Help a Neurotic Dude with a Bass Build!

[BuyMeABurrito]

Posted about my situation on Facebook and a gearhead friend recommended a local luthier to me that is used by a few local music stores, which is a good thing because Warmoth said that they didn't route for the Bisonic pickups or the pickguards. The guy messaged me and after I described what I was needed quoted me a super fair price, so I'm excited about that.

Now I'm basically going to order a blank body (Warmoth can't drill for a Babicz bridge either) and let this guy do everything. Now I just need to focus on cosmetic things like choice of woods and all of that.

As far as that goes, I'm thinking of using either Roasted Swamp Ash or Roasted Alder for the body. I know the laminates aren't required, but should I get one or will the bass look good without it? I'm thinking about doing a Vintage Tint Gloss as a finish because I'd like for the wood to show through nicely. The laminate would be nice, but I'm trying to keep the cost manageable. 

 

[Cagey]

Roasted Swamp Ash is a little unusual in that it changes color pretty dramatically with transparent finishes (although usually in a very positive way). You may want to search around a bit to see what's in the Showcase or what others have done to see what the effect will be before you commit to anything.

 

[BuyMeABurrito]

I think I'm going to go with regular Swamp Ash and with either a Quilt or a Flame Maple top. I might just splurge. I'm sort of torn between getting a classic-looking Fender-style paint job or a gorgeous piece of wood as the star type of finish (I call those PRS finishes).

Oh well, I have plenty of time to dream before I press the order button.

Here's a quick question: if I do a rear route or a battery box route do I need to buy those covers? If so, where do I buy them from?

 

[Fat Pete]

Here's a quick question: if I do a rear route or a battery box route do I need to buy those covers? If so, where do I buy them from?

Warmoth sell the battery boxes here.

 

[Logrinn]

Warmoth supplies the cover when the body is rear routed (for guitar bodies at least and I assume the same applies for bass bodies).

But you need to get the battery box if you're getting it routed for such a thing.

 

[BuyMeABurrito]

Okay two quick questions: I'm leaning towards getting a Swamp Ash body with a Flame Maple laminate top. I can get the Flame Maple in the builder and NOT have to choose the specific piece from Unique Choices option in the builder, right?

I'd love to get a gorgeous piece of wood, but I don't think that I can afford the extra $175 that it adds to the price of the body.

Also I'm compiling a shopping list and I'm hoping to make sure I've got everything on the list so I can mark it off as I chip away at it. Here's what I have:

Body
Pickguard (optional)
Neck
Strap Locks
Bridge
Preamp (volume and tone knobs controls)
Pickup
Tuning knobs
String Tree (whatever that thing on the neck is called)
Strap
Battery Box
Sidejack Plate

Am I missing anything vital here? Sorry for all the questions, I just always want to plan everything out.

 

[Logrinn]

That’s right. And chances are you’ll get a stunning top anyway.
This is what I got when I ordered a flame top for my Mustang:

 

[BuyMeABurrito]

That's Flame Maple? What finish did you choose?

EDIT: I forgot to say that is an absolutely GORGEOUS guitar.

 

[Logrinn]

Thanks.
No, that’s quilt maple (I wrote flame by mistake), but I didn’t choose any top from the Unique Choice list, I just ordered one and this is what I got.
So chances are you’ll get something that looks good even if you don’t cherry pick a particular top.
The finish is Transparent Amber.

 

[Rick]

Might need some screws and neck plate.  Maybe a neck plate pad?  Maybe felt for the strap pins and the jack plate? Maybe strings? Potentiometers?  A wiring diagram or wiring plan before you buy anything?

 

[BuyMeABurrito]

Might need some screws and neck plate.  Maybe a neck plate pad?  Maybe felt for the strap pins and the jack plate? Maybe strings? Potentiometers?  A wiring diagram or wiring plan before you buy anything?

Ordered a neck plate this AM. Strings I have an extra set of roundwounds that will go on. I'm ordering this wiring set up from Audere in two weeks, right after I talk to Curtis from CurtisNovak.com about the pickup to make sure that is the right thing that I need for the pickup. Will that satisfy the need for potentiometers and the wiring plan/diagram?

