The P/J Project

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:36 pm

Ok, I got it back today, and I have all the parts. Now for the work. I'll start with the before. And please excuse as I have not the photo skills of some of you folks. I started with a 98 MIM Jazz that had been defretted.

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charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:41 pm

The neck is a Warmoth birds eye maple neck. The first pix is from the seller's ebay auction. I have put on the Gotoh bridge and the SD stacked jazz pup. Next is the SD SB-3 quarter pounder. The next pix is where the dilemma lies. The neck seems to be a fret longer and hangs over the body more than stock. Eric did some finagling as he didn't want to lose a fret, but will make getting a custom tort gaurd that much harder. Worst case, I can take it back to him and have him fit one.

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johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:40 am

That is going to look so good when done. Nice taste, Charly!

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:51 am

Thanks John! I hope it sounds as good as it will look! I have a set of Dr High Beams I want to try. I'm looking for the P thump at the bottom of a nice growl/clank! Does that make sense? I want to try a pick behind the bridge pup with rounds. I swear I heard some clank in some of the P bass tracks at talkbass.

It'll get Chromes soon enough!

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 2:30 pm

So how do I trace for a pickguard? I have the original jazz guard but the neck slot is not deep enough. I could file it down, til the screw holes line up, and then trace for the P pup. Someone here must have done this drill before who has a clue......

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 6:37 pm

Not a whole lotta folks keepin up with this, but I got the pups in today and put Chromes on this bad boy. IT ROCKS! I gotta measure the distance between pups and strings on the G&L so I have some idea where to start. Intonation is a little off but I want to wait for the new strings to settle in. The P has so much deep power, and the stacked jazz seems to add snarl..... I don't know guys, this may be MY sound. The cool part is with the concentrics, I can dial in each one by itself and then flip the switch and add 'em together..........

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:54 pm

I can't quite get the action low enough with this Gotoh bridge. It is almost like it wants to be sunk in the width of the base plate. That would do it, but I don't think I want to go that route. I guess the other alternative is shimming the neck? I guess I'll wander on over to Joeys bassnotes and read up on shimming the neck..

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:44 pm

Even though no one is commenting, it seems a few folks are reading!

I shimmed the neck, adjusted string height to 4/16 at the 12th. Joey says 3/16, but I dig in a bit too hard sometimes! The intonation is perfect, and all I need now is the custom brown tort pickguard. I'm thinking of picking up a Fender Tweed case. Is that "kosher" for a 98 Frankenfender?

I bought one of those ebay digital fish scales, and weighed my 3 basses...

RIck 4004cii - 8.34
G&L L2500 - 9.6
Frankenfender (ash w/maple neck) - 10.1

OUCH!

Also, all you folks who said my action was too high on the cii at the confl........ I realize it had never been set up. It is at +5/16!!!!! I will adjust now that I have a clue how!!

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 10:16 pm

Nothing to offer here, Charly, but I've been reading!

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:17 pm

Cool John, I had a blast putting this one together, and it feels like my blues hat!

Something I have wanted for a long time, and now I have it, and made it my own!! It has everything I want in a bass, well, I may put on a drop D for church stuff.............

I love 5 string basses but honestly, I pretty much only use the D on the B string.

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:49 pm

Seems like it's turning out well Charly and you're enjoying putting together this project bass, which is cool.
I had to trim a new pickguard for my MIM Fender P-bass with a dremel, as the neck pocket was longer than what the neck area of the pickguard was shaped for. Actually it's original pickguard didn't fit right either. It started buckling and warping as it seemed that it was forced on, having the same fit problem with the neck pocket. I replaced the original white p-guard with a tort one, which I think looks much better on a black P-bass.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:00 pm

Waiting to see it with the tort guard, Charly. Lots of fun putting one together, no? Something about making it your own that satisfies. What did you end up doing for foam, I never heard back from my email to you.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:11 pm

I missed that email til today. I found a cool substitute, and I finally got those pups in to UPS today!
I went to Home Depot and picked up some 7/16 inch weather stripping that had glue on one side. I glued one piece to the body, and one piece to the pup. cinched 'em down, and it seems to work great! That foam is not as stiff, that is why I doubled it, and it may not last. I'll show it to Dane on Saturday and get his opinion. It looks like I'm gonna have to get the pickguard done at Pickguardian. Unless I can talk Dane into........... well, we'll see!

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:27 am

Okay, I'll watch for them; thanks Charly. I was really talking about the offer for the harder foam. I will just put a piece in with the cigars, then if you need it you'll have it.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:15 pm

Well, I took the SB3 out. It has WAY too much gain . It overwhelmed the jazz pup. I got a DiMarzio knock off with a brand name of Monterey and it fits the stacked jazz Bassline like a glove. I have plenty of punch, growl and snarl. Sorry, no clank!

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