Number one is more symmetrical, gets my vote.
i think some people may think choice 2 is choice 1 because of the order they are listed. ???
i like choice 2, the first picture.
i think some people may think choice 2 is choice 1 because of the order they are listed. ???
i like choice 2, the first picture.
Good luck with the foot! I've never broken a bone and can only imagine what it's like to have a cast and the resultant issues afterwards. Get well quickly!
Looking good! How wide is the center strip? How do the pups relate to it?
Doing this one in your spare time, eh Bill...? ;)
Pleeeeze, I know, I know! I'm so buried, but this one is very straight forward, so it will get plenty of attention and Sniper promised he could wait 3-4 months. I'm shooting to beat that.....
as long as i don't have to pay extra for an extended "break in" period its cool.
go ahead and cap away as you wish. i think that is a great idea. it looks like you have found a great tracing that looks good grain wise. the skunk stripe idea was a solution to the body splitting on the original glue joint anyways.
did you get my email asking about the overall length, fitting the case and my left shoulder arthritis? (did any of it make sense ... sometimes i miss the mark with my descriptions)
you don't have to dowel it doctor. cutting a crossbrace 1" wide x 1/2" deep x length of the centerpiece width and laying in a grove across both halves and the skunk stripe into each sound chamber would be okay and much easier to do.
just a thought. it would give it a little more bracing and not have to be so exacting to setup, then it would be covered by the top cap too.
sounds super.
i was thinking of a butterfly key butt brace but i didn't know the name of them. to be shaped like a butterfly would not be required but i was thinking of our last conversation of dowels and trying to figure out a way to do it a lot easier.
Looking great, Doc!
It seems like you did a great job keeping both halves aligned. You definitely need the right clamping cauls for that kind of job.
Just like you mentioned, I also learned a long time ago that you can't clamp curved edges very well...
Nothing can resist your clamping force, Doc! :D
That's the beauty of building from scratch, you can avoid curves if you do this before cutting the body out.
I'm thinking any color you like would be good. Something trans to show off the splatting is a good idea. The back and sides idea sounds good also.
I love this look.............
(http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/128033572.jpg)
That's the beauty of building from scratch, you can avoid curves if you do this before cutting the body out.
Next on the list is installation of the walnut back and routing of the cavities. Oh yeah, and planing off the fret board. Next week will be fun!
looking good Doc.
i had an epiphany this morning on my way to the clinic. it went something like this: "you can't have the builder put a tone switch in that requires a 1 5/8" thick area when the guitar body is only 1 1/2" thick...dum_ss!" ............... soooooooooooo.................. leave the HAS Sound switch out ................ i'll mount it on Mr. Ed's saddle horn after you send it back with the bass or i'll sell it to some cowboy and tell him as long as he uses this on his saddle, he is good for at least 8 seconds. that pup is a full range pup and with slamming it closer to the neck and body chambering it should have enough Mud to send a Fender back to it's momma asking to be changed into a banjo.
been a thimpkin again................maybe i'll tint it Apple Green to show off that spalting (which i would think would stay deep brown or black) and have a clear nailed/sprayed/dipped on top of that with the back just masked off and grain filled/stained dark then a clear on top of that, leaving the neck clear as it is now with a little buffing with some 4 ought steel wool. should look righteous with all that Black Ebony/Black Walnut/black or dark brown spalting lines and black trim goodness.
gimme some opinions here players!!!
Forgot to mention that I like that hunk of mahogany in your post above. Is that going to be a Jag bass?
CurtisNovak.com - Pickups and Guitars | 760.820.4434
Very nice...
Have I missed anything re the final fin yet...?
Very nice...
Have I missed anything re the final fin yet...?
No final decisions yet on the finish. Looking into a couple options.
how about showing us a shot of that vac press?
i am going to Sacramento before Christmas and might be there till March. i will be offline for awhile but we have numbers so that is good.
could you print/make a small logo, put it on towards the end the headstock then clear it over? it might take a little buffing to rub some minor scratches off the present headstock. it would have to be white or MOP to show on that black.
(edit)
P.S. i got two Schaller 460 bridges on that auction last night i was watching ... one gold one less studs and a chrome one that needs a tailpiece and studs but has all the saddless. i think the chromey is going on my 59 EB3/LP Jr double cut project. i'll sell the gold one to recoup my money. i got those violin tuners off Baz for the 59 but am having second thoughts about having a violin headstock. (this next one is going to be a marriage of a lot of changes in Gibby designs of 1959 through 1977)
are the number stamps too tall?
are the number stamps too tall?
thats amazing. when the chambering is done how deep will it go before putting on the top cap? i know the back cap is about 1/4" thick. how thick will the top cap be?
i'll bet thats going to mellow that Ash.
it's looking super Bill. that control template is perfect.
i think it will look very righteous with the black pup, the black bridge on it and i'm digging those black Ebony knobs. it won't look too busy and the trim will compliment the spalting.
glad the tuners got there, they were not expensive but are a good brand for what i paid for them and they should not be too heavy.
when it comes to mounting those pots and knobs, could you make a little, balanced (same looking) groove in the panel and dab a bit of white paint in the grooves for both knobs to reference zero wth those dots on the knobs? say about 9:00 oclock?
and and and i know i didn't explain it very good but could you label the knobs to say 1) twist this to get all the chicks to want to have my baby and 2) twist this one to look 40 pounds lighter and grow hair again?
