- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,019
- 1
- 31,739
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
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.
Build 4 - headless fretless chambered 6 string
- Thread starter reverendrally
- Start date
As for Titebond, it won't stick well at all to the plastic/CF matrix that is the reenforcement type you got. One advantage of the plain fiber tow is that it conforms easily to whatever slot, and then you epoxy it in (providing the plastic matrix and sticking it to the wood at the same time.) But I don't think titebond would stick all that well to it, either.
Pinned the edges of the board in place before I mixed up any Araldite epoxy...
In retrospect, maybe it's not quite as bad as I think it is. I definitely put too much on to begin with, but I used the super strength. That gives me 30min play time before it starts to set. Which is pretty great. I scraped a bunch off before I stuck the board on and started clamping it up.
With all the clamps on, I had enough squeeze out. I even managed to avoid sticking it to the work bench... I know, right. Genius.
All glued. Takes 72 hours (3 days) to go rock solid, but then it's good for 150kg. Um yeah, overkill. BTW, how nice is the flame in that Jarrah.
In retrospect, maybe it's not quite as bad as I think it is. I definitely put too much on to begin with, but I used the super strength. That gives me 30min play time before it starts to set. Which is pretty great. I scraped a bunch off before I stuck the board on and started clamping it up.
With all the clamps on, I had enough squeeze out. I even managed to avoid sticking it to the work bench... I know, right. Genius.
All glued. Takes 72 hours (3 days) to go rock solid, but then it's good for 150kg. Um yeah, overkill. BTW, how nice is the flame in that Jarrah.
So... turns out the headstock is too short. I suspected that might be the case. I know it for sure now. Still, no great drama. Got plenty of timber left. I'll have to draw it up again first.
Last night's fun cutting/planing down the neck. Having no headstock in the way makes it a LOT easier. Didn't get started until late. It was 108degF here yesterday.
Back in the shed today amongst looking at an octopus, stringrays and sharks. I started on radiusing the fingerboard a few days back. Got it done today. I keep thinking, "I should build a router sled". Then I never do it. So it started with a plane and finished the hard way.
Still it's all done now so I can move on to carving. I've marked out where the headstock will screw on.
Just curious to know...
How thick do you have your neck? The blank is 24mm from fingerboard to the back of the neck. How much do you shave them back?
Still it's all done now so I can move on to carving. I've marked out where the headstock will screw on.
Just curious to know...
How thick do you have your neck? The blank is 24mm from fingerboard to the back of the neck. How much do you shave them back?
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,019
- 1
- 31,739
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
???22 to 23 mm at the first fret, a bit thicker where the neck joins the body. In my experience, the key to a comfortable, slim-feeling neck is carving the shoulders down.
Ok. @Bruce Johnson how much timber should I leave between the carbon rod and the back of the neck? (obviously zero or less is bad).
Back in the shed this morning to start carving the neck... or should that be rasping/filing. Before I did anything I looked up Warwick's neck profile page.
Invalid Link Removed
I guess what I'm aiming for is a "broad-neck". I started by getting the right profiles at the 1st fret and 12th fret areas. The 2 pencil lines running along the blank are the spots where the graphite rods are. I'm determined NOT to carve through into them. Although I'd need to work hard to do that as they're only 6mm deep as against the 9mm depth the trussrod slot is.
I really carved into the shoulders as Michael (Drbass) suggested, to try and thin it down. Up until now I've tended to build bassball bats, which is ok. However on this bass I didn't want to have the neck overweight or difficult to reach across. It's already going to be HUGE. No need to overdo it.
Then I was just left to getting rid of the remaining timber...
Which is where I began to flag. It's going to be 37degC (100F) today and the shed was just getting too hot. I'll do some more tonight when it all cools down.
Invalid Link Removed
I guess what I'm aiming for is a "broad-neck". I started by getting the right profiles at the 1st fret and 12th fret areas. The 2 pencil lines running along the blank are the spots where the graphite rods are. I'm determined NOT to carve through into them. Although I'd need to work hard to do that as they're only 6mm deep as against the 9mm depth the trussrod slot is.
I really carved into the shoulders as Michael (Drbass) suggested, to try and thin it down. Up until now I've tended to build bassball bats, which is ok. However on this bass I didn't want to have the neck overweight or difficult to reach across. It's already going to be HUGE. No need to overdo it.
Then I was just left to getting rid of the remaining timber...
Which is where I began to flag. It's going to be 37degC (100F) today and the shed was just getting too hot. I'll do some more tonight when it all cools down.
Oh man, why do I decide to build enormous monsters? Carving this neck is such a mission. It's also the thinnest bass neck I've carved in ages. Thankfully I get to work tomorrow, so that will give me a rest from carving. 
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,019
- 1
- 31,739
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Got up this morning determined to get a whole lot done on the bass today. So, here we go...
I then shaved down the joint for the headstock on the neck blank to lower the break angle for the C string over the end of the neck.
Then my new favorite toy, the spindle sander.
Then it was time for a new headstock template. The new one is 1" longer than the old. This should give me enough room for the C string without being overly long for the B string. I'll also have this one 15mm thick instead of the 13mm on the old blank. For some reason, I got into trouble for using the thicknesser while my wife was sleeping. Who knows why...
I then installed the threaded inserts in the old headstock to see how they are.
I'm not entirely convinced about these. They go in ok, but the allen socket in them is not really tight and is easily stripped out. They also don't go in straight easily and you can see the gap around the end of it from the other side. Hmm.
Thankfully the allen screws look awesome. They will need a washer under them though I think. Otherwise the wood will crush and the string will slip.
I then shaved down the joint for the headstock on the neck blank to lower the break angle for the C string over the end of the neck.
Then my new favorite toy, the spindle sander.
Then it was time for a new headstock template. The new one is 1" longer than the old. This should give me enough room for the C string without being overly long for the B string. I'll also have this one 15mm thick instead of the 13mm on the old blank. For some reason, I got into trouble for using the thicknesser while my wife was sleeping. Who knows why...
I then installed the threaded inserts in the old headstock to see how they are.
I'm not entirely convinced about these. They go in ok, but the allen socket in them is not really tight and is easily stripped out. They also don't go in straight easily and you can see the gap around the end of it from the other side. Hmm.
Thankfully the allen screws look awesome. They will need a washer under them though I think. Otherwise the wood will crush and the string will slip.
Now for some more stupidity...
Trying to keep the screws out of the "kill zone" (ie. truss and carbon rods).
One might ask whether bolting on the headstock has been worth it. Hmm, I'm still consider the answer but I will say this. No painful mitre joints. No sketchy cutting/routing off part of the headstock.
Trying to keep the screws out of the "kill zone" (ie. truss and carbon rods).
One might ask whether bolting on the headstock has been worth it. Hmm, I'm still consider the answer but I will say this. No painful mitre joints. No sketchy cutting/routing off part of the headstock.
The neck and headstock are pretty well done now. I've spent most of the day shaping the neck with the dust extractor or shop vac running. Noisy, but a much nicer way to work.
I drilled the headstock as per drbass' instructions (thanks Michael). I'm pretty happy with it. I won't install the inserts until I've finished it. At this stage the whole headstock will be died jet black and then oiled with Danish oil. My feeling is the neck will get a wipe on poly finish.
Here's the scrappy bit of steel that will become the new neck plate.
I drilled the headstock as per drbass' instructions (thanks Michael). I'm pretty happy with it. I won't install the inserts until I've finished it. At this stage the whole headstock will be died jet black and then oiled with Danish oil. My feeling is the neck will get a wipe on poly finish.
Here's the scrappy bit of steel that will become the new neck plate.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,019
- 1
- 31,739
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
All the wood work (bar sanding) is done now. Today I made the "Tone block" (bahahahahaha! 
) that goes under the headless tailpiece. Seriously, where do people get this "tone block" rubbish. Even Carl Thompson laughed at that. But I digress. I thought I'd lay it out to get a feel for it.
I put a 12" straight edge next to it for some perspective. The thing is ENORMOUS. I wish I had a P-bass so I could throw it on the ground the next to it to show how big it is (BTW, that's the only reason I want a P bass).
So next is metal work. Tomorrow is a public holiday, but I need to go to a ballet concert... don't ask. So I won't have as much time as I'd like to work in it. I've been doing some thinking about whether this is a viable option for making lots of basses. In all honesty, making the "tone block" was kinda hard work. I think tuners on the headstock would be much easier. Speaking of which, after this build, I have another crazy bass to build for my Sis-in-law. And when I say crazy, it even makes this thing look normal.
) that goes under the headless tailpiece. Seriously, where do people get this "tone block" rubbish. Even Carl Thompson laughed at that. But I digress. I thought I'd lay it out to get a feel for it.I put a 12" straight edge next to it for some perspective. The thing is ENORMOUS. I wish I had a P-bass so I could throw it on the ground the next to it to show how big it is (BTW, that's the only reason I want a P bass).
So next is metal work. Tomorrow is a public holiday, but I need to go to a ballet concert... don't ask. So I won't have as much time as I'd like to work in it. I've been doing some thinking about whether this is a viable option for making lots of basses. In all honesty, making the "tone block" was kinda hard work. I think tuners on the headstock would be much easier. Speaking of which, after this build, I have another crazy bass to build for my Sis-in-law. And when I say crazy, it even makes this thing look normal.
BTW, I'm trying to figure out what to do with finishing. I though the timber looked ho-hum and was going to stain it all black. But I'm reconsidering. I want to do a hand rubbed finish. Poly or oil. Not sure about colours though. Thoughts?
And HAPPY NEW YEAR!
And HAPPY NEW YEAR!
