Is This Idea Possible?

[Awake DT]

Hello from Panamá,

I'm planning on building myself a four string bass designed for -slap- from the Warmoth web page and I have a couple of questions I'm sure you guys can answer.
If you find flaws in my plan (i.e. choice of woods and electronics) feel free to give me your suggestion.

I want a four string Jazz Bass body with a Jazz Bass neck.

Body: Mahogany with a swamp ash top with a clear gloss or satin finish (not sure yet)
Neck: Bubinga with either a hard maple or ebony fingerboard (Depends on what color I choose. Will probably be a dark colored wood with pearloid inlays)
Is giving this bass 24 frets a good idea or should I stick to the 20 or 21 frets?

Bridge: Bad Ass III String Through Body (Black)
Tuners: Schaller BML Bass Tuners (Black)

Here's where I've been having the most trouble: Electronics.

I want this bass to have a Marcus Miller pick guard, which I already found online.

Can the guys at Warmoth open the additional holes for the battery and pre amps?

I want to give the bass two Bartolini BD soapbars and an additional pre amp for additional muscle. Is there a pre amp with these settings: Volume, Bass, Mid, High and a knob to choose between the pickups plus a little switch to turn on and off the pre amp?

Is a preamp plus Bartolini BD's a crazy or good idea?

I already have my 6 string Yamaha that fits most genre's I play, but I think it would be awesome to have a four string Jazz made specially designed for the best slap tone with the looks of the Marcus Miller Jazz. I don't mind if the pickguard is just for show if two BD Bartolini soap bars are already enough (Suggest another model if I chose the wrong model).


Thanks for taking the time of reading everything and answering my million questions. I'm newcomer in the custom made bass world and could really use some help.

Looking forward for your replies,
Dan

 

[Paul-less]

Well, it appears as if you write english top notch, so if speaking it isn't a problem, you should probably just call them to talk about it. Those W guys can do almost anything if you call it in. If you can't call, an email would probably be your next best bet.

 

[stubhead]

http://www.bestbassgear.com/bartolini-bd5-pickups.htm

The EMG and Aguilar preamps are the only ones I even know much about, I'm a passive kinda guy.... The above site has a whole lot of knowledge in it, there's a description of every preamp and pickup listed down the left side, and as you close in they would surely know about the compatibility of preamp and pickups. The BestBassGear site lists all the wiring diagrams and a few tech tips, but not dimensions.  Warmoth will rout out holes for 1 and 2 9V battery boxes, for sure. And Warmoth can add to size to a cavity, move a pickup route up or down, but of course there's an upcharge for anything that not already in the CNC programs. Warmoth needs really specific information to make custom cuts, so you want to do everything possible to communicate clearly; even to the point of mailing or faxing drawings.... 

There's an excellent all-bass forum on the web:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/

Once you register, root around a bit and try to get an idea (or the best three or four ideas :toothy12 of what you want so you can ask the questions concisely. They're a real chatty bunch, and it's almost inevitable that someone has tried the same thing you're shooting for. Once you know where you're getting the preamp, (or 3 or 4 places :toothy12: :toothy12: :toothy12 I wouldn't hesitate to ask for exact dimensions from the seller, in fact I wouldn't buy from one who didn't care enough about it. On this forum, TonyFlyingSquirrel is the Warmoth employee who knows basses inside and out.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?action=profile;u=88

Keep chuggin' away, we like success. AND PICTURES OF YOUR BASS WHEN IT'S DONE. That's an order. :blob7:

 

[OzziePete]

Mahogany body Swamp Ash top - check!

Bubinga neck with Ebony fretboard - check! (maple fretboard on Bubinga, not  possible to do)

Warmoth can do a battery box rout at the back of the body for either a single 9v battery or a  double 9v battery box. They will also run a link into the control cavity for the power wires.

I have no experience with Bartolini BD pikcups but they can be run passive or active I think. So hooking up a preamp (so long as they are compatible) to the pickups isn't an issue, but a lot of bassist like to take the active/passive switch option so they have a larger tonal range.

There is a John East Marcus Miller Retro 01 Pre Amp which has all the controls you require plus more! Bartloini also have a preamp that the requested controls (4.6 A/P).

Check out the website below for prices and specs... they may even ship to Panama.

http://www.bestbassgear.com/marcus-retro-preamp.htm

 

[line6man]

I want to give the bass two Bartolini BD soapbars and an additional pre amp for additional muscle. Is there a pre amp with these settings: Volume, Bass, Mid, High and a knob to choose between the pickups plus a little switch to turn on and off the pre amp?

Any three band preamp.

 

[Awake DT]

http://www.bestbassgear.com/marcus-retro-preamp.htm

Yes! That will work just fine! I'm sure it will just take a little time to figure it out.