;D Actually, I have an idea for the markers on the control panel. I have a bag of 2mm pearl dots. Could I inlay a couple of those instead of lines?
that would be super!!!!!!!!!!! yesssssssss by all means.
i am actually liking those worm holes.
Coming along nicely...
...That is gonna look righteous! great sizing on the plate. Black pup & hardware,nice. What is the top finish gonna be again? M
Here's my mock up of the control panel, ala LP Triumph. It's 5" wide and this size seems good; not too small, not too big. Let me know what you think.
PS: the tuners arrived today!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Sniper%20Project/100_3564.jpg)
Mold... What a beautiful piece of wood... I might be a little biased however....
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/Wishbass500/FODERA%20_WALNUT/Foderasycamore1.jpg)
black hardware looks very nice with the spaulted sycamore i have
I think putting in some beer, sweat and ciggie equity would be a great "finish" to a very cool collaboration!always a great start & finish! :mrgreen:natural with some beer stain(amber to porter)
thanks Dave ... sometimes i can't see the forest because of all these frigging trees!!! guess the B S & C finish is out then also ... same same. i think a good clear poly over an amber tint is in order then.
My lady has spoken, my builder has spoken and my brothers have spoken, it is decided and it will stand.
Amber tinted cap and the sides tinted to match the back with clear poly over the lot.
Bill, the neck finish is up to you depending on how it turns out after buffing the clear it already has to remove those scratches. Hope you have your logos coming soon.
This is going to be at least as cool as the first time I got to second base!
Blue cheese fin... my daughter would freak... :o
Will she come with oatcakes...? ;D
Ah, I see! You'd think my Scottish relatives would have brought that over the pond with them!
Lucky for you that they left it over there with the haggis.
;D
(oops... nearly forgot - nearly Burns' Night - Uisge + neeps and tatties and (veggie) haggis)
nice proportions Doc!
Very Tasty! Is it gonna be inlaid into the top or sit on it?
I suppose you recite Address to a Haggis by heart on Burns' Night.
I suppose we'd best let you get back to your thread... ;)
...what exactly was wrong with the original TR?
Digging the Logo in ebony on the upper bout a lot...what exactly was wrong with the original TR?
I have read that the "Martin-style" truss rod was developed in Japan and used in Japanese guitars and basses well before Martin went to an adjustable truss rod. Martin used fixed rods until the mid 80s.
I did some research and found it is relatively easy to remove a fretboard using a clothes iron and some thin prying tools like a putty knife and scrapers. Tried it on a Chinese neck that wouldn't adjust. It took about 20 minutes to remove the board. I drilled a small locating hole at each end of the board before I started so I can glue it back on in exactly the same place after replacing the rod, which of course I haven't gotten around to yet. I've got an Epi Pro IV that needs the same operation, trussrod is stripped.
I'm very good at taking things apart. Most of them never get put back together ;D
FWIW, Martin went to a two-way rod about 2007.
Basses and guitars? Where do you pick up this information? Do you ever sleep? ;)
Basses and guitars? Where do you pick up this information? Do you ever sleep? ;)
Dave and Meg of the White Stripes have been taken by aliens and a duplicated ingram processed Borq have replaced them. Uwe is currently under investigation concerning a similar fate.
Carlo is an upcoming person of interest.
now that every guy in rock has boinked her there's no where to go but up.
that is smack-down cool!GO PACKERS...GO PACKERS...GO PACKERS...GO PACKERS...GO PACKERS...
Getting quite a workout on this one, Bill! Looking great...is that one of those inlay router inserts w/removable bushing?
Yep, it's the set up from Rockler. Works pretty good. I like using the pattern router bits with roller bearing better than the brass ring setup.
The supplied bit from Rockler is also probably better than the 'Harbor Fright' one.
Yikes, I wouldn't use anything form "The Harbor" for precsion work! Or durability.
I hear ya. I want a spray gun setup vntually, but I don't have a good place to do it and our weather here sucks! My ultimate plan is for a shop with a spary area walled off from the rest of the shop. Surprisingly, in limited situations, the cans do work well. Practice makes perfect! :P
the medallion looks amazing. how do you fill in the gaps between the logo and the routing? i cannot tell by looking at the finished picture vs the one where you just did the routing that it is the same wood piece. do you put sawdust in the epoxy?
I put a pressure regulator and filter in the output line from my compressor with quick disconnects so I can get them out of the circuit for normal use. Bought a $30 detail gun from Home Depot for spraying lacquer and it worked fine. Still learning how to adjust the nozzle - I left a rather rough finish that required a lot of sanding on the body I sprayed with it. I also was able to use the pressure regulator to set the air pressure low enough for my air brush.
