My "Chrome Rhino" 2nd bass build thread... plus questions

THIRSTYGUMS · #1 07-11-2006, 04:45 PM

Ok my first bass shaped up quite nicely so now im on to bass number two and im gonna hopefully iron out the bugs i ran into with the first one, such as bad construction order and finishing glitches.
Ok so:
35" scale, singlecut (

) 4 string fretless,
Cocobolo fingerboard (possibly epoxied)
Chrome hardware, passive electrics,
Dimarzio Jazz dp123 pickups, neutrik locking jack
through neck, all dark warm woods
possibly a wooden bridge a la ken lawrence, and a fishtail

Heres my pile of wood so far:

and heres a rough idea of what i want to end up with:

my question issssss
I cant seem to find any ziricote or nice streaky ebony for the top, does anyone know of any alternatives? Perhaps a dark stain on maple? or just use purpleheart? I would use crotch walnut if it was dark enough but i just cant get my hands on it.
I want to match all my woods to the beautiful cocobolo fingerboard i bought off Evilbay seller ronjosephguitars (seems to have vanished now)
any suggestions?

wilser · #2 07-11-2006, 05:33 PM

Try ebay. There's a seller called cook-woods that has some AMAZING streaked ziricote that's wide enough for tops. You'll need to resaw yourself or have it resawn.

BTW, looks like it's going to be a KILLER bass!

THIRSTYGUMS · #3 07-11-2006, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilser

Try ebay. There's a seller called cook-woods that has some AMAZING streaked ziricote that's wide enough for tops. You'll need to resaw yourself or have it resawn.

BTW, looks like it's going to be a KILLER bass!

Thanks W, only problem is the cost of having wood shipped from the USA to Ireland (hint: its HUGE!) I will probably just have to bite the bullet and order a big supply of everything im gonna need in the forseeable future!

Drake Kennedy · #4 07-11-2006, 09:52 PM

I plan on building something very similar to you, and I'm using wenge for the top. I think it'll look killer with purp. heart, I'm also using a purple lam.

Trevorus · #5 07-11-2006, 10:01 PM

Hey, look at those funky plugs on that power strip!!!

That's some cool wood. I can't wait to see the progress pics!

bassteban · #6 07-11-2006, 11:16 PM

Likin' the design. I always appreciate in-progress pics.

Thonk · #7 07-12-2006, 04:31 AM

Nice design kinda reminds me of a Benavente

i feel your pain on importing woods from the US (im based in the UK) all but the veneers im using for my SC have come from the US or CA and i think ive payed almost as much for the shipping and import dutys as i have for the woods....

ive been trying to source UK sellers of of exotic hardwood
the only places ive come across sofar that come close are

http://www.exotichardwoods.co.uk/
http://www.sykestimber.co.uk/hardwood.htm
http://www.dawsontimber.co.uk/

i'll send a few mails off for some quotes from them for my next build (which is going to be a 30" SC piccalo) once im done with the SC 6,the dawsontimber place is about a mile from my house i must have walked past it a million times and i never even knew i was there! i'll drop im sometime next month and see what they have kicking around

you could also try a evilbay seller called chitswood nice stuff but doesnt seem to have many wide cuts still might be worth mailing him to see what he has in stock

if you managed to find a good uk seller fire me a PM

Cheers
Thonk

Hambone · #8 07-12-2006, 07:17 AM

An easy find might be some zebrawood. That should be "streaky" enough for anybody.

THIRSTYGUMS · #9 07-12-2006, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevorus

Hey, look at those funky plugs on that power strip!!!

That's some cool wood. I can't wait to see the progress pics!

OOOOHHHHH it took me a day to figure out what you meant! Tripodular maaaaan!

Cerb · #10 07-12-2006, 07:38 AM

I definately give a thumbs up on the shape. Is the fish tail going to be as offset on the treble side in the final as it seems to be in that design? If so, I give a thumbs up to that as well. It's definately a refreshing change. Sorry, though, but I am of no help in the wood situation... US.

wilser · #11 07-12-2006, 08:34 AM

first of all I must say that I've never been to Ireland or any place in Europe for that matter, so I might be talking complete crap!

But, the woods that we're talking about are not native US woods. They come from your side of the atlantic, so there's really no reason you should be buying them from here other than in the US it's probably easier to find these exotic wood places on the web.

I'm sure not all of the ziricote and ebony comes to the US! You should shop around the local hardwood places, take a look at the yellow pages. You can sometimes be pleasantly surprised at what you'll find.

g00eY · #12 07-12-2006, 08:59 AM

i like it. cool design, very cool.

iamlowsound · #13 07-13-2006, 06:08 PM

Diggin the design.

lowsound

THIRSTYGUMS · #14 09-06-2006, 08:32 AM

Ok, i going to resurect this thread as i have made some changes to the design,
Finding Padauk and ziricote or ebony tops e.t.c has proved very difficult and needlessly expensive so i have changed plans:
the bass now resembles this:

here is the new version in line:

and the colour most likely to end up:

Now before you all say it, i know its very like the benavente! i have heard this two or three times and so the design will evolve some more before i start cutting

klocwerk · #15 09-06-2006, 09:04 AM

nice!

personally I'd slide the lower piece of wood back (towards the bridge) so that the majority of the burl gets used in the fat part of the body. Just a thought.

g00eY · #16 09-06-2006, 06:13 PM

nice. i like it more without the fish tail. do i see a doublecut version sketched in there on the wood? if so, i like that one the most, but that's just my opinion.

spudmaster34 · #17 09-06-2006, 06:33 PM

keep us up to date, I am lookin' forward to seeing how this turns out

Bigwan · #18 09-07-2006, 08:13 AM

There's a bit of JP influence in the wood sketches - the double cut's upper horn looks plume-like. Always wanted one of those... guess it's too late now

. You might have to just build me one JT!

DigthemLows · #19 01-30-2007, 12:10 PM

Anything ever happen with this one?

THIRSTYGUMS · #20 01-31-2007, 04:54 PM

Hi guys, this ones been shelved for now, im too busy with an 8 string guitar and doing college work e.t.c.
In fact it may take a loooong time to happen as i have a couple of basses to do for other guys.

besides i decided it was far too derivative of benavente's stuff, why make a poor imitation when i can do my own thing.
Ill update this when i get the ball rolling again!