6 string fretless macassar padouk walnut

[pushifier]

Just started my third build. It has been a while since I got a little kid. But man.. it's like coming home again:

specs:
-6 string fretless 35 inch scale
-neck: brazilian mahogany; andaman padouk binding; macassar ebony fretboard
-headstock: walnut core; maple/macassar veneer both sides
-body: black walnut core; maple veneer; andaman padouk; rosewood back
-hardware: tuners: hipshot ultralight; custom kent armstrong split p in soupbar housing; kent armstrong ksbt preamp

It is going to be the same model like mine second build:


Macassar top

Rosewood back:

Body sandwich (maple fineer is going between all layers)


Trussrod (gibson style; round routed so the trussrod is really tight in the wood)

[Mr_Music90]

Wow, that looks beautiful! I hope your bass won't be heavy or has a neck dive..

[pushifier]

Thank you!
The body is going to just 30mm so it won't be that heavy. For the neckdive, well the hipshots ultra lights help. Also the upper horn(total wing) will be 20 mm to the front(headstock) in comparison to my second build.

[pushifier]

Macassar ebony Fretboard flattened (that is a lot of work for a 6 string)


Neck is ready. Made the route of trussrod round and also the strip of wood is rounded. Trussrod is really snug in there

[Mr_Music90]

Fantastic!! Man, do I love Talkbass or what!! It's so awesome to see these kind of projects from people who ''aren't known like the big brands''. No offense saying this, I mean it as positive a possible Looking forward to see the end

[pushifier]

I went on cutting the fret slots with my stewmac fret slot box.
The macassar fretboard is way to wide. So I extend it with a MDF base plate:


The fretboard is 35 inch scale with 26 frets. Used the fret template from stewmac. Only that one goes up to 24 frets. So I calculated the last two frets. In the slots there going to be bloodwood veneer(fretless).

[pushifier]

Today I made all the bloodwood veneer and glued it in to the fretboard.

First I made the bloodwood to veneer thickness and cut it out:


Then the result:

[octaedro7]

That's hell of a fingerboard, man what a nice grain... Awesome work too!

[roberthabraken]

Cool! Hard stuff that Macassar, isn't it?

[pushifier]

The macassar is a beauty. Was so hard to find in this width and with this great grain. I had some other ebony fretboards selected, then I came across this one for a really fair price: sold!
Yes that macassar is really hard stuff. It is really hard to saw the fretslots once you come to depth. (got some biceps now) And the dust i like pepper in your nose pfff nasty.

[roberthabraken]

Originally Posted by pushifier

The macassar is a beauty. Was so hard to find in this width and with this great grain. I had some other ebony fretboards selected, then I came across this one for a really fair price: sold!
Yes that macassar is really hard stuff. It is really hard to saw the fretslots once you come to depth. (got some biceps now) And the dust i like pepper in your nose pfff nasty.

The dust killed the camera of my phone.. it's so unbelievably fine / tiny parts.. gets everywhere and indeed feels like sniffing pepper. But the result is so great! One of the greatest fingerboard woods I reckon.

[RedMoses]

Awesome Build! Sub'd

[thebandcircle]

This is going to get good..can't wait!

[pushifier]

Little update: sanded the bloodwood veneer on the fretboard:


Now it's time to glue it on the neck..

[roberthabraken]

Nice! Looking good! That Macassar and Bloodwood do match very well, execution is very nice, gonna look great.

[Matteo Marziali]

Love this fretboard!

[pushifier]

Fretboard is glued on:

First I used some dowels to position the board centered on the neck. First time I did this and it takes a lot of stress away from shifting when clamping the whole thing.

[pushifier]

Complete neck cutout on bandsaw:

There are going to be andaman padauk bindings 3mm on each side incl the length of headstock.

[sprocket123]

Gee , been off the forum for a while , just saw this thread , You have some real nice project in there buddy !

[pushifier]

@sprocket thank you very much I really appreciate that.

Now some woodporn. Just received these 20 year dried macassar ebony from Germany. Each are 100cmx17cmx2cm, so that good for 4 tops