5 string Stingray Bass Build

[andruca]

Sorry to hear your conversion didn't work. I'm just in the process of doing this to an 88€ thomann kit I've had for a couple years (already modded: strung BEAD from day 0, reversed the P pickup, added a J pickup, added an S1 switch). Still some final touches to go (a threaded insert from the new bridge interferes with the bridge's ground cable hole -so far going "open air"-, pickups have been slightly moved so "routing" looks bad, probably need a new pickguard + some frame around the J pickup, or frames on both, I really like the distressed mirror guard), but so far it plays OK. I got a MM style bridge with 16mm spacing and a cramped enough metal nut, and my strings aren't as close to the edge as yours, and maintain that distance throughout all the neck. Still under 140€ even after all the mods, this kit has been a lot of fun. Didn't even mind making new sound samples, it sounds exactly as it did before (samples here, here & here), string balance is great (even tho' you can clearly see the A string is in no man's land over the J pickup). Also seized the oportunity to make this sorta' distressed Pino red refinish.

Edited October 10, 2018 by andruca

[Jimothey]

Now that the telebass is virtually done my attention is going to be back on this build, I'm going to order the 5 string neck next week hopefully they don't put it on a really slow boat from China!! 

[Jimothey]

The plan was to get this build back underway when the 5 string neck arrived but after 2 months and quite a few emails no neck arrived but I did get a refund for it in the end, so now I'm hoping to order another neck and get it back on track..........

Im still going to do a 5 string with Yellow body with Black pickguard and Chrome hardware but I can't decide on whether to do a 50s Tele or Precision style?? 

I'm really feeling the 50s Tele style but I've been trying to find a 5 string Tele bass pickup but I can't find one, I can't afford to go down the route of a handmade pickup so if I can't find one for a reasonable price I might have to change the pickup choice?? 

I don't know if I really want to do the split coil look as the Mike Dirnt look has been done a lot any different pickup idea's please??..............😀 

Edited April 29, 2019 by Jimothey

[Si600]

Here's your neck pickup (sort of)

https://www.musikhaus-zoelch.de/mec-single-lipstick-passive-pu-4-5-string?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnpXmBRDUARIsAEo71tR-aHRPqVxhaHNpTE9bbHLFjjiIA399Arg6-cq__M6-chpHAvR14J4aAg_eEALw_wcB

I think that you're looking at MM, JB or soapbars if you don't want a split P pickup. Nordstrand or Delano or Bertolini. @Jabba_the_gut put a Delano hybrid in one of his shorties, I can't remember what it sounded like though!

[Jimothey]

Just come across this I know its a 70s ish style but it might work as a 50s aswell?? 

But I'm thinking just 1 soapbar at the neck position?? 🤔 

[Woodinblack]

I am not a fan of the old telecaster style slab p basses (well, not even P basses in general), but that looks very nice - what is it?

[Jimothey]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

I am not a fan of the old telecaster style slab p basses (well, not even P basses in general), but that looks very nice - what is it?

The only info I could find out about it is it was made by a Germany company called Hotwire they call it the Vintage 51 Passive Blonde Electric Bass...... 😀

Edited April 29, 2019 by Jimothey

[Jimothey]

I've decided to remake the body as I want to do it in a 50s slab body style and it's going to be made out of Pine 

The blank is all cut and ready to glue up luckily I've got some really clear pine so I won't have to worry about any knots.......... 😀 

[kodiakblair]

Can't beat a slab pine body :-). 

Did you roughly mark pickup and control cavity positions then drill the hook up wire hole before gluing the body together? 

I'll be trying that if there's another build. 

 

[Jimothey]

56 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

Can't beat a slab pine body :-). 

Did you roughly mark pickup and control cavity positions then drill the hook up wire hole before gluing the body together? 

I'll be trying that if there's another build. 

 

Nah I'll just drill it out when the cavities have been routed as I am prone to changing my mind about stuff halfway thru the build........... 😀 

[kodiakblair]

1 hour ago, Jimothey said:

Nah I'll just drill it out when the cavities have been routed as I am prone to changing my mind about stuff halfway thru the build........... 😀 

I was for single coil,no scratchplate and rear mounted pots. Little margin for error with that so planned on pre-drilling before hand.

 

Course the pine arrived in one big bloody block 😃

[SpondonBassed]

3 hours ago, Jimothey said:

as I am prone to changing my mind about stuff halfway thru the build........... 😀 

Really?  I'd never had noticed if you hadn't mentioned it.

Heeheehee

[Jimothey]

I'm having a bit of a play with the pickup config I can't decide if I should go for 1 soapbar or 2??

I think I prefer 1 in the neck position as its a bit more traditional?? 

Opinions please............... 😀 

 

Edited April 30, 2019 by Jimothey

[ezbass]

Depends what you're hoping to achieve tonally. I like the look of the 2 p/up set up, but it's not my build.

[Jimothey]

Body is all cut template on ready to trim it with my flush cut router.............. 😀 

[SpondonBassed]

Keep it simple with one pick up.

[Woodinblack]

2 pickup - gives a look of something different rather than just another slab bodied P

 

[BreadBin]

I vote 2, too. 🙂

[kodiakblair]

Mine's is another vote for 2 pickups  🙂

[Jimothey]

Thanks everyone! I do like the idea of the simple/traditional-ish 1 pickup as pointed out by @SpondonBassed but then @Woodinblack makes a good point it might kind of look quite generic just with a different style pickup where as I know you can get P/J 50s style Tele basses but I've never seen one with 2 soapbar pickups so I'm thinking that maybe that's the way to go..........😀 

 

[Jimothey]

Just had a thought if I go with the 2 pickups I would probably wire it the same as a Jazz so that means 3 knobs and I've just bought my control plate I wonder if I'd have enough room to drill another hole in it or would the knobs be far too close together?? 🤔 

 

[Pea Turgh]

Stack knob/s?

[Jimothey]

8 minutes ago, Pea Turgh said:

Stack knob/s?

Good shout! I've never had or wired up stack knobs so please forgive my ignorance but can you set them up so you have volume on top and tone one the bottom or vice-versa?

[Pea Turgh]

Just now, Jimothey said:

Good shout! I've never had or wired up stack knobs so please forgive my ignorance but can you set them up so you have volume on top and tone one the bottom or vice-versa?

I bet @KiOgon could wire it to make tea.  I have no idea though.  Sounds plausible (maybe not the tea bit though).

[Woodinblack]

I would wire them up so you had two volumes stacked and a separate tone (like a jazz but stacked). Or just two volumes.