So.....more tinkering.
Picked up a set of seymour Duncan Rickenbacker pick ups, but don’t have a Ric, so what should one do - rout a jazz body and see what happens!
Managed to get a USA Fender Highway One body nicely cheap, and an unused status P bass neck (love a status neck!) for a great price, and off we went. In addition I picked up a Stellartone Duo 6 V4 Tonestyler Jazz plate up cheap as well.
Disclaimer - I have no routing tools so a combination of a Firsch Forster not, chis