Dinky PJ

tfarny

Master Member
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More pics and description at some point. Still have a bit more work to do, and needs a setup.

Black Korina bod, stain / clear nitro finish, rubbed out with steel wool.
Wenge / ebony neck.
Dimarzion ultra P/J pickups (both are hum canceling)
Controls: blend / vol / tone.
Most all parts from big W, except the sharp neckplate.

I'm just a guitar player who mucks around on the bass - after I got this thing together my overriding thought was "I'm not worthy!" I already love Wenge, and I was a big skeptic.
 
tfarny said:
I'm just a guitar player who mucks around on the bass - after I got this thing together my overriding thought was "I'm not worthy!" I already love Wenge, and I was a big skeptic.
So I can say, "One of the nicest basses I've seen belongs to a guitar player."

A year from now, you'll be a bass player who just mucks around on the guitar.  A bass like that could turn anyone.  Nice job!
 
Good to see the Big City is not stifling your custom guitar urges.  Looks fantastic by the way. 
 
I dig it!!!! That looks very comfortable to hold.I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks.

:guitarplayer2:

Cheers
 
Nice foot!!!

And the Bass too.. I really like the coloring on the horn. :glasses9:
 
Update time....Yeah it's neck-heavy. I originally wanted the BML ultralight tuners but when I got them, I realized I couldn't do a proper job of drilling that pilot hole with just a hand drill, so I exchanged them for the regular schallers (thanks Warmoth!). Basically, when standing and with a strap, it's fine, it doesn't dive at all, but when seated the neck will dive. I have started playing it in classical position (left knee) sometimes. I may at some point stick a roll of pennies or something in the backside of the control cavity to see if that would make it better.

I need to get this professionally setup, I don't have the files to fine-tune the nut and generally don't have a feel for Bass setup. Besides I'd like to get the fingerboard edges rolled and fret ends beveled. I had that done for the first time on my LP and it just put it over the top as far as feel and comfort.

Pickups: I really like the Ultra P, but the Ultra J doesn't sound all that 'jazzy' to me so far. I may go back and mess with the pickup height. Maybe I need half-round or flatwound strings to get the sound I want. Keep in mind that I'm playing either through my BH little giant guitar amp or a pod-type setup with my laptop.

 
That is a good-looking instrument, for sure.  Nice job.  I was wondering about the neck weight myself as the Wenge neck on my 5 string is pretty chunky even without frets!  I'm seriously thinking about replacing the neck with a maple fretted to cut down on the weight a little.

But I do like what you've done with that puppy.

JBD
 
Nice job Tim.  Glad you're diggin' the wenge.  Great neck wood for guitar, and must just be outstanding for bass.
 
tfarny said:
I need to get this professionally setup, I don't have the files to fine-tune the nut and generally don't have a feel for Bass setup.

This response comes about two months late.  Since bass strings are wound they act as files.  I took an old set of strings, wrapped them around my fingers like dental floss, and moved them back and forth in the nut applying downward pressure.  It worked quite nice.  I've never had the frets professionally leveled, but with this nut "filing" and the action, intonation, and truss rod setup I did myself, the action is lower than than any factory setup I've seen at my local Guitar Center.
 
tfarny said:
I really like the Ultra P, but the Ultra J doesn't sound all that 'jazzy' to me so far.

Yeah, the Ultra J's have a tonal characteristic all their own.  The hum cancelling kinda mutes parts of the mid-highs.  Nordstrand makes a hum cancelling J pickup, but I haven't heard it.  Might try that one out (probably twice the price of the Ultra J)
 
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