Some of you folks have asked me a few times to show pics of this build. So here it is....
My main band used to have 3 guitar players and an organist. But the last couple of tours - for a variety of reasons - we've whittled it down to 2 guitars and no keys. This was what led to me putting this bass together. I wanted to take up more space in certain songs of ours where the two guitar players were doing harmonized lead sections. (We do this alot!) It worked out really well and the bass started making it into more and more songs live. Now it looks like it may get incorporated in the studio as well.
The body is from a MIA Fender Hot Rod bass. The neck is a Warmoth that I purchased used - as part of another frankenbass - from another forum member. I replaced the tuners with some Hipshot Ultralights that have "mini clovers" and different sized string posts for the fundamental and octave strings. (This was a great idea/suggestion from Bill W here.) The bridge is another one that Bill helped out with. It's a Hipshot 8 string based on their A Style bridges. Technically, it's set up for a right handed bass. But between myself and the guitar repair guy I use, we were able to make it work and intonate perfectly. The pickups are EMG Geezer Butler (passive). I use these on my three main basses and LOVE them.
It sounds - and feels - like thunder. I typically use it with an Xotic BB Bass preamp for a hint of distortion. I also use a rotary speaker effect for certain songs. When you do that, it takes on a Jon Lord organ kind of presence. Really fills up the space when it's just me and the drummer holding it down while the guitarists are.... being guitarists. Haha.