A detail gun has a smaller canister than a full spray gun, but there's plenty of capacity for an instrument.
amazing!!!
this bass should be excellent for whichever one of my grandchildren gets it after i am well gone.
Looking good Doc! ;D
But, seriously, you are slipping! I think you might have been able to sqeeze in a couple of more clamps if you had really tried ;)
nicely done Doc! this has turned into a very good day:
top is on the build,
sold about 355$ of stuff on the bay
and
gathered enough "Junque" to assemble a '71 mudbucker for rebuilding. (think i'll swap the cover for a nice one off my Epi!! and MOJO the old "phone" out a bit!)
i think there was about 5-6 sources of parts for the whole pickup asembly, lol. i don't think all 4 screws even came from the same place!
i'm kinda digging that color contrast on the sides.
izzat my neck in the background?
don't overdo that wrist!!!
...Got the mahog body yesterday, very nice wood. I'm probably gonna do roundover edges on the back, hollowed out chambers, a cherry top and white binding. Short scale Fender replica neck. Eventually!!!!!!!!!!!!!
a short scale Epi neck like mine would look great on the Mahog body. how about a lowz pup hanging on there with black or chrome trim?
i thought a roundover might take out that hole, i know it will be doable!
I looked at this and thought Michelangelo and marble.
"This essence of holy gold felt warm to my touch and my heart wept with joy as this remembered treasure came to life once more.
Could be this wonder for me, I gasped as my heart became youthfully alive again.
Could my bones feel any warmer and stronger, perhaps as before?
The eyes of this magic are looking at me and saying I live for thee and am the food that has been made for thee."
quoted from my poem "Reliving the Woman"
Beautiful, both the materials and the work!
Wow, waxing poetic isn't something I can do, but this is rather nice. What's it from?
Glad you like it, too!
From this:
Reliving the Woman
I looked in the box and what did I see?
I had found an old treasured magic that had been made long ago.
I reached in to hold this thing in my hands and see if it still glowed.
This essence of holy gold felt warm to my touch and my heart wept with joy as this remembered treasure came to life once more.
Could be this wonder for me, I gasped as my heart became youthfully alive again.
Could my bones feel any warmer and stronger, perhaps as before?
The eyes of this magic are looking at me and saying I live for thee and am the food that has been made for thee.
Those magic eyes that have been sleeping not in my sight for so long now are shining for me and telling me my heart is alive within its warmth.
I close my eyes and am I young again and remember this instant of creation and the year’s fall from me as scales did from Paul upon seeing.
My sins are smoothing and my garments are becoming my skin, translucent and singing as they wrap me in life.
I am becoming as I was before I was and God is smiling.
Found treasure did I, and my voice is once again steady and baritone with a richness beyond words.
Found treasure did I and my blood I feel warming as a new ray warms the leaf beneath the dew.
She is coming to see me; I can breathe her essence and feel it scent my very being.
She is coming to see me.
The woman is coming to see me.
Copyright ã 2004
Clarence W. Andrews, Webb City, Missouri
I used to think of myself as a wordsmith in training. I prolly have enough written material, poems, short stories, childrens literature and lyrics to publish a few books. I'll post other later.
Thanks for the kudos my friend, back to you. We all have our forte. I love your craftsmanship.
A page from one of my childrens books:
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/cathousemouse/Mipsie/22.jpg)
Dr have you ever wondered what I included that long piece of thin dark wood that looks like it matches the fretboard wood for?
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/cathousemouse/rods%20projects%20and%20sold/fb-extension-02.jpg)
Aligned with the bass side of the pup would be nice and functional.
nice work
that neck looks like new
be sure to make a head pattern for that Explorer head shape = could come in handy
most will think it will look a bit odd on that LP body but i think it will look fine
that will prolly work better than the skinny piece of rosewood i sent (i think i sent ... i might have thought in sent?)
;D use the Ebony, that piece of rosewood is a lost cause = better it is lost.
did you get the Rocky Racoon fell into his room pickup yet?
my next cause:
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/cathousemouse/rods%20projects%20and%20sold/goldtop5.jpg)
Thanks! I'm liking the look. I've never worked with splated maple before. The look of marble is really kinda unique. My only complaint is that it's a little soft, so you do have to be careful. I made the top thicker than I usually do to compensate some for the softness.
what color hardware are you using. i know chrome rules on this site but IMO the black looks great with the spalted woods.
you need to explain more in detail what you are measuring.....
...The good news is the Schaller bridge will work with the 3 degree neck angle and the Epi neck.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
(pencil-aided design)
As it turns out, 3 degrees really isn't that big a deal!
Heard the one about the constipated mathematician...? ;D
Heard the one about the constipated mathematician...? ;D
how does this layout "eye up" to your LP bass body/neck unit?
(I'm gonna regret this...) No Dave, ain't heard that one...
Not heard of... nope... best not Kenny-m'boy...
