Skully's wife's P Bass: Restoration and Love Story

[skullservant]

So I've had this P Bass for years. I bought it off my wife when we were still dating, well, really I just paid her cell phone bill that month. But anyways, I got it from her about a year after I got my first guitar, something like 2006?

Dead stock black Squier P Bass, that's just been sitting for the past 4 years with no strings on it in a pretty sad state.

With all these killer new projects going on that I've been seeing, I felt it was about time to have another project to work on!

So, I'm thinking about doing the following: Getting a Lace Aluma-P pickup and wiring it for stereo- bottom 2 strings to a bass rig, top 2 strings to a guitar rig. Volume controls for each half of the pickup. Possibly a phase switch, but not completely necessary. I was also thinking about adding 2 strings to the 'guitar side' (8 string gauge) so that I could have 2 'bass' strings and 4 'guitar' strings.

I think it would be pretty easy to execute. Notch and route the nut for the 2 new strings, drill holes in the existing bridge for the 2 new strings, and route the saddles for the strings as well.

Thinking about doing a black aluminum pickguard as well, if I can find one.

Those are my thoughts for now.

[intothegroove]

That sounds killer man! Can't wait to see/hear that thing

[skullservant]

Welp, since I told my wife I was bringing it back to life, it seems like she wants to help, which will be fun! She said she wants a gold glitter pickguard. Soooo, going to get a white pickguard and spray it gold, then do a layer of gold glitter, seal it up

[intothegroove]

NICE!

[AxAxSxS]

I have a spare set of aluma p pups. black in color. hit me a pm if ya want em.

[skullservant]

Pm'ed you!!

[skullservant]

Aluma P set has been aquired! Thanks AxAxSxS!

Here's what's left on the list:

New white pick guard (or aluminum if I can find it, it will be painted either way)
Brass nut (thinking about cheating and getting a preslotted one and just adding the extra slots for the octave strings)

2 tuners. Going to put these on the opposite side of the headstock. I'm a little torn as to which to use. Was thinking about getting some Grover Minis, or Schaller BML Lights. I can get the BML Lights from Warmoth indiviually, but for 2 tuners it would be like $50. Alternatively was thinking about getting 2 Gotoh GB7's since they are about half the price. Although if I went with the Schaller BMLs it would be less weight in the headstock. The BML's apparently need a few more holes drilled than the Gotohs.




As far as the bridge goes, I did a little digging around today on TalkBass as well as StewMac and Warmoth, and stumbled across the Schaller 471 8 String bridge. Looks like it will be a nice replacement that already has octave strings in mind. I might/will probably have to plug the existing holes in the body where the bridge is now, and redrill for the Schaller, but that won't be an issue.

[rustywire]

FLATWOUNDS

also pics.

[skullservant]

Hell man, I don't think I could do flats again after my last experience with them. Just... man I couldn't stand them.

Gonna get some pictures when I pick up the bass next weekend!

[Achtane]

Yusss.

[skullservant]

Ordered a brass nut on ebay from axemasters, dude is going to preslot it for the two octave strings for me as well!!

[skullservant]

Ended up getting some Gotoh Compact Bass Tuners from StewMac! They're smaller and lighter than what Warmoth had, and pretty cheap too.
Just gotta get the bridge from Warmoth and the strings, and I think it will be all set!

[AxAxSxS]

Axemasters guy has kicked ass for me on a few builds. I cant wait to see this realized.

[skullservant]

I'm really excited, and dude was so eager to do it too!!

The last of the parts have been ordered- 8 string Schaller bridge, and D'Addario EXL170 octave strings!!

[skullservant]

The Aluma P's came in the mail today, and I was able to pick the bass up early so I got all the wiring done tonight: