Rumple Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I bought a very cheap Chinese 5 string Stingray copy last year just to see what you can get for just over £100, although amazing value as you can imagine it wasn't Exactly top quality but the body isn't too bad, jump forward a few months and I was lucky to acquired a well used and modified OLP neck so I decided I would try and marry the two together, a bit daunting for me as I'm not that practical. Here are the parts: [attachment=214041:IMAG0932 lr.jpg] I found myself at a loose end yesterday and got started by adding tuners to the neck, I then made a pigs ear of extending the neck pocket, with hindsight this wasn't the time to be using a router for the 1st time amazingly the neck fitted despite the rather inaccurate routing, I've had to shim the neck pocket though to get the action right. I then used my Dremel plus some files and sandpaper to modify the scratchplate, now that the neck comes further into the body the plate is a bit too long really but I might keep it like that as it covers up a lot of my shabby work! Here's where I'm at: [attachment=214042:IMAG0945 lr.jpg] Things left to do include, stripping and painting it white, replacing the fugly bridge with something a bit more MM like, redoing the weird 1 Volume 2 Tone control wiring, in general I prefer passive basses but I do have a 2 band Stinger circuit I could use in this, I also need to put a finish on the neck. It's never going to be a top quality instrument but hopefully it will turn out to be a perfectly serviceable backup bass. Don't hold your breath but more will follow as and when it happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmettC Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I would definitely go with the stinger preamp, and if the bass works well when it's finished it might be worth getting a Seymour Duncan MM pickup for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted March 7, 2016 Author Share Posted March 7, 2016 [quote name='EmmettC' timestamp='1457275517' post='2996924'] I would definitely go with the stinger preamp, and if the bass works well when it's finished it might be worth getting a Seymour Duncan MM pickup for it. [/quote] I bought the pre amp to build into a pedal but never got around to it so it does make sense to use it in this build. I was considering a Nordstrand pickup but soon realised it would double how much I'd spent on the bass as you suggest I'll wait until it's finished before deciding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmettC Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 I have Nordstrand in my Stingray, it is great well worth it if the bass turns out well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted May 27, 2016 Author Share Posted May 27, 2016 Started stripping the finish off the body today, I really should have realised a cheap bass like this didn't have a one piece body, the grain is a photo [attachment=220090:IMG_20160527_134749 lr.jpg] [attachment=220091:IMG_20160527_134745 lr.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 (edited) Stripped most of the finish off, just bit a of glue to go, the front and back were easy to do as the paper pealed off in chunks, the sides were a pain. I cut a hole for the battery box and the two for the new bridge. As the neck pocket was messy and it needed shimming anyway I made one from some sheets of vaneer by gluing some together and cutting to size, the same material was used to even out the sides of the neck pocket where it's narrows to accommodate the slimmer OLP neck. I also had to slim down the neck pocket on the G string side. I had to reshaper the control cavity to take the Stinger Pre Amp, it's still a pretty tight fit though. On Sunday I put the whole thing together to make sure everything works, sure enough it didn't and I had to move the bridge slightly but after that everything lined, the action was good and it played nicely. So I just need some decent weather to get out in the garden for some more sanding and spraying the primer. [attachment=221512:IMG_20160614_093504 lr.jpg] [attachment=221513:IMG_20160614_093515 lr.jpg] Edited June 14, 2016 by Rumple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Excellent to see the progress on this, Rumple. That looks a decent bit of wood underneath it all. The sections look to be pretty similar colour (sometimes they look like a zebra crossing!). How many sections is it? Also, what colour and finish are you planning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Just re-read the thread...you are planning white? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 Hi Andy, I think it's four bits, it's hardly top quality timber but considering the whole bass that the body came from was just over £110 new I'm surprised it wasn't a lot worse. I'm undecided on colour now! it was going to be white but I might go for a sort of Maroon colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 I've started to apply the colour, it's cheap paint from Ebay so I was a little worried about the colour as it was just described as 'Maroon' but I'm liking it For starters I'll put the bass together with the adapted black pickguard but I'm thinking a cream one would look good with this body colour. [attachment=224064:IMG_20160722_103416 lr.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted August 7, 2016 Share Posted August 7, 2016 Somehow missed the update on this! Looking good from here Any more progress since your last post? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share Posted August 8, 2016 [quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1470569391' post='3106750'] Any more progress since your last post? [/quote] Not a lot as I have had a relative staying for the last few weeks, I did manage to get another coat of paint on and drill the hole from the battery compartment to the control cavity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 [quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1470640931' post='3107198'] Not a lot as I have had a relative staying for the last few weeks, I did manage to get another coat of paint on and drill the hole from the battery compartment to the control cavity. [/quote] Every little helps - 'every step is a step closer' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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