How goes the neck-pocket, Bill...? ;)
i noticed the pencil line drawn between the "waist" and the marking outlining the neck rout. is that pencil line the line of where the pole pieces of the pickup are going to be?
Doc FYI .If you want to be true & have no warping ,cut & laminate. In other words like building a 3 or 5 pc neck . You cut & control which way the grain lines line up giving you a stable base to work with.Could use mdf but that stuff gives me a headache
Doc FYI .If you want to be true & have no warping ,cut & laminate. In other words like building a 3 or 5 pc neck . You cut & control which way the grain lines line up giving you a stable base to work with.Could use mdf but that stuff gives me a headache
I agree on the lamination but would use 11 ply Scandinavian birch ply or the kind of MDF that is used for signage, it's denser and more stable. I think it's called MDO but it's been a long time since I've bought it.
E-1 MDF won't give you a headache, no formaldehyde in it. Uncommon in the US but it's the only kind you can buy in Europe.
I'd use 1 1/2 inches of baltic birch (2 -3/4" strips glued together). Second choice would be mdf, done the same way.
I was hoping to keep it to no more than 1" thick as the thicker the rail, the longer I need the router bits to be. If it takes more I'll just have to do it!
I'd use 1/2" baltic birch laminated to 1".
1/2 "baltic for sure dont worry about the face quality or "face patch" you need stable,not pretty.M
nice jiggem up!
i have been playing with the till.com applet (http://www.till.com/articles/PickupResponseDemo/) and with the scale coming in at 32.25 to 32.375 an 8" or halfway pup location between the 12th fret and the bridge saddle on "E" should cover it quite nicely. how would this location work for you? i am trying to miss the bow reinforcement block up by the neck you laid inside!
a friend of mine laid a re-dark star Hagstrom pup out of a Starfire 2 bass that had gone through a flood (all the wood seperated on the SF2!) in his Peavey Fury and loved the sound. he said it had plenty of "mud". i know his pup fluked about 13 and have no idea what the DS2 flukes at. wish i bought that multimeter on sale at NAPA today while i was picking up parts for my old van!
Nice work on that jig!
When you have some time, you should put it up in the home made tools sticky above, with some more details.
U gonna luv the t tracks & Baltic,me thinks :mrgreen:
U gonna luv the t tracks ....
The improved jig look good.
As you said, that's just a minor problem. Buy the bit and you won't have the problem again. And from here on out, whenever you want a new bit, just build a new jig to justify it. :)
Bit. Because once you build the jig,& the bit no fit,you get to buy another.The one with the most bits wins! Does not work the same for clamps ,however. :mrgreen:
Yep, it worked nice, but I couldn't get the neck pocket routed because the damn router bit is too short. Gonna try to adjust the slats tomorrow, maybe take 1/4 inch or so off the top.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Sniper%20Project/DSCN0121_112.jpg)
Edit: here's a slope chart
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/52066983/Slope-Conversion-Tables
i know it is a combination of factors: depth of the pocket, bridge adjustment, type etc and this build might not support a 3 degree neck angle but i am sure Bill will get as much as he can be it 2, 2.5 or 3 degrees. it is simply what it is. ;)
nice new avatar Carlo
a lot of that "body meets fretboard look" will disappear when you round the edges of the body
I love Bucky but IMO he was not a strict adherent to the philosophy. Dymaxion was probably the worst example.
Mar 20,2011 from Articleworld:
"Form follows function is one of the long-standing slogans of modern architecture. Its use was pioneered by turn-of-the-century skyscraper architect Louis Sullivan, complemented by Adolf Loos's 1908 assertion that 'Ornament is crime', adapted by Frank Lloyd Wright and adopted by Modernists and Bauhaus desginers such as Mies van der Rohe ('Less is more'), Walter Groupius etc. Originally meant to be defiantly honest – let the form of a building or product result from its function and no more – and anti-style, it eventually evolved into yet another set of un-interrogated conventions, and is now being both challenged and re-worked."
True. Any axiom or concept can (and sometimes should) be bent. Then there's the folks who take it to the extreme, e.g. the Bauhaus movement.
True. Any axiom or concept can (and sometimes should) be bent. Then there's the folks who take it to the extreme, e.g. the Bauhaus movement.
Do you think that Gropius was extreme enough to have designed one of those singlecut basses with the big deformed hump? ;)
should intonate about 32.25" to 32.375" (32.092" scale plus string width plus a little for flats)
32" scale, poles at 24" from nut or 8" from bridge saddles (in swimming pool route with poles towards head). when one reverses the pickup (which is possible in swimming pool rout ... the template measurments i sent) then the poles will be a little less than 8" from the saddles ... poles towards bridge
should intonate about 32.25" to 32.375" (32.092" scale plus string width plus a little for flats)
32" scale, poles at 24" from nut or 8" from bridge saddles (in swimming pool route with poles towards head). when one reverses the pickup (which is possible in swimming pool rout ... the template measurments i sent) then the poles will be a little less than 8" from the saddles ... poles towards bridge
I wouldn't take the Till app as gospel. It can be helpful in general to show what happens when you move a pickup around, but it makes a certain set of assumptions about the frequency response of the pickup that may be quite a bit different from the pickup you're using.
