First post! Planning first build! Input from those w/experience?

Aaron Gein

Newbie
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5
I've been wanting to put together my own bass since I was 16...ten years later I'm going to do it.  I'd appreciate some input, suggestions, etc. from those with experience building Warmoth basses/guitars.  Here's my plan......

-Walnut P-bass body hand tung oiled with maybe a thin layer of wipe on poly for a bit more protection.
-Maple neck with maple fret board, standard black dots, 6150 jumbo fret wire, satin finished.
-'72 P-bass pickguard in black/white/black.
-Gotoh 201 bridge, black.
-Schaller BML light tuners, black.
-Side input jack with square jack plate, black.
-I'll be having a brass nut cut for this bass when I have a pro do some final fine-tuning to the setup.
-Basslines Quarter Pounder P-pup in the normal P position.
-Basslines MM pup in the jazz position...or slightly higher than jazz position (note: I'm not trying to get an exact P and MM tone in the same bass...just looking to expand the tonal options of a standard P setup and want more options than just P+J...I'm more concerned with the P-pup being in it's sweet spot than the MM being in its).
-Aguilar OBP-3 preamp wired to have 1-vol w/push pull for active/passive select, 1-blend, mid w/push pull for mid freq select, stacked treble/bass, three way switch for series/parallel/single coil for the MM pup, all knobs black.

Now....the thing I'm trying to decide on now....

I don't think I'm going to be able to fit four knobs (two of which are stacked) and one switch, plus the OBP-3 into the standard top route cavity...right?  I was originally going to go with a rear route and no pickguard but decided against it after realizing I would either need to find replacement pots with long shafts for all the pots that come with the OBP...or I would have to thin down the wood in areas to make the standard pots work.  Neither of those options are things I want to tackle for my first build.  On top of that I did a mock-up of my design in photoshop and really like the way the '72 pickguard looks on this thing.  SO....if all that stuff won't fit in the top route (I'm assuming it won't) then I'm thinking I'll go with a top route and have Warmoth add in a rear route as well.  That should give me enough room for everything and then some.  I'm just a little concerned about the stability of the bass with it having a giant hole going through the whole thing.  Anyone have any experience with this?  Will it affect the tone of the bass much?  Will it be really structurally weak?  Anyone have any other thoughts?

Give me some input!  I can't wait to get started on this thing!  :blob7: :guitaristgif: 
 
I disgree. I think the double rout would have an adverse effect on the resonance of the instrument. I would suggest re-imagining the pot/switch setup. Six controls AND a switch sounds like overkill to me. If you're worried about tone coloration, that's why god made preamps.
 
newmexstrings said:
I disgree. I think the double rout would have an adverse effect on the resonance of the instrument. I would suggest re-imagining the pot/switch setup. Six controls AND a switch sounds like overkill to me. If you're worried about tone coloration, that's why god made preamps.

I'd have to disagree with your disagreement.  Top and rear rout can be done.  More than a few basses have gone out the Warmoth doors over the years and no reports of tonal or stability issues.
 
Wyliee said:
newmexstrings said:
I disgree. I think the double rout would have an adverse effect on the resonance of the instrument. I would suggest re-imagining the pot/switch setup. Six controls AND a switch sounds like overkill to me. If you're worried about tone coloration, that's why god made preamps.

I'd have to disagree with your disagreement.  Top and rear rout can be done.  More than a few basses have gone out the Warmoth doors over the years and no reports of tonal or stability issues.
I'd have to agree with your disagreement with his disagreement.
What makes sense to me is that only the wood around the bridge and between the bridge and neck makes a tonal difference. I'm not working on experience by any stretch, but just saying what seems logical.
 
I saw the neck description.  There was no mention of nut width.  The P-Bass nut width is comparable to the MM and true to your vision of a P-Bass/MM hybrid.  While the P-Bass neck is not uncomfortable by any means, the J-Bass (1 1/2") nut width seems to be prefered more often.  What are your plans?
 
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom said:
I saw the neck description.  There was no mention of nut width.  The P-Bass nut width is comparable to the MM and true to your vision of a P-Bass/MM hybrid.  While the P-Bass neck is not uncomfortable by any means, the J-Bass (1 1/2") nut width seems to be prefered more often.  What are your plans?

I have had a few Jazz basses over the years and thought that I preferred Jazz basses....but I've slowly come to realize that I like the tone and feel of Precision basses better.  I think my opinion on Jazz basses was colored by reviews/descriptions and the opinions/generalizations of others.  I think the sound of a Precision bass is more fitting for my style and I've found all the P-basses I've played to be perfectly comfortable.  I dont see the Jazz as having better playability at all.  Different feel?  Yes.  Better or faster/easier playability?  No.  Not in my opinion.  So I was planning on going with a Precision neck for this bass.
 
Max said:
Wyliee said:
newmexstrings said:
I disgree. I think the double rout would have an adverse effect on the resonance of the instrument. I would suggest re-imagining the pot/switch setup. Six controls AND a switch sounds like overkill to me. If you're worried about tone coloration, that's why god made preamps.

I'd have to disagree with your disagreement.  Top and rear rout can be done.  More than a few basses have gone out the Warmoth doors over the years and no reports of tonal or stability issues.
I'd have to agree with your disagreement with his disagreement.
What makes sense to me is that only the wood around the bridge and between the bridge and neck makes a tonal difference. I'm not working on experience by any stretch, but just saying what seems logical.

Thats pretty much what I was thinking.  It seems like it might make some difference but not a ton.  I was more worried about it creating a major weak spot in the body that would be too risky to try.  Upon searching the forum for a few more hours I've found a few other threads where the same thing is mentioned and it seems like people aren't having problems with it.  I think I'll probably go for it.  It'll have the added bonus of making the body a bit lighter....walnut and maple aren't exactly light as a feather.  I can deal with heavy basses though...I have a '79 Peavey T-40 that weighs a ton but my band rarely plays longer than 30 minute sets (get in, shred faces off, get out) so the weight never really bothers me.  I'm not getting any younger though so lightening up a walnut/maple combo isn't a bad thing. 
 
Aaron Gein said:
I have had a few Jazz basses over the years and thought that I preferred Jazz basses....but I've slowly come to realize that I like the tone and feel of Precision basses better.  I think my opinion on Jazz basses was colored by reviews/descriptions and the opinions/generalizations of others.  I think the sound of a Precision bass is more fitting for my style and I've found all the P-basses I've played to be perfectly comfortable.  I dont see the Jazz as having better playability at all.  Different feel?  Yes.  Better or faster/easier playability?  No.  Not in my opinion.  So I was planning on going with a Precision neck for this bass.

I wasn't trying to sell you or convert you on the virtues of the J-Bass vs. P-Bass, but was just curious about nut width preference.
 
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom said:
Aaron Gein said:
I have had a few Jazz basses over the years and thought that I preferred Jazz basses....but I've slowly come to realize that I like the tone and feel of Precision basses better.  I think my opinion on Jazz basses was colored by reviews/descriptions and the opinions/generalizations of others.  I think the sound of a Precision bass is more fitting for my style and I've found all the P-basses I've played to be perfectly comfortable.  I dont see the Jazz as having better playability at all.  Different feel?  Yes.  Better or faster/easier playability?  No.  Not in my opinion.  So I was planning on going with a Precision neck for this bass.

I wasn't trying to sell you or convert you on the virtues of the J-Bass vs. P-Bass, but was just curious about nut width preference.

I know.  I didn't think you were trying to push a J-bass neck.  I was just explaining my train of thought in deciding to go with a P-bass neck.
 
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