SOLD ACF Custom Locust 5, "Winter Build Off 2020" headless/fretless

If you want to see the entire project come together, you can start HERE.

This was one of my entries into the Talkbass Luthier's Corner "Winter Build Off 2020 - AIR SPACE". When I was working on this, my entire mindset was to make something super artistic, very "jazzbo geek" in features, and honestly, something that would be very interesting to play and very comfy. And worst case, it would look awesome enough to just become "art".
It really did turn out that way in the end, it's playable art.

- Black locust body wood, carved out in a very interesting way, "contoured" body shape (arched top and back, 69" radius), grain enhanced, stained and sealed in a simple textured Varathane finish.
- 3-piece maple/walnut neck, asymmetrical shape profile, headless, TruOil finish.
- Katalox fingerboard, 69" radius, unmarked, aluminum side markers with brass 12th fret, 33.5" scale.
- EMG 45TW pickup with vol/tone and pull for split coil on the pickup
- Magnetic control cover
- Hipshot headless bridge/tuners, 18mm spaced (adjustable) with a custom-made head piece for using normal strings (double ball doesn't work here). Head area is also wide enough to use the bass in a standard hanging stand/wall hanger.
- D'Addario Stainless strings
- 1.825" nut width, weighs a scant 8 lbs and is SUPER comfy to wear.

You can see everything that happened in the build above, but if you want the "post game" report, it turned out AWESOME! Not only is this one of the most comfortable basses I've ever played, it's actually one of the coolest sounding too. Katalox is also known as "Mexican Royal Ebony" and it lives up to it. The stuff actually rates higher than some ebony on the Janka scale, so I wasn't afraid to use roundwounds on this. The result is a "MWAH" machine that cuts right through the mix. I've taken this to band practice a couple times and was blown away by just how expressive it is.

The only downsides I can list are basically just aesthetics. There is one spot on the back where I tried to touch up the finish and the stain wouldn't take.


And there is a "crack" that you can see at the neck pocket. This is NOT a crack that came about, this was an existing crack in the wood that was filled before I started building it. It's filled with epoxy, which in turn is stronger than the wood around it, so I'm not worried about this going anywhere.



If you like fretless, this bass is amazing. And that's essentially why I'm parting with it... I don't play fretless much.
Or, if you like "wood art" it can be set out like a sculpture. It's your world, I'm not here to tell you what to do with it.

I'll find some kind of case for this, but at the moment, I don't have anything here. If you want the bass and would prefer a certain case, I can include your choice of one in the price, within reason. PM me if you have questions on that or anything else.

Asking $1000 shipped to the US 48.
PM if elsewhere.
PayPal or Zelle preferred, but others will be considered.
Not looking for trades, but will entertain them (though I may be picky).

 

24, with the 24th being essentially the end of the board.

 

I appreciate the offer, but it's not really my kinda thing.

 

SOLD!