Custom Build for Paul at Buzzard's Bass Guitar Shop

>> Workshop >> Project for Paul from Brockton, MA

Project: Started 12-16-08 with an SX SJB Jazz Neck and a set of tuners, we're going from here and this project can change into anything as we go along working within a tight budget or not~!

Project Changed: 12-17-08:
SX SPB P-Bass with SJB Neck and Routing for an EMG-MMHZ P'up.
Shipped: 3-2-09 via UPS - Due to arrive in Brockton on 3-3-09

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This SX SPB-62 Black 4-String Bass was purchased at Rondo: 12-27-08.

Body: SX SPB-62

12-30-08: Completely disassembled and tested the fitting of the Jazz neck.
The SJB neck was a simple fit to the body pocket as it is about an eighth of an inch smaller than the P-neck. However, I was hoping it would be centered in the pocket. Instead, although it's a plus that the screw holes lined up, this leaves all the space on the treble side of the neck. See pics: Bass Side -|- Treble Side
Possible Remedy: Fill (bondo) the inner pocket area next to the neck and sand and paint the exposed area.

Body Finish: Black with a matching Headstock.

Pickguard

Pickguard blank is needed and will be made to accomodate an EMG-MMHZ P'up in the "sweet spot". The opening in the pickguard will be the exact shape of the pickup. See Music Man Pickup Diagram

3ply Cream-Black-Cream: .090" x 12" x 18" : PAID - 1-22-09

Pickguard Labor: Make a pattern from the SX PG and the EMG P'up. Transfer to 1/4" MDO plywood and cut out the Router Template. Rout, drill and fit the PG.

Pickguard Labor: $75.00
Received $65.00 labor: 1-23-09 - Consider it PAID

12-30-08: Made a first draft pickguard pattern for layout of the EMG Pickup as well as for alignment of the Badass Bridge. See pics: Layout 1 -|- 2 -|- 3

Pickguard Template: Had to be made for extended control horn and other added features making this PG one-of-a-kind. Pics: PG Template 1 -|- PG Template 2

Bridge

Leo Quan 4-String Badass Bass III Bridge - Slotted
This bass bridge is a replacement bridge for the newer Fender American basses with 3 mounting holes. This bridge is NOT a direct replacement for the OEM standard Fender screw spacings. Strings through the body with Slotted Saddles.

Found on Ebay - Chrome: $75 shipped - PAID - Bought: 12-31-08
Original Price: $90.00 plus shipping - Saved $15.00 plus shipping

Bridge Labor: Install String-thru-body Ferrules and new Bridge align/install.
ALSO note this will require 35" scale Strings and Ferrules.

Ferrules & Labor $65.00 - swapped for bridge labor

Bridge Labor/Neck Swap: The SX P-bass neck with tuners is being swapped for the Jazz neck so I thought it'd be an easy swap for the bridge work. The Bridge work consists of drilling for the through-body bridge, drilling and installing string ferrules, installing Badass III, determining string placements and filing of the saddles. Even though this bridge comes "slotted", the proper break angle is not preset for the strings. It requires a steeper slot on the backside of the saddle.

Layout: 01-28-09 - Preparing for installation: Photographs follow . . .
SX Bridge in position -|- Intonation Markings -|- Badass III in position
Badass III layout A -|- Badass III 34" Scaled -|- Badass III 35-1/4" Scaled

This Badass III bridge sucks. Oh, it's not bad if you're starting a new build, but to try to make it work when another bridge is being replaced makes no sense at all. At least the Badass II lines up with existing mount holes and covers the front two SX bridge holes. This Badass III is NOT a replacement bridge. I started from scratch with new layouts and photos:

This layout with all three bridge outlines shows ideal situations. What is NOT ideal is when laying the Badass III in postion to cover the SX holes, the Badass III will not be in a position to project the intended intonation settings. The view from the top shows the Badass III bridge won't work because, in order to intonate, the saddles will cover the string-through body holes~!

