Shuker P4 - anyone in Somerset/North Devon got one I could try?

[Alfie Noakes]

I’m interested in one, but it’s some distance away. If anyone is local-ish, and willing to let me have a quick fondle (don’t!!) I’d be grateful, and would help me make my mind up.

 

I’d also be interested in any general Shuker P4 comments, thoughts and opinions from people everywhere.

 

Thanks in advance, peeps.

[Drax]

Shuker PJ5 in Kent here, neither the bass you're after nor local - but thought would chip in with general Shuker comments. 

 

Excellent luthier and IMO well priced, plenty of fans on here. John super accomodating - would 100% recommend you visit before finalising. Meet and discuss in depth, pick your woods etc. I made some major choices on the visit I wouldn't have made remotely, subsequently got none of the build wrong. Also Hope Valley stunning part of the country to visit..  

 

 

 

 

[Alfie Noakes]

Thanks @Drax My only concern is that the one I’m looking at is a 44mm nut. After moving over from a few Jazz basses to a P, I’m getting used to the 41mm nut. Will the extra 3mm be a deal breaker? That’s the bit I’m trying to nail on here…..somehow!

[fretmeister]

As a comparator, the nut on a stingray 5 is 44.5mm.

 

Thats narrow for a 5, but seems massive to me for a 4.

[Maude]

I've just bought a Yamaha Attitude which has a 44mm nut. I prefer a 38mm nut, and while the Attitude does feel very big it's not uncomfortably so. Jumping from 38 to 44 might feel odd, but if the Shuker was to be your main player I think you'd get used to it. 

Unfortunately only you will know. 

 

I know, that was no help was it? 🙄 😁

[Alfie Noakes]

Thanks guys - I guess I’m just going to have to make the trek, and try it.

[Drax]

1 hour ago, Alfie Noakes said:

Thanks @Drax My only concern is that the one I’m looking at is a 44mm nut. After moving over from a few Jazz basses to a P, I’m getting used to the 41mm nut. Will the extra 3mm be a deal breaker? That’s the bit I’m trying to nail on here…..somehow!

One of the reasons I went custom was getting a J neck on a P.. 

 

If you’re looking at a used Shuker, bear in mind you’re getting someone else’s ‘dream’ bass they’ve decided to move on. Wouldn’t buy it without playing it first. 

 

 

 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

52 minutes ago, Drax said:

One of the reasons I went custom was getting a J neck on a P.. 

If you’re looking at a used Shuker, bear in mind you’re getting someone else’s ‘dream’ bass they’ve decided to move on. Wouldn’t buy it without playing it first. 

 
This. It’s exactly why when I was looking for a P4 with a narrower neck that I ordered a Shuker.

It will probably double the price of whatever it is you’re looking at, but Jon will build you exactly what you want and it will be worth it.

[fretmeister]

It’s very likely that Shuker could shave down down the neck too, if you like the rest of the bass.

[Alfie Noakes]

9 hours ago, fretmeister said:

It’s very likely that Shuker could shave down down the neck too, if you like the rest of the bass.

Now that is interesting - I’ll speak to them/him. Thanks again.

[LukeFRC]

44mm is original width of a P bass neck - someone with a vintage reissue P would help you try the width too

[Burns-bass]

36 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

44mm is original width of a P bass neck - someone with a vintage reissue P would help you try the width too

The necks are huge on old P basses. I struggled (and I play DB too)

[Lozz196]

11 hours ago, fretmeister said:

It’s very likely that Shuker could shave down down the neck too, if you like the rest of the bass.

Good call, I sold a Fender Precision to a Basschatter who then had Shuker shave the neck down to Jazz width so I’m sure they’d be happy to do so on one of their own basses.

[Maude]

9 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Good call, I sold a Fender Precision to a Basschatter who then had Shuker shave the neck down to Jazz width so I’m sure they’d be happy to do so on one of their own basses.

 

One of our resident wood whisperers, @Andyjr1515, has just slimmed down a neck, for Happy Jack if memory serves. 

