PRS style PJ-Bass

[fender3x]

...Usually you make the tone and volume pots agree, so if volume is 500K the tone would be too. Turning the tone pot back to 7 or 8 on a 500K audio tone pot or about 5 on a linear tone pot is 250K so you can compare the difference.

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[kuanjb]

I've been working on and off on this build. I bought a few new parts. New tuners and a new bridge as the kit ones are pretty ordinary. The bridge in particular isn't great as the top mount string holes make the string ball ends push into the body and leave marks in the wood.



The new bridge is a high mass Ibanez bridge which I really like the look of and I like how the strings hook in (similar to PRS designs). But I wasn't really thinking when I ordered it. The back of the bridge is much bigger than the original bent metal one so to get the saddles in the right positions to be intonated the bridge needs to be mounted over the edge of the guitar.

So I was trying to work out if a different shape for the body would work better or if I could route out the body slightly to lower the bridge into the body. Or even adding extra wood.... Eventually I just decided to buy a new bridge which isn't quite as big.

Ordered a second new bridge off AliExpress which was supposed to be a Gotoh 201B clone, 5 screw P-Bass bridge. Instead a similar but different bridge arrived which have the screws in different locations and the back is thicker. The good thing is that four of the screw holes match up with existing holes. But I had thought it would be better to go with a P-Bass compatible design for ease of upgrade later. And the thicker back makes the bridge hang slightly over the edge. So I'll have to try to get a replacement.


And then next problem...... In trying out the different bridges and the tuners I took the strings on and off a few times, which one of the strings didn't like, leading to it snapping at one of the bends from the tuners. So I needed some new strings. And damn! Bass strings are expensive!

I ordered some from AliExpress again hoping they weren't crap. Finally arrived the day after the bridge so I put on the new bridge and strings to try them out. They didn't look too bad...... except one of the strings buzzed a lot. Trying to work out where the buzz was coming from was rather difficult. The whole guitar buzzes so I couldn't hear if it was from the tuner, the nut, the bridge, the pickups / pickup mounts or even the wiring. Everything buzzed. But I had a couple of clues. It didn't matter if I fretted the string or not so the buzz had to be coming from between the end of the fretboard and bridge. That also meant that it wasn't something resonating so not pickups or wiring. Holding the bridge and saddles in various places also made no difference. So I took off the string and put on the kit string which thankful wasn't the one which had broken. And it didn't buzz. So looks like I'll be needing to get replacement strings too....

[kuanjb]

On the plus side. In trying to work out if I could change the design to accommodate the bridge I think I've worked out a nicer, and easier, body shape. Basically going to go for a body similar to the PRS S2 Custom. I really like the designs of the S2 guitars both with and without the pickguards and the offset Vela too.





So the forearm carve is incorporated into the bevel and continues into the contour of the body with a larger bevel on the top than the bottom. Tried to take a photo but there's so many pencil lines now and I can't run them off. Still you can probably get the idea.


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[wazkelly]

Hi there,

Been catching up on this thread and progress is looking good.

As for reasonable quality cheap strings would recommend either of these which I have used on a few of my Bass Guitars for past few years. Not as bright as D'Addario but at 1/3 of the price ($12 delivered) not many folks would be able to pick the difference. My preference would be the slightly heavier gauge as that seems to feel and sound better on 34" scale length.

https://www.artistguitars.com.au/buy...und-stri/70130
https://www.artistguitars.com.au/buy...ings-lig/70132

This is a really good replacement F style bridge for just $29 that I have used on my J Bass and the MMB4 and if you look closely on the real parts web site you will notice that it is a very close clone of the Gotoh that sells for $59.

https://www.realparts.com.au/bridges...rome-3212.html

To get maximum bang for your buck you will be pleased with the sounds if you do at least a coil split on the bridge humbucker. To keep things looking tidy a push/pull switch would be the way to go and I have used many of these Bourns purchased from Real Parts where they also have a slightly cheaper Alpha brand too. On HB's I have always used 500k and swear by having all pots Audio taper as that way you can swap them around from Vol to Tone and not be too worried about Audio vs Linear taper, plus I reckon Audio roll off is more gradual which tends to feel better. If splitting coils you could experiment to find which one you prefer but straight up would recommend splitting to coil nearest the bridge as you probably want the brightest and loudest option when dropping a coil. Don't get me wrong, each separate coil will have the same output, it is just that the one nearest bridge should sound brighter and louder, more like a typical J sound.

https://www.realparts.com.au/electro...l-pot-new.html

If you can handle the thought of using a mini DPDT 3 way switch that opens up a few more split options which is what I did on the MMB4 to split either front or rear coil or remain in series as a HB. For the extra effort and another hole in the guitar you may be better off experimenting with push/pull first or just wire up one of the coil banks at a time to see how different they might sound and then make your decision as to which way to go.

Cheers, Waz

[kuanjb]

Thanks Waz.

That bridge looks pretty much exactly the same as the one I ordered.... but got sent the wrong one. The seller doesn't even list the bridge anymore so not sure if I'll be able to get a replacement.

Here's another seller with the same item though:
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/k8vp4JpO

The strings I bought were supposed to be Elixir Nanoweb Medium .045 - .105. $14.60 shipped.
Box and packaging look legit but I honestly don't know what level of fakes there are these days. I mean the boxes and packaging might be printed in China even if the strings themselves are made in the US. So they might be legitimate packaging with cheap strings. The fact that the string is buzzing makes me think it's not real. But each string does have different guage of wound wire not just the core so..... might be real.

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[wazkelly]

Hi buddy,

Bit sceptical about most stuff on Aliexpress as it just seems to be a massive gateway to cheap Chinese lookalike junk. Strings might be genuine but how would you know?

Artist are just as good as PBG when it comes to after sales service. Not so sure you get the same from an Aliexpress retailer, same goes for Amazon too as most are probably just affiliates doing drop shipping.

[kuanjb]

Felt like doing a bit of work on a guitar today but it's rainy so that means no applying any clear coat on the PSH-1. So the bass it was. My son was also excited to cut the guitar up.

So finally after a bit more measuring, drawing and rubbing out lines, I took to it with a coping saw and files. Mostly got the basic shape done. Still have to do the bevels and I'll fix up the edges a bit more when I do that.

Pretty happy with it so far anyway. I did end up going for something similar to an S2 shape. A bit more offset though.

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[Simon Barden]

Nice shape.

[kuanjb]

Started on the bevels. All by hand with chisels and files. My technique obviously has a lot to be desired as I've managed to take a couple of gouges out. Oh well. At least I'm certain now the body will be finished in a solid colour. Was already tending that way anyway due to the difference in colour of the core wood and the thin veneer.

So far I've mostly done the top edge. Still need more sanding and the edge isn't exactly right but even so I'm really liking how it looks.

[JimC]

When I did the neck on my lockdown Mandolin project I bought a couple of cheap chinese made wood rasps from the local luthiers supply because they were what most people seem to use, even though its a tool that's always been completely off my radar. I have to admit I'm thoroughly converted and I've used them for a number of shaping jobs that I'd have done differently before. No doubt, being cheap, they'll be blunt before too long, but I've found them ideal for semi rough shaping where I might previously have used a power tool or a chisel.

That does look like a interesting and nice shape though with the bevels as opposed to rounded off cuts like a Fender. Food for thought.