Bronco Bass conversion: Belew-Bronco-Stang-Caster

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 1:37 pm

Can't get a Mustang body for a sensible price and can't justify buying a full priced guitar so did the next best thing.

Got a Squier Bronco Bass off ebay to pull apart for bits and fun and use up the stash of parts I have.

Squier, the gang that couldn't drill straight

IMAG0471 by rps-10, on Flickr

I have a loverly USACG neck that has been hiding in the wardrobe for about the last 10 years and a Kahler trem copy to go on it, plus an assortment of odd pickups to choose from.

Yet to find the Kluson tuners I bought. Although may go for the full Belew angle (well I'm installing a KAHLERZ and strat neck) and get some locking tuners.

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Mo Law-ka · Post by **Mo Law-ka** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 2:59 pm

Cool project, and yes, the standard Bronco pickup is a 6-pole dealio, i think it's a standard strat pickup.

Dannymec · Post by **Dannymec** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 3:49 pm

What are you turning this into? Looking forward to whatever it is.

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 5:35 pm

A 25.5 scale 6 string at least

h8mtv · Post by **h8mtv** » Wed May 04, 2011 1:48 am

Hmmm, I have a Bronco bass I rarely play and a strat neck.

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Wed May 04, 2011 8:34 pm

h8mtv wrote:Hmmm, I have a Bronco bass I rarely play and a strat neck.

DO IT!!

If you want a 1 pickup guitar with a hardtail and you have a pre drilled neck then its a 5 min job. Only hardship would be filling up the neck pocket gap.

I however I don't have a pre drilled neck, I have to tackle that myself and fill then redrill the wonkey holes the Squire boys made on the body side. Plus I have a few ideas for this beasty if I can pull them off.

Sunny outside today and no one around to bother me so got a few woodworking tools out and started cutting in some contours

IMAG0476 by rps-10, on Flickr

Pics of almighty gap..

IMAG0479 by rps-10, on Flickr

IMAG0478 by rps-10, on Flickr

Long shot

IMAG0477 by rps-10, on Flickr

IMAG0481 by rps-10, on Flickr

with teh KaHLerZZ (checking 25.5" scale)

IMAG0482 by rps-10, on Flickr

artists impression..

IMAG0484 by rps-10, on Flickr

Trem (it's a Kahler copy, not real Kahler) cuts into the pickguard, so that will need more mutilation. Or just get one made that fits the finished article.

Butting the neck right up isn't an option.

IMAG0489 by rps-10, on Flickr

IMAG0488 by rps-10, on Flickr

Post by **Doog** » Wed May 04, 2011 8:39 pm

This looks like a fucking SWEET project; I actually can't get enough of sexy vintage-style Fenders with locking tremolos, much like Morellols geetar.

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Wed May 04, 2011 10:01 pm

Count the kahlers!!

Adrian Belew's Guitar Collection by line6photos, on Flickr

Locking being the operative word here, I'm going to try the Belew way with this one and get some locking tuners and have a standard nut. I'll leave the locking nuts for o'l yella.

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h8mtv · Post by **h8mtv** » Sun May 08, 2011 9:41 pm

Wow, looking nice. I am going to have to really consider this project. So will it now accept a standard Mustang pickguard?

cur · Post by **cur** » Sun May 08, 2011 11:56 pm

This is Going to be so great when done. Any fancy paint ideas?

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Mon May 09, 2011 9:59 am

h8mtv wrote:Wow, looking nice. I am going to have to really consider this project. So will it now accept a standard Mustang pickguard?

Hadn't really thought about it to be honest. Just making use of the parts I have lying about and not really trying to spend more than I ahve too. But an insteresting point none the less. If I had a Mustang guard then I could try it, but then i would also need the control plate. A 6 string Bronco plate might be a better starting point, but I guess it depends on what look you are after.

cur wrote:This is Going to be so great when done. Any fancy paint ideas?

Originaly I was going to maybe have a go at something influenced by the blue Mustang in previous post or Adrian's fretless custom Mustang "brownie" but in all honesty I would really like to have a go a swirl painting it

sholkham · Post by **sholkham** » Wed May 11, 2011 6:14 pm

If you do paint it like that blue mustang be sure to include the lightning bolt.

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Tue May 31, 2011 10:25 pm

Made a lot of progress over the last few evenings and this evening has seen the neck fitted and a "hole" made to house the kahler. Will post some pics of the carnage progress when on a PC.

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 4:57 pm

Neck bung.

Neck on and back contour:

Kahler in (drill and chisel job, no router here)

cur · Post by **cur** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:32 pm

good stuff, keep posting

BillClay · Post by **BillClay** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 6:15 pm

This is gonna be so fucking dope. What are you going to use the bass neck on?

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 6:40 pm

BillClay wrote:This is gonna be so fucking dope. What are you going to use the bass neck on?

sold it to AddamInsane

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:24 pm

love eeeeeet

BillClay · Post by **BillClay** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 1:28 am

I've alway wanted to put a guitar neck on a fullscale bass body and just be a total dumbass. What you're doing actually makes sense.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 2:48 am

Great job, man.