Lord Sausage Posted May 1, 2021 Share Posted May 1, 2021 (edited) A month ago I ordered a MMB-5 kit from Pit Bull guitars in Australia. I customised the order though. I asked for an Ash body as opposed to basswood and I ordered a Babicz bridge to replace the normal one. Today I received an e mail saying it had been finished and if I was happy they would send it. So once it arrives I will document the build on here. The first thing I will be doing is ordering all new hardware and pick up. I haven't decided on what yet though. Edited May 8, 2021 by Lord Sausage 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 2, 2021 Author Share Posted May 2, 2021 I'm thinking of using wudtone Azure lagoon for the finish. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 3, 2021 Author Share Posted May 3, 2021 Had an email off DHL to pay import duty. Should be arriving on Tuesday (11th). Quite excited now, but I'm already bricking it about getting the bridge position right. I thought it would come pre drilled for the bridge but it doesn't. This is the type of thing I could easily mess up. I'm pretty easy with everything else. I've only done refinish and mods before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 It's arrived. Its mostly good. The nut is pretty poor and there is a slight hole in fretboard which you can see in the pic. The neck seems ok though. A piece of metal snapped off the jack socket instantly but I was going to get all new pots, pick up and Jack anyway. The body is good too. There are one or two tiny, tiny holes where it's been glued. But I can live with it. The bridge is beautiful. Overall, quite happy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 Slight gap between neck and body but it's in real tight 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 The first thing I'm gonna do is to try and find a good pick up and pots for it. I'm sure Thomman used to have the 5 string Seymour Duncan but it doesn't appear to now. I've heard the MEC aren't very good so gonna have to scour the internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 (edited) how about a loom with pick up switching, vol, tone pots and new jack job from @KiOgon ? Edited May 8, 2021 by PaulThePlug 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 29 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said: how about a loom with pick up switching, vol, tone pots and new jack job from @KiOgon ? I don't know what that means😅 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 Those Babicz bridges are great 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 (edited) John will sort you out a new jack socket and quality pots for volume and tone with values to suit the type of tone you are after, push/pull pot to single coil tap, the pickup if you want, or other rotary switching for tonal options etc... All wired up and ready to fit to your plate, just connect ya pickup wires... Many happy customers and users of KiOgon wiring kits on Basschat. Drop him a line for MM type options... Reasonable prices... Edited May 8, 2021 by PaulThePlug 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 1 minute ago, PaulThePlug said: John will sort you out a new jack socket and quality pots for volume and tone with values to suit the type of tone you are after, pull pot to single coil the pickup if you want, or other rotary switching for tonal options etc... All wired up and ready to fit to your plate, just connect ya pickup wires... Many happy customers and users of KiOgon wiring kits on Basschat. Drop him a line for MM type options... Sound, that's what I meant by not knowing what that means. Obviously I knew what pots were etc. I used to be a regular on Basschat a few years ago but drifted away. So I'm behind on who's who and what they do etc. Once I've found a pick up I'll drop him a line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 (edited) 39 minutes ago, Lord Sausage said: Once I've found a pick up I'll drop him a line. I can highly recommend a SimS pick up system - gives you the benefit of P/J/H combinations or solo'd if you only want one. I think that @Andyjr1515 is planning on using one of the 5ers on his latest build for @Matt P. Edited May 8, 2021 by TheGreek 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 9 minutes ago, TheGreek said: I can highly recommend a SimS pick up system - gives you the benefit of P/J/H combinations or solo'd if you only want one. I think that @Andyjr1515 is planning on using one of the 5ers on his latest build for @Matt P. I'll check it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 How much duty, taxes and fees do they skin you for, (over and above the purchase price) importing these from Oz then ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 22 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said: How much duty, taxes and fees do they skin you for, (over and above the purchase price) importing these from Oz then ? Well a mate got a kit as well so we split the delivery. So delivery was about £45 each. Then import is really just VAT and about 14 quid on top 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I'm not sure I'd bother. Hole in the fretboard, bad nut and the neck doesn't fit the pocket properly? Once it's been sent from Australia you're a bit knacked sending it back but I'd be certainly writing a very stern email to get onto the QC bod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 13 minutes ago, Si600 said: I'm not sure I'd bother. Hole in the fretboard, bad nut and the neck doesn't fit the pocket properly? Once it's been sent from Australia you're a bit knacked sending it back but I'd be certainly writing a very stern email to get onto the QC bod. See the thing is, it's relatively cheap. I wasn't expecting it to be the best quality ever. The nut is easily sorted. The neck is tight in the pocket. The hole is tiny and not deep. I've got decent basses with chunks missing out of the side edges of fretboards after years of use. It's just a project. It will be decent once it's finished. Once I get good at doing these things I'll use better part. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I've just been to their website to have a look, they aren't reasonably cheap, they are cheap! €116 for a strat with all the hardware and scratchpad is a steal. Fair enough for ignoring the slight flaws. I was expecting a kit to be somewhere in the £300 range. Or I've been looking at Warmouth custom options too often 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 (edited) String and bridge alignment is easy take another bass and measure the E and G string lengths, set the saddles to roughly same place on the base plate of the bridge position the bridge so each outer saddle sits the same distance from The nut as on the other bass. Put masking tape in front and behind the bridge (on the body) in case you move the bridge Attach old strings to tuners (or tuner holes) and thread over the saddles and use the strings to get alignment correct over pole pieces - mark the screw holes through the bridge onto the body once you’re happy Rough and ready, but it works Edited May 9, 2021 by Geek99 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 33 minutes ago, Si600 said: I've just been to their website to have a look, they aren't reasonably cheap, they are cheap! €116 for a strat with all the hardware and scratchpad is a steal. Fair enough for ignoring the slight flaws. I was expecting a kit to be somewhere in the £300 range. Or I've been looking at Warmouth custom options too often These kits are direct from China though so they would be cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 9, 2021 Author Share Posted May 9, 2021 (edited) Just checked out the Sims pick up thing. Seems really cool but way above my ability to install it. Does anyone know anything about the Nordstrand MM-5 pups. Do they work in passive basses, do they sound good, need shielding etc? Or maybe even the Aguilar MM ones? Edited May 9, 2021 by Lord Sausage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 17, 2021 Author Share Posted May 17, 2021 After exchanging emails with and a phone call to BassDirect, first time i've used them, I've ordered the Nordstrand MM5.2 pick up. (hopefully i selected the right one). Next up will be ordering new machine heads/tuning pegs, whatever you want to call them. I will probably order the Schaller BM or BMF series. Not really sure what the difference is. Also, i will drop in with @KiOgon as some point and discuss the pot/loom thing with him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddycall Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 I have the MM4.2 in a passive jazz bass. Sounds great passive! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 17, 2021 Author Share Posted May 17, 2021 7 minutes ago, Waddycall said: I have the MM4.2 in a passive jazz bass. Sounds great passive That's good to know as I've never heard one. This will be passive too. No room for a battery and no skills to make room for one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted May 20, 2021 Author Share Posted May 20, 2021 The pick up has arrived today and I've just ordered the loom from @KiOgon. Next up will be buying some springs for underneath the pick up and ordering machineheads. Hopefully I can get them both from Thomman. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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