First Build: SC5 Headless

fretless_guy · #1 09-04-2011, 07:35 PM

My other thread is getting a little confusing with all of the wood pics that I haven't done anything with, so I thought I would start a fresh thread for my first real build.

Here are the details:
Single Cut 5-String Headless (my own design)
Body: 2-Piece Northern Ash (1-3/4" Thick)
Bridge: Hipshot (3/4" String Spacing)
Pickups: Nordstrand Big Singles
Scale: 33"

Other details to follow as I get further into the build.

The design was done using Solid Edge CAD software. I've had it drawn for a while now and have just been fine tuning it to iron out some small details.

It's been finished for a few months and I have gone ahead and had some templates cut out on a CNC router table to help me with the build (Thanks Chris M. and Luke F.!).

More to follow ...

LowEndMan2112 · #2 09-04-2011, 07:47 PM

I'm watching this one! And when it's finished... can I come play her? Subbed

Kev2007 · #3 09-04-2011, 07:48 PM

Looks great, I like the design.

Preamp?

May we assume it's fretless, guy?

fretless_guy · #4 09-04-2011, 07:50 PM

One of my local lumber suppliers (KJP Select Hardwoods - Over 80 different species of Domestic and Exotic Hardwood Lumber, Plywood, Turning Blanks, Pen Blanks & More) had a sale on Ash (not Swamp Ash) and I was able to find an 8/4 board that was +8" wide and around 8 ft long. It was long enough to get three body blanks out of. Unfortunately, one of those blanks ended up with a crack in one of the pieces, so I'm down to two. Here is a pic of the blank that I decided to use for this build.

I found someone that had a planer and drum sander who was willing to help me out. My body design is on the small side so I was able to use his 13" DELTA benchtop planer to thickness the body blank (I had to cut it down to 13" wide). His planer is equipped with a Byrd SHELIX cutting head. The planer did a better job than drum sander (smoother surface finish). He was able to get this body blank and a few other pieces I had with me down to +/- 0.005" of the thicknesses I asked for. If I start to do any substantial wood working in the future I would consider getting a similar machine with a SHELIX cutting head instead of a planer and drum sander to save on shop space and money.

fretless_guy · #5 09-04-2011, 08:04 PM

This week I got the body cut out and trimmed using a few of my templates and pattern bits in my router. I also cut out the pickup cavities, the electronics cavity and the recess for the bridge. I still have a lot of sanding to do (and a few things to fix), but this is what it looks like now.

I figured out (the wrong way) that things will be easier the next time around if I change the order in which I do things. For example, because I cut out the pocket under the tuners at the same time as I was cutting out the body shape, I created a problem when it came time to put the chamfer on the top edge (because I didn't have the edge for my router bit's bearing to follow right at the end of the body). I also found it hard to cut out the recess for the bridge because the recess is almost as big as my router base and there wasn't enough template surface to make sure the router stayed flat. I'll have to revise my template or make a bigger base for my router next time.

As it sits right now the body weighs in at 3.4 lbs. That's right about where I wanted it. Although this is going to be a headless bass, I don't want it to feel like one. Because of the small body design, I opted to use heavier than "normal" wood and a full 1-3/4" thick body to keep it from feeling too light. I have something in mind to add weight to the other end as well so that the bass balances similar to a headed bass.

fretless_guy · #6 09-04-2011, 08:13 PM

One thing that I've notice so far is my glue line. For some reason it really sticks out when I look at the body. I don't know if it's because it's really that noticeable, or if it's just me. I was very careful when I ran the pieces through my jointer so I know the pieces were very flat before they were glued together. I'm thinking it might be the glue. I'm using Titebond Polyurethane Liquid Glue. I'll probably continue to use it for the rest of the bass, but may switch to a water clear epoxy on my next build to see if that helps at all.

There should also be a radius at the bottom of the cutout for the tuners. I didn't have a 1/2" round nose cutter at the time so I just cut it flat. I've since found the right router bit so I should be able to put the radius in there on my next build. I may also go back and add it to this one and just make that little piece below the tuners a little thinner.

fretless_guy · #7 09-04-2011, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowEndMan2112

I'm watching this one! And when it's finished... can I come play her? Subbed

Absolutely. I was actually toying with the idea of sending it to a few people to get their feedback before moving on to another one. Seeing as you are local, I'm sure we could work something out.
Don't get too excited though. I work slow. I don't have the neck glued up yet and I want to let it sit for a few months after it's glued to make sure it doesn't do anything funny. I'm hoping to have it done by spring at the latest.

fretless_guy · #8 09-04-2011, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev2007

Looks great, I like the design.

Preamp?

May we assume it's fretless, guy?

It will probably get a preamp, but I'm not sure which one. I've used an Aguilar OBP3 in the past and liked it, but the electronics cavity is a little small. I'm not sure how much room I am going to have in there. I may try an EMG BQC control since they aren't that expensive and are pretty small.

I don't really want to skimp out on the hardware and electronics, but with the price of the bridge I have to cut back a little on other parts where I can.

