at the risk of sounding somewhat biased, let me offer a couple opinions on what I've read since my initial post in this thread ... I understand more clearly that you're going for that Jaco vibe and sound. please allow me to be a little forward and biased in a couple opinions (thanks!
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- you aren't going to nail the Jaco tone using a neck reinforced with a pair of steel bars. Warmoth builds a great product, but they're firm on their use of steel reinforcement bars (there's rumors about future changes to this, but nothing set in stone as to if or when they will offer something different) ... if you're going for Jaco tone you need to look elsewhere. The two real options you have then are USACG and MightyMite, and my preference leans away from the MM neck due to quality issues I've experienced on several necks in the past (do keep in perspective that I'd also flunk a portion of what Fender lets out of their factory)
- and Alder body with a Maple/Rosewood neck is what you're looking for. if you can find room in your budget, spending $250 to have your fingerboard properly epoxied will be worth it if you want those singing upper mids - but only if you also get the set-up done properly
- an ebanol fingerboard is going to take you even further away from that Jaco vibe than using steel reinforcement bars
- if you haven't assembled, repaired, or set-up a bass from initial assembly before, be certain to work with somebody who has significant experience doing so with basses. there's a load of detail nuances that make all the differences between an OK assembly and a bass that you'll go to your grave with (and there's a load you can easily mess up that will give you something to look at (or worse - feel!) every time you play it
- a Hipshot vintage bent plate bridge of the desired string spacing would be my recommendation if you've never slotted a Leo Quan BA bridge before and you can't verify that your local tech follows the install workflows recommended by Leo Quan (I speak from experience that there is a huge difference between a BAII hack job and one installed and set-up properly)
- don't wast your money on StewMac preassembled pickup and pots. get good pickups and utilize high quality 205K ohn CTS pots
I'm not attempting to solicit your business with this post. I'm simply offering you some of the advice we'd discuss thru if you and I were exchanging emails on a custom build in the end you're the one who has to like what you've built, so none of us can be an absolute authority to you on what we offer from our experience.
I'll say again what you really need to do before spending even a single penny -
- know the specs you want in granular detail
- consider only those parts that meet those specs
- understand how different parts compliment each other and how others won't work together
- don't settle for something that's outside of your specs unless it's significantly out of your budget - it's better to spend $1500 and LOVE your bass than to spend $1195 and be sorry you didn't buy something else used
all the best,
R
