Bass Project

[astutzmann]

Hi: If someone could take my pics and put them inline, I'd appreciate it. I still haven't figured it out.

Here's a 2007 Fender MIM Jazz Bass that I got from a pawn shop in november for $250. The strings were rusty and there was rust all over the guitar, but it looked like its never been played. One small dent the size of about half a dime in the body, a bump, but the paint and finish is not cracked.

I left the guitar in florida after cleaning it up a bit, changing the strings and doing a minor setup on it. Here's the shot after the cleanup,

http://gallery.me.com/astutzmann#100402 ... olor=black

Over the winter I have been thinking about this bass and decided that I would like to make it a project guitar, so I bought the following:

http://gallery.me.com/astutzmann#100402 ... olor=black

Its a new babicz bridge, new dimarzio jazz bass pickups with complete control plate (came as a kit), 2 new pickguards (one metallic gold and the other snakeskin, I am leaning towards the snakeskin) and a set of jazz strings.

Not pictured are a new strap and straplocks.

So far, I have spent almost $400 on the parts to fix this baby up. It may totally be a waste of time and money, but fun anyway.

I'm going back to florida next month and can't wait to assemble this baby. I'll post when I'm finished.

Alf

P.S. My other thoughts were black bridge, control plate and tuners, but hey, I gotta stop somewhere, lol

[yowhatsshakin]

Her you go Alf. The trick is to go to the links you actually embedded and then right mouse click on the image, select 'Copy Image Address' (Safari) or ''Copy Image URL' (Chrome) or 'Copy Image Location' (Firefox) and whatever it is in that other browser, and use that in your posts. I whacked the 'ver=....' part because it is not relevant. And given the width, you'll have to use the timage phpBB tags and play around with the numbers to keep the aspect ratio correct.

Good luck with the project!

Hope this helps,

- Jos

[KenC]

Alf,

What do you think of the TI Jazz Bass strings? I'm looking for a good set of flats for my L-1000 project. I have Rotosound flats on right now, but am very dissatisfied as they aren't really flatwound and severely lack tension.

Ken

[astutzmann]

first, thanks for the pictures and the info

As far as the strings go, I don't know, this is my first bass and I have never tried these. They are expensive so I'm hoping they will be great. Sorry I couldnt be more help, maybe someone else?????

[louis cyfer]

that is a lot to spend on it, how does she play? the TI strings are very good, i think you will like them.

alf, in case you don't like those pups, let me refer you to just about the best bass pup maker (makes wicked tele style guitar pups as well, but his focus is bass) available.
nordstrand bass pups, i have tried both his jazz and p bass pups and they are both phenomenal.

this is also one company that offers a large mfd pup replacement. not many of those arounb.

[astutzmann]

Hi Louis, thanks for the info. It is a lot to spend on the bass, but the neck is excellent, so I think it will be worth it.

Thanks for the info on the pups. I did some research on the bass forums and one guy tested and rated most of the popular pups and he rated these dimarzios as the best in his mind, so I thought I'd give them a try first. I was also looking at lollar and a few others, but the dimarzios came in a package with a populated control plate so I went for that.

I'll let you know.

One thing I am most excited about is the new bridge, I really don't like the one that came with it, probably the cheapest part of the bass.

[KenC]

Alf,

I've been playing Dimarzio J-Bass pups on my Fender Jazz for thirty years. They remain the best I have ever heard, no matter which amp I play them through. I've had equally good results using rounds, flats and ground wounds with them. I can't say how the current Dimarzios compare to my old ones, though.

Ken

[louis cyfer]

Alf,

I've been playing Dimarzio J-Bass pups on my Fender Jazz for thirty years. They remain the best I have ever heard, no matter which amp I play them through. I've had equally good results using rounds, flats and ground wounds with them. I can't say how the current Dimarzios compare to my old ones, though.

Ken

those old dimarzio pups were phenomenal indeed. i have not been impressed with a lot of their current stuff. basically going back when larry and seymour were what fralin, lollar, nirdstrand, klein, bareknuckle are today. i think the tone and quality reflected it as well.

[astutzmann]

ok, project update. I finally got to work on this a bit.

Of course when I took it apart, the nut was broken,

http://gallery.me.com/astutzmann#100349 ... olor=black

so, while I wait for a new graphtec nut to come in, I have done some assembly, new bridge, pups, pickguard, oiled the fretboard, etc etc

http://gallery.me.com/astutzmann#100349 ... olor=black

How do you like that pickguard, I also have a gold one, but I'm liking the snakeskin better!

[louis cyfer]

ok, project update. I finally got to work on this a bit.

Of course when I took it apart, the nut was broken,

http://gallery.me.com/astutzmann#100349 ... olor=black

so, while I wait for a new graphtec nut to come in, I have done some assembly, new bridge, pups, pickguard, oiled the fretboard, etc etc

http://gallery.me.com/astutzmann#100349 ... olor=black

How do you like that pickguard, I also have a gold one, but I'm liking the snakeskin better!

make the pics less then 1000x1000 to make them easier to post.

[astutzmann]

Thx

[SouthpawGuy]

Never seen a snakeskin guard on a bass before, and it's a lefty too !

[Elwood]

That would pair nicely with this EV bass cab.

[astutzmann]

sure would, that's a beauty!

[astutzmann]

new nut came this morning, graphtec 4 string bass nut, jazz style, fit perfectly.

So, here she is, ready for a setup.