Help me design my next bass?

[ghotiphry]

I've got a new neck to build a bass around.  It's a gorgeous pau ferro on pau ferro.  I'm going crazy, because I can't decide what the hell to do next.  I'm going for something that looks a little classic, a little classy, but with an edge.  Some of this stuff may be anything but that, but it's all a part of the process, ya know?

I'm going to post a whole bunch of pictures here.  Tell me if you like something, if you don't like something, whatever.  Ask me to try something if you like, I'll mock it up and post that.

I've got a couple of parameters.  I've already got the bridge and tuners, in chrome, and plan to use them.  That kinda says chrome control plate to me.  I also prefer black knobs, and black pickup covers, but, anything's possible there.  I'm planning on a P/J combo bass, but it's not reflected in the pics.  Harder to mock up, I'm sure you understand.

Some of the pickguard materials I found I'll need to buy a blank and either cut myself or find someone who would do it.  I came across QuickGuard, I think they would do that.

I'll tally votes here, if there's enough of them.  I'll also be showing this to my friends and asking them for their comments, I'll be posting their votes too.

Thanks for looking, and thanks for everything.

Tally: (includes "offline" votes)
BRY burst with black - 2
Black cherry with vintage pearl - 2
Alpine white with vintage pearl - 2
Tobacco burst with black - 1.5
Candy green - 1
Vintage white with tobacco leaf - 0.5

 

[ghotiphry]

Here's my first shot: black/red/yellow with black pickguard.  Why not?

Tobacco burst/black - late addition, a variation on the burst theme.

Another tobacco burst in the showcase, this one is swamp ash.  A bit less weight, a bit lighter in color.

Then I found this post in the JBass section of UW from Day-mun.  White jazz with a vintage pearl pickguard.  I'm unashamedly copying him, like he did another.  Alpine white with vintage pearl pickguard

Tobacco burst with aged pearloid?

I started playing with the bodies in the Warmoth showcases.  Vintage white with vintage pearl.

And this black cherry/vintage pearl just works for me.

Maybe a few with semi-unique pickguards?  Once I started going down this path it seemed more prudent to stick to the alpine white or vintage white body colors, lest things be too crazy...

Alpine white with "boa stripe"

Vintage white with "cinnamon pearl"

Vintage white with "tobbaco leaf"

Tobacco burst with "tobacco leaf"  Smoke up.

Late addition to the party, alpine white with mint pearloid.

Edit: I removed a few that were just not "right".  As line6man pointed out, they were a bit gaudy/cliche.

 

[bagman67]

You had me at BRY-burst with black guard, but vintage white with tobacco leaf is a close second.

 

[ghotiphry]

You had me at BRY-burst with black guard, but vintage white with tobacco leaf is a close second.

Thanks, Bagman.  Ya, BRY with black does let the neck speak up a bit.  It's about as classic and classy as they come.  Hmm...

Vintage pearl?

 

[bbl4ck]

I would have to second the BRY burst  :headbang1:
I am a huge fan of burst, so I am trying to remain unbiased, but that is a real beauty :glasses9:
Keep us posted of your choice...

 

[ghotiphry]

Thanks, Black Dog!

 

[line6man]

Some of those are either cliche, or gaudy. Alpine White with Vintage Pearl looks best to me.

 

[ghotiphry]

Some of those are either cliche, or gaudy. Alpine White with Vintage Pearl looks best to me.

Agreed.  I was having a little fun to see if something sparked.  Thanks, line6man!

 

[Logrinn]

Black/red/yellow sunburst have never done it for me. I think it looks cheap, since a lot of really cheap asian knock offs had this color when I grew up.

Tobacco burst on the other hand .. now that's really cool. A very slight but in this case a very big difference.

That is my vote.  :icon_thumright:

 

[ghotiphry]

Thanks, Logrinn!  I follow you there...  Going to have to assume you mean with a black PG.

Whatever route I do go, I think I'll have to order a couple pickguards, just to see the things in person.  That aged pearloid just does something for me.

 

[Wizard of Wailing]

      I vote for the black cherry, with the tobacco burst coming in 2nd.  I've never seen a white guitar that didn't look boring to me, but seeing how many white guitar bodies Warmoth has in stock I'm clearly in the minority here.

 

[ghotiphry]

Thanks Wizard! Go Hawkeyes!  (I'm an old Iowa boy myself.)

 

[Axkoa]

I like the white and vintage pearl. Yummy.

 

[Pelagaard]

I know it isn't one of the options listed, but Candy Green with either black or Tortoise pg...

 

[ghotiphry]

Thanks, Axkoa.  This is going to be harder than I thought.  I was thinking there would be a clear winner.  Just goes to show you, when it comes to guitar esthetics, it's all subjective and personal preference.

Pelagaard, that's more difficult for me to mockup, there's not a jazz body in the showcase to pull from.  But I did a color sample, which doesn't really do the candy justice as there's a flake in the paint, but best I can do.  I didn't think I would like this, but I actually do.  Let me play a bit, see if I can do a better mockup

 

[Pelagaard]

The black will always look good with candy green and that neck.  The tort is all about getting one that compliments the neck, which can be a real pain to find.

 

[ghotiphry]

One final mockup - a possibly better attempt at a candy green body, but with a vintage pearl guard.  I like this, but there are two things going against it.  It's not in the showcase, and it's less of a look than I was really looking for.

Thank you to everyone who posted for me.  As I said in an earlier post, there's no clear-cut winner here.  Guitar building is an exercise in personal preference it seems.  It's now come down to three bodies, the white, the candy red, and i think I prefer the tobacco of the two burst types.  Some soul searching to follow.  Feel free to continue the conversation if anyone has something else to say or recommend?

 

[bagman67]

Welp, this latest item is mighty attractive.  I wouldn't kick her out of bed just for eatin' crackers.


If it ain't in the showcase, it's worthwhile to ask yourself - if I had disposable income and a desire for a bass, and this item with these features showed up on the wall of my local shop, would I pay the extra dough (looks like $115) to get it in the color I wanted, if it had a cheaper neighbor in my second-choice color, but otherwise identical?


If you're just screwin' around and gratifying your desire to build stuff, save the money, but if you really want to get THE ONE, drop the extra buck-fifteen.

 

[ghotiphry]

Welp, this latest item is mighty attractive.  I wouldn't kick her out of bed just for eatin' crackers.


If it ain't in the showcase, it's worthwhile to ask yourself - if I had disposable income and a desire for a bass, and this item with these features showed up on the wall of my local shop, would I pay the extra dough (looks like $115) to get it in the color I wanted, if it had a cheaper neighbor in my second-choice color, but otherwise identical?


If you're just screwin' around and gratifying your desire to build stuff, save the money, but if you really want to get THE ONE, drop the extra buck-fifteen.

You're killing me Bagman.  :toothy12:  Changing your vote?  Green is actually my favorite color.

 

[bagman67]

I still personally prefer BRY, but I can't argue with the fact that the candy green monster is a good-lookin' beast.


The rest is just your standard-issue, Bagman-flavored editorializing on the general theme of "custom guitars is the wrong place to cut corners on getting exactly what you want."