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Eric's Squier Fretless Jaco Pastorius Bass Project
>> Workshop >> Eric's Squier Fretless Jaco Jazz Bass Project

Fender Fretless Jaco Pastorius Bass

Starting with a Squier 3 tone sunburst body and building a fretless Jaco style bass by adding a Warmoth birdseye maple and fretless ebony neck . . .
Eric is sending the body on Tuesday, 8-26-11 via UPS: Tracking #__________

Body - Electronics - Neck

Jaco Pastorius
Jaco Pastorius.com


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Squier VM Body

Body Species & Finish: Agathis with 3-Tone Sunburst finish

Disassembled: Arrived unassembled 9-1-11: View Front -|- Rear

Pickguard: nope

Refinishing: nope

Cavities: Had to open up the control cavity with a dremel to accomodate the larger CTS pots. Also see shielding

Finger/Thumb Rests: Kingwood Thumbrest - non-Fender style; run from Fboard to front of neck pickup. One-half inch wide by one-quarter inch to three-eighths inch high.

Bridge: 4-String OEM Deluxe Black. Had to install with oversize screws due to larger holes.

Bridge/Pickup Covers: none

Strap Buttons/Locks: Schaller black

Project Parts and Labor Checklist

checkmark Body by
Body by Squier

• Body Disassembly: no
• Body Refinish: spots
Bridge: OEM Dlx
Bridge Cover: No
Pickup Cover: No
Pickguard: No
PG Screws: No
Finger Rest: No
  T-Rest: Kingwood
• FB Extension: No
Strap Buttons: No
Strap Locks: Schaller BLK

Electronics:   Passive     New Assembly is Guaranteed for Life

Pickup(s): Kent Armstrong Chrome Tubular Jazz Bass Pickups
Not quite Jacoesque but a sweet choice nonetheless . . . and cool looking too . . .

Cavity Shielding: Yes - had to redo control cavity because the opening wasn't large enough to accomodate the CTS post.

Control Plate: Gold, drilled out to 3/8" for CTS shafts

Controls: Volume - Volume - Tone

Control Pots: 3
CTS 250KA solid shaft

Capacitor: Sprague Orange Drop .047µF 100V

Wire: 22awg PTFE Hi-Temp Teflon Silver Plated Stranded Copper

Output Jack: Switchcraft mono

Control Plate Assembly: View harness and assembly: 1 - 2

Control Knobs: 3 black domes for 1/4" solid shaft pots

checkmark Electronics
  Jazz Wiring Diagram
Wiring Diagram

Copper Foil Shielding
Control Plate: Gold
Pots: CTS 250KA
Capacitor: .047µF
Switches: None
Output Jack: Switchcraft
Harness: jazz
Assembly: gold
Control Knobs: blk dome
Pickup(s): KA
Pup Screws:
• Pup Pads: yes
  Pickups: Setup/Output

Warmoth Neck - Maple/FL Ebony     34" Scale

Truss Rod: Heel adjustment . . . body needs a rout 1/2"W x 1/2"D x 3/4"L

Truss Rod Cover: nope

Headstock: on the end

Tuning Machines: 4 of them - We originally planned for using Gotoh Res-O-Lite GB640 Pre-CBS Fender Style Bass Tuners but a few things came into play . . . one is that the key stem looked like shit; it being too long sticking up too far above the top edge of the headstock . . . and two: the string posts holes are 9/16" and I didn't want to fork out $26.00 for an 11/16" drill bit that I'd only use in these types of occasions. So I bought two sets of Hipshot HB5 American Classic Tuners; one chrome set (because that's what the Gotohs are) and one black set (because that's what I would put on them for two reasons: one: they look better with the ebony fingerboard and two: they go better with the black OEM Deluxe bridge).

Fingerboard: long and ebony . . . too long; I'm gonna snipe the end of the ebony off in the shape of the end of the neck, not necessarily because it would look better (which it will) but for access to the T-rod.

Deglossing: rear maybe a little

Fboard Finish: Duck sauce

Fboard Extension: gotta luv'em

Strings:
Rotosound RS77LD .045, .065, .085, .105

String Nut: Slot depth for a fretless nut: about .005" above the fingerboard. The thickness of a business card is very close. I've had the strings rest on the surface of the fingerboard and the action severly low but it limits you to very light playing; but boy is it sweet~!

String Guide: black Button

Setup Specs:
checkmark Warmoth FL Neck
  Headstock:
• Disassembly: No
  Truss Rod Cover:
  Fboard: R&R
  FB Finish: Dr. Duck's
  FB Edge Roll: Yes
  FB Extension: ???
Fret Size: 0
• Fret Job: No
  Nut:
  Tuners: Hipshot HB5
  Tuners: Install
  Tuner Screws:
  String Guide:
  Strings: RS77LD FW


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The Workshop > Eric's Squier Fretless Jaco Pastorius Bass Project

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