FatStrings Shortscale Flying V Build

[FatStrings]

This is my latest project that I'm building for a friend. It's basically a Gibson shape but built like a Fender. Bolt on slab neck and single coil pups. This is the first build that I'll make the neck too.

It will be similar to my Strat bass dimension wise. Same neck width and scale. I even use a Musicmaster bridge. You can see my Strat bass build here
Strat style shortscale bass build

Here's the CAD drawing that I'll be building to

[FatStrings]

Cherry was chosen for the body wood. The bass will most likely be painted so the grain isn't important. I really like working with cherry. It machines real nice and has a good medium density feel to it.

This slab of rough cut American cherry was around $20 at my local hardwood supplier, Highland Hardwoods in Brentwood NH. They have several shelves full of 3-4' long cutoffs of many different species of woods. The place is like a candy store to me

[FatStrings]

First I have to make an accurate template so that I can do a layout on the plank. This is thick poster board and I just mounted a pen in my machine to do the outline.

[FatStrings]

I decided to layout the body halves like the original Gibson V's were. The grain will be at an angle to the center glue joint instead of parallel.



I cut out the basic shape. It's starting to look like a Flying V already!

[ksihawk7]

subscribed.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Great build.

Totally OT, but I always love it when I see a Series I in anyones workspace. IMHO one of the best machines ever designed.

Regards
Sam

[moonshinegtrs]

Subscribed.

Moonshine

[FatStrings]

Originally Posted by T-Bird

Hi.

Great build.

Totally OT, but I always love it when I see a Series I in anyones workspace. IMHO one of the best machines ever designed.

Regards
Sam

Thanks Sam

Yeah. I love my Bridgeport mill! especially with the ProtoTRAK Edge control. Makes it a 2 axis conversational CNC. Quite handy.

[FatStrings]

I don't have a jointer, and for this part of the build, a hand plane doesn't appeal to me much. So I put the cutout halves on my machine table and side mill the joint with a nice new sharp endmill. It gets a really straight and smooth cut.



I decided to strengthen the body joint with a sort of biscuit. I mount the halves perpendicular to the machine table with a large angle block and mill out a 1/4" channel in each halve.

[FatStrings]

Another look at the milled out channel.



Here I mill out the biscuit itself out of a scrap of the cherry. The two pieces will make one long wedge when glued in.

[FatStrings]

It sits in like so




This shape is kind of awkward to clamp while gluing. So I glued these scraps on to help out.

[FatStrings]

Body pieces ready for gluing.



Here it is glued and clamped. I like to leave these things overnight when I can just to be safe.

[Stealth]

This already looks awesome.

What will the pickups be like? Same as your Strat-style?

[giacomini]

Cool!

Subbed.

[joeyl]

very nice indeed, I will follow this

[FatStrings]

Originally Posted by Stealth

This already looks awesome.

What will the pickups be like? Same as your Strat-style?

Yes, almost identical.

Originally Posted by giacomini

Cool!

Subbed.

Originally Posted by joeyl

very nice indeed, I will follow this

Thank you!

[Vincent P]

Subscribed. This looks like it will be an interesting build.

[FatStrings]

Ok, glue dried. I've cut off the clamping scraps, double sided tapped to the machine table and skimmed the top nice and flat with a fly cutter. Ready to profile the body shape.

[FatStrings]

Body profiled and my program center hole milled. This will help me find my center again, should I move the machine head in or out or if I happen to lose electricity while running a program ( happens ever so often around these parts).



Got the Strat style input jack recess, control holes, bridge mounting holes and pickup ring holes in.

[FatStrings]

Added pickup recesses and the neck pocket. It's starting to look cool!!