Thanks a million for your help, everybody.
Once I make up my mind of every single detail I'll call Warmoth (or message TonyFlyingSquirrel) and see if they can help me out and how much it will cost me for the additional work.

I really think this bass will have an amazing sound plus a very very sexy look.

@stubhead> I think I'll be ordering it by December since I'm spending right now on a new amp (Will post a topic on Talkbass) so I'll post a picture as soon as I have it in my hands


More questions!
1) If you send the electronics, do the guys at Warmoth ensemble the bass for you or is it better if I do it with someone back home?
2) Is opening a hole on the Marcus Miller's three ply pickguard for a BD Bartolini Pickup hard? LINK -> http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/bpickguard_genuinesig.htm
3) Is it possible to put a Swamp Ash piece on the head of the neck, so that it matches the body?

My god... this is easily going to run me down $1,600

 

[JimBeed]

More questions!
1) If you send the electronics, do the guys at Warmoth ensemble the bass for you or is it better if I do it with someone back home?
2) Is opening a hole on the Marcus Miller's three ply pickguard for a BD Bartolini Pickup hard? LINK -> http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/bpickguard_genuinesig.htm
3) Is it possible to put a Swamp Ash piece on the head of the neck, so that it matches the body?

My god... this is easily going to run me down $1,600

1] Nope warmoth wont do assembly of any parts together, the maximum they do is studs for tremelo systems thats it, The electrics would be alright for you to do if your good enough at soldering and patient,
the first was my downfall as i had got rusty with soldering,
2] Im not sure myself, but im guessing with a dremel or saw you could careful do it, but with any cutting, for neatness measure twice cut once,
3]Warmoth would for an extra charge do a laminate top on the headstock of the neck, if ordered at the same time i believe they could do a fairly good match with the body grain wise, however im not sure either.

 

[AutoBat]

More questions!
1) If you send the electronics, do the guys at Warmoth ensemble the bass for you or is it better if I do it with someone back home?
2) Is opening a hole on the Marcus Miller's three ply pickguard for a BD Bartolini Pickup hard? LINK -> http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/bpickguard_genuinesig.htm
3) Is it possible to put a Swamp Ash piece on the head of the neck, so that it matches the body?

1) Warmoth does not assemble basses or guitars. They can make the body and the neck for you, but are not a complete builder.
You may purchase everything to assemble your guitar or bass from them, but that is all.
2) I don't know, someone else can answer this
3) What you are wanting is called a headstock veneer, and if you order the body & neck together, they should be able to match them for a small fee.

 

[OzziePete]

2) Is opening a hole on the Marcus Miller's three ply pickguard for a BD Bartolini Pickup hard? LINK -> http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/bpickguard_genuinesig.htm

Is that pickguard much different to the standard Jazz Bass pickguard?  :icon_scratch: ( I'm talking about the pickguard here, not the control plate that is exclusive to the Marcus Miller model) What I am thinking here is, if the MM Jazz bass pickguard is just a Jazz bass pickguard, then maybe you can order a Jazz Bass pickguard from Warmoth, routed for the Bartolini BDs? Save you a bit of time and effort enlarging the pickup rout.

My god... this is easily going to run me down $1,600

Meanwhile places like Musicians Friend in the USA are selling Fender Marcus Millers for this price....it really is your choice to make..
http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Marcus-Miller-Jazz-Bass?sku=510405

 

[JimBeed]

The real fender one? SACRILEGE 
He does have a point about the real fender ones,
Well if you really want the bartolinis and bubinga neck then pay the extra, and you wont be disappointed  :icon_thumright:

 

[Awake DT]

You are completely right and I am fully taking those facts into consideration, but I do feel that if have the opportunity, I'll make my own instead. It will  be much more satisfying to have a bass with a bespoke feel instead of just another Fender.

If I get desperate while saving up I guess I'll just buy the Marcus Miller signature, which seems to be a great bass overall. Any of you ever tried it? Never actually played that specific bass.

And yeah I'll just ask Warmoth make the three ply pickguard to fit the Bartolini BD. Thank you for that. The corner that fits with the control plate does look just like the one from a Jazz, so there shouldn't be any trouble.

Dan

 

[JimBeed]

Then youve come to the right place  :icon_thumright:

 

[stubhead]

If we have to wait for December (!! !!) you probably better find a kisekae site and make a mock-up or five....

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&pq=kisekae%20virtual%20guitar&xhr=t&q=kisekae+virtual+bass+guitar&cp=21&pf=p&sclient=psy&source=hp&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=kisekae+virtual+bass+guitar&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=6a93ed8fb66af408

 

[Awake DT]

I'll post it as soon as I find a good one. If not, I'll make one myself!