6105 frets. There is "bonus flame" on the neck. It isn't very much, but it is a nice touch. The pictures aren't the best (I forgot to steal them from Warmoth's site before purchasing, so I don't have the hi-res versions. I have expanded the pics a bit, though):




This will have a slight tint on it.

[b]Alder body, top rout.[/b] This was not a "showcase" (made already) item, so it will be done by Warmoth now and so I don't have a pic. It will have the output jack on the side so I can use the Jazz control plate for volume, volume, tone and series/parallel switch. It is also going to have a double battery box on the back so if I ever want to change it to active and want 18v, I can.

[b]Hipshot A bridge, chrome (stock pic from Hipshot)[/b]


[b]Hipshot Ultralite Tuners, all chrome (stock pic from Hipshot)[/b]


[b]Seymour Duncan SJ5 67-70 set[/b]
I got these off Ebay. They were made for a custom builder and don't have the cheesy logo on the front. Score! [Pic later]

[b]Parts:[/b]

Gold string ferrules. I wanted a little flashiness which was just for me, and Warmoth were out of chrome and I wanted the neck before someone else jumped on it.

An array of Fender parts:
Neck plate
Control plate
Knobs
String guides x 2 (from wesfinn here)

Schaller strap buttons, chrome
A neck plate cushion.
CTS 250k pots
Orange Drop 0.047 capacitor

And that's about it. I don't think there will be all that much movement until the body and neck are done. It will take the finisher 4-6 weeks to get it all done (rather quickly, I think/fear) and a couple of weeks before that for Warmoth to get the parts to him. I'll put up the occasional update and some more pics when they are ready.[/quote]

Sounds great mate. Here's some pictures of mine to keep you going.

Basic finishes are much more tasteful, in my opinion. A quick glance through the Warmoth Gallery shows up how people generally get carried away when ordering their Warmoth parts and end up with a bass that looks way over the top cos they couldn't resist the flame maple top, the birds eye edge bound fingerboard and the pearl scratchplate. Keep it simple! (Having said that, I'm seriously tempted by a nice Baltic Amber scratchplate for mine, I just don't know if I can bring myself to take a screwdriver to my lovely bass).

Edited February 8, 2011 by SisterAbdullahX

[JimBobTTD]

Warmoth took payment first.

Nice bass, SisterAbdullahX!

[AttitudeCastle]

[quote name='henry norton' post='1120428' date='Feb 8 2011, 06:47 PM']The prices of Warmoth stuff varies massively depending on what you want - if you're prepared to finish a body and neck yourself for instance you could save a couple of hundred quid when you take into account what they charge, special finishes and the dreaded VAT/Import Duty. Stuff like bound fingerboards and block inlays add allot to the price as do fancy facings on bodies. They have a pretty good 'neck & body builder' section so you will know exactly what the basic price will be for what you want, then add on shipping and duty etc (about 40 percent according to someone on the forum). One thing is certain though, they're NOT a cheap option but they are very nicely made and you can have pretty much anything you want.[/quote]

[url="http://www.dutycalculator.com/"]http://www.dutycalculator.com/[/url]

^(found By 7string)

Should calculate it for you!

Depends on the price of shipping your getting through warmoth however!

[JimBobTTD]

I have heard from my man in Kentucky that the parts have arrived and "look really good".

He asked me whether I wanted clear gloss or vintage tint on the neck - I asked for something in the middle, or, if not possible, just clear. He knows what he is doing, so I shall leave this to Fate.

All the parts have now arrived. I'll take photos of them and edit the first post to replace the stock photos when I get some time.

I had a sneaky go on a Fender Jazz V in The Gallery in Camden the other day. It felt very nice indeed...I am really looking forward to having my bass ready!

[Wil]

Can't wait to see how this looks. Far prefer the 4 + 1 headstock on a Jazz V too, looks far better than Fender's 5 in a row layout.

[eude]

+1 Hate the 5 in-line headstock too, looks off balance somehow, plus mini tuners look weird in a Fender headstock.
Can't wait to see how this pans out mate

Eude

[JimBobTTD]

Not much going on right now, but I took some pictures.

Here are the parts I'm using:

l-r, top: "F" neck plate; Jazz Bass knobs; Fender screws (I think I went a little over the top here - any old screws would have been ok!); Fender string guide x 2; Hipshot bridge (brass, chrome finish, 0.687" spacing)
l-r, bottom: neck plate cushion; foam for pickups; Schaller strap-locks; Fender Jazz control plate (with 3 x CTS pots and a DPDT toggle switch in place); Hipshot Ultralite tuners; Seymour Duncan 67-70 pickups

Close-up of the bridge


And the pickups:

and

Edited March 5, 2011 by JimBobTTD

[JimBobTTD]

And a quick plug for Guitar Parts Resource too, while I'm at it.

