Project Sheehan P-bass..How to's (Not an Attitude)

NavyBass · 05-07-2006, 12:59 AM

My Project Sheehan P-bass is complete.

List of parts

Fender Precision Bass
DiMarzio Split P pickup
White Plastic sheet
White plastic strips
Humbucking Guitar Pickup with 12.5k DC resistance
250k potentiometer
2 DPDT switches
1/4" female jack
Dremel tool
Router

To start at the beginning. First I made the neck pickup cover. The dimentions are 9mm x 5.3mm. I cut this out of the sheet plastic. I next took 1/4" strips of white plastic strips and glued them under the sheet to make the sides of the cover. When that all dried, I sanded it smooth and made rounded edges on it.

Next, I took the cover and placed it on the pickguard and used it to make a drawing of where I'd need to cut the hole for it. I used the Dremel with a cutoff wheel to cut out the hole in the pickguard.

Once that was done, it was off to the body. I put the pickguard on the body and traced the hole I just cut on to the body. I then started routing the body and extra control cavity.

That being done, it was off to making the neck pickup. The Will Power neck pickup has 12.5k ohms of DC resistance and ceramic magnets. I found a guitar pickup with the same specs in my parts drawer. I first seperated the coils, found a bigger ceramic magnet, and drilled the coil mounting holes in the baseplate of the humbucker. I mounted all that on there and put two steel bars across all the polepieces to make the response more even (pic 3). I then soldered the wires to the pickup.

Moving on from that, I then mounted the pickup in the cavity I just routed by screwing the pickup right to the bottom of the cavity. I also mounted the Split P pickup in it's cavity, and screwed the neck pickup cover right to the body.

Now for the wiring. The controls are V/V/T, a tone switch for the neck pickup, and a stereo/mono switch.

To scallop the fretboard, I mounted a small drum sander to the Dremel.

From there, it was on to final assembly and setup.

Here are the Pics.

NavyBass · 05-07-2006, 01:00 AM

NavyBass · 05-07-2006, 01:01 AM

British Kid · 05-07-2006, 01:03 AM

looks cool. how does it sound and play?

NavyBass · 05-07-2006, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by British Kid

looks cool. how does it sound and play?

Almost exactly like my Yamaha Attitude Limited. It's a bit brighter, but not bad at all. With the tone switch, it's an awesome replication of Sheehan's earlier days with Talas.

burtonbassist_101 · 05-07-2006, 01:13 AM

very nice

i like the maroon

vheartagramv · 05-07-2006, 01:46 AM

how did you (know how to and) scallop the frets?

Led_Zeppelin678 · 05-07-2006, 03:18 AM

If you don't mind me asking, how much did this cost? I'm very interested in doing something similar.

blizzard · 05-07-2006, 03:57 AM

Nice work, what kind of Pbass did you use MIM? Also did you scallop the same frets as the attitude.

Ps. Please take your photos with natural light, the bass looks awesome but would look even better with some better lighting.

Az_Holl · 05-07-2006, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blizzard

Nice work, what kind of Pbass did you use MIM? Also did you scallop the same frets as the attitude.

Ps. Please take your photos with natural light, the bass looks awesome but would look even better with some better lighting.

The Attitude has 21 frets with 5 scalloped, but the origianl P bass had only 4 scalloped.

PainKiller8191 · 05-07-2006, 05:12 AM

recordings??

trumpeter · 05-07-2006, 07:14 AM

Wow....WOW.

Could you write a larger article on what you did with the guitar pup, it sounds really interesting.

Akira · 05-07-2006, 07:57 AM

So you can sell/trade trade the Attitude now?

I kid. That is really cool.

darrell · 05-07-2006, 08:41 AM

Whenever I see a scalloped fretboard, I think of this...

Not something I think JP would do.

enim · 05-07-2006, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darrell

Whenever I see a scalloped fretboard, I think of this...

Not something I think JP would do.

Not something i would hope to think that any bassist would do.

willibassist · 05-07-2006, 10:33 AM

please excuse my ignorance but what's the point of scalloping?

trumpeter · 05-07-2006, 10:41 AM

The only thing I don't like is the look of the scalloping, it looks very mechinacally done, not very human looking. The start of the scalloping should also line up with all the other starts.

Just my opinion

Soulfly666 · 05-07-2006, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darrell

Whenever I see a scalloped fretboard, I think of this...

Not something I think JP would do.

Now that's what I call scalloping!

wicked_child · 05-07-2006, 04:19 PM

that was cool! nice job!

