3rd Build, 34" scale 5 string fretless

Hopkins · #1 06-12-2011, 03:24 PM

This is going to be my third build, and first attempt at building a neck. Its going to be a 34" scale fretless five bolt on.

Mahogany body and neck, cocobolo fingerboard, and a spalted pecan top. I don't have pictures of the top yet. The board I'm using is at a friends cabinet shop where it is soon to be book matched.

That quite large piece of mahogany was given to me by the same friend with the cabinet shop, Its very dry and resonate, and light weight for mahogany.

Scarf joint cut, glued and truss rod and stiffening rods installed.

Neck and fingerboard all cut out, glued and clamped.

This is where I'm at right now.

This will probably be a slow build, sense my work space is about an hour away from my apartment and I'm only able to work on it during the weekends.

Von Felgenhauer · #2 06-12-2011, 03:25 PM

That looks purty

miziomix · #3 06-12-2011, 09:45 PM

I'm in!

jmorbita · #4 06-13-2011, 02:26 PM

subscribing!

Hopkins · #5 06-13-2011, 07:01 PM

A bit of progress, I got the board radiused today. On a side note, I am absolutely in love with the way cocobolo looks, but after sanding it felt like I was sprayed in the face with pepper spray,(I was wearing a dust mask) so I think this will be the last build using it.

I used double stick tape to stick the neck down to my saw horse. This worked very well, it held it very solid.

I used double sided masking tape to apply the paper to my LMI radiusing block. I like the LMI block because they are wider than the Stewmac block, and has two different radius's on either side.
I started with 80 grit and worked my way up to 400 as my pencil marks started going away.

Here it is after sanding, and wiped down with mineral spirits.

I cant do anything with out making a huge mess........

miziomix · #6 06-13-2011, 07:24 PM

That Cocobolo FB looks great. What's the strings spacing at the nut and bridge?

Hopkins · #7 06-13-2011, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miziomix

That Cocobolo FB looks great. What's the strings spacing at the nut and bridge?

Thank ya very much.

.750 at bridge, 1 7/8 nut .375 string spacing

miziomix · #8 06-13-2011, 08:00 PM

Thank you!

Hopkins · #9 06-14-2011, 07:22 PM

Today I shaped the back of the neck. This was the part that I was dreading, but once I got into it, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I didn't think to get progress pictures, once I got started I didn't want to stop.

I used a rasp to knock down the hard edges, and used my electric sander with 80 to 240 grit to do the majority of the shaping. I'm sure there are better ways to do this

The headstock is a little thin, It shouldn't be a problem because I plan to do a veneer to match the top.

I promise by the time this project is completed I will get a camera and stop using my crummy cell phone

jmorbita · #10 06-15-2011, 07:28 AM

It does look good!!!
but do get a camera!!

Ben Coffin · #11 06-15-2011, 08:03 AM

This better be an unlined fretless!!!!! You're not allowed to take any wood from that cocobolo!!

rick0link · #12 06-15-2011, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Coffin

This better be an unlined fretless!!!!! You're not allowed to take any wood from that cocobolo!!

Agreed!

Hopkins · #13 06-15-2011, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Coffin

This better be an unlined fretless!!!!! You're not allowed to take any wood from that cocobolo!!

No lines in this one

Hopkins · #14 06-19-2011, 09:32 PM

I got a bit done this weekend.

I got the top book matched and glued up. I had a pretty nice piece of spalted pecan given to me, I think its a nice looking piece of timber.

I used a left over piece for a head stock laminate. While I was At it I drilled the holes and installed the tuners

Next I roughed out the body. At this time I realized I made a mistake. I cut the pocket to long and the neck was to far into the body. I glued in a block to take up the extra space so the scale length would be ok. The fingerboard overhang will cover the mistake, but I'm still kind of kicking my self a bit

.

Cleaned everything up on my belt/spindle sander. Here you can see my repair.

I made a very slight forearm cut, I wanted a bit of a cut without getting into the body wood.

Here is where I'm at right now. I still need to do alot of sanding, and I have to rout the pickup and control cavitys.
I'm still not decided on what pickups or electronics are going in it yet.

jmorbita · #15 06-20-2011, 06:43 AM

Pecan is niceeeee!!

Hopkins · #16 06-20-2011, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmorbita

Pecan is niceeeee!!

Thank you, I think so too

Hopkins · #17 06-20-2011, 06:12 PM

Today I made a nut out of lignum vitae, and strung it up. The action is great, the truss rod worked perfectly and it is very comfortable. All in all, I'm pleased

I'm probably going to have to make a new nut after the fingerboard is finished, but that isn't a big deal.

miziomix · #18 06-20-2011, 06:23 PM

NICE! what kind of finish are you going to use?

Hopkins · #19 06-20-2011, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miziomix

NICE! what kind of finish are you going to use?

I'm probably going to use epoxy. There are a few places where the spalt lines on the pecan are pretty unstable. I think it would be difficult to get it where I want it with lacquer.

Darkstrike · #20 06-20-2011, 07:12 PM

Fingerboard is amazing!