vinorange Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 (edited) I’m not sure if this counts as a build (well it most probably doesn’t) but it’s a creation I’ve been hankering after for a while. I have an orange Shuker jazz with reverse headstock, maple neck with block inlays and I wondered if I could create its P bass versioned cousin. I acquired a Mex P body in Capri orange, had a Dimarzio split P pickup, had a black badass bridge, had the pots needed so just bought some hipshot lyte tuners, a black scratch plate and was about to buy an American jazz neck when I decided to challenge myself. Having seen various threads on the merits of Chinese necks, I took a real gamble on a maple neck with black block inlays (real ones) for £59. The challenge to me was “how good can I make a crappy neck”. It came with roller coaster frets but the board was straight and the truss worked both ways so, as expected, it was out with the tools. I levelled the frets, taking a lot off 7 and 9 but did get them level. I crowned and polished the frets and took the sharp ends off and 3 hours later fitted it. It wasn’t pre-drilled and the nut had split so I treated it to a graphtec nut I had too. So far I'm really pleased with the neck. The parts are what they are and exactly what I was expecting but the neck is actually pretty good - up there with the stable and comfortable necks I've played on much more expensive basses. It's not my Shuker for sure but it's not £1000 off it which is the price difference. Body £200, neck £59, pickups value £75, badass bridge £50, tuners £80, other bits £20. What I have is an orange P with a hot pickup and a jazz width neck with block inlays that looks pretty good and plays very nicely. I’m really surprised that the neck adjusted to flat and held normal gauge strings but it has turned out really well. Just wondered whether others had experimented with the virtues of Chinese necks with good or bad results. Anyway, orange (or maybe tangerine) bass No 2 pics attached..... Its big Shuker shaped brother is in the last pic. Not quite the same, perhaps a slightly sun faded anaemic version but it's along the same lines..... Edited January 25, 2022 by vinorange 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lo-E Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 I haven’t yet but I keep eyeing up the fretless options - probably a dozen or so of them! For those prices it seems worth taking a chance to use up parts from the parts drawer and throw a beater bass together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDaBass Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 8 hours ago, vinorange said: I’m not sure if this counts as a build (well it most probably doesn’t) but it’s a creation I’ve been hankering after for a while. I have an orange Shuker jazz with reverse headstock, maple neck with block inlays and I wondered if I could create its P bass versioned cousin. I acquired a Mex P body in Capri orange, had a Dimarzio split P pickup, had a black badass bridge, had the pots needed so just bought some hipshot lyte tuners, a black scratch plate and was about to buy an American jazz neck when I decided to challenge myself. Having seen various threads on the merits of Chinese necks, I took a real gamble on a maple neck with black block inlays (real ones) for £59. The challenge to me was “how good can I make a crappy neck”. It came with roller coaster frets but the board was straight and the truss worked both ways so, as expected, it was out with the tools. I levelled the frets, taking a lot off 7 and 9 but did get them level. I crowned and polished the frets and took the sharp ends off and 3 hours later fitted it. It wasn’t pre-drilled and the nut had split so I treated it to a graphtec nut I had too. So far I'm really pleased with the neck. The parts are what they are and exactly what I was expecting but the neck is actually pretty good - up there with the stable and comfortable necks I've played on much more expensive basses. It's not my Shuker for sure but it's not £1000 off it which is the price difference. Body £200, neck £59, pickups value £75, badass bridge £50, tuners £80, other bits £20. What I have is an orange P with a hot pickup and a jazz width neck with block inlays that looks pretty good and plays very nicely. I’m really surprised that the neck adjusted to flat and held normal gauge strings but it has turned out really well. Just wondered whether others had experimented with the virtues of Chinese necks with good or bad results. Anyway, orange bass No 2 pics attached..... Great job, it looks fantastic. My kinder bass DiMarzio Split P Pup, maple Jazz neck, P body. I've used 3 Chinese Jazz width necks, all mop block inlays, bound fretboard, maple , gloss, 2 x '51 & 1x Jazz headstock. I've been very pleased with finish, stability and fret finish and around £80 each. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinorange Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 29 minutes ago, JohnDaBass said: Great job, it looks fantastic. My kinder bass DiMarzio Split P Pup, maple Jazz neck, P body. I've used 3 Chinese Jazz width necks, all mop block inlays, bound fretboard, maple , gloss, 2 x '51 & 1x Jazz headstock. I've been very pleased with finish, stability and fret finish and around £80 each. Had you noticed that the frets are softer steel at all? Mine didn't take a lot of filing to crown them and that did worry me a little as the frets seemed soft. Having said that it's hardly going on a world tour with 6 shows a week... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDaBass Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 1 hour ago, vinorange said: Had you noticed that the frets are softer steel at all? Mine didn't take a lot of filing to crown them and that did worry me a little as the frets seemed soft. Having said that it's hardly going on a world tour with 6 shows a week... No, can't say I have noticed, Fretwork was perfect on all the necks. Maybe because they were all bound edges so fret ends were fine and no raised frets. All the bitas have flats and had only light use and do not appear to show any wear whatsoever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 Love it. Looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 23 hours ago, vinorange said: Nice rig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinorange Posted January 26, 2022 Author Share Posted January 26, 2022 8 hours ago, Owen said: Nice rig! It was and that Eden head was surprisingly good but I've swapped about to a much lighter rig. Tech 21 VT bass does a very good valve amp impression with 1/10th of the weight and I swapped to an 18kg 2x12 Barefaced cab as the Berg had ceramic drivers and was 35kg. There is a theme here as I'm an old fart..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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