 

[ghotiphry]

I'm not sure if your link is working correctly.  Vol/Mid stack, Treb/Bass stack, and mid freq switch?  Single pickup?  Should work just fine, I think.

Is the mid freq switch redundant with the mid pot?  Give some thought to this: http://audereaudio.com/classic-v-3b-3h-chrome.html which gives you a single pot for volume or the Pro Z with the Z-mode switch: http://audereaudio.com/pro-z-v-3b-3h-chrome.html, which I think the Z-mode adds a wider range of tones.  Depends on if you want to be a control nut or more simple=better.

Edit: okay, I get it, the mid switch actually changes the frequency of the mid as controlled by the mid pot.

 

[BuyMeABurrito]

That's the one I should use with the Darkstar/Bisonic? Score!

I'm really considering doing this with a small pickguard (a la the pickguards on the Serek Midwestern bass) or no pickguard at all and getting a nice Flame Maple top.

Buying the small parts now and ordering the pickup after Christmas. Hopefully I can get the neck/body ordered by February. Working on a budget stretches this build out.

 

[ghotiphry]

Well now, Ive never put an Audere with that pickup...  I don't have one.  But, I do own several Audere pre-amps.  With several different pickups.  I don't think the way the Audere functions depends on the particular pickup.  Talk with David at Audere, or send him an email sales@audereaudio.com.  Very helpful guy.

(Audere does have systems with a noise cancellation coil that DOES depend on the pickup.)

 

[Cagey]

Working on a budget stretches this build out.

That's ok. The parts don't go bad. They'll wait until you're ready. Plus, doing it that way lets you actually do it, while unclenching $1500 for a new bass/guitar all at once is often a tough nut to swallow for many of us.

 

[BuyMeABurrito]

EXACTLY. Plus realizing that this is probably the last bass I'll buy (I know, never say never) and making it something special is sort of helping me with the timeframe and being open to rethinking my approach to the look of the bass and woods and things like that. I've sort of come to the conclusion that I have two GREAT Fenders, and personally it's silly to try to create something similar to what those are because in my opinion those basses are perfect. It's giving me permission in a way to seek out different sounds (first the metal neck idea and now the Darkstar/Bisonic pickup) and looks (looking at doing a laminate top and no pickguard vs the Fender clone I'd originally thought about making). This has been an adventure so far and the build hasn't really started, just the slow assembling of parts. 

 

[Cagey]

Yeah, you don't want to say "never". Putting together an instrument exactly the way you'd like it is oddly addicting. For one, it's very satisfying. There's a pride of ownership you just can't seem to get from most OEM gear, no matter how nice it is. Then, it seems nothing is ever exactly right, if for no other reason than it's impossible to get a single instrument to cover the wide variety of sonic characteristics possible. Plus, sometimes you just have an urge for a particular style/appearance and want to have it at hand. For some of us, the urge to do it again pops up before the first one is even done  :icon_biggrin:

 

[ghotiphry]

Yeah, you don't want to say "never". Putting together an instrument exactly the way you'd like it is oddly addicting. For one, it's very satisfying. There's a pride of ownership you just can't seem to get from most OEM gear, no matter how nice it is. Then, it seems nothing is ever exactly right, if for no other reason than it's impossible to get a single instrument to cover the wide variety of sonic characteristics possible. Plus, sometimes you just have an urge for a particular style/appearance and want to have it at hand. For some of us, the urge to do it again pops up before the first one is even done  :icon_biggrin:

This.  It's just frickin' addicting.

 

[BuyMeABurrito]

Custom neck plate ordered and strap locks purchased. Next week I buy a battery box and a few more things. Heavy lifting as far as purchases begin in late January/early February. Too early to start a work in progress thread but it’s happening. Yes!!

 

[BuyMeABurrito]

Two more questions:

1. When ordering a body made of alder, does it make sense to get an alder top laminate or would just the body look good with a solid color finish on top and no laminate?

2. I'm in love with the light yellow color. It looks like the Buttercream color that is on the new Fender Player's Series basses. I'm just asking about people's tastes here, but would that look good with black hardware and pickguard or chrome hardware and a white pickguard? The pickup is probably going to be chrome with no black showing.