Compact J-style Bass - Page 2

CH Design · #21 12-18-2012, 07:25 PM

Body routing template is ready.

neptoon · #22 01-07-2013, 06:31 PM

I am really digging this...are you going to stay with standard thickness? I had talked to greg curbow about doing a crazy tiny and _thin_ j bass like his old rockwood petites that had the pickups secured from the back...and a nearly arched top like a fender aerodyne...now i am just wishing out loud...sweet bass...

CH Design · #23 01-08-2013, 05:13 AM

Thanks. I actually cut a taper on my bodies so they are thicker at the bridge end. Right now this one goes from 1.65" down to 1.35" (at the tip of the longest horn). So I guess on average yes, it's going to be thinner.
I've done a little more work on this project, but not enough to bother posting pics yet. I hope to have most of the routing and sanding done in the next two weeks. Then I have to decide if I want to colour it or just leave it natural.
I think I've selected the neck and fingerboard. I'm toying with the idea of a wenge neck (I know, not very J like of me) and a BEM fingerboard. I don't think I've ever seen that combination of woods used before. Should be interesting!

neptoon · #24 01-08-2013, 06:12 AM

either way, it looks really cool...i have always wanted a jazz, but they have always felt awful in my hands...i had a lakland darryl jones that was ok, but it was the 5 string iteration and it didn't last long...the 4 string, on the other hand, was a sweet bass...i think your's is going to be a winner

CH Design · #25 01-08-2013, 08:10 AM

I hope it turns out well. Time will tell.
It's been a while since I've held a DJ 4-string, but I think this is going to end up being a good bit smaller than that.

neptoon · #26 01-08-2013, 09:02 AM

now i'm really interested

neptoon · #27 01-08-2013, 09:11 AM

ever see tha lakland 44-75? after they got rid of the darryl jones sig, it showed up on their site as a US model...pretty cool, but different

CH Design · #28 01-08-2013, 11:28 AM

I've never seen one up close. I thought it was the same design and they just changed the name. Are there differences other than the obvious cosmetic changes?

neptoon · #29 01-08-2013, 11:53 AM

I think they just changed the shape of the horns...maybe even just the upper horn...that difference sticks out the most to me

CH Design · #30 01-08-2013, 03:39 PM

You think? Looks to me like a bad pic or crop job on that photo. The current DJ's look the same as the old ones so I'd be surprised if they really made any significant changes especially since the originals were so well liked.

neptoon · #31 01-08-2013, 04:54 PM

When they dropped the DJ line they had to discontinue the body style...i think for a bit darryl jones went back to a basses or something or another...the bass i posted was a us model called the 44-75...i agree, though, it does look like a paint shop job

the new dj basses are the same as the old ones other than some different finish colors...they wanted to maintain a small bodied jazz in their line because of the popularity of the dj but couldn't use the dj shape because it was used with permission

CH Design · #32 01-08-2013, 06:35 PM

Ah. That makes sense.
Do you have or know anyone with a DJ4? It would be interesting to compare a few measurements to see how much smaller mine will be.

neptoon · #33 01-08-2013, 07:06 PM

I don't own one...i had a 5 a few years back

neptoon · #34 01-13-2013, 05:12 PM

Looking forward to some progress as it occurs

CH Design · #35 01-13-2013, 09:17 PM

Ask and you shall receive!

Body routing is almost done. I decided to go with a set of Nordy Big Singles.

To give you a better idea if the size, here is the body with a 4-string Jazz bass pick guard.

And here is the rough cut neck and fingerboard (maybe).

neptoon · #36 01-14-2013, 04:42 AM

the pic with the pickguard tells a lot of the story...love the way this is going...you might have to build me one of those, bro...seriously...is this going to be a 5 string?

CH Design · #37 01-14-2013, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neptoon

the pic with the pickguard tells a lot of the story...love the way this is going...you might have to build me one of those, bro...seriously...is this going to be a 5 string?

Yup. Headless 5-string with a 33" scale and 21 frets.
Although it's quite small, it isn't going to be a feather weight. The unfinished body still weighs in at 4.3 lbs.

I've been thinking about colour options. Right now I'm leaning towards black grain with a "Brilliant Crimson" on top. Do these steps seem right?

- Dye entire body black (using water soluable aniline dyes)
- Sand to expose some bare wood
- Grain fill with clear epoxy to help seal in the black dye and prevent bleeding
- Sand to expose some bare wood
- Dye entire body crimson
- Apply polyurethane finish and buff/polish (just going for a satin finish, not a high gloss)

neptoon · #38 01-14-2013, 06:35 AM

sounds like it is going to come out looking pretty cool...i'm a fan of those finishes

neptoon · #39 01-18-2013, 05:38 AM

going to be knocking out some more of this over the long weekend?

CH Design · #40 01-18-2013, 09:19 AM

I wish!
No long weekend for us Canadians

I should have some time to make some progress though. I've got the neck blank ready to trim and I should be picking up the dyes for the body tomorrow. The dying process will be slow though. I've got to figure out a process that gives me the look I want on a scrap piece of wood before I touch the body.

After that unfortunately progress will slow down. I was going to order a fretboard because I'm not set up to cut fret slots yet. But.... I might just take the time and get my small table saw set up so I can make my own.