Fretted or fretless? I'm not sure yet. Since I don't currently have any of the tools or skills required to fret a bass it's looking like it will be a fretless. Come to think of it, I also don't own a fretless bass so maybe it's about time I start living up to my screen name. However, my birthday and Christmas are coming. If I'm really good maybe I'll find a fret saw with a bow on it.

LowEndMan2112 · #9 09-04-2011, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fretless_guy

Absolutely. I was actually toying with the idea of sending it to a few people to get their feedback before moving on to another one. Seeing as you are local, I'm sure we could work something out.
Don't get too excited though. I work slow. I don't have the neck glued up yet and I want to let it sit for a few months after it's glued to make sure it doesn't do anything funny. I'm hoping to have it done by spring at the latest.

I'd be glad to give as much feedback as I could about the bass! Thinking of starting to try my hand at some building type stuff, so any input you can give on that once you're all done would be great.

Off topic... if the 3rd MB200 that I've tried to get my hands on doesn't slip from my reach and is still available, I might just take you up on your offer of letting me try yours!

fretless_guy · #10 09-04-2011, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowEndMan2112

I'd be glad to give as much feedback as I could about the bass! Thinking of starting to try my hand at some building type stuff, so any input you can give on that once you're all done would be great.

Off topic... if the 3rd MB200 that I've tried to get my hands on doesn't slip from my reach and is still available, I might just take you up on your offer of letting me try yours!

Ok. Just let me know when you find out if you have it or not. As long as you're realistic about what you want to do with it (it is only 200W @ 4 ohms), I don't think you'll be disappointed.

fretless_guy · #11 09-06-2011, 07:39 AM

I've decided that the neck is going to be a three piece laminate; Ash on the outsides with a strip of Jatoba in the center. I have two pieces of Jatoba (1-1/8" and 3/4") planed flat and ready to be laminated. I haven't completely decided which one I'll go with yet, but I'm leaning towards the wider piece.
The fretboard will be a 1/4" thick piece of Bloodwood. I know that's a little thinner than a lot of other people use, but I'm not going to radius it. I had a bass with a flat fingerboard and I really liked the way it felt. It will have 26 frets (or fret positions if I go fretless). I'm also going to put a piece of Bloodwood on the back of the neck where it meets the body to add a little contrast and allow me to use a thinner neck blank.
I should be able to get two necks out of the blank if all goes well. I'll post some pics of an unglued mockup at some point. I'm just waiting for a piece of 80/20 extruded aluminum to arrive so I have something that is straight and stiff to clamp the laminates too while the glue dries.
The neck will also have one double action truss rod. I'll probably go with one from LMII. I will not be adding any carbon fiber stiffening rods.

fretless_guy · #12 09-06-2011, 08:44 PM

So here are my three choices for the neck laminates

1/4" Jatoba

3/4" Jatoba

1-1/8" Jatoba

The fretboard (nothing fancy) ...

I'm assuming that this would be the best (i.e. stiffest) orientation for the ash (fretboard would be on the top). Is this right, or should the laminates be reversed?

dave-chaulk · #13 09-07-2011, 07:58 PM

Beautiful, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL work, my friend.
I am truly impressed, even more so with this being your first build!

metallutca · #14 09-07-2011, 08:56 PM

Love the design. Subscribed!

All the best, my friend

fretless_guy · #15 09-07-2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave-chaulk

Beautiful, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL work, my friend.
I am truly impressed, even more so with this being your first build!

Thanks Dave. I don't really think my work to date has been that impressive though. I'm pretty fortunate that I can design my own templates in CAD and have them cut out for me. I've made one glue joint and managed to follow some template with a pattern bit on a router. The real work is going to be in the neck. I've never tried carving something like that before. That part really scares me especially since my first build is going to be a set neck.

Yvarg · #16 09-07-2011, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fretless_guy

I'm assuming that this would be the best (i.e. stiffest) orientation for the ash (fretboard would be on the top). Is this right, or should the laminates be reversed?

That looks like the most stable way to orient the grain to me. Great looking first build!

fretless_guy · #17 09-08-2011, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvarg

That looks like the most stable way to orient the grain to me. Great looking first build!

Great. Thanks for confirming that for me. Hopefully I'll get a chance to glue them up tonight. I guess I'll have to order my truss rods soon.

fretless_guy · #18 09-08-2011, 05:57 AM

Just in case anyone was wondering, this is what my templates look like. They are all pretty simple. I try and get as many functions out of a template as I can. By attaching them to either the front or back of the blank, I can do the majority of the shaping. Since the templates aren't transparent (a major advantage to using polycarbonate or acrylic), I put 1/8" diameter holes along the centerline of the templates so that I can line them up with the centerline of the wood blank.

I really wasn't thinking when I designed the neck pocket template. It doesn't have a lot of good solid surface to support the router base and is a little flexy. I'll either have to be very careful when I use it, or I'll get a new one made.

These are the rest of the templates/jigs. The jigsaw puzzle looking one is a 12 deg. scarf joint jig.

gbarcus · #19 09-08-2011, 01:10 PM

I love using ash as a neck wood. Looking forward to your progress.

dave-chaulk · #20 09-08-2011, 01:14 PM

Don't worry about the neck carving - once you get going it just flows.