The Über-M - fretless

[pilotjones]

Love the Darth Vader / Dark Lord neck wood combo.

Is this neck going to be unfinished? I'd be afraid of a finish darkening things up too much, and losing the contrasts you do have.

[Beauchene Implements]

Oh, a new uber! Stoked, and subbed.

[miziomix]

Originally Posted by pilotjones

Love the Darth Vader / Dark Lord neck wood combo.

Is this neck going to be unfinished? I'd be afraid of a finish darkening things up too much, and losing the contrasts you do have.

Originally Posted by barnaclebeau

Oh, a new uber! Stoked, and subbed.

Thanks!

PJ, we haven't decided 100% on the finish. What I have in mind is indeed a darker combo with reduced contrast, and I'd like to dampen the brownish hue of the Wenge. Lacquer would do that.

I'm glad you like this combo. The Force is strooong...etc etc LOL!!

[cccy]

sheer awesomeness.

[wraub]

Look at that neck wood combo, and all I can say is "How much more black could it be?"

And, of course, the answer is...



Looking great as always!

wraub

[bassburton]

Man, I really hate you right now. Why? Because I went to your blog and saw the PERFECT, not the MOST perfect, the PERFECT Jazz bass. I used to hate the instruments design until I played one. I still remember, I was thirteen and I plugged into an Am. Deluxe Lefty J in Montego Black at a Long & McQuade. I was hooked. The Jazz's design and everything that encompasses made sense.

That made me purchase my first good bass (i.e. mid priced good quality bass.); my MIM Jazz. There was a time when I began to dislike it for whatever reason, even recently this happened. Why? Dire need of a setup. However, in spite of that when I pump out stuff like Rush's Limelight or Caifaines' La Celula que Explota I remember why I liked the bass in the first place. The sound, the feel, the textures, the attack you get. Nothing compares to digging in on one with fresh Rotosounds. I want to keep that bass for as long as I can. I want it to be akin to Billy Sheehan's Wife. I plan to do some mods on it. Like EMG's (I like the Hi-fi sound, yes) and a black tortoiseshell pick guard. Those two should happen this summer. In the future I'd like to Put new hardware on it... Maybe gold or black. A BadAss or Gotoh bridge, and hipshot tuners, also.. Straplocks.

/Tangent

I saw the Uber J and I couldn't the believe, the Am. Dx. Jazz I played all those years ago had been topped. Everything came together so perfectly. Everything. Now I go on here and see the pics of this Uber - M and I find the same level of Craftsmanship and attention to detail. You have made me hate myself for not being able to afford that Uber J. Anyhow... I love your work, your blog has been bookmarked. For good.

Regards,
Victor "bassburton" Gutierrez.

[miziomix]

cccy, wraub, thank you so much. It's very kind of you.

Victor, I am truly overwhelmed by your words, I mean it. I cannot elaborate further due to the forum's policy. I just want to say that, as flattering as it is to hear that my basses 'look' expensive, in fact they are quite affordable.

OK, update time

Here's the Zericote FB. 12" radius. Great wood - there's another thread on LC about this wood for f/less FB. First time I work with it and I know now why so many like it




In this picture the FB is upside down... not sure why...



Wenge is seldom seen on this side of the planet and what I had was just enough for two neck laminates. So, I had to find a way to complete the headstock with whatever was left over.

This was possible because my headstock is small. Still, I had to figure out the best course of action because... well... what I have is what I have, right?

The first task was to find the correct grain orientation of each part. It's a bit like with the Rubik's cube, after a while I get dizzy.

Then I marked the HS shape, larger by about 2mm, just in case.

Here are #2 and # 3.



#1 is behind #3.



#2 and #3 are glued to the neck first.



Once the glue is dry, I cut the left side of the HS, flip the small piece over and glue #1 into position.



And this is the headstock, roughly sanded. Later on it will be covered with an Olivewood veneer.





BTW Since it's the first time I work with Wenge, I would really appreciate a word to the wise from any TBer with experience. Thanks you!

