Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
5 string warrior style started today
- Thread starter shai-ga
- Start date
Very nice! Also a nice working pace man 
How was the fretting? Any issues or did it go without too much hustle?
How was the fretting? Any issues or did it go without too much hustle?
Thanks Robert!
First, Radiusing the quartersawn maple fretboard was easier than I though it would be.
Probably because the grain is perpendicular to the sanding block, and is very narrow.
It took me about 2 hours to complete the job,but you should keep in mind that it's only a 16" radius which is rather flat.
Now, I'm using a wide nickel-silver fretwire, and it is also very low.
http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Fretting&NameProdHeader=+Fretwire
(it's the FW75 wire).
Punching it into the slots is easy, because the the tang is also wide - about 0.023,
(0.048 total) and so it fits easily to a 0.023 slot made by the fretting saw sold by SM.
I'm having some problems shaping the end of the fret without touching the wood, so I am going to order a special file for this job, hope to work it out.
This is my second build.. on the first one I've used tons of epoxy to glue the nut,
Because I thought it should be strongly attached to the wood.
For this one I used only 2 drops of super glue, and it worked great..
This nut is made of bone (vintage looking) and it now has 16" radius too.
I'm going to shape the back of the neck on Friday, and route all the cavities on Saturday.
First, Radiusing the quartersawn maple fretboard was easier than I though it would be.
Probably because the grain is perpendicular to the sanding block, and is very narrow.
It took me about 2 hours to complete the job,but you should keep in mind that it's only a 16" radius which is rather flat.
Now, I'm using a wide nickel-silver fretwire, and it is also very low.
http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Fretting&NameProdHeader=+Fretwire
(it's the FW75 wire).
Punching it into the slots is easy, because the the tang is also wide - about 0.023,
(0.048 total) and so it fits easily to a 0.023 slot made by the fretting saw sold by SM.
I'm having some problems shaping the end of the fret without touching the wood, so I am going to order a special file for this job, hope to work it out.
This is my second build.. on the first one I've used tons of epoxy to glue the nut,
Because I thought it should be strongly attached to the wood.
For this one I used only 2 drops of super glue, and it worked great..
This nut is made of bone (vintage looking) and it now has 16" radius too.
I'm going to shape the back of the neck on Friday, and route all the cavities on Saturday.
Thanks! This info helps me a lot, because I am going to start building the neck / fretboard for my first build. I am however, considering to buy a pre-slotted and radiused board, but not sure on that.. because I also like to do it myself as much as possible.
One of the most important things when sanding the radius, is to flip sides from time to time, to get the radius even all across the board.
If you sand only from one side, let say - standing left to the neck and sanding with your right hand toward the headstock - you'll get an uneven surface because there is much more pressure on the left side than on the right.
You can see the result of such a thing in the photo below.
If you sand only from one side, let say - standing left to the neck and sanding with your right hand toward the headstock - you'll get an uneven surface because there is much more pressure on the left side than on the right.
You can see the result of such a thing in the photo below.
Attachments
It's going to be the only way I'll build necks from now on!
So Simple to cut, no need to plane anything, no gluing surfaces..
It worked out really great, and I think it's beautiful, love that jazz bass look.
I bought a retainer, but I don't think I need it..
The maple blank was 24mm thick, and the headstock is lowered by 6mm so that the tuners will fit in. Now , the nut is 9mm high, so I've got a total height from the nut to the upper surface of the headstock about 15mm, and it creates a nice angle for the strings.
So Simple to cut, no need to plane anything, no gluing surfaces..
It worked out really great, and I think it's beautiful, love that jazz bass look.
I bought a retainer, but I don't think I need it..
The maple blank was 24mm thick, and the headstock is lowered by 6mm so that the tuners will fit in. Now , the nut is 9mm high, so I've got a total height from the nut to the upper surface of the headstock about 15mm, and it creates a nice angle for the strings.
Can hardly wait to see this finished!
I wish I had your skills. Love everything about that bass!
I wish I had your skills. Love everything about that bass!
