mistermikev

7 hours ago, Prostheta said:

 

One of my favourite bucket list basses - the Warwick Infinity - has a MM and J. 

Our apparent politeness might be just the fact that social media groups has made the default of online interaction more hostile and less conversational. Everybody wants to be more right than the last guy kind of thing. Even though things like Facebook have hurt online forums, they have failed to provide a better way, worsened interaction and eroded the quality of free information exchange.

I second Andrew's comments about truss rods in that they should cover the most flexible length of the neck. I'd maybe disagree with the use of the word "support" in that it implies that truss rods provide reinforcement, whereas I view them as a device to add in control.

I'm not a fan of Hot Rods - as Andrew likely knows  - for two reasons. Required depth as per most people's disagreements with them, but also that I have largely gone off using two-way rods in favour of more traditional (but more finicky) single-acting compression rods. Two-way rods are a separate part of the neck whilst compression rods are an integral part of it. I favour the idea that compression rods provide a balance of forces whilst two-way rods are an external force acting on the the neck (even though they're internal, you get what I mean). Overall, I've found that necks with compression rods seem to be more lively and better sounding. More of a tendency as opposed to being a hard and fast rule. The downsides being that they're extremely prone to needing constant adjustment as the neck moves in tandem with its environment, plus the hassle of making curved channels and manufacturing the rods themselves. On the other hand, you can customise their lengths to suit the application they will be working within, something that off-the-shelf rods don't often do.

To completely contradict myself, I do like Gotoh-style U-channel rods. That might be because I have a thing for high standard classic Japanese-made guitars and basses, many of which came/come with this style of rod. All of the Matsumoku instruments I have played over the years have these as has the best Yamaha gear. My number one guitar - an Ibanez - has a single-acting compression rod though.

I've totally wandered off topic as usual, however I think you might get some ideas out of my blather!

infinity - oh wow that is pretty.

I hear ya ala "oh no another internet thread spirals into fighting over whos right".  I would guestimate that it has more to do with the "throwing the turd over the fence" quality of internet convo.  Freq, without even trying, I read my words again and think dang - I am a jackwagon.  My typical sarcastic (playful) tone often comes off way worse when you don't have inflection to decrypt.  Then again I've def come across folks who were just lookin' for a fight.  All I can do is try to be less sarcastic and perhaps inject more warmth in my writing since I have zero control over others.  I have to say - so far this site - probably due to the mature and intelligent nature of the general population - has been nothing but kind to me.

afa truss rods... some good info there.  are the 'thinner' two way rods any better?  as I mentioned in prior post - I like a deadly combo of thin neck plus very low action - I have lots of gtrs that are classic style (I think anyway) the best of which is a classic fender style handmade neck that needs adjustment 2x a year.  That all has culminated in my desire to at least try a 2 way truss.

also length... the fretboard area is 23"... stew offers an 18 and a 24... I'm guessing that's common?  1) is 18 going to be trouble?  2) I'm guessing if I use 18 I really want it adjustable from the headstock then huh?

I love your wanderings... and TO EVERYONE HERE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR INFO.   I do really appreciate.  afa ibanez... I bought an sr805 that is from the late 80's and it'd def a fav. 

11 hours ago, curtisa said:

I can't see that it'd be treated any different to selecting a truss rod for a guitar neck. In other words, the rods' effectiveness in providing additional support lessens the closer you get to the neck joint, where the thickness of the neck in combination with the timber in the heel mean that there is practically no pliability to be had at that point in the neck.

In the same way a guitar rod is typically shorter than the overall length of the neck, I'd select a rod that runs from the nut to junction of the neck and heel +/- 1 inch or so. Although if it ends up being longer it's not going to hurt anything (other than your wallet).

I've not had experience with the Stewmac Hot Rods, but I am aware that they generate their fair share of polarising opinions - some people are happy with them as-is, some people aren't so keen on the extra deep truss rod channel required to install them, some people have had issues with the quality of the rods.

ok now I need a recommendation because you have convinced me that perhaps I'm going in the wrong direction.  I was interested in them only because I really like extreme low action - to the point where considerable string vibration buzz is ok w me.  As a result... I have to micro adjust 2-3 times a year despite quality quarter sawn necks and such.  I understood that the dual beefy rods would be the best at keeping me stable... but now I want to know what you (and others if they are inclined) would suggest. 

can anyone tell me: I'm thinking of getting a stew mac hot rod for this project.  for a bass... i imagine the longer that better?  IOW as long as it's not so long that it pokes out both sides, right?

funny, I was thinking that given the feedback in here... perhaps folks were being polite and trying to hint that two j pickups and one mm looked funny. 

alnico2 in neck and alnico 5 in bridge?  I guess I'll watch cl/offer up/ebay and who knows: could go in a totally different direction between now and finish time.  Also, I would love to support some lesser known builder and saw a guy who makes an mm that looks like a seth lover and has a p within.  $90.