[miziomix]

Between yesterday and today I could to do a few things - write emails to suppliers asking how they manage to keep their clientele when they obviously can't keep their deadlines; stay away from the motorbike in spite of sunny blue skies (dry season is here!).

I also covered some ground on this and another build. But that was the fun part

The truss rod channel is routed. Which reminds me, I am running out of truss rods... I heard that there was a good maker in Korea, which would be on my side of the pond. I can't remember the name though. Does anyone know?



The headstock will eventually be 18mm or .70 thick (Wenge, black veneer, Olivewood).



Then I used a heat gun to bend the thin (but still a bit thick) Olivewood veneer onto the headstock.

After a while the veneer has settled into the shape of the headstock and it's ready to be glued to it together with the thin black veneer which will provide an accent line. They're somewhere in the picture below.



Thanks for reading this far.

[zuma]

Originally Posted by miziomix

Hey Zuma, neither have I actually. But I read somewhere that there might be a difference. Anyway, if you can, please measure for me the distance between 12th fret and center p-up and between center p-up and saddle - G string. Thank you my friend.

I had a '77. Sold. God have mercy of my soul

Okay, Mauricio inspired me to go through all my cases and perform some much needed TLC to get this measurement. Thanks man! I'm not being sarcastic either!

From as close to the center of the 12th fret to the middle of the MM pickup on my transitional era (4 bolt neckplate) '83 Stingray, the distance is...(drum roll please)...13 1/2 inches. Just for kicks I measured from the middle of the pickup to my freshly intonated G string saddle (right where the string breaks) and it was pretty much exactly 3 1/2 inches. Add 17 inches from the middle of the pickup back up to the nut and what do you get? 34" scale everybody!

[miziomix]

Originally Posted by zuma

Okay, Mauricio inspired me to go through all my cases and perform some much needed TLC to get this measurement. Thanks man! I'm not being sarcastic either!

From as close to the center of the 12th fret to the middle of the MM pickup on my transitional era (4 bolt neckplate) '83 Stingray, the distance is...(drum roll please)...13 1/2 inches. Just for kicks I measured from the middle of the pickup to my freshly intonated G string saddle (right where the string breaks) and it was pretty much exactly 3 1/2 inches. Add 17 inches from the middle of the pickup back up to the nut and what do you get? 34" scale everybody!

Thank you Zuma! I hope you didn't forget to change the strings to ALL your basses

Thanks to you, we can almost safely conclude that MM p-up placement has changed over time by almost... zero, zip, nada, niente. It's a not a signature sound for nothing eh?

This is the body in its final shape. The three holes are for the V/B/T pots. The jack socket will be on the side. I will take care of the contour after neck pocket, p-up, electronic cavities and bridge/tuners recess are routed.



Here's a partially shaped headstock. The adjustment access it's still rough. It will be shaped later on.



I add a little amount of silicon into the truss rod channel - i think i learn that on M Koch's book. Once the truss rod is inside the channel I shape a small piece of wood to fit the gap between the rod itself and the nut.



Add a tiny drop of CA to hold it in place and if it fits really tight it will keep the rod from sliding. This I learned from my mentor. With a tight channel, a bit of silicon and this little stopper the rod can only move in the direction it has to to adjust the neck.

Then it's time to glue the fingerboard.



I seal the truss rod channel with masking tape. Then spread the glue evenly and take off the tape. When neck and FB are clamped the glue will spread but if the amount used is right it should not reach the TR channel. Mr Koch's tip again.



Finally, I use a blade to scratch the bottom of the FB so as the glue has groves to get into. My mentor's tip here.

Clamped. Till tomorrow.

Thanks for following

[Dave Higham]

Much as I admire your work Maurizio, I'm afraid your mentor is wrong in advising you to scratch a surface that is going to be glued.
I think the first research was done in the American aeronautics industry (they used to make propellers, and even airframes, from laminated wood) and it was found that the best glued joints were made with surfaces that were freshly cut. That really means freshly planed or scraped; components that have been left for some time before gluing can be lightly scraped with a cabinet scraper just before gluing. Sanded surfaces are OK but not as good as cut surfaces.
If you look around the luthiery forums, OLF, MIMF, TLC, ANZLF, etc. you'll see that many experienced luthiers have now accepted this.

