First Bass Builds

[Chris Thomasi]

Having seen some of the many six stringers I have built over the last few years, the bass player in our (embryonic!) band asked if I would build a bass.
The design influences are obvious so I accept no credit for styling. I decided to make a fretless at the same time.
Everything is hand made by myself with the exception of the machine heads and electronics.
Specs are as follows.
Fretted.
34" scale, 24 frets.
Monorail style bridges.
Hand-wound pickups, Alnico V rod magnets.
Neck 12k impedance!
Bridge 17k impedance!!
Body pearwood body with walnut and maple cap.
Neck walnut and maple five piece laminate.

Fretless.
As above with seven piece laminate neck and ash body capped as per fretted.
Both pickups run around 20k!!

[Hans Bezemer]

Man, I wish that my first bass I've build looked that way... That's a nice instrument, cool!

You got some pretty high wound pickups, are you after a fat bass tone?

[Chris Thomasi]

Was aiming for a warm tone, which they deliver in spades, but may need to calm them a bit with a series resistor to prevent feedback when in the same postcode as the amplifier!!

[Adam Gardner]

Beautiful instrument!

[Bob Francis]

Really nice!
Can you explain the switching?

[Chris Thomasi]

The switch nearest the jack socket cuts all output, basically battery saving.
The second switch bypasses the graphic equaliser /pre-amp and takes the signal straight from the blend pot and volume to the amp.
Each switch has an indicator LED.