Custom 5-String for Steve

[Son of Magni]

Ok guys. I haven't done a build thread before so I guess I'm due, right?

This is a bass I'm building for someone who found me due to someone posting a link to me on his forum. Isn't the internet wonderful? Anyways, after some discussion we came up with this basic plan for the bass. My customer's tone requirements go kind of like this: smooth bottom not dominating, strong punchy mids, very crisp well defined highs. And visually, he doesn't like fancy, in-your-face, figured wood. Just something with a nice grain, with wide grain pattern.

So without going into all the details of the decision making process, here's my design to accomplish this:

General: 5-string neck-thru EADGC
Neck: Maple and Ebony
Body: Alder core with Swamp Ash front and back
Pickups: Norstrand dual coil - parallel
Preamp: Bartolini - vol/pan/treb/mid/bass
Hardware: All black Hipshot w/drop D
Finish: KTM-9 with trans dye (color TBD)

Pics, on the way...

 

[cricketfever32]

sounds sexy, swamp ash has imo the best looking grain of any wood, in terms of simplicity

 

[scottyd]

Should be sweet!

 

[Son of Magni]

With my stencil templates Steve choose this for the front:

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This is a fretless, and we are going with Macassar Ebony for the fingerboard. Steve liked the 3rd plank of these, sort of stripy but mostly dark wood.

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After resawing and cutting the body parts out we have these actual choices:

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Waiting for a decision on that but I'm going ahead and building up both bodies for now.

 

[UncleBalsamic]

Nice! Especially that ebony!

 

[grace & groove]

Good to see a Thor build!!

 

[bassteban]

Likin' it.

 

[Son of Magni]

Thanks for the positive comments.

Here's some pics of the neck blank assembly. I don't seem to have any pics of the individual pieces. But they are all planed and sanded then the neck built up in my neck clamp. Maple, Macassar Ebony, and a Purpleheart veneer in the middle. The big piece of Purpleheart is part of my clamp. The other side of the clamp is 1/2 inch steel plate.

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[Alex Xander]

Looking great Karl - can't wait 'till it's my turn!!

 

[petrthumb]

Very nice looking so far. I do have a question though. Why did you use so many clamps at the ends and not in the middle, or is it an optical illusion? I've never built my own bass bedore, but seeing these I've got the itch to, again.

Pete

 

[Son of Magni]

Hey Alex, your bass is pretty much complete - in my head. Just need to get it on paper for you. I'm trying...

Very nice looking so far. I do have a question though. Why did you use so many clamps at the ends and not in the middle, or is it an optical illusion? I've never built my own bass bedore, but seeing these I've got the itch to, again.

Pete

Actually you can't really see some of the clamps along the bottom. They're pretty evenly spaced.

I glued the body wings in two stages. First lay down the veneer, apply glue to the body and set the body on the veneer. Then veneer on top of the body and clamp it down under my cauls and a board to distribute the pressure.

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Stage 2: After that's set I glue on the front and back panels with my cauls on both sides.

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[eleonn]

What I see at the back of the first and last pics is the neck of one of those really really short scale basses???

 

[SDB Guitars]

What I see at the back of the first and last pics is the neck of one of those really really short scale basses???

LOL... not everyone can play bass... someone has to hog the spotlight and overplay.

No, wait... bass players can do that, too... nevermind.

 

[Son of Magni]

What I see at the back of the first and last pics is the neck of one of those really really short scale basses???

Ha, actually it's the first bass I ever built, since parted out. Just happened to be a 6er. But the neck blank next to it is what you're thinking of

 

[iamlowsound]

Once again, you are one if not THE best builder on these forums. I love your work, but you really should come up with another body design at some point.

lowsound

 

[Son of Magni]

Once again, you are one if not THE best builder on these forums. I love your work, but you really should come up with another body design at some point.

lowsound

Thanks LS, you may be my #1 fan

So here's how the bodies are coming...

Out of the clamps and after some work on the belt/spindle sander:
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[Son of Magni]

Then it's on to the router table:

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(I always burn that one spot on the bottom of the tail because it's the scary part)
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[wilser]

now those are looking SEXY!

 

[Nomad98]

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Love this body!

Thanks for posting all the picts... Great to get a feel for how your basses are put together!


Nomad98

 

[Son of Magni]

I like to double check the template with the actual body that's going on the neck. That way if there's any difference in body thickness I'll know now before I cut out the neck on the bandsaw. Marking out the neck angle and headstock tilt along with setting the position of the nut, fingerboard, and bridge. That all determines where to route for the trussrod.

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So on to the mill to do the trussrod slot...

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