7 String Single Cut, Carved top/Chambered Koa/Maple

strangedejavu · #1 02-15-2010, 05:05 PM

For some reason this bass was not working as a single cut 6 for me with a purple heart center, so I took the top, scratched the old build thread and decided to share what the top from the old bass (after some cutting and carving) has started to become...

After many hours of working this weekend I have come up with the following.

Here are the specs:

7 String
34" Scale
2 1/4 at the nut
4" at the 24th fret
Four piece body (curly maple, Sapele, curly maple, and spalted curly koa)
five piece laminated neck of koa, curly maple, and mahogany
curly koa headstock veneers
Curly maple fretboard w/koa binding (courtesy of Mike)
Gold Evo Fretwire
Hipshot bridge
Sperzel tuners
bartolini g6 pickups

NOTE: The back and top are seperate to accomadate to the chambering to be done next weekend.

strangedejavu · #2 02-15-2010, 05:08 PM

These pictures do not do the maple justice but here it is with the beginning carve started, I am waiting on my fretboard to cut the neck so I am avoiding the cutout currently.

strangedejavu · #3 02-15-2010, 05:10 PM

Please give me as much feedback both positive and negative on this build as possible, I want to make it as perfect as possible. Already it is one of the more comfortable bodies I have designed, it feels great especially sitting down...

After looking at the ramirez bass builds I am now debating on giving a set neck a shot.... any pointers?

strangedejavu · #4 02-28-2010, 07:58 PM

found a piece of extremely curly koa for the neck... made the neck blank...

Curly maple, hondo mah. and book matched curly koa in the middle

quick question is a 3/4" neck blank going to be thick enough?! getting it all squared was a b**** and I lost lots of meat... If it will not be thick enough no worries, I can add a layer under the fretboard

Rickett Customs · #5 02-28-2010, 08:01 PM

Nice, it sounds like alot of fun...

strangedejavu · #6 02-28-2010, 08:01 PM

update on all the projects:

spalt maple w/burl back fretted 6, paduak fretless 6, and the koa

AltGrendel · #7 03-01-2010, 11:20 AM

Think I'm going to follow this one.

strangedejavu · #8 04-06-2010, 02:23 PM

Okay so Easter weekend I was finally able to get back into the shop and get my bodies together... I opted away from the carved maple top and decided to put a book matched curly spalted piece of koa on top with a maple lam... NOTE: I will be inlaying a piece of curly maple down the seam on both the front and the back of the bass!

strangedejavu · #9 04-06-2010, 02:25 PM

Today I will be routing the control cavities for both of these basses and cutting the scarf joints for the necks... The spalted maple/burl bass gets a 5 piece curly maple/paduak neck...

John Ruiz · #10 04-06-2010, 03:02 PM

I'm working on a bass with a curly maple/paduak neck right now. It makes an awesome combo!

Colledge123 · #11 04-06-2010, 06:02 PM

beautiful wood on both of them.
(thats what she said)

Dream Weaver · #12 04-06-2010, 07:25 PM

The grain pattern in that neck is HOT!!! Soooo sexy....

strangedejavu · #13 08-09-2010, 08:34 PM

how about an update... disregard the rough cut headstock and pen marks on the body... will look better when finished carving and cleaned up

strangedejavu · #14 08-09-2010, 08:35 PM

more pics

strangedejavu · #15 08-09-2010, 08:37 PM

one more

BassCycle · #16 08-09-2010, 08:44 PM

The pics are tiny. But from what I can see, I like it so far.

strangedejavu · #17 08-09-2010, 08:49 PM

thanks, they are the biggest talkbass would let me attach... they are a bit bigger when you click on the thumbnails

BassCycle · #18 08-09-2010, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strangedejavu

thanks, they are the biggest talkbass would let me attach... they are a bit bigger when you click on the thumbnails

Even the attachments look small. I'd suggest using an offsite server, like flickr.com or photobucket.com to store some bigger pics, and then link to them in the forum using the tags.

erikbojerik · #19 08-11-2010, 06:27 PM

Looks great so far!

What's your electronics plan?

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Ruiz

I'm working on a bass with a curly maple/paduak neck right now. It makes an awesome combo!

You may already know this, but it can be really really really difficult to keep the red padauk dust out of the maple, and really really really easy to wind up with a pink maple neck in the process. It does look dynamite when well done.

strangedejavu · #20 08-11-2010, 06:31 PM

Thanks alot for the kind words

I have a couple sets of just bartolini G6's, one for each of these basses, I was going to have a custom set made but I am super broke at the moment... I am thinking about doing a bart preamp (any other suggestions would be great but I have used barts in the past in my old basses and I had good success) and a ghost system with midi and acoustiphonic kit in the 7 string...

In regards to the padauk and maple, it is a very tough combo, but if taken carefully it looks incredible in the end!