Hollow Swamp Ash J-Bass II - Newer FINISHED pics! (page 4)

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

It's not assembled yet, as I don't have all of the hardware yet.  Here's the specs and some pics.

Neck:
-Wenge neck with Jet Black Ebony fretboard
-6130 nickel fretwire
-reverse headstock
-1 1/2" nut width
-Corian nut
-reamed for 3/8" Hipshot Ultra-lites tuning machines
-side dots only (no fret markers)

Body:
-chambered Swamp Ash
-Transparent Sunset Orange w/matte finish
-double battery box
-7/8" side jack
-string-thru bridge routing
-Tortoise pickguard


I'll add the hardware list as the rest arrives and I assemble it.

******modify - edit*********

Hardware:
Hipshot chrome O-ring knobs
Hipshot A-style bridge for Fender string-thru routing
Hipshot 3-string retainer
Hipshot all chrome 3/8" Ultralite Y-key tuning machines
EMG JV pickups
Schaller straplocks (black-I had them leftover from another project)

 

[tfarny]

Wow that's almost exactly like something I'd like to order! Beautiful pieces.
Please explain exactly what bridge and bridge route that is, and where you got the bridge. I was over on best bass gear and the warmoth bridge routings page and couldn't figure out what went with what. Thanks!

 

[blue313]

Wow that's almost exactly like something I'd like to order! Beautiful pieces.
Please explain exactly what bridge and bridge route that is, and where you got the bridge. I was over on best bass gear and the warmoth bridge routings page and couldn't figure out what went with what. Thanks!

+1.  The color is only slightly different than one I had planned.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Mor Paul]

That's looking nice. Ballsy choice of everything. Pickguard, neck, and body paint. It works.

 

[Return of Guitlouie]

Awesome!!!!!!!  Cover the world in Tortoiseshell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bbl4ck]

That is a really beautiful bass  :glasses9:
I love that orange with the tortoise shell pickguard.
Everything just goes very well...
Is that a Hipshot bridge?  I like it!
:kewlpics: :rock-on:

 

[line6man]

Do you think Wenge/Ebony will balance ok on a chambered Swamp Ash body?
That combo seems to be on the opposite extremes of the weight scale.

Good call on the Ultralites.
 

 

[mayfly]

Do you think Wenge/Ebony will balance ok on a chambered Swamp Ash body?
That combo seems to be on the opposite extremes of the weight scale.

Good call on the Ultralites.
 

I'm curious about this as well.  Please report back on the balance once you have it together.

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Looks........citrus-y :icon_thumright:

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Please explain exactly what bridge and bridge route that is, and where you got the bridge. I was over on best bass gear and the warmoth bridge routings page and couldn't figure out what went with what. Thanks!

The bridge route is for the Leo Quan BadASS III.  The BadASS III is designed to retrofit the newer, 3 screw mounting for the American Fenders.  The bridge is a Hipshot A-Style sting-thru designed to retrofit the newer, 3 screw mounting for the American Fenders.  Oddly enough, I couldn't find it on the Hipshot site, and only found it after not being able to find the Leo Quan BadASS III available in chrome.  I'd been itching for Warmoth to offer a string-thru for 4 string for a while.  They finally did and I jumped at it.  This bridge is extremely heavy.

Here's where I got it, bottom left corner is the one:  http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/bridge_hipshota4.htm

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Do you think Wenge/Ebony will balance ok on a chambered Swamp Ash body?
That combo seems to be on the opposite extremes of the weight scale.

Good call on the Ultralites.
 

I'm curious about this as well.  Please report back on the balance once you have it together.

I won't really know until it is assembled, but this will basically be the fraternal twin to my other Warmoth J-Bass.  It has ultralites and balances well with the chambered body.  However, the other has a Maple/RW neck and this one is Wenge/Ebony.  On my other J-Bass, I have plans to replace the bridge on it with a Hipshot A-style, so other than the different neck woods and finishes, they will be the same bass.  Same pickups, controls, hardware, body woods.  Great platform for an A/B comparison the sound of Wenge vs. Maple.  I will also have a comparison of total weight between the two for further scrutiny.  

 

[NonsenseTele]

Looks sweeeeeet but I want a pic of full body of it, please!

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Looks sweeeeeet but I want a pic of full body of it, please!