;D
i love it when a plan comes together
logo looks fine like it belongs there. might have to scoot it towards the bridge just a smidge = line up the top of the logo with the tallest part of the smaller bout. make a bit of room for the radii of the body edge.
looking right all around Bill, i'm liking that EB placement a lot.
give me your ideas on the "rounding of the edges" of the body ... what radii?
btw ... how does the body sound when you "thump" it?
i hope you are getting as anxious to play that as i am
I have a set of round over bits, so whatever radius you want, I probably can do. WHat would you like? A sharper or softer edge? It's your bass.
Imma thimpkin that a softer edge both front and back would be fine. I know the sharper edges are more inline with an LP but comfort goes a long way with me.
Wouldn't a softer edge also be better with the softer spalted wood top?
I think the logo is ok at the bottom. what about in between the bridge & pickup?
I think the logo is ok at the bottom. what about in between the bridge & pickup?
I have to agree, Bill. too bad there's not enough room on the hockey stick headstock for the logo. got any smaller ones?
1) i agree with both of you, it looks better without. goodbye pretty logo, i have your serial number anyways.
2) with the butterfly gone and the solid top over the joint AND the fact that the neck heel is spanning the joint and is going to be doweled makes the butterfly redundant anyways. we live and learn.
3) the roundover looks good. is it 3/8" radii? use it on the back too if it works asthetically.
4) the fretboard extension looks good. that fretboard almost does touch the body ... wow. i knew it would be close when you told me i sent the wrong bridge type. makes it look more like an LP.
after this afternoon i feel sort of empty. i have been so looking forward to seeing that logo on the build it is making me feel this way knowing it won't be there.
we have to put it on Bill. i got the builder i wanted (you) and it has been a learning experience for me due in no small part because of your patience with me and the quality of your work you demonstrate.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Sniper%20Project/DSCN0145_136.jpg)
here is my choice.
final answer.
Line it up vertically with the bridge and control plate?
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Sniper%20Project/DSCN0145_136.jpg)
OK. How's this? Centered!
looks fine Doc. loving those edges too.
you are getting serious about how fast this is progressng now.
If the logo goes there it will be hidden when in use - the LP "switch" slot looks the place for me - just looks natural - if not there behind the bridge...?
Dont know if i lost something in the thread, but couldn't you just put it on the headstock?
now i am getting to change my desktop picture every few days ... 8).
one can see that neck angle above in picture number 2 where the Ash meets the Maple. the angle shows up well there.
i hope the jig you made proves priceless in future builds you do. i am sure it will.
lovin that set neck. can you put a release on the neck joint like on a Remington 700 clip? i pity any luthier who has to remove it for any reason.
i like intonation to a fine RCH (means Red Cat Hair ... i think!) and an action to two RCH's high with no buzzies. thats what i like about growing old = one forgets things and age destroys any complexes about guilty feelings for past sins. lol
NJ Katwoman i love ya angel even though we haven't seen each other in the better part of 20 years.
It is amazing how diverse our tastes are here! We share a lot of things, but we rarely can agree on aesthetics.
What kind of stain are you using? Aniline dye type stain works much better than oil base on ash. If it's difficult to sand you're dealing with northern ash. Swamp ash is very soft, similar to soft pines like white and sugar.
Bats are made from northern ash, basses generally swamp ash.
Here you go Doc: http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com/htdocs/TransTint.htm
This is the liquid but it comes as powder as well. Not only can you mix this with water and alcohol but you can mix it with lacquer thinner and other solvents to make your toners and such. Woodcraft carries both the liquid and powder forms.
i am impressed, that Ash grain is looking beautiful doc. thanks.
i was just looking at your tint pics and was wondering how a little yellow tint would look on the Maple? whadyathimpk?
nice fix :vader:
i've never had my Ash tinted before; however, my grandson was born with a blue butt!
i've never had my Ash tinted before; however, my grandson was born with a blue butt!
Hauled, not tinted, eh?
i've never had my Ash tinted before; however, my grandson was born with a blue butt!
Hmmmmmmm.....who would know if your ash was tinted??? :o
might be a reason Leo painted all those Benderzenders? ???
Ash is not easy. Fill, seal, tone is the way it was done in the '50s. In the 80s-90s I used dye stain, sanding sealer and catalyzed lacquer/poly because I wanted the grain contrast in the furniture I was doing.
Well, I won't voluntarily select it as a wood for any of my own future basses. I'm perfectly happy with mahogany, maple, alder and basswood.
amen. next time i will spend more than 20$ for a body. i have seen the Oracle about this matter.
