Chambered P Bass??

#3
Lava said:
I have some chambered basses. If you're going chambered for a lighter weighted bass, awesome. If you're looking for a change in sound, there is no difference in chambered vs non-chambered
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I'm going for a lighter instrument with no effect to sound, so this is a positive. I hear that chambered instruments have better sustain, which if true, is a positive not a negative, though some might want less sustain on a p bass. I'm a little concerned that a lighter body will contribute to neck dive.
 
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#4
I'll echo above, I don't think Chambering really alters sound, maybe adds some sustain... but the weight loss is great.
Kiesel offers a chambered body on their Modern J, which can be spec'd as a PJ.
www.kieselguitars.com

Modern J-Bass Series

The MJ, also known as the Modern J-Bass, is a contemporary overhaul of Kiesel’s classic JB. The update removes the iconic pickguard for an unobstructed view of Kiesel's infamously-superior top woods and adds a tasteful top bevel for aesthetics and comfort, our greatest variety of pickup options...
www.kieselguitars.com
 
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#5
I had a chambered Mike Lull P bass. The key is that he didn't just chamber the body; he made sure the neck was an appropriate weight so that the whole bass was balanced. I’ve owned other light basses but in many cases they just slap the same neck they would put on a model that weighed more. It’s not just neck dive; those basses just don’t feel right.
 
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#6
In my experience with chambered basses there's a difference based on the amount of chambering and how the bridge is mounted. I get the impression that what you're describing is chambering to reduce weight, so I think you won't find a big difference in sound between the chambered or non-chambered versions.

In the case that the target is weight reduction, I think it's a no brainer to do it. If you don't care about the weight, then I wouldn't do it.
 
#8
jblock said:
I had a chambered Mike Lull P bass. The key is that he didn't just chamber the body; he made sure the neck was an appropriate weight so that the whole bass was balanced. I’ve owned other light basses but in many cases they just slap the same neck they would put on a model that weighed more. It’s not just neck dive; those basses just don’t feel right.
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I have a couple Mike Lull jazz basses (M4V and M5). Light, if not delicate, necks is definitely a Lull hallmark. The guy who is going to make the neck (cofounder of Lakand) makes an outstanding but beefy neck, so I'll have to talk with him about this.
 
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#16
Had a friend take on a lightweight semi hollow chambered body challenge for me and I added the Warmoth neck. The basswood body was so light I added a block of lead to the control cavity as well as lightweight tuners to create a comfortable balance.

As others have stated, I don't hear any tonal difference between this and it's solid body evil twin brother.
P1250098.jpg
 
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#17
I chambered mine years ago but then had to counter act the increased neck dive but putting lead weights inside close to the tail strap attachment knob. Ying yang - lighter overall but not much. Advice - get a cheap as body/bass and chamber it up the whazoo see what you think - do you like it - does it make a difference? If you like it then you have had practice doing for the real one. if not chuck it and move on. Ssave your experience for a forum post 20 years on.
 
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#18
I wanted a P Bass that had a little more "snap" to the attack of the notes so I built one with a maple body. I went into the project knowing the maple body would naturally be heavier than the more common woods used on P Basses, poplar, ash, or alder. That meant I would have to do some heavy chambering to remove as much weight as possible.

As it turns out, my bass came out exactly as I had hoped. Still ever so slightly on the heavy side at 8 pounds, 10 ounces, but the notes seem to have more punch and offer a wider array of tones than the average P Bass. I feel like I get a little more "thump", too. As for any additional affects due to the chambering, I can't honestly tell the difference with regard to sustain, but I can tell a difference when playing the bass unplugged.


Bass 1.png



Bass 2.png
 
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#19
I actually just did a video on the Fender jazz thin line. I thought it was awesome. I look for a very light, resonate bass generally. I felt like the thin line/hollow thing is a cool shortcut to a resonate, responsive instrument. I didn't necessarily felt like it did much either way in the tone department. Beware headstock weight!

 
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#20
I have a chambered p/j with roasted neck and hipshot ultras and it weighs about 7lbs. 6oz? Feels great, and while I don't put much stock in tone woods, chambering, etc., this bass sounds like it has reverb on it, no matter the pickups, etc. I can't believe it's because of the chambering, but at the same time it seems like it could? Idk, but given that, I personally might only get a light solid body if I were buying something now.
 
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