4001 Mashup

[delta7fred]

or

That's VERY pink!

 

[mapleglo]

That's VERY pink!

Heh, if I go pink, I'm going all the way!

 

[fjadams]

I used aniline dye once before, to dye the axe bass fretboard red. Worked out ok, though the dye doesn't penetrate very deeply or evenly on maple. Not too much of a problem, but something to keep in mind. I may still go with the white dye, or perhaps even pink. I always wanted a pink bass.

In other news, I thought to string up the bass at this point to see how much more fret work it needs. Of course, I can't find the tuner mount screws. I really need to get organized, though I keep telling myself that. Especially when I set a project aside, and go back to it months later. In any event, I just ordered some screws from eBay. They should get here later this week or next. I'll be out and about later today, so perhaps I'll stop by GC to see if they have any in stock.

Also, looking at the original template I made for this bass, I apparently realized that the truss rod routs would interfere with the tuner locations, so I set them further out. Though I didn't refer to that when I cut the headstock. Note to self - don't set a project aside without detailed notes. And don't leave the note with the tuner mount screws...

I had parts lost all over my apartment. Finally after the nth time of not finding what I needed, I went and bought a big case with shelves, and slots that hold most of the clutter. I'll probably need another one soon.

 

[Will_White]

or

I'd rock that bass, although my main has a purple pickguard so that's not saying much

 

[Gabbs]

About the pickup covers: you can get plastic chromed if it's fairly rigid. I've had yo-yos chromed and it was alright. Won't take a lot of impact or it'll crack and peel off but it could work for your pickup covers.

Here's a place I googled that claims to do it: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[D-Smith]

Looks great! I suggest avoiding aniline dyes. I've had bad luck with them retaining color over the long haul. Really disappointing to see an instrument you made five years earlier turn a weak washed out version of the original color.

 

[ctmullins]

Chrome Tbird pickup covers are readily available.

 

[mapleglo]

Chrome Tbird pickup covers are readily available.

Do they come in 5 string size? Where do I get them? I haven't seen them in my travels.

So I strung up the bass for 3 reasons. I'm impatient, I want to see how much fret work I'm still in for, and I want to see if the truss rods blow out the fretboard or neck at full string tension before I move forward.

Wish me luck, tuning it now...

 

[mapleglo]

The good news is that the neck didn't blow out. The bad news is that I never heard such great "mwah" from a fretted bass. So I have my work cut out for me.

 

[mapleglo]

 

[BassHappy]

Very Nice, as always Mapleglo....

My two cents is - I must admit, I have always admired that Fender pink -

but how can you cover up that nice wood grain - I know I couldn't!

Looking good!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

The P-Bass is looking a little forlorn. "One of these things is not like the other.......". A definite family resemblance, but its still unique. Now that the frets are in, how do you make sure the neck is dead straight before leveling frets, notched straightedge? I thought I might make one from the straightest piece of aluminum angle stock I can find.

 

[BassHappy]

The P-Bass is looking a little forlorn. "One of these things is not like the other.......". A definite family resemblance, but its still unique. Now that the frets are in, how do you make sure the neck is dead straight before leveling frets, notched straightedge? I thought I might make one from the straightest piece of aluminum angle stock I can find.

The pink P bass photo was intended for COLOR reference only.....

 

[mellowinman]

P bass photo for COLOR only.....

He meant the P-Bass in Mapleglo's family picture.

I like the whitewash better, but who am I to tangle with a master crafter like our own Mapleglo?

If the girl wants pink, then PINK it is!

 

[Robert Canfield]

Heh, if I go pink, I'm going all the way!

;

 

[ctmullins]

Do they come in 5 string size? Where do I get them? I haven't seen them in my travels.

Looks like they're 3 5/8" by 1 1/2". So just a little bit longer than a standard EMG four-string soapbar. Plenty big enough for many five-string basses, but not all. What size bobbins did you use again?

I got mine from that auction site: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Looking really great, and making great progress too!

 

[mapleglo]

Looks like they're 3 5/8" by 1 1/2". So just a little bit longer than a standard EMG four-string soapbar. Plenty big enough for many five-string basses, but not all. What size bobbins did you use again?

I got mine from that auction site: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Looking really great, and making great progress too!

Thanks! Those may work. My bobbins are 3 1/2" inches long.

*edited to add, looks like the mounting holes are too close together

 

[Hopkins]

I ran into a slight problem with the radius block though.

It's just not wide enough. I'm not sure what I'll do about that. Maybe just go for it, and clean up the edges as I go along.

I'm a little late to the party on this reply, but the LMII radius blocks are much better than the Stewmac blocks. They are much wider, and have a radius on either side so you get 2 for the price of one.

 

[ctmullins]

Thanks! Those may work. My bobbins are 3 1/2" inches long.

*edited to add, looks like the mounting holes are too close together

Do the mounting holes interfere with the actual coils, or just the bobbins? If the latter, perhaps you could notch the bobbins a bit.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I'm a little late to the party on this reply, but the LMII radius blocks are much better than the Stewmac blocks. They are much wider, and have a radius on either side so you get 2 for the price of one.

Hopkins:
That's damn good to know, just about to order a 10" radius block. Is the length crucial? Stewmac has the really long aluminum ones, but they are very expensive. Most of of the blocks seem about like this length, but it seems like the longer blocks would give more even results, as you are averaging out more high and low spots. Maple had trouble with uneven sanding do to altering hand pressure, which seems unavoidable. I was thinking you could make a set of guide rails for the sanding block to ride in, maybe even weight it with some pig iron and just draw the block back and forth with no downward hand pressure to vary pass to pass? Maybe that's overkill, but I wonder hwo anyone does this consistently.