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/cathousemouse/Screen%20shots/theoracle.jpg)
welcome back. i have been enjoying the 90+ weather here in Pecos. :-\
when you glue the fretboard, use some type of glue that an be heated so as to be able to remove the fretboard if needed. hyde glue?
might give someone in the future a clue by writing "doweled neck, remove fretboard to remove dowels" then gluing a small piece of paper that says such at the bottom of the pup pocket. just in case. an idea that i got from my orthodontist who put my name on my dentures that way.
round the treble outside corner of the neck pocket just a smidge so i don't amputate my left hand trying to reach the upper registers. that corner looks a little sharp.
i am getting real excited about this now, that logo looks great there = it had to be in that spot. good work.
think i'll try to start getting the parts together for the gold carved top build so i can do some layout shots. might be awhile though, just dropped over 1700+ in my fathers old van and i have never approached you about building it. i have talked with Bruce Johnson about the neck on it but am still undecided. he shot me a price about doing the build less the cost of a finish.
i'm seriously thinking a Florida paint job would work for me but again i have not approached "spray" about it. he is a real busy guy these days but a fellow would have to travel far to find as smooth a finished paint job.
i'm sure glad my builder knows what i need before i think of it. i might have him putting windshield wipers on a ducks butt if it were left to me! lol
there isn't very much left to change on this build, options are running out fast. i believe it is time to let the master spice the dish to perfection ... in other words i'm excusing myself.
great job Bill.
My West-Country buddy's wife works as a home-help for the elderly - he nicknames her "Buttwash"... ;D
;D ;D ;D ;D
Man, I'm feeling so out of it. Sorry it's been such a long hiatus.
Gonna have to rout out the control cavity a little more. The pot shafts are too tall (using your vintage harness) and will need some washers on the back to drop them down a quarter inch or so.
Take it to Walnut if you have to.
could you take a snap with the fretboard layed on and the pup turned around?
i like the look of the pole placement better this way, good call on the square end fretboard.
You know there's a precedent for that neck/body combo, right? Rick Nielsen owns one but I don't know if this is the actual guitar:
(http://whirlwindusa.com/i1/vintage/lp84.jpg)
That's going to be one fine bass.
this has been an amazing tutorial for us non builders. thanks for that. one question, though. could the control cavity been cut from the back thus eliminating the control plate.
nice
... I can se its fretless but where do you plug her in ?
Good for you, Bill!
I just sold my 1958 Fiat Spyder so I can spend my available car time getting my 1983 280ZX Turbo back in first class shape...
Kindred spirits, methinks.
I like the 912s a lot! They have very nice, tasteful lines...something very right about their proportions.
Rosewood fretboard is enroute and it is a 16" radius, 2 7/8" wide at both ends.
Rosewood fretboard is enroute and it is a 16" radius, 2 7/8" wide at both ends.
2 days. glad it got there. i included some extra wood for the thumb rest, actually a lot extra, lol. it can be stacked and glued, dyed, screwed or stuck on the bass side with gum between the pup and bridge.
Fret board cut down and glued onto neck! Now we're back in business. Will install the fets tomorrow night, I hope.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Sniper%20Project/DSCN0315_306.jpg)
More clamps are not always better. A slightly convex caul allows you to apply pressure more evenly using as few as three clamps. It's a very old but effective technique.
I agree, a caul would be a good way to do it, but I've had good results thus far and you know how old habits are hard to break! :P
Understand, just wanted to point out there might be a different and less expensive option.
Yeah, but then I'd have to make one and I can't even finish one bass after 4-5 months!
I meant for the clamp impaired who might not be aware there's another way to go;D
Clamp impaired ha! Don't know why that made me laff?
As Carlo said, the key to using a caul is to make it slightly convex so it flattens out when clamped down. That's what makes it able to apply even pressure with fewer clamps.
Elsewhere I've seen a few people using cauls that were radiused to match the fretboard, i.e. concave across the underside. IMHO that's not the right way to do it. If I were to use one on a radiused fretboard, I'd make it convex (along the length) and use leather or cork strips along the length to account for the edges being lower than the center. You would want more pressure along the edges than over the truss rod channel anyway.
Hope that makes sense.
simply beautiful, nice work!
Here ya go Sniper. Fret board on and sanded on top. Gotta finish sanding the sides, install dots, top and side, and then frets. Got hardware lined up and centered and all the holes drilled except for the bridge. It's really looking like a bass now!!!
I discovered a couple things. First, it's a real pain in the butt installing a fretboard on a neck when you're trying not to mess up the finish! It's impossible to cut the fret board exactly before installation, so you have to do a little scraping/sanding after the glue dries. Not so easy to do with the neck finished already! Building a neck from scratch, and all unfinished, is much easier for sure. But, I managed just fine. I do have a couple little spots to touch up with some neck amber where the fret board meets the neck, nothing big.
Due to the 3 degree neck angle, I'll have to put an ebony slab/riser, less than 1/8", under the bridge for proper height adjustment. You shouldn't even notice it.
Here's some eye candy for ya.................
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Sniper%20Project/DSCN0316_307.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Sniper%20Project/DSCN0317_308.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Sniper%20Project/DSCN0318_309.jpg)
sweet bass
that looks amazing. do my eyes deceive me or is that riser somewhat tapered?
i even kind of like the partial grain dye on the sides, falls inline with the fungus marks, nail holes and worm holes in the top.
i meant the dye on the Ash sides.
