5 String Zoot Bass Build

[Cosmicrain]

The neck is now done and just waiting for final fitting of the small brass adjusters that go in the adjustable brass top nut, and the string retainer.  Oh, and in real life the headstock is the same colour as the fingerboard, I think it was the fluorescent light above causing it to look slightly darker.

[Bass Culture]

Looks superb.

 

[Merton]

Glorious!

[MacDaddy]

late to the party on this...

It was Mike who got me on Bassworld, as it was then, many years ago 😮

I've always liked the contouring on the Zoot bodies, ever so comfortable. 😊

[Merton]

1 hour ago, MacDaddy said:

I've always liked the contouring on the Zoot bodies, ever so comfortable. 

Yes they are!

[fleabag]

The workmanship on that neck is stunning

[MattW]

I am a very excited boy 😁

[Cosmicrain]

So, I have now finished all the flatting, polishing and waxing to the neck and body.  I have started to build up the bass.  The first thing I do is the "earths & grounds" with copper foil.

[Jimothey]

Awesome!! Not much else I can say! 👍🏻

Edited December 19, 2020 by Jimothey

[Joebethell]

That looks amazing! Top work 

[Merton]

Sexy AF.

[uk_lefty]

On 19/12/2020 at 17:56, Cosmicrain said:

So, I have now finished all the flatting, polishing and waxing to the neck and body.  I have started to build up the bass.  The first thing I do is the "earths & grounds" with copper foil.

Firstly, what a beautiful bass. Understated excellence, love it! 

Secondly, I've never seen shielding tape under the bridge like that before, and notice you have it coming out the cavity for the screw holes for the bell plate too. Is this "best practice" that we don't see on basses made to a factory budget? I'm curious as I'm about to self assemble a bass and want to copy as much as I can from someone who knows what they're doing! 

[Cosmicrain]

2 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

Firstly, what a beautiful bass. Understated excellence, love it! 

Secondly, I've never seen shielding tape under the bridge like that before, and notice you have it coming out the cavity for the screw holes for the bell plate too. Is this "best practice" that we don't see on basses made to a factory budget? I'm curious as I'm about to self assemble a bass and want to copy as much as I can from someone who knows what they're doing! 

In the pictures of the Rfi screening, at this stage I have not connected the earth wire/s to the copper foil.  Always remember to connect the copper foil and terminate it at the main earth connection on the output jack. Also the three tabs for the control plate maintain a perfectly earthed plate.  Hope this helps.  Mike.

 

[Cosmicrain]

Matt wanted to see what his custom build Zoot Funkmeister would look like "Jaco" style without the Tort' scratch plate. I've not made the scratch plate yet for this bass, but I know what it will look like from Zoot Funkmeisters I've made in the past. With the plate it will look very cool and vintage, but with a very modern edge. Without the plate it will be as the pictures below. Any thoughts, Scratch plate, or no scratch plate?

[Jimothey]

My opinion would be no scratchplate it would be a shame to cover up that lovely figuring and if I see Tort I come out in an itchy rash!! 😁

Are you based near Colchester just wondering because of the names of your basses Iceni and Boudicca have strong links with Colchester? 

[AndyTravis]

I’d go without, always find figured tops with tort/Pearl look too busy and “Nashville” if that makes sense.

[Cosmicrain]

1 minute ago, Jimothey said:

My opinion would be no scratchplate it would be a shame to cover up that lovely figuring and if I see Tort I come out in an itchy rash!! 😁

Are you based near Colchester just wondering because of the names of your basses Iceni and Boudicca have strong links with Colchester? 

Hi, Yes original workshop was in Witham and now in SilverEnd, which is close to Witham & Braintree.  Thanks for asking.  Regards, Mike.

[Jimothey]

2 minutes ago, Cosmicrain said:

Hi, Yes original workshop was in Witham and now in SilverEnd, which is close to Witham & Braintree.  Thanks for asking.  Regards, Mike.

I'm from Colchester originally but moved to North Wales a few years ago my parents still live there 👍🏻

[Bass Culture]

22 hours ago, Jimothey said:

I'm from Colchester originally but moved to North Wales a few years ago my parents still live there 👍🏻

I'm from Colchester originally and moved to Chester several years ago!  Met Mike on visits back to see my family when he had The Bass Merchant in Witham.  A few Zoot basses have passed through my hands over the years but it was only about 5 years ago that I commissioned my first custom build from him.  You're welcome to pop over (when we eventually can!) if you ever fancy trying any of the three (soon to be four!) I now own.

Edited December 22, 2020 by Bass Culture

[Cosmicrain]

5 hours ago, Bass Culture said:

I'm from Colchester originally and moved to Chester several years ago!  Met Mike on visits back to see my family when he had The Bass Merchant in Witham.  A few Zoot basses have passed through my hands over the years but it was only about 5 years ago that I commissioned my first custom build from him.  You're welcome to pop over (when we eventually can!) if you ever fancy trying any of the three (soon to be four!) I now own.

For info on Marks latest Zoot custom build (N0.4) see the Zoot ZB-1000 thread. 

[LeftyJ]

On 21/12/2020 at 18:23, Cosmicrain said:

Any thoughts, Scratch plate, or no scratch plate?

Would be a shame to cover up such a lovely piece of wood and such a beautiful finish, but then again I think a J-style control plate looks "off" without a close-fitting pickguard attached. I'm not a huge fan of the control plate shape on this. On a Fender, the side of the plate follows the curves of the body, but because this one is shaped differently it doesn't line up as nicely. The Lakland DJ-style control plate (with a slight bend) might have been a better fit (below is an East DJ-Retro preamp). 

Edited December 23, 2020 by LeftyJ

[Cosmicrain]

Help Matt decide.  As I'm now getting very close to finishing Matt's Custom build Zoot 5 Funkmeister, the question is does Matt go for a modern look (without a plate) or a retro' modern look (with a scratch plate) ?

My personal preference is WITH a scratch plate, I feel it gives the bass a lot more character, so do I drill fixing holes in the body for a plate or not?  Thoughts/suggestions please.

[MattW]

5 minutes ago, Cosmicrain said:

Help Matt decide.  As I'm now getting very close to finishing Matt's Custom build Zoot 5 Funkmeister, the question is does Matt go for a modern look (without a plate) or a retro' modern look (with a scratch plate) ?

My personal preference is WITH a scratch plate, I feel it gives the bass a lot more character, so do I drill fixing holes in the body for a plate or not?  Thoughts/suggestions please.

Wow, I am totally torn!!

[RichardH]

The best of the flame is away from the scratchplate area - so in a weird way (to my eye), the scratchplate being there almost suggests the flame under it anyway?

 

[Merton]

Personally I prefer it with the plate, because you have the traditional J-plate too. If they’d been rear mounted I’d possibly have said without