Brendan's new Jazz Bass

[Brendan]

Because you can't have enough bassy goodness and I love the look of my VP, I thought I'd do another jazz bass to keep it company. Plan is for a similar look / feel, with a few changes - naturally jazz pups, but these will be the PBG Entwhistles (the $20@ ones) (VP has a Tonerider P Bass pickup), ash body and no neck ashtray cover and maple neck - just love maple necks on basses.

[Brendan]

Some extras arrived yesterday so that I can actually start - a higher mass bridge (oh the sustain!) and a black pickguard. Our good old friends in China though forgot one of the screws for the saddles (see second saddle up from the bottom in the pic). That said, the saddles were slightly too large for the bridge and got in each other's way. In the end - brainwave - saddles from the low mass bridge (most of the mass is in the frame anyway), which are slightly smaller, have the right number of grubb screws and (totes bonus) fit on the original screws from the bridge so have the right amount of travel! Now just waiting on the tail ashtray to really get cracking.

Bridge pictured is the old bridge with new saddles.

[Brendan]

Grain in the body's pretty cool - downside is that it's about 10mm from being a 4 piece body - not sure if I should sand off the 5th piece as it's a lighter wood and I think I could take it off without doing too much damage to the body.

Just weighed the new bridge with the old saddles - bang on 50% heavier (190g vs 120g).

[stan]

great work around with the bridge!

if you increased the angle around the brige end of the bod slightly and came it a little tighter at the top, you'd give it a more unique shape, without getting too radical and get rid of the top piece of timber...

I'm sure you'll do a nice job

[vh2580]

That is some wicked grain

[andrewdosborne]

Brendan, nice kit. Looking forward to see this come together. What are your plans for the finish?

[Brendan]

Andrew - was thinking to be a companion (but a jazz version of) my VP - so something along the lines of... Just need to find another way to do satin finishes that doesn't involve NC oil... That said, creative juices do flow from time to time, so it may end up black or dark brown or something unexpected...

With the saddles - it was funny - the ones from the kit seem to be a better fit on the bridge than the ones supplied with it...

[gavinturner]

Beautiful grain on this body brendan! She's going to be astunner. Great workaroud on the bridge - now it looks even better. I have a JB in the stack too (not ash though) so I'm very interested to see what you do with this one.

cheers,
Gav.

[Fretworn]

If you do a burst finish that little bit of lighter wood might not be an issue.

[SIMpleONe89]

Maybe you could try bleaching the darker areas? I've seen it done before.