I learned to play bass on a yamaha motion b.  Pawned it for $75 when I was down on my luck in L.A..  That did have two passive humbuckers in it but I don't recall them being anything special... but that 32" 24 fret neck was home for me.  been chasing it ever since.  I'd buy a motion b but then what do you do with those pickups?  and they(motion b ) weren't exactly lookers either.  So hopefully this will quench that thirst... or even come close, but more importantly fill a need I have to be able to say I built one from scratch.

roger that.  I will have to snoop around on the mfg of both and see if I can find weight... or shoot em an email but I'm not at that point yet anyway. 

Was out in my garage working on my 1/4" templale.  using my drill press and sanding drum.  bought some 'more expensive' harbor freight drums as they are able to use any sandpaper.  3 of 4 are balanced well, but the rubber shell is cheap.  Probably should have spent less money and went with the rockwell stuff.  or just buy a spindle sander.

any, thanks for the comment on the mockup.

thanks for the info prostheta. 

sounds like good contact via the channel. 

One more q if I may: is the weight of the babics less/more/appox same?

cheers

(also, updated my design with some possible wood choice)

1 hour ago, Prostheta said:

You're probably not that keen on me mentioning Hipshot again, however I have one of their Kickass bridges in for review and they're pretty nice in terms of weight. I'm a sucker for high mass (usually brass) bridges.

Never had trouble with their tuners ever. Are they the licensed versions or US-made? If they're that much of a problem, fire them an email. They're top notch when it comes to looking after customers. Feedback is important as well for obvious reasons.

MM pickups are very distinctive. I have an SD MM-5 ceramic in a Mahogany bass. Big bottom end and immediate cutting top end, which is surprising for such a warm slow wood. Really nice palette of tones played with a pick or anywhere from the neck to the bridge on fingers. I like 'em but they're not for all.

my fav thing about them is the place I put my thumb... just feels nice.  afa sound, I have a cheap mighty mite one from about 20 years ago.  I put it in a pbass I had then with the plan to replace with an emb... but I like it quite a bit and have carried it through to another bass.  I am a seymour duncan fanboy so... I'm certain their version is outstanding, I just liked this one so much I never have had the heart to replace.

perhaps I'm being picky... they were us made and about $80ish.  I wouldn't say I have a problem with them... just compared to the gotoh vintage style I have on one of my teles they just don't compare - keeping in mind those are $45 tuners.  Perhaps I'm just a fanboy for gotoh lately. 

I have a hipshot drop e on my p bass and that is smooth as silk, and in general I'm a big fan of hipshot.  They def make nice stuff... I think the issue is if you try to make something really light... well you are gonna make some sacrifices. 

those bridges certainly do look nice and are reasonably priced.  What are your thoughts on it afa A: contact with the body B: do the saddles move or are they rock solid?  looks like a channel holds them in?

15 minutes ago, ScottR said:

Moving your strap button around the tip of the horn a little to the inside will also help counter a heavy neck.

SR

good point.

delano, hadn't heard of them - thanks for the link.  Def nice the hybrid 4 also the extender caught my eye.  Quite spendy but not out of the realm of possibility (have to find one used on evilbay!).

I was leaning toward either some seymour split js or mec... but honestly I'm not decided at all when it comes to pickups.  I just know I want two coils towards the neck and one reverse wound so I can do inside series vs outside parallel. 

thanks prostheta, yeah there's def a concern of being neck heavy.  I had all sorts of that issue with my sg.  I actually got some hipshot ultra light tuners for that and while they are light... not impressed.  they stay in tune as well as any other mediocre tuner but they are anything but smooth.  Not a huge complaint but that and given the price I'd rather avoid them given my experience (altho good suggestion either way!).  Perhaps I should lengthen the upper horn or just try to get some heavier ash for the body?  Can always add sinkers to the control cavity (just kidding).

Already thinking of leaving some more material in the control area for balance and just because that big cavity would make for quite a weak spot at that outter edge.  Perhaps also consider a very heavy bridge.  Anyone know of a really heavy bridge that isn't zink?

that is b u tiful. 

thanks again for chiming in Norris.  My gut said it'd be fine, I respect the heck out of curtisa and your opinion so I think ultimately I will err on the side of caution and just leave a little more material in the depth of my cut in that area.  I plan to use a 1.5"(with a .25 or more top) body and generally cut in 1.125 but in that area and the area near the belly relief I think I will cut at .75 leaving .75 material just to be conservative.  I plan to pretty much freehand those cuts and multiple passes at .25ish so I'll just stop early in some areas.

