Pea Turgh Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Hello friends. Inspired by recent builds, I’ve purchased a Warman Musicman style pickup, and need some other stuff to put around it. I had a Musicman copy I (orchestrated rather than) built around 20 years ago. The neck was a slight disappointment as the “luthier” wot made it was a scoundrel. As I understand it, he has now moved cities to shed his poor reputation. So, this time around, I’d like to do a Jaguar body, p width neck, with the MM pup. Lightweight tuners to keep good balance. A nice dark stain/finish, like what @Bridgehouse did. This will be mega slow going - probably going to buy one thing per month, as not to alarm the Mrs or flamingo the household budget. So, my next item after the pup will be the body. Jaguar bodies aren’t that common, so I had thought about buying a Jazz body and cutting it down. Does a Jaguar body dimension fit in a Jazz outline? Or am I better off manning up and getting a blank? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 My regular builder would do one but he’s stacked at the moment and his lead time is months. You could ask one of the online builders if they would do one as a one off which is a possibility - or, buy a template set and have a go yourself The other option is a cheap squier and strip it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 There’s plans for a Jazz Bass here: https://www.gitarrebassbau.de/download/file.php?id=6282&sid=a489b2dba605a9837dd72e33386db328 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 (edited) Maybe this might help? https://sites.google.com/site/guitarplanscollection/pdf-files/fender-ish There's the link it's the Jagbass. PDF so you can print it off if you want...... Edited August 11, 2018 by Jimothey 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Just a thought - to do a true Jag build it should be short scale - you could do a jazz body and stick your pickup in it with a jazz bridge and have a bit of a full scale hybrid - unless you want short scale of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 I am thinking if using them plans to do a long scale Jag (as I don't like short scale I find them too flappy if you know what I mean?) the same way @Pea Turgh has thought of doing it modifying a Jazz body but more in the style of a Squier VM than a traditional Jag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted August 11, 2018 Author Share Posted August 11, 2018 Full scale for me - I love that body shape, too. Thanks for the plans chaps - gonna fire up the printer and see what adjustments I’d like to make! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted August 11, 2018 Author Share Posted August 11, 2018 I can’t get the printer working, so I drew around my JV instead. It’s a bit lumpy, but it’s close. Can’t be bothered with active electronics or even a tone control, and I want the pickup in roughly P position. I’m thinking a black anodized aluminum pick guard (gawd knows where I’m going to get one of those made up!). Ideally I’d have a roasted flamed maple neck, but budget won’t extend that far! I LOVE the look of the roasted Fender, so you can see where I’m coming from here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Black matte single ply will look similar enough 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 That body colour is nearly swamp ash with a tinted danish oil finish as well.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 (edited) 10 hours ago, Pea Turgh said: Can’t be bothered with active electronics or even a tone control, I haven't seen many like that. When it came up before, I thought it was a good idea especially if you are into your pedals and fx. If the pickup placement is done with a bit of extra care and it has a solid passive output, I reckon it'd work for me. 10 hours ago, Pea Turgh said: I’m thinking a black anodized aluminum pick guard (gawd knows where I’m going to get one of those made up!). Try Custom Colour as a starting place and go for hard anodising. As for the making of it, I'm a bit handy with metalwork. PM me if you like. Edited August 12, 2018 by SpondonBassed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Jack's Instruments in Manchester also a good place for pickguards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 11 hours ago, Pea Turgh said: I can’t get the printer working, so I drew around my JV instead. It’s a bit lumpy, but it’s close. Can’t be bothered with active electronics or even a tone control, and I want the pickup in roughly P position. I’m thinking a black anodized aluminum pick guard (gawd knows where I’m going to get one of those made up!). Ideally I’d have a roasted flamed maple neck, but budget won’t extend that far! I LOVE the look of the roasted Fender, so you can see where I’m coming from here... Interesting project - let me know if there is anything I can do to help. Cheers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 So this is the MM copy I (orchestrated rather than) made back in the 90’s when I was in college. The body was mahogany and probably a bit too thin. The headstock was waayyy too big (thick front to back too) so neck dive was slight, but annoying. I was really happy with the body shape - again, I drew around a P and made it more curvy. Pity I didn’t consider the control plate in that process! It played well and sounded superb (Seymour Duncan pup and preamp), but ultimately the little niggles grew to taunting jibes, so I broke it for parts and moved on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted August 13, 2018 Author Share Posted August 13, 2018 Where can I find the most reasonably priced ash body blanks? There’s one on eBay for £58.95 plus £12.25 delivery - is that about right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 58 minutes ago, Pea Turgh said: Where can I find the most reasonably priced ash body blanks? There’s one on eBay for £58.95 plus £12.25 delivery - is that about right? Sounds pretty good to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted September 2, 2018 Author Share Posted September 2, 2018 Did I say this would be slow going?🤣 Got some bits, so this is where I am so far... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted September 2, 2018 Share Posted September 2, 2018 It's going nicely!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted September 2, 2018 Share Posted September 2, 2018 For info, I printed the Jaguar plans out on A4 from that link and they seem pretty decent - the sheets link together quite nicely. Might be a project for another time.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted September 2, 2018 Author Share Posted September 2, 2018 Just got back from holiday where I’d been contemplating the meaning of life etc, so raring to go on this. Hopefully next pay day will be a handsome one so I’ll get all the bits I need and crack on! Will fire up the printer again this eve and get the thingy bob printed out to ponder over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted January 10, 2019 Author Share Posted January 10, 2019 Sooo, this stalled! I’ve put together a bitsa and bought a headless Hohner Jack since starting this thread, so simultaneously scratched a new bass itch and reached a reasonable limit of new basses (according to Mrs Turgh). However, all is not lost - I still have those parts, so I’ll have to build it at some point! But it will have to wait until after I do a slightly bigger build - my garden studio! Once that’s done, I feel the new bass embargo will be unenforceable. Mww hah hah hah!!!! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 Interesting to see you're using a Warman UK built MM clone. I have one in my accessories draw that i fitted to one of the Vintage MM basses. The used a Wilkinson, IIRC. I dumped it in favour of the Warman, and it was way better. When i sold the bass , i put the Wilky back in and kept the Warman for a later project, which hasn't happened. Booo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted April 8, 2019 Author Share Posted April 8, 2019 Sooo, now the garden studio has stalled for a few months (budget hijacked by other responsibilities), back to the ssslllooooowwww jag build. @Andyjr1515 very kindly gave me a neck to practice on, but if I make an ok job of it, maybe it will stay on the jag! Its jazz width but, and currently painted white, but the pearl square bits (what are they called?!) look rather fetching. I also picked up a bridge from @Chownybass at the bash, and I have a set of cheapie tuners from the neck I bought for by bitsa last year. So, will crack on with the neck refinishing and think about the body blank. I’d like to recycle something, so I’ll keep an eye out for something odd but salvageable. Maybe driftwood scaffold planks?! I did make a nice tea & coffee shelf out of a chunk I found on the beach once.... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Look familiar, @fleabag ? It's gone to a good home already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 (edited) Indeed Andy, its great to see recycling. I am asbo lootly useless at bass mods, so i was never going to do anything with it. By the way Pete, you'll be pleased to know that the neck is an ex Retrovibe off a Jazz/P bass that was 1 of only 2 white J/P's built by Retrovibe ...who i believe are now called Chowny ? It very well built and really, too good to just practice on Edited April 8, 2019 by fleabag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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