The SX Bridge in postion with saddles in a known intonated setting.
The Badass II Bridge in postion with saddles in a known intonated setting shows no problems. It is the direct replacement intended for this application.
BUT, the Badass III Bridge in postion with saddles in a maximum saddle setting shows severe problems. What am I to do? Do I move the Badass III rearward and uncover the SX mounting holes? I'll have to fill and refinish. This SUCKS~!
Here's the Badass II Bridge where it would need to be in order to work. BUT then there's the problem with the String length . . . wtf . . . I'd like to KNOW somebody that made this work and who isn't going to simply SAY they made it work~!

UPDATE 2-15-09: Started totally from scratch because, after finishing the bass with the bridge in the location as indicated above, the intonation could not be set for the E string. Bought another black SX SPB-62 and rerouted the pickup and drilled for the bridge and ferrules located as far back as possible.

Bridge Cover: Nope

Schaller Strap Locks - Chrome

$20.00 - PAID

Neck

SX SJB Neck with SX Tuning Machines: Paid in Full: $90.00
SX SJB Jazz Neck - new take-off from a customer wanting a fretless instead.
SX necks are known for their heavy gloss. Many use my recommendation for deglossing the backside, hand area only. For this use a green Scotch-brite pad just to break the gloss down a bit, but no so as to remove the finish. It dulls it is all and allows for a little bit better sliding of your hand along its length. I also use unscented talcum powder when I play my basses so the deglossing is not entirely necessary, if you don't mind talcing up every 15 minutes or so. No extra charge.

Headstock: Paint face: Black. This is already included with the sale of the neck.
Here's a photo of the completed SX SJB Jazz neck with the painted headstock.

Strings: Recommend .045, .065, .085, .105 or higher or it's nut-changing time.
I believe the strings that come with the SX bass will be this medium size.
Unusual request: E & A are roundwounds. D & G are flats.

35" Scale Strings: These are needed due to the Badass III Bridge design.

Two String Sets - Rounds and Flats: PAID - 1-22-09

String Nut: Already has a newly made bone nut. However, depending upon the choice of strings, the string slots may need to be widened if you want to go beyond .045, .065, .085, .105 However again, if you want smaller lighter strings, then the nut needs to be replaced and a new one made.

Tuners: SX Chromes. Here's a photo of the actual tuners that will be used.
I'll get into how I maintain and/or adjust these tuners later. The tutorial is actually very useful for the hundreds of boneheads that think they need to toss out their new sets of SX tuning machines when the SX product is actually a lot better than maNy very much higher priced brand name machines. Read the tutorial here.

Electronics

Passive Precision Bass Wiring. I use WBE PTFE Teflon High Temperature Silver Plated Copper Wire. It's rated for 600 volts and is about the best I can find. PVC covered stranded and tinned copper wire can be used but it's not as durable so why skimp when there's only about a foot of black and white?

Cavities: The cavities get smoothed out and cleaned up prior to installing the copper foil shielding. A coat of paint here also helps the copper foil to stick to the walls. The shielding job takes about 3 hours and is included as part of the electronics upgrade, which I've donated the time for, not the parts.

EMG-MMHZ Passive HZ Bass Pickup - Base -|- Cable -|- MM Pickup Diagram
The MMHZ is a direct replacement for the original Music Man Bass Pickup, which, according to Bartolini measurements, will require routing 3.98" x 1.90".

This pickup is passive (without internal pre-amp) and features a dual-coil design for low noise and plenty of output. The MMHZ housing is directly compatible with EMG�s entire �Active� MM pickup line. All feature the �CS� design (Ceramic and Steel). The CS design has the punch and fullness of the older passive designs along with added brightness for a better-defined tone. Package Includes: Mounting screws and springs.