Cool bass!!
Slow and steady is a good thing!
Sometimes it keeps me from making mistakes, but not always!!!
like having your contractor sending you the wrong bridge type or using hard Ash (just drill holes in the Ash, the dye will soak in then!) or insisting on a 37 degree neck angle!
i'll do better next time, i promise.
wide medium 0149
or wide high 0154
i can't remember which. i think we decided that the 0149 was closest to the original Gibby size. what i don't know is what size you ordered but what ever it was, it will be fine.
Besides, some of what you may have liked on an old bass could be after a fret job, i.e. even lower than what was originally on it.
Well, I cheat. It's on its way to 97 degrees here, I'm using an additive that improves the flow out. so there's almost no orange peel to sand out and the paint levels better. This is in addition to a 'slow' thinner that protects against blush.
Ahh yes but the serious question Carlo is this: Does the flow additive affect tone? ;) ;D
Don't know about tone but definitely your mental state if you don't wear a respirator.
Just got back from 4 days in NC with the in-laws and our kids. Back to work now!
"i can smell what the Doc's cooking"
No chicken round here... ;D
I'm not allowed near Barbie - we have history... :o
Looking good, Doc. Thanks for making me glad I don't build necks! For me it would be easier to just refinish the entire neck after filing the fret ends.
I have it pretty easy with nuts also since I only do P or J necks. I just superglue a properly cut one to a blank and duplicate it with the belt sander, Norman nut files and needle files for the slots and clean up with a flat file, etc. I've roughed out as many as 3 bone nuts at a time (superglue and a machinist vise).
Man I hear ya. When I start my mass builds, I'll probably use All Parts jazz necks. I'll probably set them in rather than use a neck plate and screws.
I like your nut making idea. I have the original one from this one, I might use it as a model.
That sounds like a plan, you can use the paddle headstock neck and do them however you want. I have a Brice Thunderbird with a set neck, if you look very closely you can see where they added a 3/4" "heel" to the bottom of a bolt on neck and set it into the body. I'll post a picture if you'd like to see what it looks like.
It takes me about 10 minutes to rough cut a nut, I leave the slots shallow and do the final depth cuts and top contour as part of final setup with it on the bass. It does get easier with practice. I got a feeling that's not the case with filing fret ends!
I've been on the lookout for a (budget) set of files for some time but have not had a lot of luck (over here) ...
Not enough to warrant a dedicated set...
... I would check and see if the clamp is big enough to hold the larger bass strings.
Ken, he's in Edinburgh, so you would have to make sure he's from a compatible clan. ;)
He's a MacLeod (and so was my grandmother) so that's fine, obviously family that moved down from the Isles... ;D
I'll get one to try - the blurb details that it will hold any guitar/bass string - obviously it will need to be a "wound" string to work but the "guitar" sets appear to be commonly available...
Cheers Dave, I'll let the brethern know once I've tried it...
that Schaller looks so kick ass on there with its black chrome goodiness thanks for saving it for me Dr. i hope those Gotohs look as well on it. i ordered another brass hand rest from Lori tonight. it will get black chromed in Nashville and put on there.
do you have any way of recording a few samples with it when you are done?
i had the sequence out of order
before Fred disappeared into the mystic realms, he recommended 1/4" pole to string distance.
as long as it don't weigh a ton and dive like a Stuka 87.
thanks for the flip George. now the full picture hits me.
Yeah but it's more fun to make lefties jealous ;D
that is such a refreshing shot as i was really worried about it being a neck diver with all the wood that i had Bill take out of the body. maybe i was just being paranoid but i thought it really needed to have that hard Ash softened up a bit with some chambering. i am sure the little Mahogany strip repairing where the body was coming apart is going to help a little.
We have a weiner, I mean winner! Fantastic, Doc...do tell us about the gauge.
Another Stew-Mac idea to get into your wallet! You just set the dial to zero while on top of the string, press the string down with your fingers on both sides of the first fret, subtract, and you have the correct measurement of string height. Details are on their site. It works great. Recommended string height is .030.
Figured it was S-M. Thanks, I'll check it out.
I don't get it, people keep telling me I'm a nut-job
those TI's look good on there. nice work Bill. email sent, check your regular email inbox. did you use the 148's or 149's? because they look perfect.
That IS looking Fine!
looking fine Bill
can i pay for taking it to a tanning salon? ;)
You get more than cured nitro with that!!! 8) I've seen the sun do some intersting things to maple and the aging is nice, sometimes.
i was worried about that Dave, thanks. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inXC_lab-34 ;D
did you shoot the control panel?
oil is good, thanks.
alakazam = its time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love it like it is. the Wenge would be perfect.
Dr have you ever wondered what I included that long piece of thin dark wood that looks like it matches the fretboard wood for?:mrgreen:
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/cathousemouse/rods%20projects%20and%20sold/fb-extension-02.jpg)
Aligned with the bass side of the pup would be nice and functional.
the last time i was in Tim Thelen's shop getting an estimate, he asked me what kind of finish i wanted. i told him he could do it in amalgamated cow plop if he wanted as long as it looked fair and didn't smell too bad.
i find all this a bit funny. a Gibson finish will be fine.
