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5-string fretless PJ build


JimBobTTD
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I thought I had better start a new thread - the original plans have changed so much that the [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/183423-warmoth-build-fretless-jazz-bass-v-60s-styling-modern-twist/"]old thread[/url] is no longer valid.


The new plan: a 5-string Precision, fretless. The neck and body are being made by BC's very own nugget.

Neck: flamed maple, ebony (lined) fingerboard, Hipshot Ultralite tuners (chrome), Hipshot 3 & 2 string guides (chrome), finished in clear nitro gloss.

Body: alder, front routed, Hipshot A bridge (.687"/17.5mm spacing, chrome), Nordstrand NP5 and NJ5F pickups, tortoise scratchplate, side-mounted jack. On the back: double battery box and gold ferrules. I shall finish the body myself in white. The bass will likely be wired up to be passive, but I want the option of having a preamp in there too. My Jazz has a battery box but is passive.

The neck is going to be a clone of my Warmoth so I can swap the necks about. I shall be putting in a bolt system when they are done.

Progress photos so far:

Flame maple for the neck:



Moulds being taken of my Warmoth:



and that's all for now!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Some updates:

Neck has been cut:


Truss-rod has been put in and glued:

And a pic of the back. Just look at that flame! Look at it!

Furthermore, the ebony has been sourced. It is about as black and smooth as possible.




To say that I am chuffed to bits is an understatement!

I have also ordered the bridge, oval jack plate and the ferrules. I still need to order the battery box, pickups, preamp and knobs. I have the Hipshot Ultralite tuners and Hipshot string retainers.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Dave has been busy this weekend. He has shaped the body and done a fair bit of routing:



The scratchplate is a modified 4-string one that Dave picked up from someone on here a while back but he doesn't remember the make of it. The neck pickup is a 4-string one he has hanging around.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Updates!


A bit of sanding left to do on the neck and then Dave will put nitro on it. As for the body, Dave says that there is a bit of sanding to do there and then it will be ready, pending battery box. I shall prepare my spraying area at home and load up on white nitro!

The neck has had Luminlay inlay dots put in it and Dave put the tuners from my Warmoth on it too. He also put in the bolt system thing as I am not going to have standard neck screws on this neck or my Warmoth.

Pics (and lots of them!):

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Looking very nice indeed.

it might just be the camera angle or something but it looks a little bit like the scratch plate on the bottom horn doesn't quite follow the horn's shape? as I say it may just be lens distortion or something.

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[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1369727605' post='2091912']
it might just be the camera angle or something but it looks a little bit like the scratch plate on the bottom horn doesn't quite follow the horn's shape? as I say it may just be lens distortion or something.
[/quote]

The scratchplate is just really just a template for the neck joint / pickups for Jim to make one, it was a scrap one that I had kicking about and you are right, it looks a bit thin on the lower horn :D

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[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1369685134' post='2091669']
Bolt system thing?
[/quote]

Sorry! I couldn't remember what it was called. It's an insert which means that you use bolts rather than screws, so you can change necks etc without stripping the neck's holes. I still can't remember what they are called.

[quote name='nugget' timestamp='1369774628' post='2092698']
The scratchplate is just really just a template for the neck joint / pickups for Jim to make one, it was a scrap one that I had kicking about and you are right, it looks a bit thin on the lower horn :D
[/quote]

Thanks for the explanation!

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[quote name='JimBobTTD' timestamp='1369776996' post='2092723']
Sorry! I couldn't remember what it was called. It's an insert which means that you use bolts rather than screws, so you can change necks etc without stripping the neck's holes. I still can't remember what they are called.
[/quote]

Ah that sounds like a good idea :D

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[quote name='nugget' timestamp='1369774628' post='2092698']
The scratchplate is just really just a template for the neck joint / pickups for Jim to make one, it was a scrap one that I had kicking about and you are right, it looks a bit thin on the lower horn :D
[/quote]

See I knew there would be a perfectly good reason :)

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