 

Something else I've done to a couple of basses of mine is to just cut a new nut with slightly tighter string spacing. 

I've found for me, it's more the string spacing rather than the physical size of the neck that my left hand prefers. Bringing a 41mm nut down to a 38mm only means bringing the strings in 1.5mm either side (obviously all four are spaced evenly) an amount which neither looks, nor feels, odd. But makes playing the bass much more pleasing for me. 

I keep the original nut for if I sell the bass. 

The new nut is the full width of the neck, just the spacing slimmed down. 

Bringing 44mm down to 38mm would be too much, but 44mm to 41mm would be fine. 

Nobody ever seems to do it but I've found no issues. 

 

 

[Lozz196]

That`s a very ingenious method, like it

[Quatschmacher]

On 29/12/2021 at 19:40, Alfie Noakes said:

Thanks @Drax My only concern is that the one I’m looking at is a 44mm nut. After moving over from a few Jazz basses to a P, I’m getting used to the 41mm nut. Will the extra 3mm be a deal breaker? That’s the bit I’m trying to nail on here…..somehow!

Are you looking at the one in Bass Direct by any chance? I’m hoping to get to try that before I send Jon my final specs for my build. 

[Muzz]

On 30/12/2021 at 09:03, Alfie Noakes said:

Now that is interesting - I’ll speak to them/him. Thanks again.

Jon will make the neck profile anything you want - every bass/neck he makes for me I take down my favourite-necked bass (a Shuker, too, as it happens; I like a verrry slim neck) and he makes one based on that. He's even slimmed down a neck on an existing bass to match it...and I have a JJB sig on the way from him, this has 'my' neck profile, too...

 

TLDR: Jon can make owt... 🙂

[Quatschmacher]

29 minutes ago, Muzz said:

Jon will make the neck profile anything you want - every bass/neck he makes for me I take down my favourite-necked bass (a Shuker, too, as it happens; I like a verrry slim neck) and he makes one based on that. He's even slimmed down a neck on an existing bass to match it...and I have a JJB sig on the way from him, this has 'my' neck profile, too...

 

TLDR: Jon can make owt... 🙂

It’s a blessing and a curse. I’m driving myself nuts trying to nail down a nut width and corresponding 1st and 12th fret depth measurements. Trying to get my hands on a few more basses to get a better idea.
 

What are your favoured dimensions? 

[Drax]

One of the changes I made to my 'dream spec' on visiting, was abandoning my desired neck measures and going with John's standard carve - fractionally deeper than I thought I wanted .. but the reality of getting an example of it in my hands on site, changed my mind. 

 

If you're beating yourself up over 1st and 12th fret neck depth, I'd say the actual carve - the incline of the shoulders, etc, plays as much if not bigger part in how you'll feel and connect with the instrument, and that's a hard element to articulate without actually handing over an existing neck. 

 

Conscious I've designed a dozen basses in my life with varying degrees of success, whilst John has designed 1000's, so if there's any elements you just can't make a definitive call on - lean into the luthier's experience and let them guide you. 

 

 

[Muzz]

On 05/01/2022 at 16:52, Quatschmacher said:

It’s a blessing and a curse. I’m driving myself nuts trying to nail down a nut width and corresponding 1st and 12th fret depth measurements. Trying to get my hands on a few more basses to get a better idea.
 

What are your favoured dimensions? 

I like a Jazz width nut and a slim neck...that's about as close as I get, figures-wise - I suppose I could take lots of measurements of my favourite one, but these days I just take the bass to Jon and he copies it...simples 🙂

[Quatschmacher]

Just now, Muzz said:

I like a Jazz width nut and a slim neck...that's about as close as I get, figures-wise - I suppose I could take lots of measurements of my favourite one, but these days I just take the bass to Jon and he copies it...simples 🙂

I wonder if Jon has made a note somewhere and could tell me. 

[Muzz]

Well, I've taken it to him each time...and it's an older bass (possibly 12-15 years? It's an early Horn; there was a pic of it on the site up until a few years ago, but even then it was a good scroll to get to it...), so I would doubt it.