Any good ideas for this one..?

[Tegs]

Have been thinking about this for a while so any ideas/advice very welcome.......
I bought a 5 string Peavey Zephyr? I think, for next to nothing. Hate the shape, hate the sound but the neck seems very playable and is a 7 ply laminated through neck, so, I got to thinking.......

How about cutting off the wings and re-attaching some wood in my own shape/style/species, cutting sides off the headstock and doing same again, adding some decent pups and electronics and hoping to get a unique and good sounding 5 string? (I'm a joiner by the way so the wood side is not scary at all).

I'm not into slap or too bright a sound, deep banging bass is my thing.

So any advice on..... pups, passive/active, bridge, tuners, new fretboard or not etc. etc. etc

Trying to get photo's up of it.

Edited May 30, 2010 by Tegs

[Mikey R]

By the time youve stripped the laquer, sawn off the wings, jointed and attached the new wings, maybe filled and re-routed the pickup cavities, removed and replaced the fingerboard, reworked the headstock, then refinished it, you could easily have built an instrument from scratch without all the workarounds. If the only thing thats nice about that bass is the neck profile, you can easily clone that on another bass.

Looks like walnut and maple laminated neck? Walnuts really my favourite at the moment.

EDIT: can we get a look at your shop? Its always nice seeing other people setups

Edited May 30, 2010 by Mikey R

[Tegs]

You're not wrong Mikey but I figure the neck is the thing that needs most knowledge, accuracy and time. Accuracy I have, time I do not! I guess I can glean the knowledge from somewhere though.

Maybe as its a first go at it I will stick with the original fretboard as its hardly played anyway.

I'll try and get some photo's of the 'dungeon' up for you!

I think maple but defo not walnut. Looks mahogany like, some exotic hardwood anyway. And the wings I believe are Koa. Its a very light bass so would be nice to get some heavier sides on.

Edited May 30, 2010 by Tegs

[Mikey R]

You may be overestimating the amount of effort it needs to carve a neck - on the Shuker course I did last summer, it took me maybe a couple of hours at most, and Im not a joiner by trade. I reckon youd have a load of fun making the whole thing from scratch. Just my opinion though.

[Mr. Foxen]

I think the Peaveys were made of imbuya (spelling?), I had a similar in 4 string flavour. Didn't like the neck. I'd avoid chopping up the headstock, it is a fairly structural part. I don't think the tone is gonna change much from the wings being different, the through neck is doing most of the work, unless you drastically change the weight.

[henry norton]

I'd go for what you originally suggested - changing the headstock and sawing off / replacing the wings should be a piece of p#ss. If I had a spare neck thru like that I'd probably do the same. It gives you lots of scope like using very light woods, or what about creating chambered wings? It won't affect the sound very much but it might add a certain resonance and be lighter (and more interesting) than swamp ash (snore....). As for pickups what about the J/MM/J setup as seen on the recent Japanese Jazz thread in the bass guitars section? A big enough footprint to cover a multitude of previous routes....

[Brave Sir Robin]

Hate the shape? Looks pretty spiffing to me!

I'd say, wizard pickups, black hardware for a less tacky look (hipshot A + hipshot ultralites).

$$$ woohoo! $$$

[Tegs]

Cheers for the ideas........ going to have to look up some bits and pieces. Any recommends on suppliers..? Have stripped all the gubbins off and it will only take a moments boredom to throw it through the bandsaw (the same bandsaw that severed my index finger tendon before Christmas and nearly ended my bass playing career altogether!!!!)

Love the bike Henry!

[Mikey R]

[quote name='Tegs' post='855439' date='Jun 2 2010, 09:42 PM'](the same bandsaw that severed my index finger tendon before Christmas and nearly ended my bass playing career altogether!!!!)[/quote]

Nasty! I really hope you didnt lose the finger!

[Tegs]

Not this time............. Lost the top of my left hand little finger on the planer 3 years ago though......... Amazingly, my physio for the tendon was a bass player and he just told me to go away and play

[EdwardHimself]

I think that bass looks amazing. I really like these basses and i think it would be a shame for you to ruin it. I also agree that you might as well just build a new bass by the time you've done all that work and got all the new stuff for it.

Edited June 3, 2010 by EdwardHimself

[henry norton]

[quote name='Tegs' post='855520' date='Jun 2 2010, 11:49 PM']Not this time............. Lost the top of my left hand little finger on the planer 3 years ago though......... Amazingly, my physio for the tendon was a bass player and he just told me to go away and play [/quote]
Holy Sh#t! I have nightmare visions about losing fingers/hands/arms in my machines - I can't believe your finger had an argument with a planer and you're still playing. Just think Tony Iommi I suppose

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='henry norton' post='856384' date='Jun 3 2010, 06:29 PM']Holy Sh#t! I have nightmare visions about losing fingers/hands/arms in my machines - I can't believe your finger had an argument with a planer and you're still playing. Just think Tony Iommi I suppose [/quote]

I think he'd have trouble with a bass to be fair. He has to use light gauge strings on his guitar to be able to play apparently.

[Tegs]

[quote name='henry norton' post='856384' date='Jun 3 2010, 06:29 PM']Holy Sh#t! I have nightmare visions about losing fingers/hands/arms in my machines - I can't believe your finger had an argument with a planer and you're still playing. Just think Tony Iommi I suppose [/quote]

I've defo done my joinery apprenticeship, and have been very, very lucky to keep working, nevermind playing. I spent almost two years not using the little finger but now its virtually back to normal, albeit a bit shorter and fatter! Quite good to be forced to use the third finger though cos I know a lot of people don't at all. Don't mess with machinery kids and keep your mind on the job

I'm starting to feel it would be ashame to cut the Peavey up too........... Might take good advice from you guys and try a neck from scratch... just need to pull my finger out........(oh dear, sorry! )

[Al Heeley]

+ 1 : Save the bass! Don't cut it up, sell it to someone who appreciates it then use the money to buy some wood and put together something original from scratch

[Mikey R]

[quote name='Tegs' post='856565' date='Jun 3 2010, 09:08 PM']Don't mess with machinery kids and keep your mind on the job [/quote]

Losing a digit has to be one of my all time worst nightmares! Im glad you've been able to carry on playing!

My little brothers old bassist had all his fingers removed from his left hand by a lawn mower. He got them all sewn back on, and carried on playing bass the whole time. Tough as nails that bloke.

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='856569' date='Jun 3 2010, 09:14 PM']+ 1 : Save the bass! Don't cut it up, sell it to someone who appreciates it then use the money to buy some wood and put together something original from scratch [/quote]

As usual, I agree with Al. This bass would probably sell in the classifiedes on here pretty quick.

We're still waiting on shop pics!

[Tegs]

I'm convinced, I'll re-string it and see how it sounds. It may get an outing sometime!

Props to the lawnmower man!

Can't seem to get pictures up at the moment but will keep trying.