Also of note: the control area... since this body has a bit less width, and I don't need a lot of control space, I'll probably leave more material at the bottom of the body to ensure that area is reinforced.

thanks again for both your replies!

Hey curtisa, thanks for the vote of confidence.  "But I'm building it out of bulsa wood and tuning it up 3 steps" - just kidding.  That's good to hear because I had my mind set that I really want that neck pickup close. 

Have been watching a ton of tutorials about 2 piece necks.  Also about cutting the fret lines... if either of you know of any good one's to watch surely point me to them.

thanks again for taking the time!

I'm a newbe here myself... and at risk of stepping on anyone's toes... wanted to offer my 2 cents. I have a mutant baritone that has two mini humbuckers and two singles - pretty close to the same thing you have here.  If it were me: I'd look at it as two independent wireups.  I wired my two mini humbuckers to a standard 3 way les paul toggle (since they are two conductor anyway).  Then I took the output of that toggle(ie center lug) and wired it into the first position on a standard 5 way strat setup with the other two pickups.  In position 1 you get les paul style operation with the two humbuckers.  In 2 you get les paul + a single coil.  In 3-5 you get the bridge neck combos from a strat. 

another "extra credit" point of interest on that guitar... wire that center lug on the les paul switch to go additionally to a push pull 2pdt, then the live on the volume pot.  then you can turn on the les paul part when you are in positions 345 yielding all four pickups at once.

assuming this appeals to you at all...

your humbuckers will no doubt be 4 conductor + ground.  Look on the site to see how they get wired in series (ie two of the wires will connect together leaving you with a live wire, and two ground wires that can be connected together for each pu).    the live from each goes to either end of the 3 way les paul switch.  the center to pos1 on a standard strat 5 way switch.  the ground lug and both grounds from the pickups go to the back of the vol pot ie ground.  then just follow a strat 5 way wireup.  The one other change you will make is to omit the 2nd tone pot on a std strat wireup.  just bridge the second set of lugs on the 5 way where the one tone pot will connect.

hello sir, thank you for your thoughtful comments. 

1) wood around the neck joint... I thought I was being pretty conservative with my rout out, but I trust that just about anyone here has more experience than me... and I'm second guessing myself.  Funny thing is I was just working on this again and putting in plan a bigger rout out on the top and bottom!  Perhaps I need to re-think that.  My goal was to make it as light as possible, but hopefully not end up with something neck heavy.

2) pickup separation... good point.  well,  I wanted the mm pickup further away from the bridge as I like it for a thumb rest and have one on my p bass that is a little too far back.  I had toy'ed with the idea of doing a second mm pickup for neck but just like the look of the two singles.  I'm not really trying to get the 'j' sound, as I have a j bass.  That said I wanted my neck options to be more plentiful because this will undoubtedly be bright as my first bass was a 32 and it was.  also, I've had really cool results using a set of split-able j and using top from one and bottom from other... kind of end up with a p sound (which is my fav by far!) which would work well with them closer together.  will all depend on pickup choice in the end... for now they are really just place holders.

3) controls, as I usually do as of late... I would put in a volume, 6 way rotary, and a home built active preamp likely with a concentric and maybe a push/pull bright switch.  Haven't decided on pre as I have done a music man, and a few others, but am not settled on that as the mid options are ltd.  afa 6 way I was thinking b-series, b-para, inside series, outside para, all 4 coils, then neck para. - with the option to change the inside/outside to splitting the singles if I go that route.  As usual, I'm full of ideas!

so, inspired by all the excellent work I've seen here, I'd like to try and build a bass.  You guys make it look so easy... which scares me, I'm certain my p bass will end up looking like picasso did a version of a sort of jagged ernie ball albert lee.  Either way, I'm determined to at least build a body and attempt a neck - if it goes south my plan is to buy a warmoth neck.  what I'd like to end up with is a 32" scale pbass mutant. 

just looking for any advice on my design, gotchas I might face, etc.

my design (below) started from the 62 p bass body.  made it 7% smaller, then squashed it some more afa body width.  kept the orig neck pocket and then modified it to be 2.375 based on warmoth 32" necks.  built my own fretboard based on a fret calculator then saw the thread here regarding a fretboard builder (doh).  used that to build a fretboard just to check mine and they line up great. 

took a p bass headstock and flipped it... made the area where it joins the neck a hair smaller - not sure why as a pbass is sposed' to be 2 11/16 right?  anywho, this is just dreaming at this point, but I've got some mdf and after a few more fine points will send a pdf to a printer to get full size. 

all thoughts, comments, disparaging remarks, affirmations, and otherwise welcome.

as I understand there are really only 2 or 3 actual string mfg... that said I recognize all sorts of dif recipes I like... used to use fender wound 3rd bullets and liked them... used to love blue steel... I keep finding myself stringing up ernie balls - more cause I think there is a slight difference in how snappy they are - for about a day or two.  Also, many of my guitars are setup and intonated with them.  For bass I love nylon tape wound -really gives me a dull sound I like while going easy on my skin.  No eric johnson here... but that's what I like.

gtr is def a beauty, love the wood, but I can't help but be distracted by the router base... omg... whats up with them wires?  tell me you have batteries in that handle and led lights in that base that turn on when you are holding down the button?  if so... amaz balls.  if not... what the heck is that?  some sort of dooms day device no doubt.

