Solo MMK-10 DIY Electric Bass Guitar Kit

(11 customer reviews)

$ USD 189.99

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SKU: MMK-10 Category: Bass Guitar Kits Brand:

Description

This DIY guitar kit has everything you need for building your own MM Style Electric Bass Guitar.  You will only need some basic tools and finishing supplies. This kit includes all parts and step-by-step instructions to build a complete, playable custom guitar. All challenging wood cutting, drilling and shaping has already been professionally done, as well as fret leveling and dressing.

Recommended tools: Solo Bass Assembly Kit – Bolt-on

Kit includes:

  • Mahogany body with a poly sealant
  • Unfinished maple neck with Rosewood fingerboard
  • Press-fit peghead bushings
  • String Retainer
  • Tuning Machines (4 pcs, mounting screws included)
  • Strings
  • Strap Buttons
  • Pickguard
  • Humbucker Pickup
  • Full size potentiometers
  • Bridge
  • Neck Plate
  • Control Plate Assembly
  • Ground Wire
  • Cord
  • Hex wrench for truss-rod adjustment
  • Allen Key for saddle adjustment
  • All mounting screws are included
IMPORTANT (in addition to our standard return policy): due to their nature kits can be returned only in virtually untouched condition and in original package.
NOTE: This product does not ship to United States

Additional information

DIY Kit Information
Finish

Style

Body Information
Pickguard

Body Material

Neck Information
Fretboard

Construction

Frets

Inlays

Scale Length

Hardware and Electronics
Hardware Color

Controls

Electronics

Pickups

Additional Information
Weight

11 lbs

11 reviews for Solo MMK-10 DIY Electric Bass Guitar Kit

  1. Frank Edwards (verified owner)

    End Result:
    https://www.facebook.com/BlackDeathGuitars/photos/a.321120945022140.1073741828.315505442250357/355074628293438/?type=3&theater

    I would definitely recommend this kit to anyone who wants to have a MusicMan style bass in their arsenal. Overall the kit is well built and the hardware is adequate as a good starting point. I have upgraded some of the components while building the kit and would suggest if you want the best guitar you can get you do the same. I will note below what I encountered in the build:

    The Good:
    *Neck was straight and frets required a bit of leveling but overall were in good shape.
    *Body wood grain was very nice and the body was in overall fine shape when it arrived. It turned out to be even better after sanding.
    *Tuners were better than expected for a kit guitar. Very beefy and turned easily while holding a tune nicely.
    *Bridge was adequate however due to personal preference I have Procured a Sterling SUB 4 factory bridge of the same style as it is a bit heavier gauge and has channels for the adjustment screws to ride in to prevent the saddles from slipping.
    *The pickup is adequate but I chose to upgrade it to a Seymour Duncan direct replacement for the MusicMan Bass. ( See note below in the bad section )

    The Bad:
    Not a whole lot you can say that is bad about the kit I found only two issues that I reported to the guys at Solo.

    *The screw holes for the tuners were drilled for the screws that are used with the Fender style tuners shown in the pictures above. They have recently change over to the Gotoh style tuners and the picture hasn’t been updated yet. The screws that come with the Gotoh style tuning machines will push into the holes as they are drilled a bit bigger than the provided screws. I luckily had a set of the Fender style tuners so I had the screws I needed and was able to proceed without a delay. If you order this kit be sure to ask them to send some Fender style tuner screws.

    * The pickguard that was sent with the kit did not fit once the bridge was mounted. I measured the scale of the bass and the bridge was mounted in the correct position. While it isn’t a big deal to modify the pickguard, it is something to be aware of. I ordered a replacement pickguard for a MusicMan Bass that is a different color so we will see how it fits. Also the pickup hole fits the supplied pickup fine but if you plan on replacing the pickup with an aftermarket such as the Seymour Duncan direct MusicMan replacement (SMB-4A) be aware you will need to enlarge the pickup opening.

    Overall:
    If you do not plan on changing anything and using all the supplied parts you should have absolutely no issues with this kit. It is a simple build and you end up with a decent instrument that is a good platform even if you do not upgrade components. Again as with anything if you plan on modifying it from its original specs expect to have to modify a few things. The best thing about the kit is the customer support you will receive from the guys over at Solo.

