Horsefeather wrote: ↑Mon Sep 28, 2020 9:33 am
The neck is decent. The contours and dimensions seem fine. It fits a Fender neck pocket snug. The wood will need finish sanding and some of the fret ends sit proud and they're all in need of dressing but that's pretty basic stuff.
I would be hesitant to use a Mustang vibrato on one of these, given the tension involved. I assume it's higher than a normal guitar (but maybe not..) so those post pivots would be cause for concern.
Okay that sounds pretty decent for $40.
I don't think the Mustang trem would be an issue because on my Ormsby I actually get less string tension with a 24-95 VI set in bass Drop D vs. my usual 11-58 set in regular Drop D (same set on my Mustang is fine, if anything less tension would be nice to have the cigar a bit higher). It's not that much higher because it's tuned so much lower, despite the heavier strings.
Actually, this seems like the perfect application for the Mustang/Jazzmaster hybrid I made for my Mustang! Mustang dimensions with JM action.
I keep seeing this thing and I love it! I don't have a ton of tools though (basically hand tools, and old dremel, and a cheap drill) so the Mustang trem would be the easiest one to work with (if I go with a trem - a hardtail is honestly much more likely).
niksureal wrote: ↑Mon Sep 28, 2020 10:59 am
danelectro "baritone" is a great option. they are bass vi being marketed as baritones. slap some bass vi strings on and set it up. they are hands down my favourite bass vi option.
also the strings i would recommend for the dano are the ernie ball 2837. i hate ernie ball strings but for some reason that string/guitar combo is magical. plus they are pretty much the cheapest bass vi strings you can find.
I'm iffy on the Danos, I had a buddy in high school who owned like 5 and none of them ever really clicked for me. It's not a bad option (and that semi-hollow bari looks sweet); I guess I'm just a bit biased that it's not gonna do what I want. How does it sound in doing bass lines and chordal stuff in a punky-proggy-rock context?
mbene085 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 28, 2020 11:04 am
A slightly outside-the-box option to consider is an Ibanez Mikro bass. Hear me out.
I own both a Bass VI and a Mikro. Even though the Mikro is even shorter at 28.6" scale, it plays much more like a bass than the VI, largely because the wider string spacing enables you to use thicker strings and a more traditional bass technique. They also make a 5-string, which you could string E-B and have most of the chord options of a Bass VI, but with a more traditional bass tone and technique when you want it.
Also, my Mikro is an absolute ergonomic dream to play. I have another short scale bass (Chowny SWB), and between the Mikro, VI, and Chowny, the Mikro is by far the lightest, puts the neck in the easiest-to-reach place, has the easiest fretting, but feels like a proper bass on the right hand.
It's an absolute brain teaser that the whole instrument feels smaller than a lot of guitars to hold, but puts out a more authoritative tone than my VI and lets me use normal bass right hand technique. The body is shorter and narrower than something like a Jazzmaster, so it's lighter and feels smaller even though it's much longer scale.
They're also really cheap. If you find a used one, they're
really cheap. Like $180 USD new and down from there. The stock pickups are surprisingly decent but their price point also invites modding. I converted my 4-string into a narrower-spaced 5 string via a new bridge and nut, but would have just bought a 5-string one if I was doing it over.
Every guitarist and bassist that I have ever handed my Mikro over to has said something to the effect of "oh my god I love this." It's just so effortless and fun to play but still very unmistakeable as a "proper" bass.
Just something to consider. Polyphonic bass playing is my jam and I've used everything from this Mikro to my 35" 6-string capoed and tuned E-E. My Squier Bass VI is a great instrument too, I've got nothing against the VI. Just wanted to put a different idea out there.
I actually
love the Mikros I've played in stores, for $180 new they're really impressive. I'd go for one if they had a 6, because that high E actually gets a bunch of use from me, but I don't wanna buy a 5-string just to put in a new 6-string bridge, dowel and redrill the headstock, but if I could grab one cheap on the 'bay or Reverb that might be a fun project -- 45mm at the nut for the 5 seems really nice to split the difference between a narrow VI and something more traditional. I'm also kinda concerned about the scale length, because my Ormsby is 27.5" on the lowest string, and with a 95 there in Drop D it's flop city unless I play right by the bridge and pretty softly, and even then the inharmonicity of the massive string on the shorter scale length doesn't sound great. I'm kinda concerned that the Mikro, even with proper bass strings, would give me similar issues. On a 30" scale, no problem, but IDK.
Hell, at this point it might be less work to just make my own thing from scratch