Templates?...

[tofumonster]

Hello everyone,

So I'm thinking about taking the plunge into making my own bass. After I bought my Fender American Jazz (which I definitely don't deserve, skill-wise ), I fell in love with basses in general.

I've got a full-on woodshop at my school and I want to build a bass. I've read around the forums and even looked at all the wonderful stickies but I still have a few questions on the beginning process.

I'm thinking of tracing the body of my Fender Jazz onto butcher paper and then modifying that sketch to how I want the finished product to look. (I'm basically modifying my Fender Jazz's body to a shape for my new bass).

Would I have to make a template out of scrap wood after this? A lot of people seem to do this. Why? Couldn't I just use carbon-paper and transfer the design to the actual wood?

Would it be harder or easier if I bought a neck (from a site like Warmouth) to put on my bass?

Also for pickup templates (for routing the cavities), could I just outline the pickups onto the wood instead of buying those sets where they have plexiglass-looking templates?

Could someone either explain to me or link me a reference explaining how the electronics work? like the switches/pickups. I have no idea how I'm gonna be able to get everything to work.

Thanks for all the help!

Edit: I'm sorry, the title doesn't really encompass my my whole thread. I started typing and got carried away

[eleonn]

No templates for the body? You can do it but believe me your life is going to be much more easier with templates. I made my first without body templates and had to do a LOT of hand sanding (never again!!) because couldnt use the router.

No templates for the pickups? You just DONT wanna do that. If you have all sort of tools at your school you can easily make your own templates. Just need scrap wood and patience.

Get a neck from Warmoth? Sure you can.

About electronics you can buy any of the book recommended on the stickies. They have chapters about the electronics and pickups. You can get Donald Brosnac's book Guitar Electronics for Musicians. I have it but I haven't read it yet cause no time but it looks like a good reading. You can check http://www.guitarelectronics.com aswell.

[tofumonster]

Originally Posted by eleonn

No templates for the body? You can do it but believe me your life is going to be much more easier with templates. I made my first without body templates and had to do a LOT of hand sanding (never again!!) because couldnt use the router.

How would I use the body templates? I agree in the fact that it would be handy to have them, but what do I do with them?

Do I just place it over the wood that's actually gonna be my body and use a pencil to outline it? Or do I keep it attached as I cut out the body?

[Phil Mailloux]

You attach it to the body while routing out the edge with a follower bit.

I suggest you get a book on the subject before you dive in. This is the most basic question of them all and there's A LOT of other basic stuff you'll need to learn.

[tofumonster]

Originally Posted by Phil Mailloux

You attach it to the body while routing out the edge with a follower bit.

I suggest you get a book on the subject before you dive in. This is the most basic question of them all and there's A LOT of other basic stuff you'll need to learn.

Suggestion noted. Thanks.

[tjclem]

As far as pickup templates don't waste your time get them here.

http://www.bestbassgear.com/bass-pickup-templates.htm

[SirBass]

http://www.guitarbuildingtemplates.com/jazzbass.htm