I've posted some pics, so this thread isn't completely useless.  You'll get a full pic when it's assembled.  I forgot to order the double battery box from W, and I still need to order the p'ups, tuners, and string retainer from elsewhere, so maybe about 2 to 3 weeks.  Keep in mind, W got this to me ahead of schedule.  To get my W order up to over $25, I may order another pickguard.  I was thinking Cream or 3-ply black, it could also go on my other J-Bass. 

 

[bbl4ck]

Looks sweeeeeet but I want a pic of full body of it, please!

I've posted some pics, so this thread isn't completely useless.  You'll get a full pic when it's assembled.  I forgot to order the double battery box from W, and I still need to order the p'ups, tuners, and string retainer from elsewhere, so maybe about 2 to 3 weeks.  Keep in mind, W got this to me ahead of schedule.  To get my W order up to over $25, I may order another pickguard.  I was thinking Cream or 3-ply black, it could also go on my other J-Bass. 

Hey STD,
Happy to see all the pics.  You have a really beautiful bass workin' there.
I personally love the tortoise shell pickguard, however the black would look good as well...
Looking forward to seeing the finished product...
:kewlpics: :rock-on:

 

[line6man]

Looks sweeeeeet but I want a pic of full body of it, please!

I've posted some pics, so this thread isn't completely useless.  You'll get a full pic when it's assembled.  I forgot to order the double battery box from W, and I still need to order the p'ups, tuners, and string retainer from elsewhere, so maybe about 2 to 3 weeks.  Keep in mind, W got this to me ahead of schedule.  To get my W order up to over $25, I may order another pickguard.  I was thinking Cream or 3-ply black, it could also go on my other J-Bass. 

I don't like the thought of cream with Wenge and Ebony, and I'm generally not a Tort shell guy, so a big +1 on the black.
Black would look awesome on this bass.

Since you have a modern vibe going on the headstock, I would suggest the Hipshot 3 string retainer. It will give you a better downward tension on the D string than a regular two-string retainer, and it weighs very very little too, even though I doubt that the weight of a string retainer would have much impact on neck dive.

 

[NonsenseTele]

I've posted some pics, so this thread isn't completely useless.  You'll get a full pic when it's assembled.  I forgot to order the double battery box from W, and I still need to order the p'ups, tuners, and string retainer from elsewhere, so maybe about 2 to 3 weeks.  Keep in mind, W got this to me ahead of schedule.  To get my W order up to over $25, I may order another pickguard.  I was thinking Cream or 3-ply black, it could also go on my other J-Bass. 

Yes, yes... that's why I didn't argued about the loss of pics :laughing7:

Any idea on pickups?
I think this tortoise is looking great!

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Any idea on pickups?

Same pickups as my other Warmoth J-Bass.  EMG-JV.  I was toying with the idea of Norstrands, Fralins, or SDs, but I want this to feel and sound like my other, I like it so much.  These are gigging instruments, and I like the idea of consistency.  I can change instruments without adjusting any levels or settings.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I drilled and mounted the pickguard, control plate, and strap buttons tonight.  I still need to get pickups, tuning machines, string retainer, and double battery box I forgot to include in the original order.  By my estimation, it'll take a little over $300 plus shipping to have this thing breaking things with sound.  A lesson to lurking kids, I have the body, neck, and most of the hardware and am still over $300 away from finishing.  Unfinished showcase necks for $157 and bodies for $165 don't equal a playable instrument for $322.  I digress.  Fernando wanted to see what I have so far, so I'll post a family pic.

The fraternal twin is on the left with Tele in the middle and current build on the right.  All Warmoths, all chambered, all ash bodies (Birdseye Maple top on Tele), all satin/matte transparent finishes.

 

[tubby.twins]

Nice.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

It's all finished!  I'll post finished pics sometime monday.  I need to wait for a good sunny day when I'm at home.  This thing looks red indoors and orange outdoors.

On a side note, this thing has kicked my arse like no other build.  This is my third Warmoth build - not counting tweaking and modding since I started playing.  I oughta know what I'm doing by now.  I had several wiring issues and a screw break in the headstock, but all fixed up now.   

Here are a few observations thus far, when compared to my other Warmoth J-Bass.  Both are the same body shape, neck profile, body wood, hardware, pickups, and layout.  The neckwoods, fretboard woods, fret sizes, and finishes are differenet.  They each weigh 9.5 lbs.  The curious thing is that for identical neck profiles and construction, the Maple/Rosewood neck has a thinner fretboard compared to the Wenge/Ebony neck.  And, this being my first exotic non-finish neck, it's awesome!  When I picked up the maple one after playing on the Wenge, I literally said to myself, "Ooh gross!"