LeftyBassist.com

Hello !

I'm starting this topic, to ask for advices. I owned a fender precision hotrod, with a neck too large for my hands. I'm thinking about buying a jazzbass neck, some kind of 60's profil, with rosewood. Can you recommend me some sites or serious fabricants in the lefty area ?

Cheers !

+1 for Warmoth. You should be able to get just what you need. Note, however, that their necks can be a bit heavier due to their unique truss rod system, so you may have to go with lightweight tuners.

+2 Warmoth.

+3!!!!! You can have them to paint the headstock too....

I think I'll use the original tuner :



, which seems to be ultralight schaller (Fender Ultra-light Bass Tuning Key XBS-1C).


Thank you for your advises, I'll meet the week a guitar repairman, who'll see if the neck can be adapted to my desire, for a lower price than a new neck @ warmoth, which cost around 400$ !

Do keep in mind a J-neck will sound different because there is less wood
Not necessarily 'better' or 'worse', just different.

Yes, thank you for remind me. Well I really don't feel confortable with the precision neck, as I have small hands, and my jazz bass neck fits perfect in my hands. Also, the precision neck causes me more physical trouble while playing for several hours. I prefer to care my health, as I already suffer from playing too much.

+4 for Warmoth. Be careful with what you ultimately choose, because the neck has a huge impact on the overall tone of your bass, more than the bridge or the pickup or even the strings.

"neck has a huge impact on the overall tone of your bass"

Man I have been saying that for years and I usually get met with rolling eyes. Since I have had a chance to play the same bass with different necks and have had huge tone differences I believe this to be 100% true. Fretboard wood can have a massive effect on tone I think the biggest....(pre amplified)

Word.

maybe you need to look into a shorter scale neck as well? Is any of your discomfort cause by having to over stretch your hand? Or is it caused mostly by the thickness of the neck and width of the fretboard?

Can he really put a short scale neck on his P-Bass? Don't you have to move the bridge?

In Bajito's case I would not recommend spending $400 on a new neck. It's going to reduce the residual value of the bass making it a FrankenFender when those Hot-Rods are going for $850 on US E-bay (and probably more in France). I would sell the bass and get a used Am Std JB for pretty much the same price. I remember making the same kind of mistake trying to improve the sound of a MIJ 62' Jazz Bass, spending tons of money for an ellusive outcome. I eventually trashed a bass that now sells on E-bay for 20% more than what I paid for a new one (precisely in Paris in a store called "Le Gaucher" that is no longer in buisness, unfortunately for us lefties).

In my case I got used to the wider neck of the Stingray and kind of like it now.

Yeah I've done the same thing. I briefly switched out the maple/rosewood neck on my Jaguar for a warmoth brand goncalo alves/ebony neck which is usually on my frankenjazz. The two basses usually sound completely different, but with the warmoth neck on my Jag it sounded almost totally identical to my frankenjazz. It even played pretty similar to the frankenjazz.

The legendary luthier Carl Thompson doesn't actually do any body work on his basses any more. He leaves that to his assistants, and works exclusively on the necks. He says they are the heart and soul of the tone of the bass, and the hardest thing to build correctly.

Thanks for your replies. I finally met a very good "luthier" this week-end. I've been looking around for a good one lately, that's not a easy job even if I live in Paris. Though, on that precision, we choose to work directly on the original neck, in order to reduce the shape and width, to get something similar to my ol' Jazz Bass. I may buy a mapple neck latter to try, but for now the luthier step is far cheaper than ordering a new neck.


I'll eventually change my pickguard, the previous owner made the orgiinal tortoise paint in awful black-ish... Looking for a LH PB US tortoise...


"Le gaucher" is a only southpaw guitar shop. That's a shop from "California Music", local traders. There is interesting stuff, but well, if you look for something else than warwick, ibanez, cort, fender or MM, pass your way. But still it does exist !!

That's cool for "Le Gaucher", I'll stop by next time I go back to Pigalle. (FYI for those not familiar with Paris it is where all the music stores are lined up but also one of the sleaziest area Paris. The music stores are nearby "Le Moulin Rouge" in rue de Douais if I recall)

There are several companies making custom pickguards in the US such as Terrapinguitars or Jeannie Pickguard (recommended). Check their sites. Since it is a very light item, the shipping to France should be reasonable.

OOOh yes ! That's one guitar shop, one hostess bar, one guitar hop, one ... GAS in every corner !



I've already receive some propals, that's around 70$, and between 14and 25$ for shipping... nearly 100$ for just a pickguard... and I should provide my pickguard to USA... that's uncommon. Does the Hot rod precision pickguard match the original PB ? (note : my bass is at the repairshop till end of september...)

It seems expensive. I ordered one for my Stingray and one for my Jazz Bass AM Deluxe and each time I paid $30 between $40. Although I did order some plain color stuffs like 3 ply black and 3 ply white. It becomes more expensive if you go for the fancy stuff. Check with your luthier if he can carve you a new one. (my bass tech does it for $30 - he has all kind of material in stock) If I recall on the Terrapin Guitar site there is a drop down menu with all the different basses possible. You just have to choose your model and check the option lefty.
Your best bet might be E-bay US. I am not 100% sure that the Hot-rod P-bass pickguard is the same as the US P-bass pickgard. They look identical with the holes at the same place (that the jack goes on one of the 3 holes on the P-bass whereas there are 3 knobs go on the hot-rod and the jack goes directly into the body)
Check this one out for $25.00 - Even if you pay $15 for shipping you still get a great deal. Bonne chance!

http://cgi.ebay.com/LEFTY-WHITE-PEARLOID-PICKGUARD-FENDER-P-BASS-GUITAR-/330444617502?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item4cf008b71e

that's my concern by now. I saw a fender precision PG on bass ressources. It "seems" to match, but not sure at all ! Is somebody has the possiblity to check that, I would be interested !

and yes, ebay will be the solution, there are always the best deals there.

yes,a regular p bass pickguard will defintly work,over in the photo gallery forum,look under the title my arsenal,you will see my orange hot rod p bass with a blk and white paisely guard,i ordered it thru wd in florida,its just the normal p bass pick guard and it fits perfect.