Kit Built Explorer Bass

[MusicStudent1]

I am a serious Vinnie Vincent fan and Ace Frehley fan.

I also like playing bass. I don’t know why, I think it’s just because bass is a more physical instrument. I started working on “Extreme Metal Bass” by Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse and realized I needed to build my own 5 string.

I know what you’re thinking...WTF does that have to do with Ace or Vinnie?

Well, I HAD an AF-40 Washburn guitar that I sold 15 years ago. I really regret losing it. So I decided to kinda make my bass look like the Washburn (black and silver, angular shapes). I intend to add some kind of silver angled design to the top - I just haven’t done that yet, I’m too busy playing it!

Here it is. Enjoy.
https://youtu.be/5wA9nhAHgFM

[Genebaby]

Cool, yeah, now that is playing it's hard to stop and do more work to it I can imagine.

[MusicStudent1]

Cool, yeah, now that is playing it's hard to stop and do more work to it I can imagine.

You are absolutely correct! There is a lot of room for improvement (It needs new strings, better tuners, shielding in the control cavities, output jack of higher quality, new pots, etc.) but the bass would have to be out of commission for a while and that’s not an option because I HAVE to master the “Extreme Metal Bass” instructional book/CD, NOW lol! It’s an obsession - a positive obsession.

If you look at Vinnie and Eddie Van Halen, they both made custom instruments, modified existing ones, and broke some rules by mixing Fender and Gibson parts. That is very cool! I recommend people on this forum make their own instruments because there’s a kit for almost everything. Even if the paint job doesn’t come out perfect...so what?

Nope, I am not employed by Pit Bull Guitars, but this kit might be of interest to you guys....

https://www.pitbullguitars.com/shop/gu ... uitar-kit/

A Rhodes V is probably my next build....and while I’m working on it, I’ll have Vinnie’s REH video playing for inspiration!

[Genebaby]

Keep up the good work. Gusy lilke you are insipiriational to the rest of us.

[MusicStudent1]

Keep up the good work. Gusy lilke you are insipiriational to the rest of us.

Hey, that is very nice of you, thanks so much!! The dedication of you and the other administrators of this site is inspirational as well!

Before Vinnie, Ace was my hero, Ace’s playing was pretty technical in the beginning. Some stuff sounds simple but is hard to do cleanly. His solos in 100,000 years for example. The love gun solo, the ozone solo, even the beginning of speedin back to my baby. It’s tough to play those up to tempo clean. With practice they can be mastered.

Vinnie, in the other hand.....wow. I currently can’t do, what Vinnie did. Back in ‘87, I dropped an EMG ‘81 into my AF-40 Washburn because of Vinnie. Soldered it in, put custom capacitors in, installed the battery....I was only about 22. I picked that guitar like crazy and maybe sounded a little like him but it wasn’t good enough.

What I hope to do now is build some kit guitars that look and sound like something Vinnie would use and go at it again. That solo at the end of Animal.....wow, I love it, that’s the goal!

“Keep playin’ that rock n roll!”

[Genebaby]

Good luck in your mission!