CURRENT CATALDO

[dadagoboi]

Color Time

Oak flame veneer on mahogany with cream binding for the Twelver.  I used the cut offs from the rectangular body blanks after the prelim tests on scrap veneer.


After a few hours of fun and games I decided a red background would be best.  A fifty cent bottle of latex craft paint from Wally World to be specific. They have at least a jillion colors.


Let dry for a few minutes and sanded back with 180


'Artisan' dye thinned about 10:1 with denatured alcohol. One ounce for around $4 and it goes a long way.  Reasonable shipping, too.


Grain is starting to pop after a few minutes.


Money shot! A few coats of clear over the stained woods and binding.  Mohawk 'Red' Ultra Penetrating Stain for the mahogany.


Trick of the light, note how blue the purple stain can look depending on what is or isn't under it.


BLART!

[Christine]

This is a great US source for veneer and tutorials:

www.veneersupplies.com/

He also sells vacuum veneer press components.  I considered that option since I have a vacuum pump that was included with the pin router.  But I decided to keep it simple.  Two body blanks, 4 crowned cauls and 10 clamps. about one hour to 'construct' it.


The fumed oak came that way.  I bought 9 sheets, 14" x 42" for around $40 on a closeout from the above vendor. Also a'starter kit' of essential veneer supplies.  Including some other veneer (100"  14" wide once its bookmatched  flame maple) I'm under $200 total for materials, tools and supplies.

Flamed oak matched and taped.


Binding: For the channel:Router table made from melamined particle board shelving, Porter Cable router, and rabbet bit (1/2" shank) and mutiple bearings direct from China. $12.  I don't do Screw Mac. It's much easier to cut binding channel with a table set up than what seems to be the traditional hand held over the top router method.  Acetone for cementing ABS binding in applicator bottle and super masking tape.


Takes less then a minute for the acetone to set the binding, lots of Youtube tutorials out there.  My twist is using an applicator bottle instead of a brush for the acetone.



Yeah , I agree, there is a lot of depth in the oak that will come out with clearcoating.  Next time I'll bookmatch it.  There's also other possibilities...

I can recommend a vacuum press, I have one, quite old now, maybe 25 years or so since I bought it, been through a few bags over the years but they do a lot of work before they wear out. I thought you may have picked up an old flatbed press somewhere  which is why I asked

[dadagoboi]

I can recommend a vacuum press, I have one, quite old now, maybe 25 years or so since I bought it, been through a few bags over the years but they do a lot of work before they wear out. I thought you may have picked up an old flatbed press somewhere  which is why I asked

My mantra is  'Yesterday's Technology Tomorrow.  A press is overkill for veneering flat surfaces in small runs IMO.   I barely use the pin router these days, almost every bass is custom to some extent.

[dadagoboi]

Got the B to G 10 string sorted.  So much fun I decided to put a (fake) trem on the prototype.



Named 'Gojira' in honor of my grandson Enzo's favorite monster.

MAX12er on a shakedown cruise before finishing.

[Highlander]

 

[dadagoboi]

Body studies for Gojira



Blank is 14x20.

[gearHed289]

Body studies for Gojira

[Rob]

Voting for the lizard on the left.

[dadagoboi]

Looks like Gojira is a true boomer!

Voting for the lizard on the left.

Thanks, that's the direction I'm leaning.

[dadagoboi]

Color test acrylic paint used as stain/grain filler.  I went with 'petunia purple' and thinned purple alcohol based stain.





sealer and first piano lacquer clear nitro


MAX122 finishing done.  Mahogany stained with Mohawk UPS 'RED' and cleared with their 'Piano Lacquer'.


No trussrod cover on this one.  Too difficult to remove the screws under 12 strings.  Template for logo plate slotted for TR access.


Gojira proto with 63NV and 66SV ThunderBuckers. 'V' are the extended width Five string versions.  They cover all ten strings.  Waiting on bridge channel and tailpiece.


Toned '55 neck, no clear or sealer. This will be a heavy relic with a CAR headstock, why put on what's coming off?

[dadagoboi]

About ready to ship.  This one took more time than it should have but customer has been very patient.

[gearHed289]

Love it man. Killer color scheme. Reminds me of a trio of beautiful Hamers I once saw.

[dadagoboi]

Love it man. Killer color scheme. Reminds me of a trio of beautiful Hamers I once saw.

Thanks, Tom!  There does seem to be a niche that Hamer vacated in the multi string market that hasn't been filled.  Not that there's much demand...

[Basvarken]

Excellent work!
What bridge is that Carlo?
I've been asked to build a twelve string bass too. But man, those bridge are hard to find!

[dadagoboi]

Excellent work!
What bridge is that Carlo?
I've been asked to build a twelve string bass too. But man, those bridge are hard to find!

Thanks, Rob.

I start with a Schaller 471-8, cut p and drill the base to get rid of the springs, ThunderBucker makes me the nickel silver bridge channel and tailpiece blanks and I drill the necessary string and mounting holes.  I powdercoated the nickel silver parts on this bass including pickup covers and rings.  These pics shows the details better.



working on the prototype




I've done the same for 10/15 strings by adding another module.  I'm waiting for longer,wider bridge channels and tailpieces for those.

I make my own saddles to get the string spacing tighter.




Schaller also makes black 471-8 bridges.