New build, suggestions please!!

[droidtn]

Hey guys and gals. First post here. I am thinking about a Warmoth build. I am new to building. So I am having a hard time figuring what I want and why. Thus far, most of my decisions have been visual. Please give any suggestions on why you like or dislike my decisions and any other options are greatly appreciated. I am sure there are things I have not even thought of.

First my music. I mainly play modern worship at church (think Hillsong, bethel etc) and I also play indie rock, americana kinda stuff. I need a good solid low end with enough highs to help cut through the mix. I like the tone of a jbass and a stingray. My previous basses have been a lakland skyline, marcus miller and a pbass deluxe (pbass neck, noiseless jazz in the bridge) I currently play through a sansamp DI pedal and wear IEM's. I like thin fast necks

My build so far. Its a Korina body solid, with a maple sculpted neck satin finish and maple board. A Gotoh 201 bridge. I like the look without a pickguard, For electronics I am thinking something like Rio Grande j neck and powerbucker in the bridge or DeMarzio ultimates DP147 both jazz. Probably volume volume tone or a blend would be nice, a 2-3 band EQ would be really nice. I am thinking Aguilar or Sadowsky pre.

Don't be hating my Photoshop skills   Thanks for the help!!!

 

[droidtn]

Does it look nice, hideous, anything? Functional or not..? I know so of you opinionated people have an opinion  :laughing7:

 

[swarfrat]

Aesthetically BK begs for a simple dark fingerboard. Plain maple looked better in my mockups than I expected, but I still ended up going with ebony. Some things are predictable because they're so incredibly good.

 

[line6man]

Get a raw neck of some sort. It feels way better than satin finished maple. If you want a similar aesthetic, roasted maple is an option.

 

[frown]

Roasted maple would colour match that central grain quite nicely methinks!

 

[AndyG]

Can't go wrong with a wenge neck and fingerboard!

And I've got a Nordstrand 2 band preamp in one of my Jazz basses ... really great sounding, and a little less $$ than the Sadowsky or Aguilar.

 

[rgand]

Roasted maple would colour match that central grain quite nicely methinks!

I also think it would look great. If you decided to go with a dark fingerboard like ebony the headstock would still compliment the body.

 

[misterfinn]

Get a raw neck of some sort. It feels way better than satin finished maple. If you want a similar aesthetic, roasted maple is an option.

Can't go wrong with a wenge neck and fingerboard!

+1 to both of these. i have a bass vi and a jazzmaster(ish) with raw roasted maple necks and a 5-string with a raw wenge neck. i think they're noticeably more comfortable than satin nitro.

as far as pickups go, consider a delano mc series or a nordstrand mm4.4 in the warmoth "sweet spot" and wire it with a single/series/parallel switch. that should cover your tonal requirements without the need for two pickups. the nordstrand dingwall fd3s also have a ton of tonal flexibility (and sound awesome) if you don't mind shelling out the dough.

 

[TBurst Std]

I too play CCM/PW along the same group lines that you do. I was going to build a bass and the electronics I was most pleased with were NJ5S for the neck and MM5.4 for the bridge with a Pope Flex Core preamp. While the build was awesome, it was a little too $$ as I am primarily a guitarist.

I  lucked upon am older Lakland 55-02 with Hanson eletronics. I would say it is 90% of what I was going to build (and 50% of the cost). Switching the mid mode from the default 600Hz to 500Hz actually made a big difference in the usability to the tones.

I would suggest considering the 4 string equivalents of the NJ5S and MM5.4 as well as the Pope preamp.

Also, I would go darker on the neck, or at least the fretboard, How about roasted maple or wenge with an ebony or rosewood board?

 

[droidtn]

I would love to agree with everyone with a rosewood finderboard..and I am still open to it. But what I was trying to avoid was the reddish color tone in the brown rosewood. I thought that might not look good against the very brown in the body, but maybe i'm wrong. Here is one photoshopped with rosewood.