My Fretless Project

[08 Ric 4003]

I was told that parting out a guitar or bass would be more expensive than buying it in pieces, so here is what I did. I bought:

Fender Candy Apple Red American Special Body $260
Pickguard $26
Control Plate $20
String Ferrules $7
Neck Plate $9
American Special Fender Jazz Pots, Pups and Jack $71
Tuners $22
Warmoth Maple Neck w/Rosewood Fretless Fretboard $318
String Retainter $6
Bridge Still biding but I saw them for $36 new

So without the bridge it comes to $743 so add maybe $40 or so for a bridge and add $60 total for shipping for all the stuff, and that comes to $843. A Fender American Special from MF is $999. That includes a gig bag and no case. So I made it under the sellers price parting it out, and it will have a Warmoth neck which blows Fenders stock necks away. I have one on my 95 Jazz. I can get a case and still be under or close and it will be secure in a case not a gig bag.

[jdogric12]

Gosh, that sounds downright sensible! Well done, I bet it plays great.

[08 Ric 4003]

Just got the neck and the control plate today, all I am waiting for is the bridge. I am getting ready to mount the tuners and I just put the pots on the control plate. When the bridge comes I will wire and pups, ground the bridge string her up and it is go time. I am putting D'addario Chromes 45 - 100's on.

[08 Ric 4003]

Got the fretless back today from a nice set up. Fun to play and I only hit about 100 wrong notes.

[jps]

...I only hit about 100 wrong notes.

That will decrease soon enough. If you use enough cello style vibrato it will go to 0 immediately.