Advice: Building my own bass with no experience

[MemphisStone]

... actually not quite as dramatic as it sounds, I've actually found a guitar builder local to me who runs one-to-one workshops where you build the guitar together. Learning the art of being a luthier as you go!

I'm going for a four-string fretless. So, I've negotiated the woods conversation (I'm going for ebony fretboard, walnut body, maple kneck, pear for line markers), but I'm now onto pickups.

I know this is really subjective and all about personal taste, but I'm looking for some suggestions around pickups that will give me good rich sound with a little bit of growl. (Was thinking of trying to reverse engineer the electronic on my Wal, but apparently that's out of the question )

So, have been recommended to look at

[url="http://www.delano.de/home.html"]Delano[/url]

[url="http://www.oilcitypickups.co.uk/index.html"]Oil City[/url]

[url="http://nordstrandpickups.com/"]Nordstrand [/url]

I like the sound of the Delano Hybrids, but I'd be really interested to get some other people's thoughts or recommendations.

Edited January 13, 2017 by MemphisStone

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='MemphisStone' timestamp='1484301974' post='3214431']

walnut body (various discussions have lead me to believe walnut is around the best for fretless),

but I'm now onto pickups.

I know this is really subjective and all about personal taste, but I'm looking for some suggestions around pickups that will give me good rich sound with a little bit of growl.


I like the sound of the Delano Hybrids, but I'd be really interested to get [b][u]smoother[/u][/b] people thoughts or recommendations.
[/quote]

First quote is possibly one of the most contentious issues in the bass playing world (along with is Adam Clayton a good bass player), so stand by for fireworks!!

Secondly, I'm presuming smoother was a typo or auto-correct?

Thirdly, for growl have a look at Nordstrand Big Splits or Big Singles. Can't find the clip I wanted, or anything with fretless, but here's something from the forum: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/185313-nordstrand-big-singles-clip/page__p__1785207__hl__ibanez%20premium__fromsearch__1#entry1785207"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/185313-nordstrand-big-singles-clip/page__p__1785207__hl__ibanez%20premium__fromsearch__1#entry1785207[/url]

[MemphisStone]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1484312186' post='3214577']
First quote is possibly one of the most contentious issues in the bass playing world (along with is Adam Clayton a good bass player), so stand by for fireworks!!

[/quote]

Haha that's probably true...

Yeah the "smoother" was indeed an autospell typo!

And thanks … I'll take a look at the Nordstrand p/ups now!

[TheGreek]

If you're planning on keeping the bass long term may I suggest the SimS system which enables each pick up to be either a J/P or humbucker. A pair gives 15 different permeatations - if you're not happy with one of those there's probably no hope. The p/ups are about £200 each but worth it if you're keeping the bass.

There's a thread here somewhere about the SimS system, alternatively check out YT.

[Dazed]

ACG would be worth checking out too. I have a Delano hybrid MM/ jazz pickup and Sonar preamp that I'm contemplating putting in a Warwick. I'll get round to it one day.

A Public Peace demo of the Hybrid.

http://youtu.be/AuAM6lwi9K0

How about a Haussel Triplebucker

http://youtu.be/UuhlWTD1htQ

Or a Bassculture Quad!

http://youtu.be/aQEira_p6gU

Edited January 27, 2017 by Dazed

[fiatcoupe432]

just go for a nice piezo pickup , you want be disappointed

[MemphisStone]

Been a bit busy of late... Thanks for the suggestions above.