Hey there, it has been a while since I have been on talkbass. I spent a lot of time in the amplification forums. Anyways, On with the building...
I have been playing bass for about 8 years now and have probably owned closed to 25 basses. The later 3-4 years I got into bass design. Inspired by Chris Stambaugh and using his expertise to bring my visions to life, I had designed 3 or 4 Custom basses for myself. Cheis did an amazing job of building those designs and creating a reality for me.
Being strongly influenced by Chris's work as well as all of the great luthiers here on talkbass and around the world, I decided a year ago that I wanted to try and build.
Well, the transgression went like this...
I started to build a bass in my girlfriends parents basement... Tools: hand saw, sandpaper, a few clamps, and a router.
It took me 2 months just to build a neck and fretboard...
A friend told me to converse with his housemate who had been building for 12 years or so. He invited me in and taught me the ropes. Tools: bandsaws, routers, routing tables, pin routers, sanders, radiusing routers, arm saws, planers, drum sanders, etc... It was time to make my life easier.
From April through August, i worked on my first bass which was finished up to the point of finishing and installing hardware and electronics. At that point, my building mentor said that he was confident in my work and wanted to get a table at the Great American Guitar Show. He said I would need to work on having a few instruments ready for the show.
So, I went back to the drawing board, honed in on a production design and began from the beginning again. This time 4 basses. Time period... Mid August to Early November. Well, I finished the basses for the show... minus nuts (used a faux slot / zero fret concauction for the show.
So, the response... well, the biggest thing was that people were enomored by the design. They said it wasn't at all far-out-there, but definetly stood out. Most said it had sexy curves. Then when they played, they were shocked by the Audere Preamp / Bartolini PUPs combo. They loved the versatility. As do I, thats why I chose it.
Since the show. I have been taking a break and just getting the nuts installed so that the first production pieces will be in play.
So, thats the short version.
Sorry about being so quick, but I don't have much time tonight to lay it all out there. I will add more soon...
And sorry about the pics... our camera is really bad...
So, here is one from the set...
The Marc Wallace - Melania 5 DCC
Specs...
Bartolini 72M45C - Deep Tone Dual Coil Pick Ups
Audere Classic 4 Band Preamp ( Controls: Volume/Balance stacked, Hi-Mid/Low-Mid stacked, and Treble/Bass stacked.)
Flamed Maple Top and Back
Chambered Sapele Body Core
13 Piece Hard Maple / Hard Flamed Maple / Sapele Neck
Set Neck
Chechen (Carribean Rosewood) 24 Fret Board
Front and Back matching Headstock Veneers
Matched Wooden Electronics Cavity Cover
Bone Nut
Free access Truss Cavity
34" Scale
Thats all I have for now.
I'll add more as soon as I have more time...
I have been playing bass for about 8 years now and have probably owned closed to 25 basses. The later 3-4 years I got into bass design. Inspired by Chris Stambaugh and using his expertise to bring my visions to life, I had designed 3 or 4 Custom basses for myself. Cheis did an amazing job of building those designs and creating a reality for me.
Being strongly influenced by Chris's work as well as all of the great luthiers here on talkbass and around the world, I decided a year ago that I wanted to try and build.
Well, the transgression went like this...
I started to build a bass in my girlfriends parents basement... Tools: hand saw, sandpaper, a few clamps, and a router.
It took me 2 months just to build a neck and fretboard...
A friend told me to converse with his housemate who had been building for 12 years or so. He invited me in and taught me the ropes. Tools: bandsaws, routers, routing tables, pin routers, sanders, radiusing routers, arm saws, planers, drum sanders, etc... It was time to make my life easier.
From April through August, i worked on my first bass which was finished up to the point of finishing and installing hardware and electronics. At that point, my building mentor said that he was confident in my work and wanted to get a table at the Great American Guitar Show. He said I would need to work on having a few instruments ready for the show.
So, I went back to the drawing board, honed in on a production design and began from the beginning again. This time 4 basses. Time period... Mid August to Early November. Well, I finished the basses for the show... minus nuts (used a faux slot / zero fret concauction for the show.
So, the response... well, the biggest thing was that people were enomored by the design. They said it wasn't at all far-out-there, but definetly stood out. Most said it had sexy curves. Then when they played, they were shocked by the Audere Preamp / Bartolini PUPs combo. They loved the versatility. As do I, thats why I chose it.
Since the show. I have been taking a break and just getting the nuts installed so that the first production pieces will be in play.
So, thats the short version.
Sorry about being so quick, but I don't have much time tonight to lay it all out there. I will add more soon...
And sorry about the pics... our camera is really bad...
So, here is one from the set...
The Marc Wallace - Melania 5 DCC
Specs...
Bartolini 72M45C - Deep Tone Dual Coil Pick Ups
Audere Classic 4 Band Preamp ( Controls: Volume/Balance stacked, Hi-Mid/Low-Mid stacked, and Treble/Bass stacked.)
Flamed Maple Top and Back
Chambered Sapele Body Core
13 Piece Hard Maple / Hard Flamed Maple / Sapele Neck
Set Neck
Chechen (Carribean Rosewood) 24 Fret Board
Front and Back matching Headstock Veneers
Matched Wooden Electronics Cavity Cover
Bone Nut
Free access Truss Cavity
34" Scale
Thats all I have for now.
I'll add more as soon as I have more time...