    100% Recommend not only this kit from Solo but any kit from Solo based not only on the quality but the companies willingness to engage the customer.

  2. srvaxe (verified owner)

    This was my second build from SOLO. I did the Jazz bass first, and only had issues with the headstock bushings, but it turned out very nice all the same.
    In reading the previous review for the MM Bass, I had some, if not the exact same issues. The pic guard didn’t fit quite right, but I got a different one off eBay, so it was only used as a template for the custom one.
    The screws for the tuners were the wrong size, but I had some on hand that worked just fine.
    The frets were a wee bit sharp, but with a bit of filing, and sanding, they turned out nice.
    I didn’t receive a string retainer, or a ground wire with my kit, but with a quick email to Matt at SOLO, I had them a few days later, so no big deal there.
    The wiring diagram, like the Jazz, was a bit vague, but I looked on line, and found one no problem, as well Matt had sent me a more descriptive one, but I had already wired it, so again, no big deal.
    All in all, I think this is a very good product, and I’m impressed with the playability, the sound, and especially the support you receive if needed.
    I would recommend this bass kit, as well as the Jazz bass kit to friends, and I plan on doing the PRS kit next.
    For the price, and the ease of the assembly, I would say this is about the best bang for your buck going. Not to mention the fun in putting it all together, and the little sense of pride you have afterwards.

    Keep up the good work SOLO

  3. danoneill67 (verified owner)

    This was my first DIY project and my bass turned out great. I am very happy with the quality of the parts. Everything fit together nicely. My only issue was that the pickguard overlapped the bridge by a few millimetres. Rather than modify the pickguard, I drilled new holes and moved the bridge back about a quarter inch. Before doing this, however, I made sure that the strings could still be intonated properly with the bridge in its new position. A lot of people have commented on how helpful Matt is. They do not lie!

  4. jkeithwilkinson (verified owner)

    This kit is definitely worth the money. Shipping was same day, receiving was next day (in ontario).
    The kit went together well, like the other reviews, the pickguard needed some massaging to fit next to the bridge.

    My recommendation to anyone buying. put the strings on, and get tension on the neck to see if there are any warps/twists.
    My neck had a couple swoops, but with a good level and crown, and set up, it was managed.

    The hardware is certainly adequate. Definitely not in need of any immediate upgrades. I will be swapping the grover style for clover style just to match the MM look. The pickup sounds great, and the seymour duncan wiring diagram fits the description. Just swap the neck and bridge wires as they are labelled in reverse to the diagram.

    Definitely recommend, and have recommended, to anyone looking to have a little fun putting something together.

  5. kevwack (verified owner)

    I haven’t built my music Man style bass yet (I have actually just started sanding) but everything seems to fit well. I love the mahogany body and the neck is the way I like it.comfortable and fast.The fretwork appears to be well done and if the electronics are what I expect then I’ll have myself another cool bass.If I can just decide on a finish.Shipping was quick,and from what I’ve read Solo provides great building support.After this is built I think a headless bass will be next.

  6. Andrew Gormley

    Fun build but with some issues to work around.

    The good:
    Solid body material. Electronics pre-wired. Almost all holes are pre-drilled. Assembling the bass is easy-peasy.

    The bad:
    Pocket for electronics not cut wide enough. I had to chisel it out to .
    Nut slot wasn’t cut correctly so nut is glued in at an angle. I left the nut alone since the string grooves seem cut correctly.
    Frets are all different heights. I had to use a fret leveler to sand them down. I’m not a luthier and sanding frets is not something I want to get into. Because of the fret work needed, I would put this at a more difficult build than two out of five stars.
    The wiring diagram is absolutely useless. It actually has nothing connected to the second pot! I emailed support asking for an updated diagram but never heard back. I ended up using a diagram from pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/408631366187093749/

    I still have a fret or two that are buzzing but it’s as close as I’m going to get it. I’m looking forward to playing this through my SVT and seeing how it sounds.

  7. larryl (verified owner)

    I was definitely looking forward to having a MusicMan-style bass in my collection and overall, I’m happy with the build. I didn’t encounter the pickguard or bridge fit issues that others had, but there were a few minor things that overall haven’t diminished my enjoyment of this instrument:

    1) Like Andrew above, I found the enclosed wiring diagram in the manual not very helpful so I used the same image he linked to in his review above.
    2) Only one issue on the A string at the 10th fret that has a buzz, but I will continue to work on that. The rest of the fretboard plays very nicely.
    3) The overall fit of the neck was fine with the pre-drilled holes & screws, but once the instrument is assembled and strung up, it’s a little noticeable that the dot markers on the fretboard don’t fully centre between the strings. It’s not as though the neck is completely out of alignment, but there seems to be a slight offset. I haven’t noticed any effect on the intonation or playability however.
    4) Bad on me for not noticing until the end of my build but I was missing one strap button. Not a problem though as they were prompt to send me a replacement by mail.

    I’m enjoying the different sonic range of this instrument compared to the P-Bass kit I finished earlier this year. This is definitely a great kit to attempt. My finished bass can be seen here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CFXXZiJAUfN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  8. Luke Porterfield (verified owner)

    Full disclosure, I bought this intending on swapping out basically all of the hardware, so I can’t speak to the quality of the tuners/etc, but that being said:

    I bought this as my first build and I’ve been pretty pleased, although I have had to put in more work than I expected initially. While all the parts that it came with seemed to fit well, it’s worth noting that the pickguard isn’t cut correctly for a standard MM pickup, and its a 7 screw pickguard, rather than the 9 screw design that you’ll get with a replacement, so those holes had to be filled and re-drilled(not a big issue, but it was a thing).

    The more notable issues were that the holes for the neck screws were drilled too close together to fit the neck plate(and were a little crooked), so I had to fill those with a dowel and re-drill them, and the bridge was just a little crooked, so I had to redrill that as well. Not the hugest problems, but time-consuming and a little annoying. I will note that the bridge fit fine, I didn’t have the spacing issue mentioned in other reviews.

    That being said, I’ve been very pleased with the body itself and the neck. The fretwork isn’t totally perfect and level, but was much closer than I expected of a kit, no huge problems there.

    All in all, I had to do a decent bit of re-drilling of holes, but nothing too major, and I’m quite pleased, especially for the price

  9. d.steckjr (verified owner)

    I purchased this to make me a Sting Ray bass. When I purchased it, I had full expectations of replacing and upgrading certain aspects.

    The body was in great shape and after sanding off the protectant, I saw the potential for how beautiful this could be. The neck was also great. Nice and straight, and when installed and set up, it was perfectly playable! It needed some nut work as I prefer a heavier gage string than typical. But it plays great!

    I used the stock bridge and did the string thru body drilling, and bored out a location for a battery box for active electronics like in the original Music Man Sting Ray. 70s voiced preamp and 70s voiced pickup and this thing sounds and plays beautifully!

    Neck is great, body is nice and feels ‘alive’ against my body like it should! I’m looking forward to another kit! This was fun! Thank you Solo for a well put together kit! It will be with me in my next band rehearsal.

    Keep rocking!

    Dan
    Clermont Fl

  10. arley (verified owner)

    We ordered Wednesday night, got it in rural southern Ontario Friday afternoon. I’ve read the other reviews and can say these issues are solved; pick guard fits perfectly, all hardware was correct and accounted for. This is our first ever build for my son and I; so we didn’t want to wait for finishing to try it – we literally opened the box, then put it all together as is – works great!

    The only heads up:
    – The Pinterest link above for the wiring diagram was invaluable
    – I believe the manual was generic, like perhaps made for a jazz bass then duplicated to repurpose; it suggested to put the string tree (I think called a retainer in the manual) on the D and G strings – but if you look at the strings, and then look at images of other MM style headstocks you’ll opt to put it on the A and D strings.

  11. Erik Stewart (verified owner)

    I did the MMK-10, it’s awesome, I love it. I changed the plastic pickguard to an aluminum pickguard that turned out a bit bigger so i had to grind a bit of the bridge off, but stuff like that should be expected when you change parts. Shes mean and heavy, the way i like them. The wood is good quallity (not that garbage-basswood). Easy build, probably the best quality of all the kits ive done.

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Here are some of our most popular upgrades for your DIY kit. When you opt for any of these upgrades, be prepared for potential modifications to ensure a perfect fit.

**Please keep in mind that these are separate purchases and cannot replace the items already included in the kit**

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