This week, Jim Huckle shared his custom build of a jazz bass with us. Here is what he had to say about the build:
I originally made this bass over 10 years ago, but have recently given it a substantial resurrection to sort out one part I was never properly happy with…
Back then, I was still at luthier’s school, and having lucked out on a few decent bits of timber, decided I wanted to make something based on but significantly different to the Jazz Bass – most notably, with a MusicMan-style headstock and a slim modern-shaped neck. The crucial error was that in my ignorance, I used a piece of slab-cut figured maple for the one-piece neck, and the result was a bass that looked amazing, sounded great, but flexed a lot (I’m quite a heavy player) and required constant adjustment – even on one occasion re-adjusting the truss rod between takes in a recording session! Nonetheless, I put up with it for a long time, until eventually deciding to make a new neck for it.
I wanted to keep the MM-style head, and I really liked the appearance of the maple fretboard, but decided that as change is often an excuse to try something different, I instead made the neck out of mahogany with wenge laminates and contrasting maple veneers – using quarter sawn wood this time to ensure stability. I also decided to angle the headstock, to eliminate the need for a string retainer, and reverse it just because I like the look of a reverse MM head.
As a final detail, I wanted to make a nod towards one of my other interests (obsessions?), so the inlays are all pieces of bicycle chain – link pins for the side dots, roller bearings for the front dots and a pair of outer link plates at the 12th fret.
The body is unchanged from new; it’s a mahogany core with walnut facings and a contrasting maple veneer between them. I cut the control cover from the same piece as the rear facing to give a continuous effect, and the body is chambered to reduce weight. Pickups are a Kent Armstrong P-Bass in the “mudbucker” position and an Epiphone soapbar in the neck, with a 4-way rotary switch and push-pull pot for a wide variety of switching options. The thumb rest is also made from the same walnut stock.
Beautiful job! And it cuts through the mix superbly!
Great bass. Love the way the neck looks. Great sound. I love that barky sound coming out of the bass when played up high. Awesome job!
Very nice
Cool looking instrument. Would love to hear a demo by itself. Curious what other tones it offers. Thanks for posting.
Jeez, what a beauty. But the bottom line (Bass pun intended) is the sound. Listen to the clip. That dawg doesn’t just bark, it bites! Enjoy!
I would like to clarify slab sawn versus quarter sawn. These two terms can describe the wood as it is sawn from the log or as it is used in a neck. A slab, or plainsawn, board has the grain lines running side to side, as viewed from the end of the board. Quartersawn has the lined running vertical. If I take three 3″ slab sawn boards, plane them out and glue them up for a neck-thru neck blank, they will make a quarter sawn neck, as the wood is orientated in the neck assembly. So, a slab sawn board can make a quartersawn neck.
You’re absolutely right, of course, and it’s something I have since found very useful! One of those lessons I’d rather not have learned the hard way…
Good looking bass. One thought, re: “an Epiphone soapbar in the neck.” You mean bridge, right?
D’oh! That’d be the one! It’s what comes of typing these things up late at night… 🙂
Very nice. I especially like the finger rest and the back cavity cover. BTW, I did a cavity cover like this and then used magnets vs. screws and it really looked clean.
Great work
The sound is awesome! And I love the looks of the body and the back of the neck. My “issue” is purely aesthetic- I just don’t care for the look of a maple board when the body and headstock are dark. It’s just a hangup I have and in NO way does it reflect on the care and skill that went into your project.
That is a great bass, all of the choices. I LOVE the bicycle chain!
The reverse Music Man head is killer. I had no idea that would look so cool. Great work.
Great bass! Nice fingerboard too!
Nice bark tone wise… Like the reverse MM headstock too. Cool bass!!!
I love the personal touch you put on the bass all around.
Thank you everyone, it’s really nice to hear so many kind words about my work!
Hey I like your bass and your band! If I could make one I would reverse the split pick up put block inlays an paint it candy red . That’s just me It does sound amazing and I like your style and that song Have a good life