One Off Baritone Musicmaster

[regimentle]

I was jamming with my uncle yesterday and he has this interesting guitar that might influence a few brave people to modify a spare Musicmaster basses they have laying around, even though with prices rising, that might be risky.  It's 100% obvious Fender didn't build this but they should have!

It was a one-off made for Kim Deal of the Pixies/Breeders.  Dakota red, matching headstock Musicmaster bass.  The tuners were taken out, filled, and then six guitar tuners were drilled in.  Because of the string sizes, the low E was a different, slightly bigger tuner.  White pickguard, volume knob is intact, tone knob replaced with a three way toggle that goes between the two pickups: a Musicmaster guitar pickup in the neck and a Esquire/Telecaster bridge (50's style) w/ Tele pickup instead of the regular Musicmaster bridge.  He had real big, heavy strings on it, the type I'd expect on a Bass VI, not a Danelectro/Jerry Jones. 

All specs aside, the thing is the easiest to play instrument I've ever held.  And it sounds HUGE.  I'm really contemplating making one of my own, with no customizations, just exactly the same as it was perfect sonically and aesthetically in every way.  Might do a different color though... Shoreline Gold?

[burker]

I have always thought of doing that... prolly not with a tele bridge as id want JM pickups.... maybe I could use a squier bronco bass to save money. course i think they are made of ply wood....

[rabidhamster]

make with the pictures, innit!?

[mjet]

I'd like to see some photos of that as well, being a real Musicmaster fan (6-string and 4-string varieties).

[DB]

This is a way cool idea, and probably not all that expensive.  Filling the bass tuner holes is not that hard, and if you want a matching headstock you're in for a refinish anyway.  I do like the oversized bridge plate on the mustang bass, and it would be cool to figure out how to get one of those to accomodate 6 sthings/saddles.  This could certainly be a poor man's solution for the high priced Bass VI.  Even though I have a couple of those, a 6-string based (pun intended) on a Musicmaster or Mustang bass could be really cool.  Especially with that oversized headstock with guitar tuners on it.

DB

[regimentle]

I'll snap some shots at my next jam session with him.  Think a lot of you will drool. 

[StevenO]

Sounds interesting. I always wanted to get a musicmaster bass, mainly because of how cute and cheap they are. There was once a deal at a music store in toronto where it was three music master basses for $900. Like, what the fudge?

[DB]

I'll snap some shots at my next jam session with him.  Think a lot of you will drool. 

Yeah, let's see some pics!

DB