How do you guys do it? I'm thinking of the possible ways to carve the body wings when I'm going to be gluing a full top on over the neck through. Just curious the steps you take?

Maybe this will help:

http://homepage.mac.com/jcbasses/buckeye5.html

I'm a terrible woodworker, but I always assumed that you glue the wings to the neck-thru, then put the top on top.
Probably held together with velcro.

:D

I'm a terrible woodworker, but I always assumed that you glue the wings to the neck-thru, then put the top on top.
Probably held together with velcro.

:D

I glue the top and wings at the same time. That way you can use the top to help square the sides. Just the way I have found that works. I am sure there are other ways that work better.

Easiest way I can explain it is like this. Build the bass like you would a normal neck-through. When you glue the wings to the neck glue them lower than what you normally would (whatever thickness your top is). Then route and plane the now high spot neck down to where it’s flush with the wings. Then you can commence to putting your top on. I usually make the joint where top and neck meet so that it’s just under the end of the fingerboard, so the joint there does not have to be perfect because it will be hidden. You may or may not have to recess the bridge depending on the thickness of the fingerboard. That’s the way I do it I’m sure it differs from most builders. Hope I didn’t confuse you any, in case I did here are some pics of how I do it.
Pictures are worth a thousand words!

Wings glued on.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/scottyd/bass3001.jpg
Neck leveled to wings
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/scottyd/bass3008.jpg
Top on (first time bookmatching friggin terrible :( )
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/scottyd/bass3013.jpg

Pretty much what Scotty said. Search for "router thickness" and you should be able to find a jig to do this; but be careful at the edges, leave your body outline a shade larger than the final shape in case of tearout.

The only thing I'd add is that if you know which bridge you'll be using (and hopefully have it in hand), you can plan exactly how much to take off before adding a top of xx" thickness and fretboard of yy" thickess (don't forget the frets!), so that you won't have to recess the bridge (or worse...shim it up).

You can see the wisdom behind drawing all out in CAD...after first choosing your bridge.

I guess my question is more about getting it carved. I know exactly how I'll attach the top, I'm just trying to figure out the best way to carve the arm contour and everything else when you really have to attach the top before hand. I was thinking of making a block the width of the neck, but only as large as the body and temporarily attaching the wings to that, then I can carve everything and glue it to the actual neck through when it's done (like a set neck, only all the way through) Problem I see with that is, even the slightest bit off, or even some shrinkage and it's not gonna be a tight enough fit...........I'm guessing final carving has to be done with the wings and top attached to the neck. Just seeing if anyone had a cool trick.

How do you guys do it?

Very carefully.

I use rasps and files. I make sure I use both my hands to guide it and make small movements so as to not slip and rasp something that shouldn't be rasped. The most stressful part is the insides of the horns, it's easy to touch against the fretboard. I stick a couple of layers of electrical tape around the fretboard when I get there. It doesn't protect much against a rasp but you can easily see if the rasp touches the tape and rips it. You know to be careful there and put a few layers of tape in that spot.

I'm probably doing this the hard way though. I'd love to hear if someone's got a kickass easy way to do it.

Oh yeah, "this post is worthless without pics" :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/philmailloux/003010-klr.jpg

Very carefully.

I use rasps and files. I make sure I use both my hands to guide it and make small movements so as to not slip and rasp something that shouldn't be rasped. The most stressful part is the insides of the horns, it's easy to touch against the fretboard. I stick a couple of layers of electrical tape around the fretboard when I get there. It doesn't protect much against a rasp but you can easily see if the rasp touches the tape and rips it. You know to be careful there and put a few layers of tape in that spot.

I'm probably doing this the hard way though. I'd love to hear if someone's got a kickass easy way to do it.

Oh yeah, "this post is worthless without pics" :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/philmailloux/003010-klr.jpg

This is exactly the way I was going to do it, unless someone came back with a easier way.......Thanks guys for the answers.

Ah...ok.

I glue up the entire body first (before doing any body shaping), bandsaw a rough outline, then attach my body template and either rout the final outline on a router table, or sand it on a combo edge/spindle sander. You can do the bandsaw work on the wings and top first before gluing them on if your bandsaw throat is too small to work around the neck.

Then I'll put on the roundovers (roundover bit on a router table), THEN I'll do the edge carving. Insides of horns I do with rasps & files, and feather into the roundover by hand. Arm contour I'll do with a random orbital sander and 80-grit, keeping it constantly moving to keep flow...then feather into the roundover by hand.

On my first 5-string bass I carved some scrolls into the horns by using a Dremel sanding drum, smoothing the flow with LOTS of hand sanding after that. Worked well.