Custom "'78" fretless P

[Shaggy]

Wasn't really sure whether to put this in the build or the porn section, but as far as I'm concerned it's an iconic version of [b]the[/b] iconic bass guitar , so in here it goes!

I recently acquired a very lovely 1978 Fender Precision maple fretless neck in a trade with our own Chris Beedster - he'd previously had my '71 P/J fretless P in another trade, and I was starting to miss it. Also, I've always had a soft spot for a maple fretless Precision - my very first fretless in the early '80's was a "bitza" copy one that I gradually modded to death.

The neck is an absolute stunner; the original finish virtually like new except for the board that was re-dressed and finished by Martin Simms, the finish seamlessly blending into the original. I also had the tuners and string tree off him, that are original to the neck.
Anyway, intention was to gradually rebuild a vintage P-bass with authentic late-70's Fender parts; but in the meantime WarPig on BC was selling a bitza fretless P that caught my eye: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=82997&hl=bitza"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=82997&hl=bitza[/url] . In particular; the potential of the very lovely natural ash body, and the fact that it was fitted with a piezo bridge. Seemed to me a cheap way of putting together a nice fretless P quickly, and also of trying out a piezo which I've wanted to do for a long time. One of my "must have" features for fretless is 2 p/ups - the blend between the 2 is where the tone is at. In this respect a dual P/J setup is ideal, but aesthetically I reckon it marrs the classic simple lines of a Precision.

So it was a very straightforward project to amalgamate the two, plus a tort pickguard from Cetera - result in the pics. Verdict? Very, very nice - heavier and clubbier than my old '71, but very playable indeed. Tone on the P pickup is what you'd expect from a "vintage" Fender P, the piezo has something of the nasal J p/up bite but with an extra acoustric woodiness. With the tone rolled off it, a very convincing "upright" sound, and it's got me trying jazzy stuff I've never explored before.

The original bitza donor body was put together by our own steve, link here; [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=13159"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=13159[/url] -it did seem a damn shame semi-dismantling it but I know from experience that it's generally cheaper buying other people's projects than assembling your own from scratch! Steve made a hell of a good job on the electrics - he made the piezo buffer circuit himself, also of finishing the beautiful body.

I've since bought a nice '79 natural Fender P body in good nick on the 'bay, which I'll start loading with vintage parts. From an investment / selling on point of view the neck logically should be on the "vintage" body - and will be - but the current set-up is so nice I'll probably eventually get some Warmoth / Allparts ebony-board neck to go in the piezo body (the original zebrano neck from the bitza is lovely, but needs to be on a darker exotic-wood body I think)

So - it's been a fun and relatively cheap way of acquiring a bass I've always coveted, and it's an "all-BC special" - thanks to Chris Beedster, steve, Warpig, and Cetera for the entertaining deals and input!

Edited May 30, 2010 by Shaggy

[steve]

Excellent job Greg, that looks fantastic, definately a big improvement on how far I took it

[Beedster]

That's great Greg, well done mate. It's exactly the bass you described when we first talked about the deal.

That, my friend, is a keeper.

Chris

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='Shaggy' post='831576' date='May 8 2010, 04:47 PM']I'll probably eventually get some Warmoth / Allparts ebony-board neck to go in the piezo body[/quote]
If brandoni still sell maple/ebony fretless P necks, I'd recommend you look at one. About half the price of an allparts and excellent quality if they're still like mine:


After reading this thread I quite fancy putting a piezo bridge in mine.

[Shaggy]

[quote name='steve' post='831734' date='May 8 2010, 08:30 PM']Excellent job Greg, that looks fantastic, definately a big improvement on how far I took it[/quote]

Well I took it to full circle really - back to a standard P - although better than its original black incarnation I hope! (wh'd have thought that body was underneath) Yours was far more original, and had that MM vibe going on too. You could definitely be a pro guitar electrician (are you?) - neatest circuit I've ever seen.

[quote name='Beedster' post='831774' date='May 8 2010, 09:44 PM']That's great Greg, well done mate. It's exactly the bass you described when we first talked about the deal.



That, my friend, is a keeper.

Chris[/quote]

Wait till you see the proper finished "vintage" one......cheers for all the help Chris . And you of all people should know there's no such beast as a keeper!


[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='831798' date='May 8 2010, 10:23 PM']If brandoni still sell maple/ebony fretless P necks, I'd recommend you look at one. About half the price of an allparts and excellent quality if they're still like mine:


After reading this thread I quite fancy putting a piezo bridge in mine.[/quote]

That looks just the job, and reckon the piezo body pictured might get a 3TS finish as well looking at that, no point having two natural ones! Really sold on piezo, I'll dig out the US link for where steve sourced it - surprisingly affordable. One drawback is I wanted the full ashtray "bling" and the bridge cover won't quite fit over the piezo bridge.

Edited May 8, 2010 by Shaggy

[Shaggy]

Quick update;

Here's the more conventional "Mk II" version;

1978 Fender P fretless maple neck with original tuners, board redressed & refinished by Martin Simms, otherwise original (courtesy Chris Beedster)
1979 Fender P natural ash body, original finish (US ebay)
1973 Fender "F" neck plate (courtesy Chris Beedster)
Cellulose tort vintage-type pickguard (WD Music)
Fender '62 RI pickup (courtesy bumnote)
Fender vintage spec wiring kit; CTS pots and all cloth wire (UK ebay)
Chromed brass dome knobs (WD Music)
Generic bridge (£3 on UK ebay - it'll do till I source an old 'un, and it's more solid than the Fender one)

It's a very nice bass, that looks, feels and plays just like a vintage Fender should (bright brass pickguard screws and shiny bridge will be replaced), but as a player the Mk 1 had the edge - that piezo made a massive contribution to tone and range. Too bad - body now sold with the original zebrano neck.

Been a fun little project anyway, especially as I convinced the wife it's not really a new bass, just some old bits I stuck together