uk_lefty Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 (edited) For the benefit of my mental health I have decided to build a bass I don't need. So far I have purchased most of the items on my shopping list and I'm starting to receive packages. I'm already learning things... The build: I don't have woodwork experience and most DIY I do ends in disaster, but I want to learn. I'm good with IKEA furniture and I've soldered pickups in before so I've bought mostly components that I can screw together. Body - the most expensive part is an Ash PJ rear routed body from Guitar and Bass build. I got a good deal I think, and it's being made for me right now. It will have all routing and screw holes done. Why PJ? Just fancied it, I don't have a PJ at the moment. I'll finish the body with Crimson Guitars cherry red stain and finishing oil to a matt finish. This is actually the first stuff to arrive off my order list! Neck - I bought a lefty black jazz bass neck off ebay from Jinwan having read they're OK. It's all painted black, rosewood board with white pearl block markers, white binding and some kind of nut already installed. Lesson 1: should have bought a 2nd hand neck with nut and tuners already installed, would have saved time and money. I'm kicking myself now I'm seeing Fender necks with tuners for £100 and I was mulling over a right handed neck anyways for 80s rock-Ness. Pickups: I've bought Entwistle PBXN and JBXN pickups new, about fifty quid. Have heard they're very good pickups, though I would have preferred a more prestigious brand to come up second hand I just got impatient. Lesson 2: be patient. Bridge: 20 quid for a hi mass Retrovibe bridge that doesn't really look Fender ish but looks good to me. That's the major stuff done. I totalled up what I'd spent and gulped a little. I wanted to keep the cost lower than a Sire. Well, depends which model Sire and whether you go new or 2nd hand, but the costs are mounting. Still, hoping the process pays me back in experience. I've got some spare bits like strap buttons and even a spare loom put of an old bass should I refuse to spend any more. While the components are modest I'm regretting not being more of a scavenger for 2nd hand parts already, but even so, I am hoping this can come out quite nicely and teach me a thing or two. Photos and musings to follow as I progress... Edited May 17, 2021 by uk_lefty 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 You’ll forget the costs if you play it and it fits like a glove. my build costs have varied as some parts I wanted were rare to come up second hand so I had to bite the bullet. look forward to pics 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted December 15, 2020 Author Share Posted December 15, 2020 Well, another parcel has arrived... The neck! Its not quite what I was expecting. It is left handed, it is a Fender shaped maple neck with pearl blocks and white binding. However, it's not got a painted black finish and the nut is glued in upside down! There's also a slight bit of damage on the fretboard. It's come all the way from China so I don't really want to be returning it, have sent the seller a message to see what we can work out... Other than those small mishaps it seems OK as far as necks go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted December 16, 2020 Author Share Posted December 16, 2020 If I stick with this neck it's not the end of the world... But I did buy black hardware and chrome would suit this better.. Jinwan got back to me quickly with an apology saying they'd look in to it but in still waiting for them to suggest a resolution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted December 17, 2020 Author Share Posted December 17, 2020 Resolution to the list of issues with the neck is a partial refund. A refund of enough money to fund the machine heads I need for the bass. That should be all the bits ordered except the wiring loom, but so far all I have in my possession is a neck, a bridge and some shielding tape. I can't really do much with those three! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I've found that buying direct from China is still a bit of a lottery. That said, much of it seems to be decent quality so hopefully the neck is fully useable, albeit not the colour you were expecting. But yes, supply and delivery is very unpredictable at the moment - some arrives superquick and then other stuff takes a surprising time. Good news is that most of it does arrive in the end Building a bass from parts is a great way to start to understand what matters and what you can be more liberal with for your future full builds 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted December 21, 2020 Author Share Posted December 21, 2020 I now have everything I've ordered except the body. The body may take until the new year, unbeknownst to me there was a 4 to 5 week lead time as its a custom order, so that's my Xmas holiday plans put the window then! I've received everything else but will restrain myself from fitting anything together until I know that the neck and the body will fit, while the measurements mean they should I want to actually have them in my hands, I don't want to tempt fate by drilling the neck for the machine heads and string post if its not going to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 27 minutes ago, uk_lefty said: I've received everything else but will restrain myself from fitting anything together until I know that the neck and the body will fit, while the measurements mean they should I want to actually have them in my hands, I don't want to tempt fate by drilling the neck for the machine heads and string post if its not going to work. Very (VERY) wise Been there. Done that. Ended in tears 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 6, 2021 Author Share Posted January 6, 2021 Well this hasn't really moved at all. I ordered a body on 5th December. I haven't received it yet. The seller, guitarandbassbuilds. Com told me 20-25 working days for a custom body. I'm unwilling, tempting though it is, to even do the simple stuff I can with the neck just in case there isn't a good fit of neck to body. I have no reason to believe there won't be, I'm just being very cautious so I don't sink in money I can't claw back somehow. Hoping for the body any day now so I can stain it, fit the machine heads to the neck, put the nut in the proper way round, really get to work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 7, 2021 Author Share Posted January 7, 2021 To get the neck ready for the eventual arrival of the body I've lined stuff up... Is it normal that this may need some persuasion to get in to the hole in the neck?? It doesn't fit in, might need some gentle sanding... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Yeah they usually are a tight fit but normally a little tap is all they need to go in! If they are still too tight then a bit of sanding will work 👍🏻 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 On 07/01/2021 at 15:16, uk_lefty said: To get the neck ready for the eventual arrival of the body I've lined stuff up... Is it normal that this may need some persuasion to get in to the hole in the neck?? It doesn't fit in, might need some gentle sanding... I just use a rock from the garden to smash it in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 21 minutes ago, Pea Turgh said: I just use a rock from the garden to smash it in. Ta. I'm not going for a relic though 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 (edited) On 07/01/2021 at 15:16, uk_lefty said: To get the neck ready for the eventual arrival of the body I've lined stuff up... Is it normal that this may need some persuasion to get in to the hole in the neck?? It doesn't fit in, might need some gentle sanding... It's a fine judgement. If you think of the bottom of the valleys in those ribs as forming another smaller diameter, this this smaller diameter must be no bigger than the holes in the headstock. Then, the ribs basically cut through the wood and you have a tight fit but one that has simply cut grooves in the wood and not cracked the headstock that might happen if the holes in the headstock are smaller than that inner diameter of the bush. Hope that makes some sense... Edited January 10, 2021 by Andyjr1515 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 Like a glove. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 That looks a really nicely made body... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 12 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said: That looks a really nicely made body... Guitarandbassbuilds.com very good price too, feels like quality. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 Will have some time with all the bits tonight but the excitement is building, so to speak! I originally wanted to do a Duff McKagan style with the black headstock but the supplier sent me the wrong neck. I'll still assemble to see how it goes. The good thing about the neck is that it has side dots on each side, so I think they sell more left necks to right handers, probably explains the upside down nut too. I was half tempted to buy a used Fender right handed neck to bolt in but you never know why some people are selling them, whether they're knackered or not. So the plan now is to stain the body with wild cherry wood stain then apply a few coats of seal and work it to a matt finish. Then shielding, install pickups and loom, knobs, bridge. I need to reverse the nut on the neck, drill out the neck fixing screw holes, drill out the back of the headstock for the tuners to screw in, and the front for the string tree. Then I need to string it and set it up. Any advice is very gratefully received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) Well this is a quandary... The body looks amazing, the picture doesn't do it justice. Kind of not sure if I sure I want to stain it now... Though I do have two other Ash bodies in natural finish (Stingray with gloss, matt Warwick) Edited January 14, 2021 by uk_lefty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 So, issues.... The P pickup route is a couple of mm too narrow. I'm going to need to very carefully widen that. Any recommendations on how to do that without ruining the aesthetic, keep in mind there will not be a pickguard to hide any slip ups! I'm going to need foam under the pickups. Some people talk of using the foam from the packaging with some makes, mine came with very thin polythene type wrapping which layered upay do a job? The bridge I bought does not line up with the screw holes. Disappointing. Will call the supplier and see if it was my mistake or theirs, or the body. Its not a direct Fender type bridge so perhaps I need to go and find a Wilkinson bridge or similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 26, 2021 Author Share Posted January 26, 2021 So I've had some time to progress things. Today I have been sanding and filing the body rout because it was about 1.5mm too narrow to take the "ears" for the P pickups. The sanding isn't so neat, but it will do. I can squeeze the pickup in so I'll sand a bit more to make it comfortable and not have friction when changing the pup height. Later I'll experiment with the stain by starting with the control panel cover thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 (edited) Instead of foam could you not use springs under the pickup ears? I likes a rear route... Nice wood body... Danish oil rather than stain? I would be having a word with the body manf regarding the P route. what make and model pickup were they routed for? You may need some extra clearance if you want the halves of the P to 'crown' angle up, then down to follow the strings, following the fretboard radius. how about the J fit? Edited January 26, 2021 by PaulThePlug 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 26, 2021 Author Share Posted January 26, 2021 2 hours ago, PaulThePlug said: Instead of foam could you not use springs under the pickup ears? I likes a rear route... Nice wood body... Danish oil rather than stain? I would be having a word with the body manf regarding the P route. what make and model pickup were they routed for? You may need some extra clearance if you want the halves of the P to 'crown' angle up, then down to follow the strings, following the fretboard radius. how about the J fit? J fit is good, assuming either my Entwistle pups are a mm wider than most or the rout was just a little off. It's no biggy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Entwistle pups have notoriously large covers, I`ve had several and they`re always bigger than normal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted February 10, 2021 Author Share Posted February 10, 2021 (edited) On 30/01/2021 at 12:44, DarkHeart said: Entwistle pups have notoriously large covers, I`ve had several and they`re always bigger than normal. Damn, seen this just as I've finished filing out the routs for the ears! Oh well, I've heard theyre good pups so hopefully they aren't going to be changed out too soon! Neckwise I do really fancy a right handed neck upside down. Got my eye on a Squier neck and some fender ones so will hang fire on the Jinwan neck in case I can snap up something else suitable in the meantime. Suppose I'd best stain the wood then... Edited February 10, 2021 by uk_lefty 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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