Tryxx · 05-07-2006, 07:27 PM

I approve. That looks quite cool!

05-07-2006, 12:59 AM	#1
NavyBass Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 4,197	Project Sheehan P-bass..How to's (Not an Attitude) My Project Sheehan P-bass is complete. List of parts Fender Precision Bass DiMarzio Split P pickup White Plastic sheet White plastic strips Humbucking Guitar Pickup with 12.5k DC resistance 250k potentiometer 2 DPDT switches 1/4" female jack Dremel tool Router To start at the beginning. First I made the neck pickup cover. The dimentions are 9mm x 5.3mm. I cut this out of the sheet plastic. I next took 1/4" strips of white plastic strips and glued them under the sheet to make the sides of the cover. When that all dried, I sanded it smooth and made rounded edges on it. Next, I took the cover and placed it on the pickguard and used it to make a drawing of where I'd need to cut the hole for it. I used the Dremel with a cutoff wheel to cut out the hole in the pickguard. Once that was done, it was off to the body. I put the pickguard on the body and traced the hole I just cut on to the body. I then started routing the body and extra control cavity. That being done, it was off to making the neck pickup. The Will Power neck pickup has 12.5k ohms of DC resistance and ceramic magnets. I found a guitar pickup with the same specs in my parts drawer. I first seperated the coils, found a bigger ceramic magnet, and drilled the coil mounting holes in the baseplate of the humbucker. I mounted all that on there and put two steel bars across all the polepieces to make the response more even (pic 3). I then soldered the wires to the pickup. Moving on from that, I then mounted the pickup in the cavity I just routed by screwing the pickup right to the bottom of the cavity. I also mounted the Split P pickup in it's cavity, and screwed the neck pickup cover right to the body. Now for the wiring. The controls are V/V/T, a tone switch for the neck pickup, and a stereo/mono switch. To scallop the fretboard, I mounted a small drum sander to the Dremel. From there, it was on to final assembly and setup. Here are the Pics.

05-07-2006, 01:03 AM	#4
British Kid In Soviet Russia... Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: near food and water Posts: 3,534	looks cool. how does it sound and play?
	Digging: Kylie Minogue - X

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05-07-2006, 01:00 AM	#2
NavyBass Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 4,197

05-07-2006, 01:01 AM	#3
NavyBass Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 4,197

05-07-2006, 01:13 AM	#6
burtonbassist_101 I use ...'s & ()'s a lot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Kasilof, Alaska Posts: 3,236	very nice i like the maroon

05-07-2006, 01:46 AM	#7
vheartagramv www.myspace.com/elysiumnc Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NC Posts: 560	how did you (know how to and) scallop the frets?

05-07-2006, 03:18 AM	#8
Led_Zeppelin678 myspace/golgotha Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 5,919	If you don't mind me asking, how much did this cost? I'm very interested in doing something similar.

05-07-2006, 03:57 AM	#9
blizzard Real men play pink basses Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brisbane Posts: 7,318	Nice work, what kind of Pbass did you use MIM? Also did you scallop the same frets as the attitude. Ps. Please take your photos with natural light, the bass looks awesome but would look even better with some better lighting.

05-07-2006, 05:12 AM	#11
PainKiller8191 MX cheesy power metalhead Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Isreal Posts: 2,747	recordings??

05-07-2006, 07:14 AM	#12
trumpeter (_(_)=====D Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Amherst, MA Posts: 11,159	Wow....WOW. Could you write a larger article on what you did with the guitar pup, it sounds really interesting.

05-07-2006, 07:57 AM	#13
Akira MX Conklin Club Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 19,229	So you can sell/trade trade the Attitude now? I kid. That is really cool.

05-07-2006, 08:41 AM	#14
darrell darrell Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Orange County, NY Posts: 2,084	Whenever I see a scalloped fretboard, I think of this... Not something I think JP would do.

05-07-2006, 10:33 AM	#16
willibassist The Working Man.......... Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ulverston, Cumbria Posts: 932	please excuse my ignorance but what's the point of scalloping?

05-07-2006, 10:41 AM	#17
trumpeter (_(_)=====D Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Amherst, MA Posts: 11,159	The only thing I don't like is the look of the scalloping, it looks very mechinacally done, not very human looking. The start of the scalloping should also line up with all the other starts. Just my opinion

05-07-2006, 04:19 PM	#19
wicked_child time to rock and roar Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,688	that was cool! nice job!

05-07-2006, 07:27 PM	#20
Tryxx It takes one to know one. Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 13,825	I approve. That looks quite cool!