i need some help gang - Colby Bass

drbassman · January 08, 2011, 09:04:53 AM

I hear ya! The unfinished projects are starting to take up all the room in my shop! I convinced my wife to let me have another 12' x 12' section of the basement for my power tools, so I'll be throwing junk out to expand my shop for the next month or so. Oh yeah!

shadowcastaz · January 08, 2011, 11:38:16 AM

I just found a small baggie with some small MOP dots while cleaning my shop. I know what Im gonna save them for now. I love spalted maple , although its become kinda popular. That is gonna look righteous! great sizing on the plate. Black pup & hardware,nice. What is the top finish gonna be again? M

sniper · January 08, 2011, 04:04:30 PM

Quote from: shadowcastaz on January 08, 2011, 11:38:16 AM
...That is gonna look righteous! great sizing on the plate. Black pup & hardware,nice. What is the top finish gonna be again? M

Bill and I have discussed a finish but we have come to no conclusion as of yet. I originally wanted a simple finish with a mixture of distillate/carnuba wax/tung-oil. Now that I am watching it come together I am still leaning towards a "natural" looking finish with maybe dark paint on the sides and a clear over the top and back when they are sealed, but like I said, we have not arrived at a conclusion about a finish.

The build is actually a verbal contract between Bill and I and it seems to be a viable work agreement in price, time and a combination of what I want and what he wants to design. Just good respect all around. However Bill is not setup to do finish work at this time and if he decides to do it, it will remain on a limited scale basis at this time until he decides when and if to expand on this aspect of building. The verbal contract is to be finish sanded and that is where the agreement ends as it stands. I have been wanting Bill to build my bass for almost three years and I am happy he decided to take this project on. He has extended himself to me and I am proud that he has.

So the finish will be:
1) a BSC (beer, sweat and ciggie's) naturally applied one
2) a simple one in concept and design that we both can live with,
or
3) be contracted out to someone else and that is all I can tell you at this time.

The original idea of mine was to have a bass built from pieces I have collected over some years as inexpensively as possible, have a master woodworker of my choice build it and play it with love. I started out with a 100$ Epi I parted out 5 years ago on Ebay and have been collecting parts from the profits ever since. I have sold many parts I would have rather have kept, but I have tried to stay focused and this is the first of three builds (not counting amps) I hope to eventually have done. My entire setup a much modified Epi EBO, a 50 watt Bassman 10 in a tall Bandmaster head cab, an AB165 shell with chassis to be rebuilt as a Sunn 200S, a 2-12 Blonde Bassman cab, a NOS JBL 15" speaker and plans for a tone-ring 1-15 cab, enough parts to build my other two basses are all here waiting to be assembled and it all started from that 100$ investment and trading/selling. Some things are ready and rocking and others are still in boxes. I live on a social security retirement that amounts to less than 1000$ a month. Do not feel sorry for me as I have been many things. 7 years ago I was a salaried/stock optioned personel assistant to a multi-millionaire and I told him to stick it and drove away in my Chevy van without a penny in my pocket. I have never regreted it.

Cheers CW

dadagoboi · January 08, 2011, 04:17:02 PM

I think putting in some beer, sweat and ciggie equity would be a great "finish" to a very cool collaboration!

jumbodbassman · January 08, 2011, 09:26:34 PM

Quote from: drbassman on January 07, 2011, 02:02:38 PM
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!

Mold... What a beautiful piece of wood... I might be a little biased however....

black hardware looks very nice with the spaulted sycamore i have

jumbodbassman · January 08, 2011, 09:29:35 PM

not a great picture but a semi gloss poly finish has held up well. Bass was built in 1987/88. shows the wood off nicely
[/quote]

shadowcastaz · January 09, 2011, 05:36:49 AM

Quote from: dadagoboi on January 08, 2011, 04:17:02 PM
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)

sniper · January 09, 2011, 09:51:59 AM

Bill,

The die is cast ... I ask the girlfriend.

She said "My father refinished furniture for a living. Show off the wood that gentleman is working so hard to assemble for you. Clearcoat it."

Could you do it in poly and could you give me an estimate? If you would then shoot it thin as possible, it will eventually wear through at least on the neck and then it will gain some B S C charactor especially after you steel wool or buff out that name.

CW

Lightyear · January 09, 2011, 10:54:05 AM

I might add that just a hint of some type of amber may really make a natural finish pop. Just saying....

sniper · January 09, 2011, 10:57:48 AM

a bit of Amber tint would be nice.

Dave W · January 09, 2011, 01:03:50 PM

Whatever you choose, you don't want an extra-thin coat on a spalted top unless you're okay with serious deterioration of the wood.

sniper · January 09, 2011, 01:56:38 PM

thanks Dave ... sometimes i can't see the forest because of all those 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.

drbassman · January 09, 2011, 02:17:40 PM

Quote from: sniper dog on January 09, 2011, 01:56:38 PM
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.

Opps, look what I missed while away from the computer! I can do an amber tint and a spray clear poly. I like the tint idea a lot. Can I suggest also filling and staining the edges of the ash to match up a little better first with the walnut back? That would be my take on it!

Dave's right, that maple is pretty soft and breakable! Kinda reminds me of blue cheese!

sniper · January 09, 2011, 04:20:15 PM

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!

drbassman · January 10, 2011, 05:44:09 AM

Quote from: sniper dog on January 09, 2011, 04:20:15 PM
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!

Sounds good CW. We'll polish the neck up and see how it turns out. May not need any finsh really, the poly on there is quite thick. Typical Epi style finish.

Wow, second base.....don't know if I can top that!!!!!