Regenerate Guitar Works - following the birth of the new M-Series

[SDB Guitars]

Rodent -

What CNC machine do you use? I'm curious, as I've been looking at several, and I'd be interested in knowing what some of the other guys are using...

[Kirk Bryant]

BUMP can we please see the pics of the finished product? PLEASE !!!!!!!!!!

this looks a lot like the lightwieght solution I have been looking for. Especialy if a little more weight can be shaved off.



peace Kirk

[Rodent]

apologies for not getting back to this thread sooner - there's been a lot happening on this model since I last posted ...

firstly, the initial prototype 5-string unit was completed and has since spent considerable time playing live gigs in the greater Seattle area. it (and it's fretless 4-string cousin) was also used on a movie soundtrack earlier this month. all of the feedback I'm receiving is extremely positive on every aspect - balance, playability, sound, etc ... I've very pleased that this is turning out to be all that I had anticipated

here's an image of the finished prototype unit



For the present time, I have also decided to not utilize CNC for this body. there's numerous reasons driving this decision, and when each of these have been addressed to my satisfaction I hope to return to utilization of CNC. As of this writing, I will only be utilizing CNC to cut the neck pocket.


the 4-string fretless has also been completed, and as noted above, it made its debut appearence on a movie score session at a well known Seattle recording studio. all of the feedback on this has also been extremely positive.

here's an image of the finished bass




more updates on this model to come in the following post

all the best,

R

[Rodent]

It's official - the M-Series model is officially in production, and available in both righty and lefty configurations. I have several units currently under construction that are available for purchase. Beginning in Jan 2011, I will also be taking deposits for custom orders on these

Here's what is currently under construction


2011 NAMM model



this bass will be attending the NAMM show this January. Features include
- AAAA spalted Maple burl on 1-piece extra light weight Swamp Ash
- AAA Birdseye Maple / Pau Ferro 21-fret 34″ scale neck with zero-fret and 1-7/8″ bone nut
- Nordstrand Big Singles pickup set
- Nordstrand 2-band preamp (Vol (pull passive) – Blend – DPT™ – active treble/bass)
- Hipshot Type A (alum core) 19mm spaced bridge
- Hipshot Ultralight tuners
- black hardware

the bottom neck of these two will be used on this bass, and have a satin finish with oiled fretboard (dig the mineral stains in that birdseye!)





Other builds under construction include

spalted Koa on light weight Mahogany with AAA Birdseye / Pau Ferro neck




Amboyna burl on Swamp Ash with AAA Birdseye / Pau Ferro neck


(body on right, neck on top from above)

(SOLD commissioned build) Redwood burl top/back with flame Maple core and black accent lines, AAA Birdseye / Cocobolo neck




all the best,

R

[Chef]

that's great looking stuff!

pm to you........

[Rodent]

Thanks! ... PM replied

R

[Rodent]

this 5-string M-Series is wrapping up and should make it to NAMM (unless I do something really stupid that can't be fixed tomorrow)

here it is right after levelling the frets and oiling the fretboard



still a little left to do on this one, but it should be rumbling the assembly room sometime Sun afternoon

Specs:

- Maple burl top on 1-piece Swamp Ash body with contoured heel
- AAA Birdseye neck shaft with 16"R Pau Ferro fretboard
- Nordstrand Big Singles pickup set
- Nordstrand 2-band preamp wired Vol (pull passive) + Blend + Passive tone + Active Bass/Treble stack
- Hipshot Type A alum core bridge
- Hipshot Ultralight tuners
- Dunlop strap locks

This bass is available for sale and will have special NAMM pricing. email me for more pricing info

all the best,

R

[Chef]

What's it weigh?

thx-alan

[Rodent]

fully loaded and strung-up, this will be just under 8.75 pounds according to my US Postal scale

reasonably light for a 5-string, and right on my build target of a 5-string weighing 9 pounds or less

all the best,

R

[Chef]

That's a great weight for me
What kind of case/bag are you shipping with?
Is the pickup spacing "60's?"

