4 string build Nomad98

[Nomad98]

Hello all,

It's been a while since I have posted a build, but I guess that has to come to an end. I have been busy in the last year mainly fixing up my basement and in the process making a workshop. Since I am mostly finished doing that, it's time to try to make basses.

This bass was originally the beginnings of my first bass. I was going to chamber a maple core and top it front and back. Well the core cracked in a router mishap and I scrapped the project but kept the maple core laying around. With a few bass builds under my belt I decided to go back and salvage the core. There, the boring details are done.

Build Specs (as they stand at this moment):
• 4 string bass
• chambered maple core with sitka spruce top/back
• maple neck and fingerboard
• vintage style Fender bridge
• Quarter-pound Duncan P-bass pickup

Undecided:
• may add a Ghost piezo system to the bridge
• was originally going to dye the top/back spruce black but I may do a vintage burst or natural finish. Either way the maple core and neck will be natural.


OK so I have the body and neck mostly there and I decided to start to carve the top. The following picts show the magnet rear cover and the progress I went through carving the top and back. I started a little too fancy on the top and I have been simplifying it (the picts are chronological). The back cover carving I will keep and the front I think is about done. It all needs to be sanded and smoothed in.

Thanks for reading/looking.. Nomad98

[OHSPyro89]

I dig. What methods did you use to do all that stuff?!

[Dream Weaver]

That is some fine carving Sir... Fine indeed!

[mikeyswood]

LOVE the carving!

[DanSwain]

Very cool detail carving Nomad98! I'm looking forward to see what it sounds like if you use the Graphtec piezo saddles on your Bass!

Where are you planning on placing the pickup, closer to the bridge or the neck?

[Sbociol]

Those carved details remind me of the Alien franchise!

[Basshappi]

Very cool!
Can't wait to see the finished instrument.

[devo_stevo]

BEAUTIFUL

[rdrr]

YEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!

[headlikeahole]

WOW thats just all sorts of awesome. I love the magnets with the drywall screws for the control cavity most definitely using that on my build. can't wait to see this all done.

[Nomad98]

Originally Posted by OHSPyro89

I dig. What methods did you use to do all that stuff?!

Pencil in the design then chisel and sand. that's about it

Originally Posted by DanSwain

Where are you planning on placing the pickup, closer to the bridge or the neck?

The pickup will be in the standard P-bass spot

Originally Posted by headlikeahole

WOW thats just all sorts of awesome. I love the magnets with the drywall screws for the control cavity most definitely using that on my build. can't wait to see this all done.

The magnets are 3/16ths of an inch wide... no drywall screws, the screws are really tiny, the heads are also 3/16 ths wide and maybe a quarter inch deep.

[headlikeahole]

o nice thanks for the specifics

[DerHoggz]

Hawt!

[RedemptionBass]

Holy-crapanoley.... that is going to be awesome to the max.

99% of the time, I can't stand the looks of single-cuts but that works for me. Very tasteful and the ammount of detail is just right.

Also dig the magnet/screw thing... kudos.

[Nomad98]

Thanks for all the positive feedback on this bass.

It has been one of those things where I think... "Did I just screw it up? But I have committed myself to this carving thing and there is no turning back!"

I will be posting picts of the heal/truss rod cover soon. That is also attached with magnets and I plan to do a little carving there as well. Not much but just an accent.

Nomad98

[Ben Coffin]

This is such and epic build!! Subscribed!!

[jordan_frerichs]

congradulation on doing the imposible, which would be topping your previous build.

[vintager]

i'd also love to hear it.. spruce/hollow/P-pup combo looks very promising. and maple fb makes me even more curious.

[Nomad98]

I have the preliminary carving done on the truss rod cover. Still need to sand and fine tune the shape. The cover attaches with four magnets. I still need to attach a shape (see the first image below) to the cover that will sit into the truss rod adjustment cavity. I am hoping that that will eliminate the cover coming off if you apply downward pressure with your thumb while you are playing (Hope that makes sense?). If that is not enough to hold the cover in place I may use dowels so the cover will need to be pulled straight up off the body.

The red area is where I will fit the shape... then attach it to the green area.

[vbasscustom]

hmm, the end of the fingerbaord is rather suggestive