|  | | 
06-15-2012, 04:30 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | | FatStrings five string, Bass VI inspired...
I finally have some time to post one of my latest projects, a Fender Bass VI inspired five string bass. I just love the look of the originals, but don't have much use for one.
I'll be shooting for a real pre-CBS feel on this one. Nitro lacquer finish, thick tort pickguard and lots of chrome!
Here is my CAD drawing that I'll be working from. I like to build things in CAD first, it really helps eliminate a lot of guess work and mistakes. This drawing was very much done by "eye" and I'm quite sure none of these parts would fit a real Bass VI. If they did it would be a miracle!
As you may have guessed, I like to build basses that never were (but maybe should have been  )
You can also check out my other builds by following the links in my signature.  |
06-15-2012, 04:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | I'll start with the pickups. I was winding several sets at once for a few different projects. These will be A5 magnets, AWG 42 wire, push back leads and wound to around 8K ohms. RWRP for the middle p'up.
Bobbin material. Gray bottom and black for the tops. 
Machining the bobbins....  |
06-15-2012, 04:46 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | | |
06-15-2012, 05:06 PM
|  | Registered User
Exar went out of business, so... | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: PDX, OR | | | Groovy idea, and nice machining! |
06-16-2012, 11:48 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | | Thanks Bongo! |
06-16-2012, 11:57 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: South Jersey/Philly | | | Sub'd... gotta love a bass built from the ground up |
06-16-2012, 12:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | After brushing a few coats of lacquer to insulate the magnets, I've mounted the bobbin in my winding setup and let it spin! This pic is of a four string p'up, but otherwise identical. 
These came out nice. And vary from 7.8k -8.4k. I'll probably put the 8.4k in the bridge position.  |
06-16-2012, 12:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | After wrapping the coil in white cotton string, these have been wax potted. They're looking vintage already!   |
06-16-2012, 04:12 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2010 Location: Middletown, RI | | | Extremely cool! I'm really looking forward to watching this one come together, really enjoyed the other two also! |
06-16-2012, 07:10 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | Quote:
Originally Posted by natw42  Sub'd... gotta love a bass built from the ground up | I feel the same way! Quote:
Originally Posted by DWest1981 Extremely cool! I'm really looking forward to watching this one come together, really enjoyed the other two also! | Thank you DWest! I'm wicked glad your diggin' it  |
06-16-2012, 07:10 PM
|  | Progressive bass brony | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Zagreb, Croatia | | | The other two were amazing - I'm sure this one'll be too. Subbed.
__________________ Quote: |
Originally Posted by rtav Progressive Rock is like pornography - it can be hard to define but I know it when I hear it. | Quote:
Originally Posted by Nev375 Fission is like fusion, but the original genre is obliterated in the jazz process. | Brony bassist #42
|
06-16-2012, 07:14 PM
| | | | Sub'd, I LOOOVE your builds. What are you planning to use for the tremolo on this?
__________________
Anybody have some A1 Face Sauce handy? - iJazz
|
06-16-2012, 08:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Stealth The other two were amazing - I'm sure this one'll be too. Subbed. | Thanks for the vote of confidence man! Quote:
Originally Posted by ShiftyShift Sub'd, I LOOOVE your builds. What are you planning to use for the tremolo on this? | And thanks to you too! No trem planned for this build(IMO trems belong on guitars not basses  ), but I will have to make the bridge, as I don't think there is anything out there that looks even remotely right for this. |
06-17-2012, 01:04 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sydney Australia | | | you da man!
__________________
9pm; in the shed; thicknesser fired up; 8yo Daughter banging on the door... Quote: |
"DAD! I can't sleep coz you're making too much noise!"
| |
06-17-2012, 09:01 AM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by FatStrings Thanks for the vote of confidence man!
And thanks to you too! No trem planned for this build(IMO trems belong on guitars not basses ), but I will have to make the bridge, as I don't think there is anything out there that looks even remotely right for this. | Something like a modified Jaguar bridge I'm guessing?
__________________
Anybody have some A1 Face Sauce handy? - iJazz
|
06-17-2012, 01:54 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | Quote:
Originally Posted by reverendrally you da man! | Quote:
Originally Posted by ShiftyShift Something like a modified Jaguar bridge I'm guessing? | Yeah. Nothing fancy, just functional and cool looking. More of a combo design, but made from scratch. |
06-27-2012, 04:50 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | On to the body...
Here I've glued together a body blank from a few American Cherry scraps I had from previous builds. I'm recycling! 
I made a cardboard template to check the blank size and outline position. This should work nicely!  |
06-27-2012, 04:58 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southern NH | | Starting to mill the outside profile. The body is a little too wide to mill it all in one step, so I have to do the upper portion, slide the machine head out, then mill the lower portion.
It's starting to look like something already!! 
Pickup and control cavity done, along with pickguard and bridge holes.  |
06-27-2012, 05:09 PM
|  | Markus Orange loves you.
See profile for affiliations | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: California Coast | | Quote:
Originally Posted by natw42 Sub'd... gotta love a bass built from the ground up | Me too! Sub'd!
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by saltymonkey I'd shank a hobo to get that bass. | |
06-27-2012, 05:11 PM
|  | I seem to be a verb, an evolutionary process...
Audix Microphones, Epiphone Guitars | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA | | | Looking good! | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |
