5 string buckeye burl/mahogany neck through

[lbridenstine]

Haha, no problem guys.

I looked into the Luminlays too, but we're using abalone for the dots on this one. I'll keep the luminlays in mind in case they would work well on a different instrument.






It was like maybe 29° for a high today, so I guess that was warm enough to work in the garage.

I leveled the other side of the neck, thicknessed/leveled the headstock (and partially did that to the truss rod cover), then I set up the router sled for the scarf joint. This is the first time I've done a scarf joint with the router sled and I couldn't quite get it to 12° like I was going for, but it's very close, so good enough.

It worked good! I will definitely keep doing it this way, rather than rough cutting it, then taking the hand plane and sanding block to it until my arms fall off.

I just had to lightly go over it with a sanding block and 120 grit paper for a few seconds and it was perfectly smooth.

I brought it inside and clamped it in place and drilled holes for toothpicks to keep the headstock from slipping with the glue.

The truss rod cover is in the top right of the picture. I thicknessed it, but not really enough, I don't think. I'll finish it up after I get the headstock done and see how much room I have.

I wiped down the glue areas with naphtha and let it dry while I plotted out the tuner hole locations on paper.

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And now it's glued and clamped.

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I didn't even panic during the clamping process this time. I'm sure I will for the fretboard though...

 

[HaMMerHeD]

I use a very similar router jig to do scarf joints. It's a much neater, easier method than all that messy rough-sawing and hand-planing. Very nice work, Lisa.

 

[lbridenstine]

I use a very similar router jig to do scarf joints. It's a much neater, easier method than all that messy rough-sawing and hand-planing. Very nice work, Lisa.

I wish I would have made one from the beginning! Now I need to make a fretboard radiusing jig...

Thank you!

 

[pnchad]

You have found your calling without a doubt

Watching quietly & you keep besting yourself

Bravo!

 

[Robert Canfield]

I got that inlay epoxied in. I'm nervous to see how it looks when sanded. As always, the route is over sized, but the rosewood should be dark enough to make it look good with the epoxy/sawdust mix.

I filled in the holes for the dots with the epoxy since most of them ended up too deep. I think I'll re-drill them after radiusing the fretboard (when I do the other dots) because I'm not sure how much thickness of the inlays will be sanded through at the first fret, so if I drill them after radiusing, I can make the outside ones deep enough.



High quality clamping system to keep the inlay down.

I wanted to drill the pilot holes for the pots and switch, but with everything fitting in so tightly, I couldn't think of how exactly to mark on the front of the burl where to drill so everything lands in exactly the right spot.

Maybe I'll need to mark where the holes go on the inside of the cavity, drill from the inside through to the front. I guess if I only do the pilot holes that way and have the burl against a board, then there shouldn't be too much risk of tearout. Then I can finish drilling the holes to full size from the other side. [I just thought of this right now, otherwise I would have already done it]

How did you create the control cavity and the control cover? Which came first? Did you use a template for both?

 

[lbridenstine]

You have found your calling without a doubt

Watching quietly & you keep besting yourself

Bravo!

Wow, thank you!

How did you create the control cavity and the control cover? Which came first? Did you use a template for both?

I made the cover first, then traced it onto a template, made the template, then used that on the body, the rest is shown in the pictures back on page 5 of this thread.

 

[Lonnybass]

Lisa-

You mentioned building a fingerboard radiusing jig - I built one a few years ago and it's been a great, time-saving addition. Let me know if you want/need pics.

However, I would only use it for fingerboards that haven't been tapered end to end, because the chances of tearout along the edges make things kind of risky, especially at the fret slots. Not sure where you are with your fretboard but it might be safer to radius by hand.

Lonnybass

 

[lbridenstine]

Lisa-

You mentioned building a fingerboard radiusing jig - I built one a few years ago and it's been a great, time-saving addition. Let me know if you want/need pics.

However, I would only use it for fingerboards that haven't been tapered end to end, because the chances of tearout along the edges make things kind of risky, especially at the fret slots. Not sure where you are with your fretboard but it might be safer to radius by hand.

Lonnybass

That's a good point that I forgot about. This one is already tapered. I also prefer to radius after gluing it to the neck and it seems like most people use their jigs before the fretboard is attached to the neck. I suppose adjustments could be made for height and a place for the angled headstock to rest during the process, but I'd have to wait to taper the neck until after that too, then. Hmm....

I'm sure I'll just do this one with a radius block, but I'd like to figure out a jig for the future builds.

 

[Lonnybass]

Yeah better to play it safe because of the taper. Wouldn't want you to damage the fretboard. Let me know what I can do to help with the jig.

Lonnybass

 

[Solarmist]

Maybe a dumb question, but are those magnets? BTW - fantastic build thread!

