Lockdown P-Bass Kit Build (or 'The Woolworths Bass' according to Ricky 4000)

[Teebs]

5 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

Tinted danish oil also works very well

Yes, I've used that on garden furniture - but it's a bit 'sticky' - I'd be unsure about using it on a bass

Does it polish up well?

 

[Bridgehouse]

Just now, Teebs said:

Yes, I've used that on garden furniture - but it's a bit 'sticky' - I'd be unsure about using it on a bass

Does it polish up well?

 

If you leave plenty of drying time between coats and let it build then it does a good satin finish. You could go gloss, but it would take a helluva time!

 

 

[Teebs]

4 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

If you leave plenty of drying time between coats and let it build then it does a good satin finish. You could go gloss, but it would take a helluva time!

 

 

Nice!

[Bridgehouse]

Just now, Teebs said:

Nice!

I reckon it had about 6 coats on. Cut back in between and buffed. Nice and satin. It's actually a great bass. Got Grainger hardware on it and a custom wound split coil 51P pickup. 

Funnily enough it would be No.1 candidate for a fretless conversion.. hmm...

[BigRedX]

I like the colour.

Out of interest why did you only spray the front of the headstock and not the whole neck (not including the fretboard)?

[Skinnyman]

10 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

If you leave plenty of drying time between coats and let it build then it does a good satin finish. You could go gloss, but it would take a helluva time!

 

 

That’s a very short scale......

Oh, hang on......

[Teebs]

The build took about 3 weeks, I made a lot of pink torpedo-ups, learned a lot, but thoroughly enjoyed building this bass, and it sounds like a 'proper' P-bass - the supplied strings are a bit crap, but functional (I'm going to replace them with Roto 66s).

As mentioned by others, I might change the hardware at some point, but not just yet.

The kit cost £85 plus £15 delivery from Thomann; the paint cost cost around £40 (it might have been less if I hadn't been so cack-handed!), transfer paper £5, copper tape £7, finishing compound £10.

I already had the lemon oil for the fretbord and carnuba wax for polishing, and the Schaller strap lock pins, so that saved about 50 pence!

One tip that I think I picked up from the Build Diaries threads was to coat the screws in candle wax to make it easier to screw them in - it works! Some of the reviews of this kit said that people were snapping screws - I managed to not break any - so thanks for the tip BCers

So, the finished item:

@Bridgehouse - the Aria on the left was the one I stripped the poly (dark brown tint) and polished with beeswax and carnuba. It has a lovely tactile satin finish

Thank you for reading my build thread  

[Bridgehouse]

5 minutes ago, Skinnyman said:

That’s a very short scale......

Oh, hang on......

Ah you're a comedian.... 

 

Here it is once I'd bolted the stick on it..

 

[Teebs]

11 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

I like the colour.

Out of interest why did you only spray the front of the headstock and not the whole neck (not including the fretboard)?

Thanks BRX

I had thought of painting the back of the neck and headstock, but I quite like the contrast of the green/blue with the maple.

If I build another (a Jazz maybe) - I'll do the back of then neck.

 

[Teebs]

5 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

That's nice

5 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

Ah you're a comedian....

Nope - he's a twerp!

[Bridgehouse]

Just now, Teebs said:

That's nice

Nope - he's a twerp!

Heh - yeah he is..

It's a great bass - lightweight, and has a unique tone being hollow.

It cost very little actually - I'd say probably about £300 all in including some custom hardware and a hand wound pickup. It does sorely need de fretting tho....

[Teebs]

5 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

 It does sorely need de fretting tho....

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[Bridgehouse]

Just now, Teebs said:

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Oh, okay then.

[Teebs]

I wish I could do fretboard inlays

I'd change the dots for TeebsEyes

 

[Skinnyman]

31 minutes ago, Teebs said:

The build took about 3 weeks, I made a lot of pink torpedo-ups, learned a lot, but thoroughly enjoyed building this bass, and it sounds like a 'proper' P-bass - the supplied strings are a bit crap, but functional (I'm going to replace them with Roto 66s).

As mentioned by others, I might change the hardware at some point, but not just yet.

The kit cost £85 plus £15 delivery from Thomann; the paint cost cost around £40 (it might have been less if I hadn't been so cack-handed!), transfer paper £5, copper tape £7, finishing compound £10.

I already had the lemon oil for the fretbord and carnuba wax for polishing, and the Schaller strap lock pins, so that saved about 50 pence!

One tip that I think I picked up from the Build Diaries threads was to coat the screws in candle wax to make it easier to screw them in - it works! Some of the reviews of this kit said that people were snapping screws - I managed to not break any - so thanks for the tip BCers

So, the finished item:

@Bridgehouse - the Aria on the left was the one I stripped the poly (dark brown tint) and polished with beeswax and carnuba. It has a lovely tactile satin finish

Thank you for reading my build thread  

Looks nice. 

Not as nice as the tasteful leopardskin-print throw but still very nice. 

Looking at those cushions on your chair I’m guessing that the Chalfonts are still giving you grief?

Thanks for sharing the build - and for the fascinating glimpse through the keyhole Chez Teebs 😁

[Bridgehouse]

1 minute ago, Skinnyman said:

Looks nice. 

Not as nice as the tasteful leopardskin-print throw but still very nice. 

Looking at those cushions on your chair I’m guessing that the Chalfonts are still giving you grief?

Thanks for sharing the build - and for the fascinating glimpse through the keyhole Chez Teebs 😁

Who would live in a hoooouse like thiiiiiiis?

[Skinnyman]

2 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

Who would live in a hoooouse like thiiiiiiis?

Bet Lynch if that throw’s anything to go by.....

[Teebs]

7 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

Who would live in a hoooouse like thiiiiiiis?

Teebses would.

[Teebs]

5 minutes ago, Skinnyman said:

Bet Lynch if that throw’s anything to go by.....

How is the underside of Cleethorpes Pier?

Draughty I trust?

[Skinnyman]

Just now, Teebs said:

How is the underside of Cleethorpes Pier?

Draughty I trust?

Lovely and warm and smelling of donkey farts thank-you-for-asking 😜

[Teebs]

4 minutes ago, Skinnyman said:

Lovely and warm and smelling of donkey farts thank-you-for-asking 😜

[SpondonBassed]

Good one.

Thinking about the next one as well.  Splendid.

I like the colour and the headstock face does look well in contrast to the neck.  A Teebseye twelfth fret inlay would be the icing on the cake, especially if you can get LEDs for the pupils.

[Skinnyman]

1 minute ago, SpondonBassed said:

A Teebseye twelfth fret inlay would be the icing on the cake, especially if you can get LEDs for the pupils.

That’s a cracking idea - although he’d need a grown up to help, I think. 

I personally would also have gone with Teebseyes on the front of the headstock instead of the faux fender logo. 

Well, I wouldn’t because I’m not Teebs but you know what I mean....

[SpondonBassed]

18 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

Who would live in a hoooouse like thiiiiiiis?

[Teebs]

12 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

Good one.

Thinking about the next one as well.  Splendid.

I like the colour and the headstock face does look well in contrast to the neck.  A Teebseye twelfth fret inlay would be the icing on the cake, especially if you can get LEDs for the pupils.

Thanks Spondz!

It would be good, but beyond me at the moment.

Maybe the next one...