Can you pm me a price plz?

thx-alan

[Rodent]

Recognizing that most customers usually swap over to a gig bag for local transporting, I usually ship in a Road Runner case like your '51 5-string. They're lightweight and securely hold the bass snugly in place unlike many other cases where the internal design leaves room for shifting even when wrapped with bubble wrap.


Pickup location from bridge end 34" scale mark:

- Bridge 2-1/2"
- Neck 6-1/8"


heading out the door to meet-up with a couple friends, so I'll get you a PM this afternoon with full spec details and special NAMM pricing.

all the best,

R

[Musiclogic]

Just beautiful work Rod, absolutely beautiful.

[Rodent]

it's done and ready to roll!

here's a few pix of the M-Series NAMM 2011 5-string









Specs:
Here's the specs on this bass:

- high grade void-free spalted burl Maple top on a light weight 1-piece Swamp Ash body core
- 3/8"R round over front/back edges
- tummy and forearm contours
- contoured heel with ferrule mount neck
- gloss finish

- AAA Birdseye Maple neck with Pau Ferro fretboard
- 1-7/8" nut
- dual graphite stiffening rods, heel adjust trussrod
- stainless steel zero-fret
- 6125 nickel silver alloy fretwire
- 0.80" thick at first fret
- rounded fretboard edges
- unbleached bone nut
- satin finish

- Nordstrand Big Singles pickup set
- Nordstrand 2-band preamp configured Vol (p/p) + Blend + Passive tone + Active Bass/Treble stack
- Hipshot Type A (alum core) bridge with 19mm spacing
- Hipshot Ultralight tuners
- full copper foil cavity shielding (control and pickup cavities) connected via common ground
- electro-socket side jack
- Dunlop strap locks
- Hipshot 4-string alum string retainer
- metal control knobs
- black hardware
- DR Sunbeams .045" - .125" string set

- final fully assembled weight = 9.125 pounds (forgot to include the battery and metal knob weight in my earlier estimate)

Special NAMM 2011 pricing: $2495 + actual shipping

all the best,

R

[Chef]

Man, there's a lot to like there.
Rodent's good at the details, and one of the many things I see that I like it that the route for the truss rod wrench is actually long enough to get a wrench in there without having to cut it down.
Amazing how many people get this wrong...

[Rodent]

thanks Alan, I do appreciate that

one of the changes I made to the earlier prototype unit was to extend the trussrod adjustment slot length so that there is ample access during adjustments. unless you're having a really bad day, there's little chance you'll mash the finish while making adjustments


forgot to note that unless there's a snag with entry, this bass (and possibly the Koa topped fretless 4-string) will be hanging at the Hipshot booth (Booth #5737 in Hall B) ... many thanks to Hipshot for their generous offer to hang one of my basses in their booth!!

all the best,

R

[Rodent]

thanks to everybody who stopped by to check out my basses at the NAMM show this past week. Thank you for your interest and overwhelming feedback!

here's the M-Series on display in the Hipshot Products booth at the 2011 Winter NAMM show



all the best,

R

[richnota]

beautiful work! I'm curious how your solid bridge/ piezo efforts are progressing.

My piezo posse always welcomes new additions!

[Rodent]

it's been quite some time since I last had an inquiry on a piezo equipped bass. I gave serious consideration to the Koa topped M-Series 5-string being a piezo only unit, but caved due to the small market it would have been of interest to ... it's great to offer a piezo unit as a custom build option, but I don't see piezo only basses moving fast enough to build one as a standard unit built to re-sell

while at NAMM I spent time talking with two piezo manufacturers, and found that the units utilized by Blackbird Guitars could be of interest for basses due to their extended capacity to capture string dynamics and horizontal movement. I was assured that it would be relatively easy to retrofit these into a saddle set for a Hipshot type A bridge

all the best,

R

[Rodent]

here's my first lefty 4 of this model in a custom Desert Sunset color. these front/back images that are as close to correct as I've been able to capture



definitely NOT your typical lefty color (black, white, or sunburst) eh?

barring something missing from my AllParts order which arrives in the morning, this build should be NAMM ready by the end of next week 8-)

all the best,

R