Yet another JZ-6 Bass VI

[tommycarlos]

My last JZ-6 -> Bass VI project went so well, as soon as I saw them in stock again, I ordered another...

So I am starting a new thread for it, this time with some lessons already learned, and an IKEA spray booth so I can use spray paint instead of craft acrylic

The plan is to keep this one pretty similar to the last (except for the finish, of course), though I might try a couple new things.

This is just a place holder for the moment, I'll start posting real info once I get started.

[Simon Barden]

All the best!

[tommycarlos]

I have landed on a colour:



Although I have the "spray booth" now on the balcony... I still think a low odour water based spray will make my neighbours happier

Since I have two pick guards (I hand made one for the previous JZ-6 out of ply wood), I am going to spray one in the Liquitex "Parchment" and just see which I prefer...

[tommycarlos]

Sprayed the pick guard today. Loving it already.

[tommycarlos]

Melbourne is NOT cooperating at the moment reainting... so although I can sand and prep, it's looking like it will be a while before any nice enough weather appears.

I did manage to get the headstock shaped, but still have a bit of final sanding and shaping left.

I am trying to decide what to do with the tremolo. One of the "lessons learned" or whatever that I want to correct from the last one is that the low E string length is such that a bit of the full .100 thick part of the string gets onto the tuning machine. I'd like it if I could increase the total length between the nut and the string anchor (be that a tremolo or not).

I have a few options, but they all have potential drawbacks.

1. Use a Faction hard tail plate made for the Squier Bass VI, but this would mean making the route bigger and not even getting that much more string length (though it would look a lot better).
2. Use a Fender Japan Jaguar tremolo I have left over after replacing the one on my Jag with a Mastery, again, more routing changes, but seems like I would get a fair bit more length from this vs the Faction plate
3. use a TOM hardtail further back, this gives the most length and would be quite stable... but means filling or covering the tremolo route... I am no woodworker, so covering is more likely than filling :/

One whacky idea I had to make #3 more interesting is to make the route a bit wider and have a behind-the-bridge pickup. This is popular with offsets, but not sure if it would still work the same under an extended TOM set up...

[tommycarlos]

Here is the headstock:



Here it is mocked with the included tremolo:



And here are the bridge options above:

[Simon Barden]

Break angle is your big enemy with the stop bar. It’s a long way back, so even with the stop bar sitting on the body, the strings will be coming out a few mm above that. Probably slightly higher than the standard trem, though you’d have to measure it to check. Plus the stop piece looks like it would have to fit further back than the standard trem string bar would sit, again reducing the break angle at the bridge. It’s marginal at best with the standard trem, so any further reduction is asking for trouble.

I’ve never heard of a behind the bridge pickup before. I’ll go and look them up, but I can’t see any point in having a magnetic pickup there. String vibration will be mninal, so very low output, and any notes will be fixed, high pitched and unrelated to what you are playing.

[tommycarlos]

Break angle is your big enemy with the stop bar.

Ahh yes. The dreaded break angle. Curse of offsets at the best of times...

OK, then I think the best non-standard option would be the Fender tremolo, since it gives me the second most string length and should have no issues with break angle... due to where the existing route is, the tremolo will have to be even closer to the bridge than where Fender relocated it to fix break angle issues on their modern offsets (even closer than it is on the Squier Bass VI).

Sadly, there isn't enough room for the Faction plate with a Buzz Stop as that would be ideal (not without my learning more woodworking and filling in the existing route well enough for two of the plate's mounting screws to go into).

[tommycarlos]

...however... looking at how much I would have to expand the route... with just a drill and some not all that amazing Bunnings chisels... maybe the Faction plate + a buzz stop is as good as I can manage (the buzz stop might fit once the bridge is raised above the level of the body like it should be based on the previous one). Since all I need is to drill holes and clear space for the strings to slot into the holes at the back of the plate, not fully route to the shape/size of the fender tremolo

[Simon Barden]

You might want to read this on the buzz stop. They aren't all good news.

The Fender-style trem doesn't have a great string break angle. The Faction plate should improve this and negate the need for a buzz stop as the strings leave the plate a lot lower than on a Fender-style trem. Otherwise you can shim the neck to increase the neck angle so the bridge sits higher and improves the break angle.

I've now read a bit on the behind the bridge pickups and I see they are for specifically making a noise by playing behind there, not for in normal use. So there's typically a switch to bring it in and out. I can think of easier ways to make a noise, but whatever floats your boat!