ACG Finn SC Classic 6 string - Build Thread

[eude]

Well, having sold on my ol' Shuker 6 string bass, I'm using the proceeds to help fund a new custom ACG!

If you're familiar with ACG basses, you really owe it to yourself to check them out. Operating out of Scotland, Alan Cringean's skills are up there with the finest bass luthiers in the bass world today.
Here's the website >> A.C. Guitars - Hand Crafted Basses & Guitars

Anyway, the idea is to create a very compact, very easy playing and dang sexy 6 string bass with a wide range of sounds from modern to traditional.

Here's the run down on the specs >>

6 string Finn SC Classic
Bolt-On Construction
33" Scale
16.5mm bridge spacing
52mm nut width

Body
Medium-weight Ash Body
Ziricote Top with Black Veneer
Wenge Back with Black Veneer

Neck
5 piece Wenge/Sycamore Neck (very slim bits of Sycamore to create a "pinstripe" effect)
Fretted Ebony fingerboard no radius
Ziricote Cap on the front of the headstock, Wenge Cap on the rear

Hardware
2 ACG SB Pickups (in yet to be determined locations, would be interested in speaking to folks with 33" LowEnd Jazz Basses)
East U Retro with Passive Tone
Black Hipshot Hardware
Through Body Stringing on B String
Single Battery Box

Here's a quick pic of the Ziricote

Will sort out pics of all the other bits once they're sorted.

Very very excited about all this

Eude

 

[Scoopbass]

I'm not suprised you're excited Eude. That ziricote is a stunning piece of wood. I'm looking forward to seeing the pinstriped neck laminates although I'm *definately NOT* looking for ideas for the next one. I have enough ACGs now...

That being said the idea of an amboyna topped twin neck guitar and bass (6 & 4) has been on my mind recently but I'm desperately trying to squash the idea before it gets serious. Finn shaped... *mental note: Stop thinking about it!*

 

[eude]

I'm not suprised you're excited Eude. That ziricote is a stunning piece of wood. I'm looking forward to seeing the pinstriped neck laminates although I'm *definately NOT* looking for ideas for the next one. I have enough ACGs now...

That being said the idea of an amboyna topped twin neck guitar and bass (6 & 4) has been on my mind recently but I'm desperately trying to squash the idea before it gets serious. Finn shaped... *mental note: Stop thinking about it!*

Cheers Scoop.
Yeah, I really like the idea of a kinda "pinstripe" effect. Toyed with the idea of 5 bits of Wenge with 4 "pinstripes" but that might get a bit expensive, a 9 piece neck is probably a little over the top anyway.

Double necked guitar?
Sounds cool, I guess when you play both it would be pretty handy, however I worry about your back!

My GAS problems are not helped in the slightest by having rough spec sheets typed up for all the basses I would like to order, I think the list currently includes another 7 ACGs!
I'm just ticking them off one by one...

Eude

 

[Scoopbass]

My back worries too, trust me.

If I could find another couple of billets of white limba which are as lightweight as that being used for the fretless build it'd be no problem.

Damn, I'm thinking about it again. No no no...

 

[eude]

Quick update...
I've changed my mind about the shape, I'm going to go with the Skelf SC shape instead, so hopefully it'll look a bit like this >>

But a little shorter, wider, with 1 extra string, and with slightly different woods...

Cheers,
Eude

 

[eude]

Bit of progress on the bass...

I'm one excited little Eude

 

[tombowlus]

Very nice! I love Alan's work!

 

[Scoopbass]

Bit of progress on the bass...

I'm one excited little Eude

Doing the happy dance Eude?

Looking good, mate!

 

[eude]

Doing the happy dance Eude?

Looking good, mate!

Thanks Dave, I am indeed, in between buttons clicks on the Mac of course

Eude

 

[eude]

More work done on the Skelf...

Happy time!

Eude

 

[P. Aaron]

One cannot imagine getting these pics showing incremental progress and the waiting one has to do for it to be called 'done'!

Hope it's done soon enough for you. It looks cool. Ordering a new instrument is the way to go!

 

[eude]

One cannot imagine getting these pics showing incremental progress and the waiting one has to do for it to be called 'done'!

Hope it's done soon enough for you. It looks cool. Ordering a new instrument is the way to go!

Thank you mate, it's amazing, it's one of the most torturous and brilliant things combined
Reckon it'll be a few months yet however.
All I need to do now is work out how I can justify ordering the next one once this one arrives...

Eude

 

[mikezimmerman]

That black ebony board looks sharp with the wenge/sycamore neck, eude! I'm looking froward to seeing the body with the ziracote top on it...

 

[eude]

That black ebony board looks sharp with the wenge/sycamore neck, eude! I'm looking froward to seeing the body with the ziracote top on it...

You and me both dude

Eude

 

[Scoopbass]

s'alright I suppose, Eude.

 

[eude]

s'alright I suppose, Eude.

Glad you approve, albeit just a little

Eude

 

[eude]

Quick update...

Because of me being annoying, shifting the goal posts on this build, i.e. changing the body shape, the original piece of Ziracote was a little too small.
Alan, ever the professional, has sourced another equally lovely piece and here it is!...

Ooooo Yeah!

Eude

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Gotta love ziricote. I'm surprised you'd want a wenge back. While it probably isn't going to be very thick, it would still add some noticeable weight.

 

[j-raj]

I actually like that one better.

 

[mikezimmerman]

Gotta love ziricote. I'm surprised you'd want a wenge back. While it probably isn't going to be very thick, it would still add some noticeable weight.

The facings are really pretty thin. I can't imagine a wenge back will add much more weight than maple or ziracote or any other exotic facing would. The core is medium-weight ash.