Wanted to start an official build thread for this project.  I had posted before regarding questions I had so hopefully you'll forgive what might seem like a double post.  Will try to keep this thread focused on evolution...

here is the body I bought - not bad for $178.  Its a wd 3A flamed maple that has a good split in the back by the control area which I will need to fill in.

as posted elsewhere my intended wireup...

This weekend I went to rockler here in phoenix.  I just found out we had one and man... I could spend years in that store.  Staying on point: I bought a piece of 1/8" maple that had a little bit of flame on it ($13).  I built it into a trem rout cover and a control cover.  Not exactly skilled workmanship as my string holes are 'compensated' (feature not a bug) even though I used a drill press.  Didn't bother clamping down my material so - lesson learned!  Anywho, good enough for the likes of me so here is what that looks like:

also, in the background is a simple jig I built for my dremel router base to use in cutting the 5 way slot once my bits arrive.

Here's a shot of the body with the babicz bridge I bought (got a deal on amazon for $117! plus signed up for a card so got $40 off).  Wasn't thrilled with the amount of 'wobble' in the posts (when not screwed all the way in) that came with it but I guess the general consensus is it doesn't matter.  I bought some wilkinson locking posts but they don't fit as smooth so... I figure I can add washers if I need to raise it - to keep it screwed tight so they don't wobble. 

my parts bin on the right... so far have a graph tech nut, some gotoh sgs 510z magnum locking tuners, a 5 way super switch, a 4p3t rotary, some gold pickguard screws and a neckplate and screws - so far.  Have two texas specials and a seymour antiquity middle in my 'misc' pickups bin so... waiting on a musikraft cbs neck that should be about 4-6wks out yet.  will update as I go! 

Thanks for watching!

thanks for chiming in curtisa.  afa the offset for the trem arm... figured I'd have a center line mark (like you mentioned) and just match it up.  afa perpendicular... I would assume the factory cnc route would be more likely perpendicular than anything I'd do... but there I go assuming.  good point. 

also good point: I'm only doing one and perhaps over-thinking it.  In my defense I have a few weeks to wait for a neck so... guess I'm just getting anxious!

thanks again for the response.

Hello folks.  Recently posted about doing studs for a 2 point tremolo.  Happy to say I have acquired a modest 13" drill press so - going in the right direction anyway! 

I was thinking... could just drill the holes... but what about a jig that would help me get it right afa a parallel line. 

I was thinking... maybe take two pieces of pine and build a 'T' that would sit in the trem rout covering the area where the stud would go.  Then get the one hole marked and drill, then flip the T so the hole is on the other side?  does that make sense?  I suppose this would only work as well as I am able to line up the drill bit to that hole in the pine then. 

Am I wasting effort thinking about it - should I just drill the hole?  Measure twice drill once?

There's a lot of smart people in here, so surely someone has something better?  (keeping in mind I don't have the throat depth to make a jig that would allow me to drill one then slide along a rear parallel to drill the other)

also, where are my mannors: sweet tele.  Some pretty pine.  no sticker is my vote. 

please forgive if this has been covered... or is otherwise irrelevant but i found it a good trick so passing on... take pickgaurd screws and screw them into the body within the neck pocket facing up, then get the neck lined up and press body and neck together: perfect little x where each neck screw pilot should go. 

right on... I'm not expecting a huge difference from parallel: but like series vs parallel without using dummies... I would expect the output of series to be higher than parallel.  you say 'less highs' - yes less than a single by itself but more than a parallel dummy at least in theory.  When I get to that point - it will be interesting to do a video of series in the light of this video.  although it will be different pickups/wood/etc,  Perhaps even one comparing magnet vs no magnet.

also, theory vs practice - It's interesting to me that although I loose highs w parallel - there is a certain 'sparkle' that is not there without the dummy engaged. It sounds to me like - while there is a loss of highs that happens - there is a (perceived) gain of the very top of the highs - if that makes any sense.  I say it "Sounds" like that because I know I'm not gaining highs with a pickup mounted under the guard.  I suspect that it is the loss of highs below that they make the very top end stand out a little more.  Would have to get it on a scope to actually verify and probably not worth the effort but I'm curious: anyone else hear that?

anywho, thanks for humoring me and I appreciate your insight.