6 Steel Grinder / Skully's Bass VI Build

[skullservant]

Alright, so this one is a long way off, but I at least wanted to get my ideas down so I don't forget them.
A Bass VI is the last on my crazy long list of instruments to have. I've had multiple baritones, but I've felt when I've had them that I was just jipping myself out of a Bass VI.
So, alas, I will eventually be building this. I've been flushing out the specs in my head over the past week or so, but it'll essentially be the following:

Another Alpine_Oregeon/Saylor Guitars body
This time, a Reverse Jazzmaster Cabronita style that he's just recently started doing
Essentially it just looks like a lefty Jazzmaster body
Going to stain it either straight purple, or do a mahogany wash before then doing a transparent purple or blue
-Hardtail/String through 6 saddle strat bridge style
-Strat Heel
-Middle Humbucker route only
-7/8" Tele output hole
-Single volume control with rear cavity
-DC Kunkle Maple 30.5" Bass VI neck
-Alumitone Humbucker (probably) in that middle route
-No pickguard

Checklist:

Body [x]
Neck [x]
Neck Plate [x]
Bridge [x]
Pickups [x]
Tuners [x]
String Trees [x]
Ferrules [x]
Jack [x]
Volume Pot [x]
Strings [x]
Knob [x]
Pickup Switch [x]
Neck Screws [x]
Control Plate [x]

[goroth]

Boom!

I like your choice of controls

[Chankgeez]

Sounds like a promising start. Not sure a single pickup in the middle position is the best option though.

[skullservant]

Yeah, I may rethink it when I actually go to order the body. The dude can really cut anything, so my options are pretty limitless
Any other ideas? I really don't want to do the traditional 3 single coils

[Chankgeez]

I hardly ever use the middle pickup. So, I'd forego that one.

I also like untypical pickups (Charlie Christians, lipsticks, lap steel pickups, gold foils, anything microphonic, etc.). So, I'd probably choose something weird. That can get expensive though. So, if you're trying to keep your budget down, it may not be the best choice.

[skullservant]

My thought behind it was that it would have a deeper low end than having a treble pickup, but not quite the muddiness of a neck pickup, but the only real guitar that I have with a middle pickup is my Telecaster. I think the middle P90 is awesome in it, but I have no clue how that configuration would sound in a bass setting.

And yeah, I like weird stuff too. I was thinking of honestly building it and using any of the super cheap humbuckers that I have laying around now until I could afford to put something else into it.

I have a feeling that I won't be able to get to this for a few months though. I'd like to build it before the baby comes, I just don't know if it will be possible to do that.

[braaandooon]

Sounds like a fun build, not sure what your set on finishing the body with, or what body wood your using, but you should check out some aniline dyes for staining, alot less sanding as water based stains raise the grain quite a bit, drys faster, and is easy to apply to mahogany atleast. Although if your working with maple, or other dense woods it can get tricky.

If you wind up with a nice knarly piece of lumber, and want some of the character to pop, seal it with dewaxed shellac, and wetsand a few coats before staining, it will also help your alcohol based dye to apply more evenly.

Tru-oil is a very nice finish, but you can make a gallon of the same shit for the price of a small bottle with the right supply house in reach. Not sure how rough you are on instruments, but waterlox is much more durable and is more resistant to dings, scratches, beer, and idiots.

Denatured alcohol is your friend with prior suggestions...enjoy that build

[skullservant]

It'll be alder, which I've used previously but I've only ever stained once, it was an ebony stain. That's a question I was thinking of, how to stain the Alder a mild Mahogany before wiping and then putting the transparent finish on.

Want to try to go for something like this:

[Chankgeez]

Yeah, you can go will a middle and a bridge to keep your tonal options a little varied, but I think for a Bass VI, I'd want a neck pickup.

Cheap humbuckers'd be fine to start. At least, it'd give you more time to think what you really want in there.

If you don't get to it for a while, that's fine too. Nothing wrong with talking things out well in advance.

[Uncle Grandfather]

I do believe I have the vapors....

[Chankgeez]

[skullservant]

Would be cool to do 3 alumitones with an (at least) 5 way rotary- neck/neck middle/middle/middle bridge/bridge

[kbit]

If you're trying to use it more like a bass than anything else, middle pickup all the way.
P-Basses sounds the best for a reason

[Uncle Grandfather]

[spacelordmother]

EVAN. You're a freaking maniac.