5 string multi-scale build

DSB1 · #1 09-20-2009, 10:12 AM

As stated I'm currently building a 5 string multi-scale bass guitar. Here are some pics and a little text to go along with them. It will have a mostly ash neck, walnut body wings and a camphor burl top.

The basic plan.

My tapering jig with a purpleheart laminate on top. Ready to go through the planer.

I find it helpful to use a piece of tape on the top edge of darker species of wood when using a bandsaw to rip. I do have the space for a tablesaw so all my ripping is done on the bandsaw.

All the neck laminates together, ready to be glued.

The neck, after being glued and surfaced on all 4 sides. It is now ready to have the dog ears glued on and then the headstock angle cut.

The only reason there are 4 clamps on here is because I wanted even preasure without using a caul. The neck is slippery enough when gluing, due to the necks taper without having to fumble with an extra piece of wood. One must be careful when doing this, it is easy to over-tighten and squeeze out all the glue.

The dog ears after being glued on and planed level with the top of the neck. Since this bass is multi-scale, the headstock requires a compound angle.

First I take a rough cut with the band saw...

...And plane it flat to the compound angle which will jive up with the end of the fingerboard.

Here I've inlaid my veneers into the surface of the headstock...a little surprise for later.

UncleBalsamic · #2 09-20-2009, 10:20 AM

Cool. Nice work.

jworrellbass · #3 09-20-2009, 10:38 AM

Very nice, looks sharp.

I like the tapper jig. I'll need to make one of those.

When I did my compound headstock cut I used my bandsaw set at a 10 degree and pulled it through.

eleonn · #4 09-20-2009, 11:51 AM

Nice. Will the headstock have the same width on both sides of the compound angle?

DSB1 · #5 09-20-2009, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jworrellbass

Very nice, looks sharp.

I like the tapper jig. I'll need to make one of those.

When I did my compound headstock cut I used my bandsaw set at a 10 degree and pulled it through.

Thank you. It's not the best design because it takes a lot of setup time but its very accurate. I have another design in mind that will be easier to set up but that will have to wait for now.

DSB1 · #6 09-20-2009, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eleonn

Nice. Will the headstock have the same width on both sides of the compound angle?

I'm sorry, I don't quite understand the question. Do you mean will the headstock be symetrical? It will be mostly.

DSB1 · #7 09-20-2009, 08:44 PM

My posts will probably slow after this since my posting has caught up to where the bass is. Here's a quick update:

Again, lots of clamps but moderate, even pressure.

Burl ash headstock cap.

After the truss-rod channel was routed. This is one of the last instruments to be using this type of dual action truss rod. I am designing and building a proprietary truss-rod that is unlike anything other people are using. It's a pair of bungee cords attached to the back of the headstock and anchored on the other end to the body. I found them on the side of the highway. I kid, but I will soon be utilizing new rods of my own design that are quite unique.

The fingerboard, which is also ash, has been glued on at this stage.

Another look at the neck.

These are the side "dots" for the fingerboard. I ran out of black rod to make side dots out of so I made these oval-type thingies out of abalone. Glad that I did.

Now that the fretboard is glued on, I can work on the back profile of the neck. This neck is 19mm at the nut and 21 mm at the 12th fret.

Safe-T planed the back profile after band-sawing.

Safe-T planed the back of the headstock. I have left more than ample material for the volute.

I used a gouge and a rasp to get a rough carving of the volute.

This picture makes it look like I really screwed up

automan · #8 09-20-2009, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Awesome detail ring in the truss rod slot!

DSB1 · #9 09-20-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by automan

Awesome detail ring in the truss rod slot!

Thank you! This has always been one of my favorite areas on an instrument.

farfadet · #10 09-21-2009, 06:16 AM

Great build so far! And thanks for posting all these pictures; i'm planning on doing a 4 string multiscale in the near future and always had some hard time figuring in my head how the end of the fingerboard and the angle headstock meet together.
>

DSB1 · #11 09-21-2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farfadet

Great build so far! And thanks for posting all these pictures; i'm planning on doing a 4 string multiscale in the near future and always had some hard time figuring in my head how the end of the fingerboard and the angle headstock meet together.
>

It's easy, just make a continuation of the line the nut goes on and use that...not really any different than cutting a regular headstock. It's worth the extra effort, way better looking than when a multi-scale neck does not have a headstock like that and has that awkward triangle between the nut and where the headstock actually tips back!

DSB1 · #12 09-23-2009, 02:48 PM

I fashioned a homemade robosander of sorts and used it to shape my headstock. I usually cut them out with a coping saw and use sandpaper and rasps to shape them...I will use the robosander method from now on since it is more accurate and less time consuming.

My "robosander"

Headstock

Side "dots"

I also finished up a bass today...

jworrellbass · #13 09-23-2009, 03:06 PM

Sweet, whats the top wood?

grifff · #14 09-23-2009, 03:09 PM

I love the top on that finished one.

vbasscustom · #15 09-23-2009, 04:52 PM

whoa thats awsome. love the heel carve

DSB1 · #16 09-23-2009, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jworrellbass

Sweet, whats the top wood?

Thank you, it's ebony. I'm surprised how close the color of the sapwood in the ebony matches the cedar...practically the same.

DSB1 · #17 09-23-2009, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vbasscustom

whoa thats awsome. love the heel carve

Thank you, it's a signature of sorts.

pilotjones · #18 09-23-2009, 07:41 PM

Very interesting with the slanted grain of the ash fretboard. Can't wait to see how that looks attached to a body, and with the fanned frets.

The finished one looks nice. Is that a cocobolo core?

DSB1 · #19 09-23-2009, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotjones

Very interesting with the slanted grain of the ash fretboard. Can't wait to see how that looks attached to a body, and with the fanned frets.

The finished one looks nice. Is that a cocobolo core?

Thank you...I'm sure the bass police are going to pay me a visit for not only using ash for the fingerboard but flatsawn ash

It is cocobolo. As hard and heavy as cocobolo it works quite nicely. Ebony just sucks to work with no matter what

DSB1 · #20 09-30-2009, 01:27 PM

Quick update...I haven't worked on this bass much, my attention has turned to a really fun guitar project. In this update I have resawn the piece of walnut that will make the treble side body wing. The resaw is to later glue the same piece on after I have cut out the cavity cover.

Before it was resawn.

Sliced 5/16ths off the back which will become the cavity cover later.

The cavity cover has been cut out and rests in place. Next I will glue the back piece back onto the core after I carefully mask around where the cavity cover goes to avoid squeeze out.