Proto-bass #2.

[birdie]

Thanks Cheyenne!

[birdie]

Hey all. It's been a while but I haven't been slacking tooo much. Proto #2 finnally getting sprayed, just a couple of more coats tomorrow and then will cure for a good 3 weeks. Should come out nice. I call it the banana bass, since the back of the neck came out a little too light relative to the front of the burst. My first unassisted finish job. I will live with it!

The little shop of horrors is starting to hum along. Been doing this for exactly one year as of this past Monday.......
Still a lifetime of work and learning to go-crammed into whatever I got left

[Hornisse]

Nice looking 'Burst!  Do you think you could build a 5 string with 18 or 19mm spacing?   

[birdie]

Hey you're the second guy to ask me that! The first was a guy named Brad Houser.
Sure it can be done. Might need a longer horn to shift the c/g and compensate for the added neck weight. Or some lead under the bridge!! (some arch tops have that, also the banana bass.) Will see how that works . Trying out all kinds of stuff.

[Denis]

Wow, I really like that burst too! Well done!!!

[dadagoboi]

Looking great, Leslie!   

I see you're using Mohawk products.  Would you explain your finishing process?  Thanks!

[sniper]

oooooooooo nice!

[Lightyear]

Everythings looks great but the burst is simply awesome!  Very well done!

[birdie]

Thanks! As far as product and process, I go with what Ed (whose shop I rent a space in) does. I simply know no other way and we can share haz-mat shipping fees etc. Keeps it simple.

The way he does it is;first a coat of shellac, wait 45 min or so. After mixing and shooting the color coat/coats, 12 coats of nitro 1/2 hour apart, let sit for three weeks. Followed by the joy of wet sanding and buffing on his ridiculously fast buffing wheel. Don't ask me how fast but I KNOW it will launch a solid piece of work and dang near put it through a wall. Ed got his shoulder impaled once !!

[drbassman]

Love them both Birdie!  I can't wait to start building my own.  Gotta work on standardizing my processes first!  You look like you've got it figured out.

[Highlander]

That is looking soooo good...

 

[birdie]

Y

Love them both Birdie!  I can't wait to start building my own.  Gotta work on standardizing my processes first!  You look like you've got it figured out.

You're right, it only LOOKS that way! I seriously need to learn how to make jigs for the neck join for example.....
Thanks for the kind words!!

[Bionic-Joe]

Very cool, Bro, Very cool!!!

[Basvarken]

Excellent. Keep on keepin' on 

[birdie]

Hey gang! The "get in debt" season is blissfully over (yep,I be one of them bahhumbuggery types)
and thought you might like to see proto # 2 as it has progressed so far;



This is my first nitro finish attempt entirely on my own, and I am choosing to be happy with it.
Overall, the design and aesthetics of the bass are pretty much what I had in mind.The execution is where the Devil lies for me. In particular, the buffing was not a pleasant experience.The buffer I use spins at 1400 rpm.Can you guys tell me what your buffers spin at? Seems high to me. Had a particularly hard time with the sharp edges and burned through half a dozen times.
Am glad it's a prototype. As such it has served very well, in that there are features of this bass that are not making it into the final build plan,whenever THAT happens.Hopefully never! Ha!Also many things I really like a lot. Great learning experience.
This one is for me, to replace the Tony Franklin that none o' youze guys had the gumtion to make an offer on Gonna be a great looking stage bass.
What do you think?
 and I think it will be a great looking stage bass