 

[manupulated]

About the jig maybe you can use some scrap wood to keep on the 2 sides of the fretboard so no tearout possible that way , and maybe use couple bolts and make part of the jig as a neck clamp

 

[lbridenstine]

Yeah better to play it safe because of the taper. Wouldn't want you to damage the fretboard. Let me know what I can do to help with the jig.

Lonnybass

I'd be a little worried about the inlay too, since it's already in there. I have no idea how routers and abalone get along. Do you?

About the jig maybe you can use some scrap wood to keep on the 2 sides of the fretboard so no tearout possible that way , and maybe use couple bolts and make part of the jig as a neck clamp

Good idea. I probably won't do it for this bass though, because I don't really want to spend the time making jigs right now (even though they'd end up saving me time). It's just so cold out that I just want to get everything I can get done on the bass done and come back inside, haha.

Maybe a dumb question, but are those magnets? BTW - fantastic build thread!

Yeah, they are. Too many of them. They're really strong.

Thanks!

 

[lbridenstine]

I started to do the routes for the truss rod and stiffening rods, but did not get them done. I did get the headstock leveled to the neck. I did not have time to cut out the headstock shape or drill the tuner holes or cut out the truss rod cover shape like I was hoping to. Oh well. Next time, I hope. I’m extremely tired right now for some reason.

This router sled is coming in super handy lately.

Side shot of the headstock lamination. Also, you can't see it, but the scarf joint glue up came out perfect. It turned out to be a 10° angle.

This will be the truss rod cover eventually. I like the colors/figure on it.

When I went out in the driveway to bring my mom's car back in the garage, this is what I saw on my car windows...

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... and ice covered snow waves in the yard.

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It looks pretty cool. We had a lot of freezing rain today that just crusted on top of the snow.

I just hope I don't need to drive anywhere until my car thaws off.

 

[Lonnybass]

I'd be a little worried about the inlay too, since it's already in there. I have no idea how routers and abalone get along. Do you?

Unfortunately no - never tried it! Though I'd be concerned about the potential for burning from the bit, or shattering the inlay from the impact of the cutting edges as they pass over the inlay. Definitely safer the old fashioned way

Lonnybass

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Nice sled! I am loving the progress....I am such a fanboi.

 

[lbridenstine]

I finished those rod channel routes today. I also got the headstock shaped and the tuner holes drilled. I thought I might have a problem because the headstock ended up getting shorter because of the switch from 12 to 10 degrees on the scarf joint and the wood for the headstock already being just barely big enough (for 12 °), plus taking down a bit when I leveled the headstock to the neck after it was glued up. Anyways, the 1st and 5th tuner holes are closer to the fretboard than I would like and I was worried that there wouldn't be enough break angle for the strings, but I've looked at it and other headstocks and it looks like it should be fine after all, so that's relieving.

I'll post pictures tomorrow after I epoxy in the rods. I start a new job tomorrow (not the marketing one I was trying for) and I have to get up around 5 a.m. so I'm not going to do any more on the bass tonight. On the bright side, I think working on the bass might have actually made me tired enough to go to bed early for once.

P.S. I am ready to see this bass finished, how about you guys?

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

P.S. I am ready to see this bass finished, how about you guys?

I have mixed emotions about it really. I love watching your builds, so I will be sad to see the end. At the same time seeing (and hopefully hearing) the finished product will be neat!

 

[Jon Clegg]

Congrats on the new job! Looking forward to seeing the finished product of this build; from what I've seen so far it will be stunning.

 

[lbridenstine]

I have mixed emotions about it really. I love watching your builds, so I will be sad to see the end. At the same time seeing (and hopefully hearing) the finished product will be neat!

Well, I'm planning to start 2 guitars immediately after the bass is done if that helps... I also have designed 4 more guitars and 2 more basses recently that I would love to build ASAP, with more ideas waiting to be designed too. Just have to find time for them.

I've asked Evan to let me get a video of him playing the bass once it's done and he said yes. I'll probably also go get some video of his band at some point assuming this is going to be his gig bass.

Congrats on the new job! Looking forward to seeing the finished product of this build; from what I've seen so far it will be stunning.

Thank you!! I am ready to get this one done. It's been about a year since we started planning this one out (with a very long break in the middle).

 

[BassHappy]

Well, I'm planning to start 2 guitars immediately after the bass is done if that helps... I also have designed 4 more guitars and 2 more basses recently that I would love to build ASAP, with more ideas waiting to be designed too. Just have to find time for them.

I've asked Evan to let me get a video of him playing the bass once it's done and he said yes. I'll probably also go get some video of his band at some point assuming this is going to be his gig bass.



Thank you!! I am ready to get this one done. It's been about a year since we started planning this one out (with a very long break in the middle).

Keep after it Lisa - you are incredibly talented and dedicated. Even though this is talk BASS, I would love to see your guitar builds too. Not sure if they allow it here, but if you have to post elsewhere, let us know where....

Also, love to see some prelims on the new designs if and when you have the chance.... I don't have mixed emotions about you finishing this one - as long as we can follow along on the next ones!