EMG-MMHZ - Price: $105 - PAID 1-9-09

Notes: I already ordered this pup on the 5th and this was their response:"Typical delivery time from EMG to us is 2-3 weeks." Also, it occured to me this pickup may not have the 5-pin connector cable included so I shot off an email to find out . . . They said it should be included.
Update: 01-16-09 - Was informed the pickup should be shipped to me at the end of the week: 01-23-09 . . . Received: 01-27-09

Setup: 01-28-09 - Prepared for opening pickup cavity: Photographs are great~!
Pickup with Template -|- Template Redrawn -|- Marking Template Opening
Marks for Template Alignment -|- Template Alignment on Body Tape
Template Marked on Tape -|- Tape Removed Showing Meat to Remove
Marks showing P-pups -|- Possible Wider Opening

Pickup Pads: It's a good idea to attach a rubber pad to the bottom of the pickup. The springs alone are inadequate, especially at times when playing directly over the p'up. The pad will keep the p'up solid but still allow adjustability. No Charge

Pickup Cover: Nope

Controls: The choice to upgrade from stock SX to CTS controls immediately is a coin toss really. Some SX basses have the wiring screwed up from the factory while most have been fine. In my experience with the guys where I live, they return after about 6 months with either some pot problems or just feel like they wanna see if it makes a difference. $35 for Labor - Thanks for the beer~!
It's usually $75 or so but it's combined with other aspects: cavity shielding

P-bass Wiring Kit: Here's a photo to show you the parts.
It involves (2) CTS 250K Audio Taper Solid Shaft Pots, (1) Switchcraft mono output jack, (1) .047�F 100volt Orange Drop capacitor, and higher grade 22 Gauge WBE PTFE Teflon High Temperature Silver Plated Copper Wire.

Pbass Wiring Kit: PAID - 1-22-09

Wiring: EMG MusicMan Pickup with Precision Bass Wiring Diagram
I've pictorially shown the steps towards completion of this wiring:

1. Prefabbed Pots, Jack, and Cap showing 1st Ground Wire soldered from Output Jack to the Tone Pot as well as the Orange Drop Cap soldered to the Tone Pot.

2. The 2nd Ground Wire is soldered from the Tone Pot base and then threaded through the eye of the Volume Pot bent terminal and both the terminal and wire get soldered to the base.

3. The 1st Live Wire is soldered from the Output Jack to the center terminal of the Volume Pot. Then all wires get "neatened" with tape just for shits'n'giggles.
And just because I like shits'n'giggles so much I've included a second view of this first positive white wire so you can see the connection and marvel at all the fun.

4. Actually, I was just kidding because this same but different view also shows you where the 2nd White Wire gets soldered from the Tone Pot terminal to the Volume Pot terminal, BUT don't solder this wire to the Volume pot yet because the wires from the pickup want to be soldered to this terminal at the same time.

5. Confused? Here is the 2nd White Wire soldered to the Tone pot terminal, but not to the Volume pot terminal. Nice aerial view too~! Actually very simple . . .

Control Plate: P-bass pickguard.
The holes involved with the CTS pots need to be drilled out to 1/4". No Charge
Additional screw holes (2) get drilled to hold down the pickguard at the controls.

Control Knobs: Yup, gonna need 2 of these . . . with set screws.

P-Bass Knobulii - Chrome $11.00 - PAID

Shipping-Receiving:
Bass arrived: 12-30

Parts Checklist

Body: SX SPB-62

� Finish: Black

� Bridge: Badass III

� Bridge Cover: Nope

� Cream/BLK/CR PG

� PG Screws: Chrome

� Schaller Strap Locks

SX SJB Jazz Neck

� Headstock: Black

� Bone Nut

� SX Tuning Machines

� Chrome Tuner Screws

� Chrome String Guide

� Strings: Flats & Rounds

Electronics

� Copper Foil Shielding

� Pickup: EMG-MMHZ

� Pickup Screws

� Pickup Cover: Nope

� Control Pots (2)

� Control Knobs (2)

� EMG MusicMan Pickup
Precision Bass Wiring

EMG MusicMan Pickup with Precision Bass Wiring

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