Lew-Bass Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 (edited) I thought I should start a new thread as I was about to describe my bass of the moment then realised it was actually just an idea that I had, so thought it was maybe worthy of a new thread. There was a similar one that died over a year ago about what your 'signature' bass would be, but personally that implies the bass would suit your personality too and I'm purely on about aesthetics and sound here. So.. what's your ideal custom bass? Include as much, or as little, detail as you like Currently mine is; Body Shape: Standard P-Bass Body Body Wood: Alder Finish: 'Heavy Relic'd' Sonic Blue finish, matching headstock Neck: Maple Jazz Neck (Vintage Tint & Satin Finish) Scale Length: 33" (After reading it's much more comfortable whilst only sacrificing minimal amounts tonally) Fingerboard: Maple Frets: 21 Fret Markers: Black Dot Markers with Light Blue/Pink LEDs Electronics: Rear routed 3-EQ cut/boost active circuit (Vol/Bass, Mid/Treble stacked), LED on/low/off switch Pickguard: Pink Paisley Hardware: Chrome Would only really suit a certain type of gig though, so when I plan to get this spec made up for me in the future, I might wait until I have more of a workhorse bass first! Edited October 26, 2009 by Lew-Bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 I would use my Ibanez SR1205 as a template and then make a few alterations. So, I would take the: 5 piece maple/wenge through-neck with SR5 neck shape Mahogany with maple top body, SR shape 34" scale and then go for EMG 40TW in neck and bridge EMG BQS preamp, with two toggle switches to the side for the pickup splits Chunkier bridge (Badass V, perhaps?) Ebony 'board And, as I'd like the body's maple to be flamed, I'd like a translucent green finish please. That is it. If I were to go custom, that would be it. In fact, that's been "it" for quite a while. Luckily for me I already have the SR1205, or GAS would be killing me right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Mustang just like my CIJ white one with aged pearl pickguard & tug bar but with lollypop tuners inc D-tuner and in california blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 (edited) I can only see myself with a variation on a Fender P-bass. I'd go with Body Shape: Standard P-Bass Body Body Wood: Alder Finish: Black or white or a cool shade with matching headstock on the cool shade (my sig bass comes in several colours!) Neck: 1-Piece Maple, Thick “C” Shape,(Gloss Urethane Finish) Scale Length: Standard 34" Fingerboard: Maple probably but coming around to rosewood more in my old age. Frets: 20 Vintage Style frets Pickup: Seymour Duncan SPB-1 or Antiquity Pickguard: tort Hardware: Chrome with ashtray covers Edited October 26, 2009 by BurritoBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 (edited) That's easy. Status S2 all the way. Fretted or fretless I have them both. I love the Status neck with the flat back, it just fits my hands perfectly. The body shape I have always loved, traditional twin horn design but in a modern style. For me a design classic. The sound from the soapbar pups is great, clear and sharp but with so much depth. There is no compromise in my Status basses unlike the other off-the-shelf basses I have. Something on each of them is a compromise be it neck profile, body shape, pickups, eq, you name it there is something I would change. Not on Status S2s though. Oh yes, and headless of course. Nothing more logical than the headless tuning system. Edited October 26, 2009 by BassBus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 A fiver fretted 35" scale Some sort of darker tonewood as a core material (Mahogany, Walnut, Bubinga) with a Maple or Zebrano cap in a Modern Jazz shape. A Maple neck will suffice, with either a Maple or Ebony fretboard. I really liked HappyJack's ProseBass Jazz with its twin Bartolinis shoved right down at the bridge. I could be persuaded to use this configuration but maybe add an EQ with a full bypass. EQ choice? Who Knows?! Too much choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jobiebass Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 My paint skills suck Shuker thing. 