Your a broke Teen but you can afford to make it with a 20 thousand dollar 3D printer? Explain please
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3d Printed Rickenbacker 4003 Bass
- Thread starter Gojira72
- Start date
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
That's a perfectly reasonable motive. I can't wait to see what you make.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
It's all about access. I had access to some great machinery when I was a kid. Now, I have to pay for it myself instead of sneaking into the school's shop.
Thanks. I 3D print the cup (gasket) that holds the mic element, using a flexible material called TPU. I also print sets of dividers for the Fender and Musician's Friend harmonica cases. 3D printing is still hard ... lots of tweaking, constant issues, its a lot of work!
Someone posted a pic of a 3D printed guitar that had a 3D printed body and wood neck. That may be doable. If the OP really wants to print the neck, it will have to be printed in pieces because its most likely too long for the printer bed. And it needs a strong support structure, maybe metal rods?
I have a tweed fender harp case, a devider would be a great addition. I will peruse your website tomorrow.
If you decide to buy, PM me first. I'll give you a deal.
You may be better off making a bass out of good old fashioned wood. Maple is what most Rics are made of and that's plentiful and relatively cheap. Take your time and build one that'll last.
I agree. The most reasonable way of attempting this would be getting a cheap used guitar, cutting the body wings off, keeping the center between neck and end of bridge then attaching printed parts to the sides for custom aesthetics. Slide-fit, bolt-nut etc.
Don't even want to think about printing a usable neck. It would take so much effort and yet not achieve anything special other than enjoyment of the process.
It's going to take forever - you're talking about printing through several full spools of filament, and the neck is going to be a real bear. I would also be concerned about the plastic in the neck being strong enough between layers to hold the tension (the truss rods aren't supposed to handle the full load), and ABS can warp like crazy during printing if you're not absolutely on top of the temperature control. I'm also betting you'll have to use 100% infill for the neck/headstock. Additionally, ABS/PLA will have to be drilled very carefully in order to keep the plastic from melting.
In the time it's going to take to do this, you probably could have earned enough to just buy a 4003. Not to mention the abject rage you'll feel if you get most of the way through a big part and then the print fails for some reason. I'm not trying to be critical or discouraging, but on a high-end, multi-thousand dollar industrial printer, it *might* be doable. With a low-end machine like the Monoprice (I have a Maker Select Plus), I think you're just setting yourself up for a lot of frustration.
In the time it's going to take to do this, you probably could have earned enough to just buy a 4003. Not to mention the abject rage you'll feel if you get most of the way through a big part and then the print fails for some reason. I'm not trying to be critical or discouraging, but on a high-end, multi-thousand dollar industrial printer, it *might* be doable. With a low-end machine like the Monoprice (I have a Maker Select Plus), I think you're just setting yourself up for a lot of frustration.
The sheer amount of time it would take to make this happen could be used to earn enough money for a good used one.
There is a reason why everyone isn't making their own basses on 3D printers. Actually, there are dozens of reasons.
I just did a quick search. But I can't find a single bass in the interwebz with a printed neck. All of them are printed bodies with traditional necks. ODD Guitars sells one. To be sure, if a printed neck were feasible they would have done it.
3D printing is not "new" tech. If it were practical for bass necks, we would have them in the marketplace.
Can you explain how a "broke teenager" has access to a reeeeeeeeally expensive 3D printer? Because a cheap one won't do it.
There is a reason why everyone isn't making their own basses on 3D printers. Actually, there are dozens of reasons.
I just did a quick search. But I can't find a single bass in the interwebz with a printed neck. All of them are printed bodies with traditional necks. ODD Guitars sells one. To be sure, if a printed neck were feasible they would have done it.
3D printing is not "new" tech. If it were practical for bass necks, we would have them in the marketplace.
Can you explain how a "broke teenager" has access to a reeeeeeeeally expensive 3D printer? Because a cheap one won't do it.
So, subbing!
How about making a body on a printer, and using regular "parts" neck? IMO 3d printer quality is not enough for proper neck because strings will eat through it.
If doing so, I would: 3d print body and buy parts bridge and neck (and tuners). You have to buy pickups, or wind them any way.
Also, google "yamaha silent bass", it is much more fitting 3d printing, it has futuristic feel about it.
How about making a body on a printer, and using regular "parts" neck? IMO 3d printer quality is not enough for proper neck because strings will eat through it.
If doing so, I would: 3d print body and buy parts bridge and neck (and tuners). You have to buy pickups, or wind them any way.
Also, google "yamaha silent bass", it is much more fitting 3d printing, it has futuristic feel about it.
Why not do what others have done? Save up and buy one? Unless this is an experiment...
This is totally an experiment for this guy. cant be serious about being broke.
I like experiments though! so go on. I would be amazed if you could make something that could hold the tension of bass strings
I like experiments though! so go on. I would be amazed if you could make something that could hold the tension of bass strings
A number of people on TB (including me) have built Ric clones with no C&D letter from Mr. Hall. As I understand copyright law, you are allowed to make a copy of almost anything as a one off for personal use. If you attempt to sell it, that might motivate Ric to go after you. They are pretty aggressive about policing EBay, but I’ve seen Chickenbackers for sale on Reverb and Craigslist. I know very little about 3D printers, but wouldn’t you need one with a pretty big bed to print even a bolt on neck? Might be interesting fodder for the Great Tonewood Debate: if you put Ric pups on it, will it sound like a Ric?
Parent's workplace? One of the cutting-edge hacker spaces? Access to quality equipment is relatively cheap these days assuming you live in the right parts of the country or know the right people.
My hat's off to anybody who tries this, it's going to be interesting if it succeeds. It won't be cheap, though. The project risks consuming hundreds of dollars worth of filament, because of the quantity needed for a successful print plus all the filament used for the prototypes and the failed prints. And I'm skeptical the best possible outcome with PLA is going to have the appropriate physical characteristics to intone and play well. OP will also have to fret and finish the neck by hand, which won't be fun because unlike wood, the plastic risks melting under the fret saw.
Doing it for the sake of seeing if it's possible is one thing and that's always exciting. Doing it to save money sounds like it would backfire. OP would be better off buying one of the Ric knockoffs sold in China. Or buying a premade neck and building the body around it.
