New JB 5 String Bass - Fretted or Fretless, Maple or Rosewood Fretboard

This is one that definitely came from our New Kit Ideas thread.

They have a basswood body routed for 2 JB Pickups (included) with chrome hardware and a red pearloid pickguard.

There's a maple neck with your choice of maple or rosewood fretboard and with or without frets.

I also requested the fretboards clean, so you can add your own inlays (if you want them). The necks do have side dots.

Sorry, I don't have pickguard options at this stage, but we can order one if you're happy to wait a few weeks. Or they should be available on eBay for under $20.

Yes, we can supply the kit without hardware, so you would only receive the body and neck. The price sans hardware would be $219 for the fretted and $209 for the fretless version. Email me if no hardware is your preference and I can send you a manual PayPal invoice.

You can check 'em out here:

JB-5R (rosewood fretted)
JB-5RF (rosewood fretless)
JB-5M (maple fretted)
JB-5MF (maple fretless)


Let me know what you think.

Well done Adam, they all look great.

nice options there, cool bass

Special mention of the pretty sweet fretboards on these kits. As DB pointed out, they obviously lucked out on some very tasty rosewood and the maple is not too shabby either (but hard to photograph)

Attachment 11595 Attachment 11596 Attachment 11597 Attachment 11598

Damn, so close to being exactly the bass I have to build!

If only it was PJ!


... Come to think if it, i don't have a fretless... lol

Mario - the route at the front could be big enough for a 5 string P pickup - you'd just need a new pickguard...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brendan

Mario - the route at the front could be big enough for a 5 string P pickup - you'd just need a new pickguard...

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Ooh you're right. More musings required...

:)

Can any of the PBG guys confirm whether or not tonerider P-plus fits in the neck route as is?

It won't, as it's a 4 string pickup.

EDIT: Sorry, just reread; it might fit, but it's still not going to work with 5 strings.

EDIT 2: Awesome Adam, this looks seriously great. If only it was available a day earlier, then I might not have ordered that MM-4 kit........s#!t happens.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pablopepper

It won't, as it's a 4 string pickup.

EDIT: Sorry, just reread; it might fit, but it's still not going to work with 5 strings.

EDIT 2: Awesome Adam, this looks seriously great. If only it was available a day earlier, then I might not have ordered that MM-4 kit........s#!t happens.

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True....

Are there any suitable aftermarket 5 string P and J pickups available around the same price?

great looking kit Ads and some nice options with the four different options.
Hard to see the photo of the bridge whether the holes are reflections but looks like there are no string holes on the back plate. Assuming its not a string through bridge and the 6 holes are for mounting.
Also I would double check the neck measurements
Neck specs: 42mm@nut, 55mm@5th fret, 65mm@12th fret and 72mm@20th fret

55mm at 5th fret seems too bigger jump ->13mm wider than the nut.
Although it may be correct

There are string holes in the rear part of the bridge. They're a little hard to see, but they're there.

ah I think I can see the string holes cheers Pabs. Hard to see with the shiny reflections of the 6 mounting holes

Great kits. I especially like the fretless rosewood fretboard. My fretless conversion has taken so long I should have waited for these lol, but, I do have fret markers useful for a bass hack like myself!

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at least Ponch you have learned a new skill removing speed bumps !

Haha Yes. I've put my younger brother on notice he needs to keep his Flender Jazz Bass away from me lol

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Could it be that we are now thinking of, nay, are compelled to procure and turn this
Attachment 11635

into a five wire version of this classic of Jaco's?
Attachment 11636

Better tell the mini buzzard that her piggy bank maybe about to enrol at weight watchers!

Damn you Pitbull!!!!!

Just a shame how big the neck PUP rout is as that prevents you from getting the same naked look as that reliced J Bass shown above.

I hear you Waz, looks similar to the tele pup neck pup cavities you could fill it with water and go for a swim on a hot day.
If you had some basswood offcuts you could glue a block in the neck cavity and route the J style pup route I spose if you wanted the non pickguard look

That then creates other problems if going for a timber stain.

Why oh why does the factory have to do this to both the J Bass and Tele as it limits a lot of creativity. Surely they could do a better job of doing it right.

Waz I guess if you were keen on the JB-5 without a pickguard the factory should be able to do a special order.
Or start a poll/thread and ask if you can get 4 other people keen for this mod and with 5 orders I think Ads should be able to order them that way

Good idea Woks however I am just about done with building for a while and sharing a bit of feedback from building both F styles recently where I would have loved to have gone naked on each of them except the front PUP swimming pool routs spoiled the look. Just a heads up for any potential builders of this shape.

no worries Waz, good to give other forumites feedback and possible options.
DB has a fretless rosewood neck JB-5 to give feedback to Ads so will be interested what the big guy says !
I got a feeling it will be more than a review, don't think Ads will get the kit back bwhahahaha