It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:24 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Build my own bass
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:06 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:56 am
Posts: 37
Location: LANCASTER PA
I am looking for a father daughter project. She said she wants to build a bass guitar. (Honey I just bought you one)

Anyway any of you folks know who makes a quality kit or other ideas.


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 11:22 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
These are parts dealer , you can buy everything you need , but not "kit "

www.warmoth.com

www.stewmac.com/


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 12:17 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2010 11:21 am
Posts: 256
Location: Guam
They're not fender style, but carvin does 4 and5 string kits.

_________________
Liam

-Candy Apple Red Precision Bass (Maple fingerboard) carrying Rotosound Steve Harris Strings
-1980-something Bentley Series 10
-Fender Rumble 15


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:18 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
The CARVIN kits are expensive but very, very high quality. Carvin.com of course.
Here's more:
http://www.guitarfetish.com/Guitar-And-Bass-Kits_c_74.html
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Bass-Guitar-Kit-Deluxe-Quilted-Maple/H8181
http://www.instrumentalley.com/Build-Your-Own-Instrument-s/71.htm

The Saga kits sold at Instrument Alley are also available through Amazon. Those Grizzly kits are good quality I've heard.

Buying individual parts from Warmoth or Stew-Mac, especially the necks, cuts down assembly time as the headstocks are pre-shaped to Fender specs while you'll have to whittle on the headstock on most of the kits. Then assembly is just a screw in, solder and bolt on thing. Finishing is maybe the trickiest part but you'll also need some fret dressing/leveling/filing and nut filing tools for the setup phase. Usually in the kits the electronics are not exactly first rate, but the Carvin kits are.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 2:16 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:56 am
Posts: 37
Location: LANCASTER PA
THANK YOU! You guys are awesome. I love our Fender group..

LIFE IS GOOD

Eric


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 8:41 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2010 11:21 am
Posts: 256
Location: Guam
No worries. I'm envious, my boys are 2 yrs and 6 wks. It'll be a few till we're building with anything more than Legos.

_________________
Liam

-Candy Apple Red Precision Bass (Maple fingerboard) carrying Rotosound Steve Harris Strings
-1980-something Bentley Series 10
-Fender Rumble 15


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:25 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2012 3:08 pm
Posts: 474
This falls into the "other" category requested...

I'm assuming she has small hands...

I'd go to the local Music Go Round and find a fixable made in Japan beater Ibanez Soundgear bass, which happens to have a slim neck. The MIJ necks are usually put together with three pieces of hard maple...the Korean version of the Ibanez Soundgear have one piece necks with hardly any grain...not good. Stick with Japan. Make sure the bass body is lighweight basswood. Don't buy her a 5 string.

Put some good pickups in it if needed. But..remember, many of those MIJ basses from the late 80's and some 90's came stock with quality Dimarzio's.

She won't like the bridge pieces grinding against her skin..so I also suggest buying a Leo Quan Badssa bridge(try to find the pre-filed version, if not have it done by a luthier)

Maybe even repaint the thing...


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 8:36 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
Probably the last thing I'd suggest is one of those BadAss bridges. The very last thing.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:03 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2012 10:11 am
Posts: 195
1. You have an awesome daughter! 2. My father helped me refinish my gig bass' finish and i will cherish it forever its more than a bass at that point cool stuff


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:35 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:19 am
Posts: 84
I cant really add anything other than good luck, but its better than nothing!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 2:49 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
brotherdave wrote:
Probably the last thing I'd suggest is one of those BadAss bridges. The very last thing.



I'm liking this. I feel good about not caring for BA bridges with Dave running interference on it. We know they are okay I guess but Dave doesn't like the company and I don't like the bridges.... so what's that causing? Not sure but I've carried the torch against all the hype being a former BA user myself. It was a one step program to get off of them . 1 step = just don't buy one.
Now there will be someone who thinks they are great and that's okay really. I don't hate BA bridges- I just don't want one.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 12:28 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2012 1:10 am
Posts: 15
RE: Repainting a bass

Please don't try to take a finish off of an existing bass to put on a new one. It's not worth the time or mess.

If I could have done it over with one I'm working on now, I would have bought the neck and body pre-shaped from StewMac or Warmoth.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Build my own bass
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 9:56 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
ST.California wrote:
RE: Repainting a bass

Please don't try to take a finish off of an existing bass to put on a new one. It's not worth the time or mess.

If I could have done it over with one I'm working on now, I would have bought the neck and body pre-shaped from StewMac or Warmoth.


I agree that unless you have the right power tools and a lot of experience using them that you are better off buying the neck and body ready to finish from those companies. Also you can obtain better hardware and electronics than what comes in most kits. The trouble with buying it one piece at a time like that is only the expense. It is sort of like building a car one piece at a time, nobody but Jay Leno could afford to do that.

Let's price out a "kit" from individual parts.

Body: Warmoth Classic P-Bass (finished so $55 upcharge) $315
Neck: Warmoth SUPER P-Bass $180
Tuners: BML1C Schallers $65
Bridge: Gotoh 201 $40
Nut: Graphtec XL $5
String Retainer Ringtype: $2
P-Bass Wiring Kit (pots/wire/jack/cap) $16*
Standard Fender Black pickguard $35*
Fender Pickguard screws $6*
Strap buttons and washers $12*
Neck Plate & screws $12*
Strings Rotosound $25 most places
Pickup: Fender Original Vintage P-Bass $80*
*= Guitar Parts Resource, rest of stuff from Warmoth

That's $793. Ouch.


The kits have everything, but some of that everything is not even Squier caliber parts. Again the Carvin is an exception to that but you'll find it is also the most expensive kit.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: