Build #2...Yummy walnut short scale

[devo_stevo]

I'm about half way through building my second bass, and decided that I might as well post some pics here for everyone to see.

This one is quite a bit different from my first one so it's almost like doing it all again for the first time. Here's the specs...

30" scale, bolt on neck
One piece locally harvested figured walnut body.
three piece maple, mahogony, maple neck
Pale moon ebony fretboard...fretted
John Worrell humbucker pickup
Passive tone and volume controls
Hipshot B-style bridge (black)
Hipshot ultra-lite tuners (black)

And here's a couple of pics showing you where things are at right now.





Comments and criticisms are of course most welcome.

[ksihawk7]

I'm looking forward to seeing this bass completed. Looks great so far!

[devo_stevo]

Originally Posted by ksihawk7

I'm looking forward to seeing this bass completed. Looks great so far!

thanks for the kind words.

[devo_stevo]

It's cold here. Woke up to 2° and about 8" of snow. It's only supposed to get up to 12° today. This is going to have to take a break for a bit until it warms up. It was 57° on Saturday. Utah is strange sometimes.

[SDB Guitars]

Originally Posted by devo_stevo

It's cold here. Woke up to 2° and about 8" of snow. It's only supposed to get up to 12° today. This is going to have to take a break for a bit until it warms up. It was 57° on Saturday. Utah is strange sometimes.

I know, right? I live in Coeur d'Alene, ID (straight north of you), and it was fairly warm on Saturday, and this morning it was 2° when I drove to work, and we had ~6" of powder as of last night... crazy, man!

[devo_stevo]

I've heard about what a beautiful place Coeur d'Alene is. If it's half as nice as everyone says, you're a lucky man.

It does seem that the weatherman was a bit off though, it's warmed up to a balmy 17° here at lunch time.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

[steve_rolfeca]

That is going to be an extremely pretty instrument.

Just a thought: is it just me, or does the wide crown on the headstock look a touch "heavy", given the slender shape of the body?

I'm wondering if it might look more balanced if the curves of the headstock were laid out in the same general shape, but tapered so that the top corners were a little narrower.

[gbarcus]

I got a couple of John's pickups too. They have a nice growl to them.

[tjclem]

Originally Posted by SDB Guitars

I know, right? I live in Coeur d'Alene, ID (straight north of you), and it was fairly warm on Saturday, and this morning it was 2° when I drove to work, and we had ~6" of powder as of last night... crazy, man!

Damn guys thats freakin' COLD!

[devo_stevo]

Originally Posted by tjclem

Damn guys thats freakin' COLD!

Yeah it gets a little old sometimes. It's gonna be colder tonight.

I'll take a look at the headstock too. I've been pretty happy with it though. I think the photo makes it look bigger than it is in person.

[Hawkbone]

Man that's looking great! I dig the headstock. Might be a little large, but I only think that after looking at it after reading Steve's comments. Didn't jump out as large when I 1st looked at it.

The body curves appear a little choppy, but maybe it's lighting. How did you lay out the curves on the wood? I would use CAD and then print the smoothed curves and glue them to the wood. Bandsaw to just outside the line and then sand to the line. If you don't have CAD, splines and French curves can give you just as smooth a curve. You an do ok with a thin piece of oak or any wood stiff enough to bend in a smooth curve, and use a compass for tighter curves.

Look fwd to seeing it come together.

[jmorbita]

subscribing!

[devo_stevo]

Thanks for the kind words fellas.

I laid eveything out with AutoCAD. Then did exactly what you suggested. It's not perfect and I may adjust the shape a bit on future versions.

This one is going to take a while to finish as I have other things to pay for at the moment and it's to dang cold to do any finishing until spring. That just means that I can take my time and do it right.

[s_mcsleazy]

nice docs

[Hawkbone]

Originally Posted by devo_stevo

I laid eveything out with AutoCAD. Then did exactly what you suggested. It's not perfect and I may adjust the shape a bit on future versions.

Is the curve a bit rough though, or is it just the picture? Was your curve in AutoCAD smooth? Was it a Spline, Polyline, or arc and line segments? There are variables in AutoCAD to control curve smoothness.

[devo_stevo]

Originally Posted by Hawkbone

Is the curve a bit rough though, or is it just the picture? Was your curve in AutoCAD smooth? Was it a Spline, Polyline, or arc and line segments? There are variables in AutoCAD to control curve smoothness.

I used a spline. It's not as pointy as the picture makes it look. The less than smoot nature of te thing is probably my less than perfect woodworking skills. I run AutoCAD much better than I do a bandsaw and sander.

[devo_stevo]

Originally Posted by s_mcsleazy

nice docs

Thanks! Love those boots. I've had them since 1999 and they still keep on keepin' on.

[Hawkbone]

Originally Posted by devo_stevo

I run AutoCAD much better than I do a bandsaw and sander.

haha! yeah, likewise. An older buddy of mine once told me if I can draw it I should be able to build it, but getting good at building is a lot harder than getting good at drawing.

[devo_stevo]

Between the holidays and a bunch of other stuff happening, I haven't got much done on this thing yet, but I did get the control cavity routed and a cover made. I still need to rout the shelf for the cover a bit deeper and do a bit more sanding and shaping on the cover, but it's coming along nicely. Much better than my first one.

[gnarlyopossum]

I love the look of walnut for a bass! Also, regarding temperature, I grew up in WI and now live in IA. I think I feel your pain with the cold. There was a point last winter where the windchill was -40 degrees for about a week.