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G1's bass build

G

Gone

Mar 21, 2006
317
0
Cape Town
people.cs.uct.ac.za
Disclosures
Jayda custom basses, builder
#1
Hey everyone,
I'm at the beginning of a bass build and had a question to ask so I thought I would start a thread to log my progress.

I've got a design although it still needs some ironing out, but I'm gonna go buy some woods tomorrow. I've decided on either a 3 or 5 piece maple-purpleheart-maple neck and I want a walnut cap on the wings. However I'm unsure of the main body wood. What suggestions to you have?

Visually: I want it to contrast the walnut but also the maple. I was thinking something like zebrawood/splated maple but am unsure. This wood is obviously not on show as much so I don't want to spend a fortune on it.

Tone: I like a deep, middy, punchy sound. What would go well with the woods I've selected already. I'll probably use an ebony fretboard.

I'll post some pics of the design in my next post.

Thanks,
G1
 
#2
Here's the design so far...
Any comments on weight/neck dive/etc (practical concerns) would be appriciated :-)

edit:
btw, it's not headless I just havn't designed the headstock yet
 

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#3
nice body design, are you looking for versatility also? or just a naturally deep punchy tone? and a little pointer in headstock design, dont make it too large otherwise it will scream neck dive, i think you could go well with a wenge body with a spalt maple top, but walnut with spalted maple will not really look that great, what color tone (visually) are you looking for? dark natural wood, or something as bright as maple
 
#4
I guess it's always nice to have some versatility, but IMO you can normally get that from the amp.

Well I was thinking the walnut on top with a lighter wood for the back. I want something relatively light but I still want the two maple stripes to show down the back (it being a neck though).
 
#5
I'm liking the body design. Aesthetically speaking though, I would use different inlays on the fingerboard (don't know if those were just there to show the frets or if you were planning on using those in the final product . . .), maybe even just exchange the circles for ovals.
 
#6
I havn't really got into the details yet. I'll probably wait until I have something resembling a bass before I try to get inspired for details (such as fingerboard markers).

Although I'm currently liking the idea of gold hardware. Is it possible to get gold anodised / copper fretwire?

I guess I must get down to my local guitar suppliers and see what they've got. That'll have to be the second stop after picking out some woods...
 
#7
Alder, poplar or butternut would be good choices for the main body wood. But if the outermost lams on your neck are maple, I'd add a thin dark accent lam between them and the back woods. The body is a little smallish so you might want to think about a heavier wood cap for the back for balance....which would also allow you to cut a grain-matched cavity cover for the back (scroll or coping saw).

I'm assuming the walnut top will cover the lams, correct?
 
#8
The walnut top will actually leave the neck lams showing. I think I will have an additional walnut lam between the neck and the body however only have that showing at the back ( ie. cover over that lam with the walnut cap).

I like the idea of a figured wood on the back (especially if it will help with balance). I must just watch the price. The guys I'm getting my wood from aren't guitar specialists so all these thin wood lams have to be thickness sanded down from thicker woods -> expensive.
 
#10
Updated design:
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Added headstock and colours of woods.

Went down to the lumber yard today and picked out some woods. Spent a while digging through their stock and picked out some decent woods. Almost didn't find the walnut but am glad I did. You can't see it in this pick but it has a nice flame on it. Picked out some Indian rosewood for the fingerboard and picked up some bookmatched bubinga as well. I'll probably use the bubinga for a back (or maybe keep it for another project).

I decided on Ash for the center body pieces.

Woods:
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Not pictured: a number of African blackwood offcuts that I may use for a lams between the neck and body. Also may experiment with a wood bridge.

Not that it's really comparable but it came to ~750 South African Rands -> ~ $100
 
#16
I should have ordered these parts earlier as now I may have to stall the project until they are delivered :-(

Mainly I'm getting close to the point of needing the truss rod. I would normally wait until I have parts in my hand until I cut wood but maybe you guys can help me quickly. I'm looking at this rod:
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The dimensions of the rod is given and being that it is flat bottomed the slot for it could in theory be routed and the neck shaped whiles I wait for it to be delivered. Do you reckon I could do this or am I taking to big a risk?

Also maybe some of you have used one of these rods so maybe you could advise...
 
#17
Stewmac delivers fast, I had a problem with a Rod a while ago, it was 3;10 in the afternoon, next morning at 9:30 I was installing it. Mind you youre in Africa.. It might be 3 days with FedEx. I would wait. Its annoying, I know, Im still waiting for my cocobolo to dry up, Ive got 26 clamps on it that I cant wait to take off. Peace
 
#18
hmm...looking at $12 for 2-4 weeks for delivery
or $49.95 for 3-7 days :-(

Anyways some more pics. Had lots of fun making sawdust today :-)

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Work started on the cavity for batteries/pots/etc:
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Just needs a little tidying up before I glue up the core, front and back.
 
#19
Thats a very good idea, making a little compartment for the 9vs, how many pots are you getting though? you should solder up everything before putting it in the cavity, otherwise you might yell and throw tools at walls. I like the oval shaped cavity, its different. Good luck on your project, you seem to be doing good so far.
 

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