[miziomix]

Originally Posted by Dave Higham

Much as I admire your work Maurizio, I'm afraid your mentor is wrong in advising you to scratch a surface that is going to be glued.
I think the first research was done in the American aeronautics industry (they used to make propellers, and even airframes, from laminated wood) and it was found that the best glued joints were made with surfaces that were freshly cut. That really means freshly planed or scraped; components that have been left for some time before gluing can be lightly scraped with a cabinet scraper just before gluing. Sanded surfaces are OK but not as good as cut surfaces.
If you look around the luthiery forums, OLF, MIMF, TLC, ANZLF, etc. you'll see that many experienced luthiers have now accepted this.

That's interesting and I wander why... One would think that scratches increase the glue area providing stronger grip. Oh well, I learn something new everyday. Thanks Dave.

[dave-chaulk]

I'm not so keen on the musicman tone, but I can see why many people are.

This bass and your work, on the other hand, I am in love with. Incredible, incredible work. If I knew a better word to describe it, I'd use it.

Keep it up and good luck,
David.

[Jordan Green]

I read in a woodworking magazine recently that smooth wood surfaces glue best. Seems contrary to popular thought but they probably know better than I.

Nice build, you inspire more than just I.

[miziomix]

David, Jordan, thank you so much for your kind words.

As for the MM, it's just like David says, not everyone likes it but everyone seem to respect it. I owned a very old one long ago and I liked it a lot. Only, being a fretted bass I always missed the neck p-up. Fretless on the other hand... oh boy

OK, this was a short break. It's routing day...

[miziomix]

Quick update.



The headstock is now in its final shape. I'll work on the contour only after the holes for the anchor bit have been drilled and the logo has been inlaid.

The t-r slot edges will be smoother and so will the area where the fb and the headstock blend together. But you can see where this is going.

The glue line visible along the fingerboard marks the area where the neck is about one mm wider than the FB. That will be removed by hand while working on the neck profile.

Today I have routed the neck pocket and the p-up cavity. I finished just on time for sunset. Not enough light for a decent picture though.

Thanks for following this build

[miziomix]

This is where the build begins a more obvious deviation from its model to get into Über territory.

Much like the Ü-J's, the neck pocket goes all the way to the p-up. Of course in this case the neck pocket extends quite a bit I like that.



The next picture shows the section of the neck beyond the fingerboard, covered with a matching Olivewood veneer.



And here is something that looks like a bass almost.



Still a lot to do, yeah. But it's nice to see a familiar face.

We are trying to decide on the look of the neck extension into the body. There are three options on the table and they all seem pretty good. Which makes it a pain to decide - like choosing from three great OW sets at the beginning of this build, eh?

1. The matching Olivewood veneer is glued to the neck flush with the body.

2. The matching veneer protrudes from the body to act as a ramp.

2. No matching veneer. Let the neck show, like in the picture above.

What would you do?

Thanks!

[cccy]

I think leaving the neck show won't be the best idea... First of all, you have another wood with very different grain "contaminating" the beautiful grain of the OW and Z. That would be especially bad if the grain from the core wood is brought to the front.

Plus, black would overshadow the yellow-brownish colours given the fact that you're gonna add a black pickup and black hardware.

I think not having a ramp at all would look the coolest (always IMO) however there are so many advantages to having a ramp...

In case you do add a ramp is it going to follow the FB, pickup or none of the above? (in terms of height and radius)

This is the best build ever

[roberthabraken]

Very cool! Or should I say Über-cool ... I would go for option one our two, in that order.

[davidAaronCarte]

That lighter two-tone in the first one with the body showing through is actually really cool
Thought about a Semangkok (is that what it is?) veneer instead?