Need help on new project.

[Charchuk]

Hi all.

So I've had a j-retro preamp (in black), and some Nordstrand NJ5FS 5 string jazz bass pickups for i project i started a year ago but never finished.  I also have a badass V bridge in black.  So i think im gonna finish this thing up now, i checked with warmoth and they will top rout for the preamp (im ommiting the rear route).  The pickups will fit the standard rout for 5 string jazz.  Warmoth does not have a template for the bridge but have offered to route it if i send the bridge.  I may just go for a string thru TK5 bridge (in black) since that will save trouble - i can use the badass another time. 

So thats my first question - has anyone used either or of these bridges? if so which one is best the TK5 or badass V?  Im LEFT handed btw if that makes a difference.

Will warmoth make a neck with black binding and blocks on a jazz bass neck at request? or will i have to wait till they put one out in the showcase? (i've never seen a lefty 5 string jazz version)

Can i use clover tuners on a jazz fiver? Clover tuners in black are a must on this bass - if the warmoth supplied ones wont work can anyone recommend ones that will?

The neck will be maple on the fingerboard and back, but that's only if i can get the black blocks/binding.  If that's a no go then im back to square one.

Can anyone recommend a body wood then?  Its gonna be natural wood in color and im gonna continue the black binding around the profile of the body.  I dont like gloss or any shiny finish but any suggestions would be helpful.  I already have a stingray 5, so any suggestions on how i can make this bass a good complimentary bass to that would be helpful too.

thanks,

-alex

p.s.
None of my options (aside from the j-retro and nordstrands) are set in stone,  im just looking for a really good jazz bass that is versatile.

 

[line6man]

Bound and blocked necks are only available in the showcase, I don't think that you could order one.

 

[Charchuk]

Yea i thought so

Plan B

Wenge neck ebony board.

Korina body with some kind of top?  Maybe spalted maple with masking or white binding.

 

[line6man]

Wenge is drastically different from Maple.
I don't understand what you are trying to do.

 

[Charchuk]

I Don't know how different these woods are sound wise.  basically with the maple neck plan i just wanted it for the looks with the blocks/binding.  since i cant get this look for this bass i want to get something unique.  I know i want really awesome jazz bass and that's all i know for now.  I guess that's why im posting, what information should i give so you can help me out?

 

[Tempest]

what information should i give so you can help me out?

What kind of tone are you looking for?  That's a good place to start.

 

[line6man]

It appears that you are just trying to build a bass based on looks, with little regard for the tone.

I don't see any point in having a bass that "looks cool" if it doesn't sound the way you want it to.

Like Tempest said, what kind of tone are you after?

"complimentary to your stingray" really doesn't tell me anything.

 

[Charchuk]

Well i guess i just really like the look of black blocks and binding.  But I'm new to unique woods and so on so i don't really know what i can do with all these options.  I guess i just wanted a jazz bass plain and simple with black blocks and binding, since i had jazz bass parts to begin with.  So what kinds of things can i get out of all these crazy woods?  I mean i feel sort of overwhelmed I've read the wood descriptions, but that doesn't really tell me first hand experience.  I guess the reason its hard to tell what im trying to do is because i don't know enough yet.  Im open to any suggestion at this point.

 

[line6man]

Well, if you just wanted a plain Jazz with the binding/blocks, since its not possible to do the binding/blocks, just do the same thing with dot inlays instead...

As far as exotics go, my experience is limited, but i choose a Padouk neck for my Jazz Bass, because i wanted traditional Maple tone, and Padouk is similar.

 

[Charchuk]

Okay well i might as well do something different than a plain jazz since i can't get what i want looks wise.  How would a wenge neck / ebony board sound?  Why is korina such a popular choice for bodies? I made my plan b choice based on peoples responses to bass made like this.  I really have nothing to go on since i have never heard all these exotic woods.

 

[Tempest]

On Warmoth's website underneath all the wood descriptions are meters that they call "tone-o-meters" or something like that.  The further the bar is to the left, the warmer (bassier) the tone is.  The farther the bar is to the right, the brighter (treblier) the tone is.  It can give you a basic Idea of the overall tone of the woods.  Wenge will tend more towards the warmer side, ebony is very bright, but fingerboards have very little effect on tone, so I imagine a wenge/ebony neck is gonna be much warmer than a maple neck, which is one of the brighter woods available.     

 

[Charchuk]

I saw the tone o meter, looking for first hand experience with these woods.  Also the combination of wood is something to consider.

 

[Charchuk]

Okay so what would give me the best response to different tone settings.  I read a post about a walnut body with maple neck/ rose wood board and it was described as being very responsive to tone settings.  Im kinda stuck on wenge and ebony for the neck but the body is up in the air.  Im leaning towards korina, or walnut.

 

[Tempest]

Okay so what would give me the best response to different tone settings.  I read a post about a walnut body with maple neck/ rose wood board and it was described as being very responsive to tone settings.  Im kinda stuck on wenge and ebony for the neck but the body is up in the air.  Im leaning towards korina, or walnut.

Walnut is brighter than korina,  they both have an abundance of midrange if I've heard correctly.  Overall the body wood doesn't have much effect on tone.  Note that the tone of wenge and the tone of maple will be drastically different, if your looking for the Fender tone something closer to maple would float your boat, like padouk or canary (don't know if you can use that for bass necks?)  The fingerboard also doesn't have much effect on tone btw.

The effectors of tone (from most important to least) go something like this.

1. Pickups, strings
2. Neckback wood, and thickness 
3. Body wood
4. Fretboard wood, bridge type