AndyTravis Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 (edited) My first Ever bass, a Yamaha BB300 is rarely used, And I've held onto it for purely sentimental reasons. But during a break from recording recently, I sat down and played it for hours - 'What a great bass' I thought. But, I was hankering after a bit of a different sound. I'm way too skint to buy anything at all, so a bit of good fortune, and scavving about, and I came up with an idea. So I had a rummage in the Parts bin at work, found a Gibson style mudbucker we'd rescued from a smashed up bass, some Vox Amp knobs and my mate announced he'd just taken up a sideline in Spraying car parts. I've always liked the sound of the Billy Sheehan Yamaha, and the old Gibson basses. So I took a 'botch it and see' approach. I'm not a luthier, and my tool kit is limited, so there may be a few of you cringeing at my crude methods, but I just thought i'd share the hilarity of it all. I'm actually pretty happy so far. I centred the pickup cover, and screwed it into position so I knew where to start. Then I marked it all out with a Bradawl. I had no Router, so I 'Honeycombed' the cavity. This was all done in about 30 mins - Looks like it too!!! Edited July 7, 2011 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 By the end of day one, I had found my new Control Knobs...and a bass with holes in it. So day 2, went round to my Dads, he's got lots of lovely tools in his shed. Sharpened up some chisels and got rid of the Honeycombed wood. Added a Chanel for the cables to get through to the control cavity. Also routed out the new edgemounted Jack socket hole for a Neutrik Locking jack I had lying about. Decided on V/V/T Setup, although I did consider a Selector Switch like the BB Reissues. By the end of this, i'd smoothed out the rough edges on the cavity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 (edited) Oh, and note for anyone indulging in a bit of D.I.Y. Steer clear of Decking, lost a pickup screw down a slot, and ended up pulling some decking up to find it... Thank god we had the tools out. Edited June 27, 2011 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 (edited) So we finished day two with a pickup cavity, routs for cables and all the hardware was off and packed up. Day 3... Dropped it to my mate who's going to refin it... And he's decidied to fill any dents, I wasn't too bothered, but he obviously is! But here are all the parts bagged up. And He's sanded it back to a flat finish, and filled in some of the bigger dings and dents. Today I went round to see it, drill some holes for the jack to screw into, and choose a colour. Ella also had a check, what with her being the expert - Inbetween picking fresh Strawberries my mate grows in his greenhouse! Dark Metallic Blue It is! Should be all ready to go to my Electronics man by the end of the week for his much tider than mine soldering. Edited June 27, 2011 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 To test colours, he Sprayed a few of his old racing helmets to show me (Stock Car, Formula 2), this colour is beautiful in the flesh... So i've gone for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 My first bass was a BB300 (I wish I still had it even though it was a rather drab poo brown) so this thread has my interest on nostalgic level at the least, never mind the stirling work you appear to have in a very short space of time. Really looking forward to the finished article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 [quote name='ezbass' post='1284438' date='Jun 27 2011, 06:16 PM']My first bass was a BB300 (I wish I still had it even though it was a rather drab poo brown) so this thread has my interest on nostalgic level at the least, never mind the stirling work you appear to have in a very short space of time. Really looking forward to the finished article.[/quote] Yeah, this bass plays perfectly, and because it's a bass i've lived with for 14 years, I really want it to see use. I know hacking into a Jap Yamaha BB300 may be sacrelidge to some, but I will be using this quite a lot. We've started our 2nd Album and I really want a different set of sounds to the Jazzes and Precisions I'd used previously. I'm moving quickly so it doesn't end up as an unfinished project in the loft, as I have done before. It will be strung with Flatwounds I've saved from a bass I sold last month. For reference, i'll be keeping the Original bits should I wish to return it to stock in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Great stuff, Andy I love the 'get on with it and what the eye don't see, the heart don't grieve after' approach Great, great colour too. Looking forward to see how the finished article turns out.. I think the VVT option is by far the best, too. There's usually a 'sweet' spot with the bridge on full and the neck reduced usually to around 80% - you can hear it hit as you're turning the neck volume. I'm intrigued to see where the spot is on this combination! It should look and sound the dogs whatsits! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 Well I'm excited, and the damage is done now, so feck it. Ken the lad doing the spraying is a bit nervous having really only tackled wing Mirror covers and his stock car before now, but he's really going in depth on the prep and I've explained that it need not be 100% showroom perfect as it's going to see heavy usage straight away. And after all it's both of our first attempt at something like this. Running cost so far £0.00 Think I'm going to budget in a crate of Stella for the lad doing the wiring, and I'll sort Ken with the cost of his materials, probably £25 ish, he's not charging labour as he's recovering from some minor surgery and just 'wanted something to do'. Really looking forward to it all coming together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 It's had an undercoat, very excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Spray work done, will post photos later, looks amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 New pictures! Went to see the bass today, and considering he's never tackled a bass before I am very impresed! He's worried about a few bumps on the bass he didn't spot before spraying, but it's nothing I'm too bothered about! The only minor thing was a Fly having got stuck near the new jack socket while the clear coat was going on...but that's the great outdoors for you. He's letting it all harden then he's going to see if it's something he can remedy! It's got another few coats of clear and then a buffing to go through. But so far so good, and i'd be happy to take it out gigging like this, but I recknon he won't let it leave until he's 100% happy with it. I reckon i'll be putting it all back together by Wednesday/Thursday next week now. In the meantime, Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROConnell Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Looks great! Loving this thread so far. I have a Yamaha BB350 and it's great. Yamaha do a good job. Looking forward to the finished product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Would love to see your bb350 in electric Blue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROConnell Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 [quote name='AndyTravis' post='1288231' date='Jun 30 2011, 09:15 PM']Would love to see your bb350 in electric Blue![/quote] Album [url="http://s889.photobucket.com/albums/ac93/iGeoff/Yamaha%20BB350%201994/"]here[/url]. Not quite sure on the Electric Blue colour if I'm honest, that was guesswork. 1994 built. Yamaha decal removed due to my Dad sanding it off to put the neck on a Ibanez Blazer Body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Looks lovely, like Lake Placid Blue... I'm deffo looking for more BB's once i've paid off a few things... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkstrike Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 This is freakin' awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 [quote name='Darkstrike' post='1288461' date='Jul 1 2011, 12:39 AM']This is freakin' awesome![/quote] Yeah, it's looking great, getting impatient now though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 [quote name='AndyTravis' post='1284399' date='Jun 27 2011, 05:45 PM']To test colours, he Sprayed a few of his old racing helmets to show me (Stock Car, Formula 2), this colour is beautiful in the flesh... So i've gone for this.[/quote] MB1. Fnarr Fnarr! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Today I started making a Thumb-rest. Thought i was happy enough with it, but looking at the photos I may Redo it. Then came the phonecall... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 "It's no good mate, I've had to sand it back, these dings were winding me up!" Urgh...Ken the Painter has gone backwards when we were close to the end, I admire his dedication, but I wanted to be recording with this bass at the weekend... So back 2 steps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 Might be finished...pics to follow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 So it's all done, barr a bit of soldering to be done tomorrow. Needs a setup as i've changed the bridge out. And the Chromes are pulling the neck a bit too, so truss rod will be getting a tweak. And yes, i'll have to turn the Neutrik Jack around...I am a dopey sod sometimes. But yeah, pretty chuffed, looks great, and hopefull will sound ace. Only minor issue I had during the refit was the screws I got with the bidge were utter garbage and one sheared off - A bit of a fight with some mole grips and it's all sorted, using the old Yamaha screws! Hope you like it, going to try and record something this weekend with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jondeeman Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Fantastic job. It's a unique piece, and I bet it sounds the biz. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkstrike Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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