The Hipshot tuners look great, but one came without its screw. A quick email off to sales@gui... telling them the situation was responded to within 30 minutes and a screw was sent out the next day. No fuss at all.

[JimBobTTD]

The body and neck have been sent and have now cleared customs - I should have them with me on Monday or Tuesday.

The guy who finished the body sent me a photo, apologising for the picture quality:

Edited May 28, 2011 by JimBobTTD

[JimBobTTD]

Updates:

The body and neck arrived yesterday. I have had a quick fiddle with stuff. There have been disappointments but also plenty of joy.

First, the joy. In photos.

The body:


The neck:



Battery box and ferrules installed:


Shielding in place under bridge and a wire to the control cavity (which was soldered to the copper tape):


Bridge on:


Arty shot:


That's all for today.

The disappointments:

Pickups do not fit. I don't know how, but I managed to get the wrong set!
Scratchplate has a mighty big gap by the control plate. I'll contact Warmoth and see if they will still honour its return.
Hipshot tuner - I don't have the right size Allen key to change the tuner from right to left handed.
Output jack plate - I think I want a football one rather than the square plate.

[JimBobTTD]

But the real joy was finding that the Hipshot tuners fit in the neck without needing to widen the holes. JOY!!!

[gjones]

[quote name='JimBobTTD' post='1253049' date='Jun 1 2011, 07:28 PM']Scratchplate has a mighty big gap by the control plate. I'll contact Warmoth and see if they will still honour its return.[/quote]


Remember there's usually room to move the control plate around a bit to fit the scratchplate. Try that before going to the bother of returning it. I've fitted many scratchplates and they're never a 100% fit.

[JimBobTTD]

This is about a 5mm gap. The angle on the scratchplate is too much. I'll scan it in tomorrow and/or take a photo or two. The gap is quite huge.

[JimBobTTD]

Right...

I have decided to keep the scratchplate. I can live with a couple of mm either side - it will add character. This is, after all, not a machine-made bass.

Since my last update, I have shielded the pickup cavities and marked out where to drill for the tuners. The new set of pickups arrived along with the new output jack plate.

The biggest thing was reversing the tuner post on the 5th tuner. This was NOT an easy task. I stripped the screw on all 5 tuners. I was stuck. I had a 1/8" allen key which fit, but the screws had been monster tightened and my key was just twirling round in the hole and stripping it.

Finally, I gave up. What was the worst that could happen? I chucked one in the freezer in the hope that the metal would contract a little bit. It worked - I then used a set of pliers to grab the screw and loosen it. Amazingly, the plastic washer survived and I was able to unscrew the rest using the allen key.

I had done a search and a Talkbass thread came up with a chap with the same problem. He had been sent an allen key by Hipshot and said it was a 3/32" key. This may have been the case, but my 3/32" key was far too big. It needed a 1/8" key. Note that metric keys do not work as they are either too small or too large.

[JimBobTTD]

Probably the final update before pics of the finished product...

I have drilled the holes for the tuners and put them on. Strings are on the bass going through the body. I don't quite know how, but I put the strings on really badly. I cut them too short and so there are not even a full winding on the posts for most of them.

The Fender string retainers I had (see pic above) are too big. The narrowest point on their undersides forces the strings off their normal path; the strings take an oval path rather than the dead straight path they should. I shall be putting a couple of Hipshot string retainers on - the 2 string and 3 string ones - and selling the Fender parts on at some point. The bass needs retainers - the strings are almost out of the nut and vibrate very unmusically when played. The Hipshot 3-string seems to be out of stock from US shops with honest postage prices, so I'll have to wait a good while for it.

The bass is so nearly finished but unplayable! I'll drill holes for the scratchplate and control plate and wire it up soon.

[JimBobTTD]

I had a word with Warmoth. Rob there says that Fender use about three different control plates, which explains why my Fender and the one with the John East Retro do not fit. My options are to buy their control plate or reshape the scratchplate or live with it.

I shall buy one of their control plates and drill holes for the East preamp in it. No hurry - I'm still waiting for Hipshot to supply parts shops with their string retainers.

[JimBobTTD]

Warmoth control plate arrived yesterday. I have now put on both the scratchplate and the control plate. The Fender screws were a great idea - they are a little darker than expected, perhaps even a little "smoked" chrome in their colour. Anyway, they look great.

The East plate, as expected, doesn't fit the screw holes left by the Warmoth plate at all. I shall wire the bass and play with the passive sound. Something tells me that the East preamp will find its way back on to the For Sale forum here. Taking it apart and drilling holes in the new plate whilst hoping it will fit seems a little drastic now, in the cold light of day.

Next step: wiring. And waiting for Hipshot string retainers to become available...