I got the pup all wired and I was trying to decide where to hook it up on the control panel. Where's the best spot for the lead and the ground wires? The vol control is on the far right of the pic below. I haven't dealt with a wiring set up like this before. No big surprise!!!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Sniper%20Project/DSCN0463_715.jpg)
Now wait, is it cow plop or cow flop?
I don't want to think about how you would amalgamate it.
Looking nice and shiny now.
i dunno jack about wiring, but turn the pup around the other way. i'm thinking the finish looks pretty good from what i see. neck and head looks super. scoot that thumb rest in towards the "E" string a bit and shorten it up about an 1/4" or so then center it between the bridge and pup.
the last time i was in Tim Thelen's shop getting an estimate, he asked me what kind of finish i wanted. i told him he could do it in amalgamated cow plop if he wanted as long as it looked fair and didn't smell too bad.
i find all this a bit funny. a Gibson finish will be fine.
Before or after he moved to Iowa?
i used to live in Grinnell and had to go to Des Moines once a month for a blood check at the V.A.. i simply stopped in his shop one day to get an estimate. i didn't know he lived anywhere else.
oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!! now i'm gassing big time, that looks amazing Bill
It's a genuine vintage EB-0 wiring harness. We'll see how the pup sounds hooked up to it. A little mud could be a good thing. ;D
Bill, you have to stop letting your work get in the way of bassmaking.
... and this is called settling into the idea of retirement... (epic-fail ;D)
Try for another shot with a blue sky and get the flag reflection... just... so... ;)
The other simple solution might be to shorten the springs at the back of the saddles as they are restricting saddle travel because they are too long and bunching up. I think I might try that before adding a new riser. I've got extra springs to play with.
I can send you some Gibson size black screws if you want Sniper. You also might want to rethink that EBO wiring setup. One of those caps, the .01, adds capacitance (cuts treble) all the time, adding to the mud factor...or have I missed something and is that what Hammon recommends?
niceeeeeeeeeeee, four questions Doc?
what did it end up weighing?
does it nose dive?
did we hit the right wood combo and chambering for it to sound good?
is it comfy to play?
the bridge saddle placement looks perfect now and the thumb rest follows the string pitch very nicely.
and thank you. those words seem woefully inadequate in expressing my gratitude.
Looks mighty nice.
CW, check your PM for tracking info. Due in next Thursday. You must live on the other side of the planet!
Well, it looks like the party's over for the Colby bass. I'll have to move on to my spray equipment and the Billybo.
Thanks Al. I just want my finishing skills to catch up to my woodworking ability.Amen! Nice job Doc!
Thanks Al. I just want my finishing skills to catch up to my woodworking ability.
i'm not but it has cooled now. we had 98 days of over 100 and of those 98 days, we had 71 days over 105.
i'm not but it has cooled now. we had 98 days of over 100 and of those 98 days, we had 71 days over 105.
got back last night and checked out the bass. i love it Bill. thank you very much.
Thanks CW. Let me know your impressions regarding it's sound and feel. I love the way it sounds and plays, but I'm biased.
i walked around with it for two days getting a feel for it. my first impression is that it is kind of long. i got used to that very quickly; probably from the neck angle as it makes it hang a little to the right making neck access very good and without any neck dive that i can perceive. the body balances over my right illiac crest so it fits my left arm very well as i am oval not square and my right hand falls just about right to take advantage of the thumb rest. i was worried about it being too far away from the strings, but it is right on. i don't have to stretch to reach anything low on the neck and upper registry access is very good although presonally i feel a little unfamiliar with playing in the upper registry. the thumb rest lets me play pickless and softly away from the pup poles. admitedly i haven't tried it with a pick yet. the handrest isn't plated so i haven't mounted it. there should be plenty of room come time.
the sound is not too muddy but it has enough and if i crank it in with a full mid range and a respectful high register its very clean overall. i seem to be able to crank in all the bite i need or i can soften it up if i want by moving away from the poles. i tried it through my Bassman 10 (about 50 watts RMS) pushing two Celestion G75's wired parallel in an old Blonde Bassman unported cab. i have an old AB165 chassis laying here that i hope to get rebuilt into a Sunn 200S to push a tone ring 15" if i ever get them done. it overdrives my amp if i let it. this bass can use more amp than i presently have. i feel very happy with the way it sounds and i would feel very comfortable playing blues, rock or even jazz with it.
finish wise i can tell it was done with a rattle can, but...i can also do a carnuba/bees wax polish job on it that will get rid of 90% of what makes you unhappy and which i plan to do soon to protect that nitro. in all fairness if you had your booth ready i am sure you would have given it a nicer finish but it is still a lot better finish than the SGRI i had. good job.
i am very happy with it.
So, after a few weeks, how's that bass shakin' out for ya? Sound? Feel?