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4001 Mashup

#221
Aceonbass said:
As I remember, Roadstar basses have a pretty chunky neck. 4001's using the old style rods were the thinnest necks ever, so I imagine the dual rods made that possible. The new style RIC rods, beind in a curved channel, require more depth and probably require a thicker neck. The original 4001 "hairpin" style rods are available from at least a couple of sources, so an original style 4001 neck is still a possibility, and easier to replicate than one with curved channels. Ever played an early 4001? They're scary thin, and the best I've ever felt.
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Aceon,
That "scary thin" comment describes my old 79' Jetglo pretty well. I was always really nervous about dropping it and snapping the headstock off. That happened to a buddy's Ric when it fell off a guitar stand. I'd like to get as close to that profile as I can which is why I was thinking a single truss rod and two carbon stiffeners was a good compromise of minimal neck thickness at the centerline, and only a single narrow trench for truss rod adjustment under the TRC. It seems like adding a volute at the neck/headstock joint would also stiffen it up a lot without affecting the feel beyond the first fret.

Maple,
Did the Leafenbacker Carvin neck have a volute, are you doing one on this project?
 
#222
Gilmourisgod said:
Aceon,
That "scary thin" comment describes my old 79' Jetglo pretty well. I was always really nervous about dropping it and snapping the headstock off. That happened to a buddy's Ric when it fell off a guitar stand. I'd like to get as close to that profile as I can which is why I was thinking a single truss rod and two carbon stiffeners was a good compromise of minimal neck thickness at the centerline, and only a single narrow trench for truss rod adjustment under the TRC. It seems like adding a volute at the neck/headstock joint would also stiffen it up a lot without affecting the feel beyond the first fret.

Maple,
Did the Leafenbacker Carvin neck have a volute, are you doing one on this project?
Click to expand...

The Leaf/Carvin neck does have a volute. I may not use one on this project with the dual truss rods. The Carvin necks I've used have remained pretty stable so far. I used one on my Reformer build as well. Single truss rod, no stiffening rods.

By the way, the Roadstar neck is somewhere between a Jazz and Precision. I wouldn't call it chunky, but it's no Ric either. Thinner than a Precision, slightly wider than a Jazz.
 
#223
Gilmourisgod said:
I'd like to get as close to that profile as I can which is why I was thinking a single truss rod and two carbon stiffeners was a good compromise of minimal neck thickness at the centerline, and only a single narrow trench for truss rod adjustment under the TRC. It seems like adding a volute at the neck/headstock joint would also stiffen it up a lot without affecting the feel beyond the first fret.
Click to expand...

While this may get you the profile you want, it will affect the tone of the bass considerably. There are a lot of minor and not so minor things that go into making an old 4001 sound like it does, and the maple and walnut neck with two truss rods is one of them.
 
#224
I was able to do a little more work today. I printed up the design and taped it together, and cut the body panels.

nckvax.jpg


Here it is together.

10h249l.jpg


I'm taking a break now, because it's hot and humid. I'd like to mount the bridge temporarily, and throw on a couple of strings, just to see how the neck will look, and maybe even cut that to size. Once that's done, and I'm happy with the design, I can actually start making the neck. I like the symmetrical lower body.

In other news, not so unrelated, we saw Yes last night at the Mesa Art Center. The Ikeda Theatre is the perfect concert venue - great sound system and acoustics, and comfortable seating. It may have been the best concert I've ever been to. They played the best selection of tracks from their library, and were in great form. A few mistakes here and there, but I'm sure they'll edit that out for the bluray. Oh, did I mention they filmed it for release? My voice, along with a few thousand others will be published on a Yes album :P

They prohibited even still pictures, but I was able to sneak one shot.

vhuhsl.jpg
 
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#227
Aceonbass said:
What, you couldn't get up on stage like that guy behind Downes?
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There were actually three guys with hand held cameras on stage through out the concert. They also had a camera mounted on the longest boom I've ever seen. It must have been 30 or 40 feet, located on one of the balconies, and a few more permanently mounted ones. I'm looking forward to the release, it should be pretty cool.
 
#228
mapleglo said:
In other news, not so unrelated, we saw Yes last night at the Mesa Art Center.
...
It may have been the best concert I've ever been to. They played the best selection of tracks from their library, and were in great form. A few mistakes here and there, but I'm sure they'll edit that out for the bluray.
Click to expand...
How did they do on Siberian Khatru? When they played it in New York it was so slow it was really bugging me. Instead of coming blazing out of the gates, it was more like a square dance. The rest of the show was great, though.
 
#229
pilotjones said:
How did they do on Siberian Khatru? When they played it in New York it was so slow it was really bugging me. Instead of coming blazing out of the gates, it was more like a square dance. The rest of the show was great, though.
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They opened the show with it. There were some timing issues - I think the monitors weren't up yet or something. The speed was ok, but it's like Steve Howe was a half beat behind. It seemed to be resolved by the end of the song.
 
#232
1z3qqgn.jpg


I did a little more work on the mockup this morning, and was able to take some important measurements. I shaped the neck, and it looks like it will work. I figure I'll use the pickup positioning from my 4003, and I measured 24 15/16" from the nut to the neck poles, and 29 5/16" from the nut to the bridge poles. That yields a 2 3/8" total string spacing at the neck pickup and 2 1/2" total string spacing at the bridge pickup. I can order parts, and start to build the pickups. And since I know the neck measurements will work, I can start cutting the wood for that.

It's funny, while I'm working with this plywood mockup, I'm thinking how cool it would be to build a bass totally out of plywood.
 
#233
Well, I just ruined about $60.00 worth of maple and mahogany. I didn't notice the center mahogany strip rising up as I clamped everything together.

Note to self - clamp everything down first, before clamping together, and buy more clamps!
 
#235
Deep Cat said:
Always buy more clamps.

And as frustrating as a mistake can be, it's rarely as ruinous as it seems.

Let it rest, then figure out if you can fix it, or use it for another project later.
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Yeah, thinking it over, I should have just left it. I might have been able to work with it. As it is, I think I can sand down the scraps of mahogany off the maple pieces and just cut another piece of mahogany. I do need more clamps though.
 
#238
Gilmourisgod said:
Maple
Feeling your pain on the glue-up. I'm going to put some cut off brads in my neck laminates, just two pieces of rock maple in my case, to make sure they don't creep in the clamps. Nothing like scoring new gear to brighten your day.
Click to expand...

I really should have done similar. I still have to buy more clamps before another attempt.

In other news, it looks like my band's guitarist has become available again. So I may be going to band practice today. :bassist:
 
#239
OK, the 2nd attempt at the neck glue-up was a little more successful.

11u9v2o.jpg


I trimmed the previously glued maple pieces a 1/4" and used the "scrap" 1/2" strip of mahogany for the skunk stripe. I still don't have enough clamps, but if I waited to accumulate all the right tools, I'd still be working on my first build.

In the background, behind the neck, you can see 2 possible designs for a pedal board in the scrap heap, if I ever collect enough pedals, and buy the remaining needed cables. I don't use a lot of pedals, but when I do, I use MXR. Stay practiced my friends. Opps, wrong venue :P
 
#240
Just put in an order for a couple of truss rods from BBG, some pickup bobbin flatwork, and a 10" radius block from StewMac, and some magnets from Ebay. That ought to keep me busy over the next couple of weeks.
 

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