First build for someone else! Jazz bass!

dave-chaulk · #1 10-09-2010, 09:04 PM

So, I'm building this jazz as a present for a lady-friend's father.

background (this might get mocked, but no worries)
met a girl on photography website two years ago from the USA. internet and telephone communications ensued, verification that she was not a 500 pound man living in mother's bass-ement was attained. she came to stay with me for a while this summer, and I decided to build her father a bass as a nice gesture for trusting me enough to care for his daughter for half a month

relevant background
her dad played bass for very many years on an unlined 70'something fender precision, but he gave it to a family friend quite some time ago. the only bass in their house right now is a fretted Ibanez something-or-other, with two humbuckers and roundwound strings - essentially the opposite of what he wants.

present-day
I decided to build a pine-bodied, maple neck, unlined maple FB, J/P (jazz in neck position, P in... P position, nothing at the bridge). Ebay bridge+tuners, since I'm still a poor kid.

my hair and epic boat pose are ready;

sadly, a lot was done un-photographed, so I'll just show where I am now;

__HM__ · #2 10-09-2010, 09:18 PM

Love it! I dig the simple round off at the end of the fretboard. And the body stripe! Yum!

dave-chaulk · #3 10-09-2010, 09:39 PM

Thanks a lot, man. the padauk in the body is a lot brighter/more red in reality, but it's hard to get good pictures inside. I'm trying to keep it simple. I always leave a fingerboard overhang, just in case I mess up routing. I haven't yet, but you never know...

THORRR · #4 10-09-2010, 09:44 PM

That's a beautiful bass you're building.

Now we need a pic of the girl who inspired all this.

Also, just out of curiosity, why is the neck screwplate off to one side?

K-ALEMAN · #5 10-09-2010, 09:48 PM

Very nice. That's a pretty cool gift.

__HM__ · #6 10-09-2010, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave-chaulk

Thanks a lot, man. the padauk in the body is a lot brighter/more red in reality, but it's hard to get good pictures inside. I'm trying to keep it simple. I always leave a fingerboard overhang, just in case I mess up routing. I haven't yet, but you never know...

Nothing wrong with that, better safe than sorry! I'm an overhang fan myself, and not just because I have one.

(That was a fat joke, btw.

)

tracer03 · #7 10-09-2010, 09:55 PM

I'll echo the previous poster's sentiments - it's a great gesture, and a beautiful bass so far. The contrast in the grain and center strip is strikingly beautiful. Can't wait to see it finished.

Not to be nit-picky, but....does the body - where the neck meets - come out a little further on the 'bottom' side (as you're looking at the front of the bass - the right side) than the other? Is that intentional? Or is that just a trick of the angle of the picture?

**colcifer** · #8 10-09-2010, 09:58 PM

Please don't route that! Put a piezo under the bridge and send it strait to a strap button jack (ala acoustic guitar).

dave-chaulk · #9 10-09-2010, 10:23 PM

Tracer - yes, it does... that'll be taken away soon enough, I just wanted to make sure the neck pocket/bridge placement was alright... it's taken apart already, hah. though I'll leave a little bit more than you would see on a fender, just because I like it ;-)

and the neck-plate is off to one side because before I built this body, I had a body that I built and painted for this same purpose.. turns out I suck at painting, so I built this one instead. from that body, the holes were drilled to that location. That is a very poorly written paragraph, but I think you get the point. I'm very bad at writing these days, hah.

and Thor, I'd post her picture but I don't know how she'd feel about it, hah. definitely wouldn't care, but you never can tell.... women.

t0t0m · #10 10-09-2010, 10:58 PM

GOOD JOB Man...a little training you can even be Mike Tobias.
wish you luck with your relationship

dave-chaulk · #11 10-10-2010, 09:36 AM

Hah, thanks a lot man.

mhead · #12 10-10-2010, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colcifer

Please don't route that! Put a piezo under the bridge and send it strait to a strap button jack (ala acoustic guitar).

I second that, it is beautiful as it is.

Omnipharious · #13 10-10-2010, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhead

I second that, it is beautiful as it is.

I second that second. It looks great, so simple, and clean.

rdrr · #14 10-10-2010, 09:47 AM

Loving the pine and padauk combo, great job.

mellowgerman · #15 10-10-2010, 09:52 AM

Very nice. Here's hoping that someday my kid's significant other will build me a bass

BananaKing · #16 10-10-2010, 09:56 AM

I really like it.

The Pine looks a lot like ash with all the figuring going on here. It's cool.

gnarlyopossum · #17 10-10-2010, 10:03 AM

If I had a daughter, I'd totally let you date her. In case that ever happens, I like walnut or oak best.

dave-chaulk · #18 10-10-2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnarlyopossum

If I had a daughter, I'd totally let you date her. In case that ever happens, I like walnut or oak best.

I've got some oak in the shed... just sayin'.

And thanks for all the feedback guys. I really want to do piezo on it, now, but I've already bought the pickups and - being a kid with no job (any more) - I don't have the money to order one.

trayner1 · #19 10-10-2010, 03:57 PM

Y'know...for a Newfie, you're not that bad...that's pretty sweet looking, IMO. I love how simple it is

DanSwain · #20 10-10-2010, 05:00 PM

Great work Dave! Plus a nice story to back it up...it certainly gives more depth to the instrument, that personal connection that turns it into art