Modifying a P-Bass Copy?

[Commando Jack]

Hi Guys,

After severely GASing for Starless' [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=82368"]MIJ Jazz[/url], and realising I simply can't afford the asking price with postage (although i could still be tempted hint hint hint price drop ) I have taken a notion to find out the possiblility of modding my current bass, a no-name P copy.

This thing plays like butter. Hard, off butter that has been left in the fridge with mould growing all over it! The neck is all over the place and when I try to adjust the truss rod, nothing happens! By and large, it sounds passable in the mix, but I believe I ahve outgrown passable.

So, where do I start? I was thinking of gutting the thing and turning it into the bass of my dreams with new neck, pups and electrics etc, but is it worth the expenditure or the hassle? Is it even possible (I'm wondering if it's possible to swap out the neck without heavy modding)? Should I just go buy another bass?

Let me know your thoughts!

[Low End Bee]

I'd buy another bass.

It's only worth modding if the neck and body are nice. You never get the money you put in back either.

[Ou7shined]

I say go for it. You won't get your money back on it but there's nothing quite like getting up on stage and delivering the goods on a bass you've built or put together yourself.

You'll find plenty of replacement necks on the market (Dr Parts, Mighty Mite, Allparts, Warmoth - ascending price order) but most follow Fender standard size fit. You'll need to check the size of your no-name neck pocket. Generally it is easier to buy a new (non drilled) neck then you can place the screw holes exactly to your bass.
Regarding electrics there's not much you can do with a P bass - you might find a tiny active pre to fit the cavity but chance are it will be pants. Alternatively you could splash out on a John East P pre but then it is probably worth 6 times that of the bass.

Pups? Bang in a Wizard and you'll be cooking on gas.

Good luck.

[cocco]

I also say do it!

[Commando Jack]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='842901' date='May 20 2010, 10:41 AM']Regarding electrics there's not much you can do with a P bass - you might find a tiny active pre to fit the cavity but chance are it will be pants. Alternatively you could splash out on a John East P pre but then it is probably worth 6 times that of the bass.

Pups? Bang in a Wizard and you'll be cooking on gas.[/quote]


Just to clarify when I was talking electrics, I was literally meaning replace the pots and wiring like for like, with something a little bit more robust, as the volume pot is pretty dodgy.

As for the Wizard pups, any recommendations? I like the idea of the thumpers if anyone has any experience with them.

[Dom in Dorset]

It sounds like the only part you can save is the body!
Have a look at this :
[url="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/CH-GUITARS_Necks_W0QQ_fsubZ11QQ_sidZ55431421QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322"]http://stores.ebay.co.uk/CH-GUITARS_Necks_...634Q2ec0Q2em322[/url]
i've bough loads of stuff from them, their service is great. i suspect that their pick ups aren't much better than the ones on your no name , but the necks are good, bodies look good. I've also had bridges, machines etc, all good.

Edited May 20, 2010 by Dom in Somerset

[lemmywinks]

+1 for CH Guitars, great service and reasonable pricing

[Jamesemt]

MMMM I've got a thumper which is brilliant. Really erm thumpy (I'll get my coat). Sounds great with a P-retro.

I personally wouldn't do it - you don't know what you really want and if you sink a lot of money into it which you can't get back...

FWIW both my main basses are quite heavily modded - but to get to that stage I've bought and sold loads of basses - made a mental note of what does and doesn't work (for me) and moved on.

[tom1946]

What he says ^^^

[Prime_BASS]

You may only be left with the body, but as long as it's a quality pier of wood and a good tone wood then it'll be worth it.

As long as your willing to spend a bit knowing you won't get it back, but if you do it right and well then you should have something that you won't want to sell anyway, hopefully

[Ou7shined]

That's right.
It's not always about getting your money back or making a profit, it's about enjoying yourself and learning a different side to what we love - basses.
The sense of achievement pays for itself.
I've seen basses described as being pimped out with just a change of p/g - personally, I like to take things a little further than simply dropping in some off the shelf parts and go "wood deep" but I'm sure the enjoyment factor is the same.

[Prime_BASS]

Exactly currently I'm in the process of a bits a bass project. I have spent more money than I should but have some quality parts all I have to do is put it together.

J black Johnson jazz body, on order.
Maple mighty mite I think jazz neck(not chunky enough to be a P but it's not thin enough for j)
Schaller open gear tunners plus a string tree
black pickguard
badass 2 bridge
Electronics and control plate with series switch, varitons circuit(6 different tones) stacked volume/tone knobs
Fender custom shop 60's jazz pickups (I think these are the same as the 50th aniversay jazz bass fender had at Namm)
Fender embossed neckplate

I'll probably buy some chrome covers too. But with the badass I don't think a bridge cover will fit.

I did start with a squier jazz bass body, 3 piece soft maple, I intended to refinish it myself but I failed miserably. All still part of the enjoyment though. I also realise why a refinish can cost up £200, takes ages to strip and painting you have to be laser precise.

[Commando Jack]

Well thanks for the advice guys!

As for me I have decided I'll take the plunge, and have ordered a new neck from CH guitars. Let me explain myself!

This bass was given to me for free, and is a no name korean copy, so in other words, I can't devalue it! As it was my first, it would have been retired to the studio wall when a more professional instrument comes along (right beside my vintage electric guitar I got when I was 15), so resale value isn't a problem.

At the end of the day I'm a tinkerer too, so the opportunity to take the thing apart ended up being too much for me!

[Ou7shined]

Good to hear it.

A word of warning about CH guitars though - go easy with their screws, they are cheap shyte and you can strip the heads first time of you're not careful.
Good luck and don't forget to put up a build diary for us to follow.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='Commando Jack' post='845588' date='May 23 2010, 11:13 AM']Well thanks for the advice guys!

As for me I have decided I'll take the plunge, and have ordered a new neck from CH guitars. Let me explain myself!

This bass was given to me for free, and is a no name korean copy, so in other words, I can't devalue it! As it was my first, it would have been retired to the studio wall when a more professional instrument comes along (right beside my vintage electric guitar I got when I was 15), so resale value isn't a problem.

At the end of the day I'm a tinkerer too, so the opportunity to take the thing apart ended up being too much for me![/quote]

well thing about resale is once you buy all the nice shiny parts and put them on, the bass altogeter won't be worth too much, if it tins out not as planned or you still don't like it. Or even if you strip it of the nice parts and sell them on you won't get what you paid for them.

Where to start.? Neck is a good place, personally I would have got a mighty mite maple jazz neck. But that's me, mines very fast and smooth, frets are done very well.

Next I would see about bridges and tuners. Then sort of the electronics, wizard thumper pickup, cts pots and a switch craft jack. You should have a serious bass by the end.