NBD - DIY short scale

Markzts

Markzts

Aug 30, 2011
130
308
4,571
North Carolina
#1
In the 3 builds I have finished, it's the first time I pretty much got what I envisioned and the first time felt I needed to initiate a NBD post! Going for what I would call a "semi-industrial" look. Consequently, some imperfections are actually on purpose though I may not say which ones ;)

Neck is from Eden guitars with maple fretboard that I "customized".
Body is a jazz bass style that I modified for the shape I wanted. Wood is paulowina ( going for light weight which ended up at 6lbs 4oz )
Passive Pickups: bridge pu is a Bartolini 9CBJD-L1, neck pu is no name humbucker that balances well with the bart in the center switch position. I had other pickups initially, but ended up with this setup for a number of reasons.
Strings are GHS Pressurewound M7200 - designed this bass for string through and to use sets for a 34" scale so I could more easily try different sets and/or get the gauges I wanted. I may just leave well enough alone and stick with what's on it now though.
Pickguard is perforated aluminum
Tuners are Hipshot Ultralites

Maybe you all can help me name this bass - I have never named any of my basses, but this one seems to need a name..... Thanks!
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#3
Markzts said:
In the 3 builds I have finished, it's the first time I pretty much got what I envisioned and the first time felt I needed to initiate a NBD post! Going for what I would call a "semi-industrial" look. Consequently, some imperfections are actually on purpose though I may not say which ones ;)

Maybe you all can help me name this bass - I have never named any of my basses, but this one seems to need a name..... Thanks!
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First - really nice! Very cool retro/future vibe to it.

Second - the idea of anchoring the strings further back in the body so you can use standard length is wonderful! I'm going to have to try that idea!

Third - what is that bridge? I've not seen one like it before.

Forth - how about Shadowcaster? Or Groovitron?
 
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#4
The bridge is just a TOM ( tune-o-matic ) style - $15 or so on eBay. The tailpieces are just some half round aluminum rods and a block of aluminum for the string anchor - not the quickest to re-string, but does what i wanted and gives the look I was after.

I like Groovitron. I may do a hybrid of that and call it Alumitron. We'll see what other suggestions I get.
 
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#5
Not too late to switch those pickups out for … Lace ALUMITONES ;)
Markzts said:
The bridge is just a TOM ( tune-o-matic ) style - $15 or so on eBay. The tailpieces are just some half round aluminum rods and a block of aluminum for the string anchor - not the quickest to re-string, but does what i wanted and gives the look I was after.

I like Groovitron. I may do a hybrid of that and call it Alumitron. We'll see what other suggestions I get.
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#8
Wow, looks very cool ! I have a short scale edan neck and most of the parts for my build and am wondering about the neck ? How did the neck turn out? Is it level enough to have decent action ? Mine looks as though is has stainless steel frets. As far as a name I’ll think on it . definitely cool and unique, I like it !!
 
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#11
stuntbass77 said:
Wow, looks very cool ! I have a short scale edan neck and most of the parts for my build and am wondering about the neck ? How did the neck turn out? Is it level enough to have decent action ? Mine looks as though is has stainless steel frets. As far as a name I’ll think on it . definitely cool and unique, I like it !!
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The challenge for this build was the TOM bridge being rather tall. Had to use a 1 degree neck pocket shim to get the action where it needed to be, but that wasn't the neck's fault. It will clank.

On my previous build that also used a short scale Eden neck, I had to do a very small neck pocket shim even though the bridge was much lower ( KSM foundation ) in order to get a low action. Nothing unusual and i would buy more of these necks when I do any more building
 
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#15
Awesome! The body style isn't that far off from the Nordstrand (Cat) Acinonyx.

stuntbass77 said:
Wow, looks very cool ! I have a short scale edan neck and most of the parts for my build and am wondering about the neck ? How did the neck turn out? Is it level enough to have decent action ? Mine looks as though is has stainless steel frets. As far as a name I’ll think on it . definitely cool and unique, I like it !!
Click to expand...

I've used the Eden necks on two builds and was able to achieve relatively low action with minimal fret leveling. The necks were a 30 and a 32" scale. I have run across comments from people who weren't so lucky, but in my experience I'm 2 for 2. If I were you I'd get it good and straight and put a straight edge on it and check it out. :thumbsup:
 
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#18
That's a grate looking bass. ;-) I'd call it Grid.

I like the string mounting method. I built a medium scale at one point, that had a top or through bridge, and in the back I used parts from a single string bridge on the E string (the other strings, you can cut them shorter, so it isn't necessary) - that second bridge allowed me to anchor the string either right as it came through the back or looped around like yours, so I had 3 different available mounting points for the E string. I could use short, medium, or long scale strings on that thing.
 
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