First Build (Ziricote Content)

[frianbisher]

Well I am in the middle of my first build and I am loving it, although it is not without its frustrations for sure. I wonder who can spot my mistakes?

Anywho, here are some details.
Alder Body
Flame Maple Top
Maple Neck
Ziricote Fingerboard
Bartolini MM and Jazz PU Controls are Vol, Blend, Stacked Bass and Treble, and a mini switch for splitting
Gotoh Hardware
1.5" at the nut

I am also building an OM style acoustic guitar, I can make a build thread for it if there is interest but I know this is TalkBASS...Here's a teaser:

[IMG] 100_0817 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

Anyway, on the the bass, but first the mandatory hair check: (Note to self, take the plastic pieces out of the respirator so you don't suffocate)

[IMG] 100_0633 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here is the body cut out on the bandsaw. I just used standard glue up methods using Alaphatic and tons of clamps. To make my body shape I traced out a P bass template and messed with it a little...I think I accidentally invented a Lakland.

[IMG] 100_0629 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here's all the electronics I have so far...still waiting on the J for the neck.

[IMG] 100_0619 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG] 100_0620 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here you can see the Ziricote fingerboard and the maple neck shaped and the truss rod route. To cut the fret slots I used a slotted jig that was attached the the fingerboard with a vacuum pump...wish I had pics of it. The just simply run the board over a table saw with the Stew Mac fret slotting blade.

[IMG] 100_0632 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

[frianbisher]

Here is the neck and fretboard all glued up. There is still some remaining wood to be trimmed off the fretboard using a router table with a top bearing bit.

[IMG] 100_0631 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

A lot of progress in this pic. Pick up holes were routed using templates and double sided tape, abalone dots placed in their location and glued in the CA glue, neck pocket routed using MDF to guide the router.

[IMG] 100_0743 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

I hand carved the neck using a rasp, chisel and a spindle sander. You can also see the control cavity which I probably went overboard on, but I was worried about having enough space to fit all the electronics.

[IMG] 100_0760 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

And a view from the back once the neck was bolted on

[IMG] 100_0757 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

Another view of the top showing the location of the controls

[IMG] 100_0752 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

And here you can see me doing fretwork with a trusty fretting hammer. I used a dremel to get the fret slots to their proper size.

[IMG] 100_0820 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

[iamlowsound]

Looking good, hard to believe that it is your first build. I wouldn't mind seeing your build methods on the acoustic.

lowsound

[frianbisher]

Thanks lowsound. I hope this helps inspire new builders. I am guy with next to no woodworking experience taking things one step at a time.

I am more than willing to post build pics of my acoustic if there is enough interest. It is really eye opening to see everything that is going on under the hood of these instruments as far as bracing and kerfing goes...It's a ton of fun too.

[frianbisher]

The whole bass has been finish sanded and it looks like I'll be in the spray booth early next week. I was thinking of doing a natural finish with maybe a slight honey tint to it. On the other hand part of me wants trans blue or trans orange. I think trans blue would either look super awesome, or it could be completely horrid. Any ideas guys?

[Dirk Diggler]

Clear or honey, that's nice looking wood that deserves to be shown.
Nice job on the bass too.
Dirk

[jmorbita]

It's looking really nice, and all seems very tidy too!

so what are the "mistakes" we should have spotted?

there has already been different instruments other than basses posted in this forum, I don't see why you shouldn't start a thread for the acoustic!

[frianbisher]

Well, it probably isn't evident from the photos, but the neck pocket is a tid bit loose so I have to be really careful that the neck is aligned when I bolt it on. Also you probably can't see it, but there is a plug in the control cavity held in by epoxy because I routed it way too deep the first time. I managed to make a nice plug and all is well...live and learn. Also one of my abalone dots is not right on center. All in all I am pretty happy since this is my first one.

More pics to come after the finish booth. I am pretty much set on natural with a tint of honey. Also keep your eyes peeled for a build thread about the acoustic. I just put some really sweet ebony binding on it...the most frustrating thing I have ever done but it turned out okay.

[frianbisher]

After a long wait, it is finally time for finish. I died the maple with a dye so that it will hopefully pop some more. I am going to be doing a trans blue finish with a black burst around the edges. I am also considering adding a teal color to make it a three tone burst.

Here it is after two wash coats and a top coat. Nitro with a hvlp gun. The tinting is from my cameras auto color setting or what have you.

[IMG] 100_0864 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

Three top coats:

[IMG] 100_0867 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

And finally five top coats. Tomorrow I will be sanding it down and I have some hope that I will be able to add some color.

[IMG] 100_0866 by frianbisher, on Flickr[/IMG]

[frianbisher]

I know I said I was going to go all natural, but I couldn't resist the chance to do some color. Here she is right after being colorized.


100_0877 by frianbisher, on Flickr

And here it is after a couple more top coats. You can see that I should have sprayed a little heavier, but I did some more coats later and started to feel like I knew what I was doing. I also had a vision quest into a wall due to a not so good fitting respirator.


100_0880 by frianbisher, on Flickr

[frianbisher]

Here she is almost done. It sounds amazing but I am having a bit of a problem with the volume pot which I am hopefully going to resolve tomorrow. It seems the volume pot does nothing at all although I followed the schematic to a T. I am also going to the shop tomorrow to do a final set-up and finish making the nut. I am pretty happy with my first build but I can't wait to start another.

The seymore duncan was just a stand in until my other Bartolini arrived today.

I think next time I will keep things simple and do a solid color fretless, with one pickup or maybe jazz pickups.


100_0902 by frianbisher, on Flickr


100_0900 by frianbisher, on Flickr


100_0903 by frianbisher, on Flickr

[Slappin'Da Bass]

Beautiful! Congratulations.