Custom Bass Mods Help...

[haywood]

i saw a video today from 97 of les claypool playing with a tremelo on his bass... it sounded f**k**g awesome... i am currently building a custom bass and want to fit a tremelo to my bass. do any of you guys know how hard one is to fit??? im using my old aria's shell and completley re wiring and all components and de-fretting the neck...

here's some pics... ignore the paint job... that's what i had on the last respray.. it will have a new spray job and also some airbrushing maybe aswell.




The body im leaving as it is... it needs a few minor repairs from dents... and im considering altering the headstock to a one off headstock design of my own.

what im mainly wanting to know is....

1. does anyone know where it's possible to get a tremelo for a 4 string bass
2. how would i go about de-fretting my bass
3. does messing with the headstock shape effect either
(i) the truss rod
(ii) overall sound.

Thanks for any help given in advance

[hatman]

check this out Chris (it's about defretting):

www.geocities.com/charlesarms/

hope it helps

[haywood]

thanks for that carl, much appreciated. though looking at it i think i will pay someone to defret it as i dont think i could do it really. pete "jesus" heywood suggest shifnal music shop so i will go down and see him about it

thanks again carl.

[GranTorinoBassman]

I took a Jazz bass copy to Jamie at shifnal music to be de-fretted a couple of years ago - he did a nice job and it's still ok now - I use flat wounds though. Got a really nice tone. It takes a bit of getting used to if you've never played fretless before

[WeeMann]

Haywood, just in case you haven't seen it, on the TR post I mentioned speaking to what was The Bass Centre in London if you're still after a trem unit - if they can't help you, no-one can.

[haywood]

WeeMann said:

Haywood, just in case you haven't seen it, on the TR post I mentioned speaking to what was The Bass Centre in London if you're still after a trem unit - if they can't help you, no-one can.

ok thats great si thanks. if i cant get one in the uk i have numbers for american companies and i could see about getting one imported i guess... but id rather uk as its cheap ... i'll give them a call.