33" scale. Pretty much exactly the same spec as my current one but with flame maple top, maple fretboard with blue flame maple inlays, Musicman/jazz pickups delano's. BAii bridge, ACG pre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 I made a list of 3: [b]Fretted 1:[/b] Jazzbass 5-string No pickguard No control plate Swamp ash body 35" scale AAAA grade spalt maple top See-through wine red finish Birdseye maple neck Birdseye maple fretboard Bone nut Hipshot tuners Badass V bridge medium frets Chrome hardware Nordstrand NJ5 pickups Aguilar OBP-3 preamp Controls: Volume/balance/bass/mid/treble/active-passive switch [b]Fretted 2:[/b] 4-string Precision Alder body 2 tone sunburst finish Black pickguard Birdseye maple Jazz Bass profile neck (Brazilian) rosewood fretboard Medium frets Bone nut Hipshot tuners Gotoh 201 bridge (chrome) Lindy Fralin P-bass pickup CTS pots [b]Fretless:[/b] 4-string jazzbass Alder body 34” scale No pickguard Control plate Sunburst finish Lindy Fralin passive pickups Passive electronics Epoxied rosewood fingerboard Birdseye maple neck Bone nut Hipshot tuners Vintage bridge Chrome hardware Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 (edited) If you are sticking to the Fender hybrids I would go for: Body: alder (light and mature) - Jazz shape Colour: sonic blue with nitrocellulose finish with most of it taken off again. Neck: Jazz maple neck with no skunk but a bit of flame - non-painted headstock. Fingerboard: Brazilian rosewood slab aka '60-62 Fender production - this is of course illegal at the moment and so Hondurian rosewood would be fine. Something with a bit of colour variation in the grain. Dot inlay mother of pearl on fretboard and white/sonic blue LEDs on neck edge/ No binding. 34" scale. Medium width frets with smooth edges. Nut: ebony Scratchplate: none PUs: Nordstrand NJSE in bridge and NP4 P-bass in neck position. Also built in midi PU under body. Preamp: Audere pre 3 band EQ with quick change batteries in the back of bass. Controls: P-bass controls: master vol/blend : Micro controls: treble/mid/bass (5 knobs) Jack: On front of body. Midi connection on body side near the strap button. Hardware: Hipshot ultralight bridge and tuners Strings: DR Sunbeams 40-100 The bass would weigh about 7 lbs. Dithering on: 4 or 5 strings. Good game, was I specific enough? Davo Edited October 27, 2009 by Davo-London Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalmoore Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 (edited) THIS [attachment=35266:Thunderbird_bass_2.jpg] Schaller 3D-5 bridge, Hipshot ultralite black tuners, maple Modded 4 string precision maple neck (like Ric5 from talkbass), Custom Wizard HB's, Audere 3EQ w/ Vol,Bal,Tre,Mid,Bass knobs, Ash body. Got it all planned tbh, just waiting for shinhoman to start the body and already got the neck, tuners and bridge. Some small things to work out like money and string spacing before it can be finished. Edited October 27, 2009 by Metalmoore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalmoore Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 [quote name='MacDaddy' post='638631' date='Oct 27 2009, 11:31 PM'][/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lew-Bass Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 [quote name='MacDaddy' post='638631' date='Oct 27 2009, 11:31 PM'][/quote] Wow, what are those grooves in the fretboard at the body-end? Also, how many pick-ups are under there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 (edited) [quote name='Lew-Bass' post='639048' date='Oct 28 2009, 01:26 PM']Wow, what are those grooves in the fretboard at the body-end? Also, how many pick-ups are under there?[/quote] Scallops for bending, like Sheehan's bass. Mine is this: With electronics fiddled with, stereo output, high cut on the neck pup, low cut on the bridge one. Stacked volumes. Edited October 28, 2009 by Mr. Foxen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 My Ideal Custom Bass? I already own it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikhay77 Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 (edited) Ha ha,luckily I've got mine too,ultra slim neck,27 frets,active EMG Hz,and more woods than a porn film orgy,sits great,feels great,looks amazing and sounds amazing Edited October 28, 2009 by mikhay77 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus bell Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 my perfect bass would be this. A jaydee series 1 or 4 body shape with two jaydee pickups on display, two status pickups under the surface and two marcus milerr jazz pickups under the surface and two alembix pickups. The bass would have 4 outputs on the body edge. With a jaydee selector switch for each, these signals would go from the bass into a routing station thingy, get effected and eq'd and all fed into an ashdown mk500 and a trace elliot mp11 then mixed into two ebs 4x10's and two swr 1x15's, so thats the sound sorted, the body would be made of the lightest wood available at the time, careless of apperance as i would cap the top and back with quilted maple of the finest quality, the neck woods would be reminiscent of an alembic and i would custom make the head to look like a pangborn, the fingerboard would be phenolic with front and side leds and maple binding...the leds would be red i think with the option to change the colours to blue or green or white. The bass would have a kahler tremolo arm and a jaydee rollerball nut and schaller tuners.... I bet this bass would cost so so much to make as it would include the jaydee electronics and the alembic electronics and the fender electronics all mounted on a rack easily selectable the fender electronics would be by sadowsky i think as im a fan of marcus miller what do you guys think? X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnasher1993 Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Single Cut body shape 5 Strings 2 + 3 tuner layout 35” scale 16” fingerboard radius 30 frets Set neck Abalone front and side markers Wenge nut Brass zero fret Black hardware Hipshot ultralight tuners Hipshot A style bridge Hipshot drop tuner on B string Audere Classic 4B preamp Nordstrand big single coil neck pickup Nordstrand dual coil bridge pickup Pickup switch Coil tap switch for humbucker Active/passive switch 5 piece laminate neck – wenge, zebrano, purpleheart Birdseye maple fingerboard Spalted maple top Wenge accent veneers Mahogany core Curly Walnut back Matching headstock laminates (front and back) Satin finish Yes, I've thought alot about it...one day, I'll make it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I've never been interested in having a custom bass built. I prefer to see something that catches my eye, play it, like it, buy it. If I had a custom bass I'd probably regret a bunch of decisions I made when I ordered it, and feel too precious about it to sell it. Plus there's that whole stigma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I already own mine too........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plux_the_Duck Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 ahh this is simples I'd have two a Roscoe LG3000 (fretted, 4-string) - Ash body - Flame maple top ( whole body emerald green or dark green) - Possibly Wenge neck - Black Ebony fingerboard - Gold Hardware - Classic Bartolini Pickups - Bartolini 3-band pre-amp AND a Roscoe SKB3000 (fretless, 4-string) - Ash Body (cherryburst or dark red) - Quilted Maple top (naturalburst or amber high gloss) - Wenge Neck - Pau Ferro fretboard - Black hardware - Classic Bartolini Pickups - Bartolini 3-band pre-amp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 (edited) [quote name='Rich' post='639083' date='Oct 28 2009, 02:07 PM']My Ideal Custom Bass? I already own it [/quote] +1 [quote name='Lew-Bass' post='639048' date='Oct 28 2009, 01:26 PM']Also, how many pick-ups are under there?[/quote] 1 pup, extra wound and hum-cancelling Edited November 4, 2009 by MacDaddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 5 string Chambered swamp ash J bass body, 35" scale, maple neck, unlined ebony fretless fingerboard, Bartolini's (they just seem easy to use). Would have had this some time back but Warmoth say they can't do a chambered body with a 5 string neck pocket. Finish would be just letting the swamp ash speak for itself through something like the Fender Mary Kay white (unless I got whip the top off my old friend's former Sei 6 string that had the ugliest spalted maple it looked fantastic). 'til then I'll have to cary on with the EUB - problem is, everyone wants to play in E and I hate playing open - comes from years of playing rhythm guitar in a big band - all those Bb's and Eb's! Some really nice customs on show here - nice work all of you keeping those amazing luthiers in business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 I'm another of the lucky ones who have their ideal bass(es) already. L-R: Conklin GT7 fretless, Jackson Kip Winger, ACG 9 string, Sei 7 string & James Tyler 4 string. Wouldn't swap any of them for anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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