Maybe a dark purple stain? Or grain fill it a similar color to the fretboard, then sand back and stain it black?
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Build 4 - headless fretless chambered 6 string
- Thread starter reverendrally
- Start date
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,019
- 1
- 31,736
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Dude, that looks super-cool!
Will it be playable/wearable with a strap, or will you need an end-pin?
‘Struth.
Why in the world do you need to -
You mean there are more nuts in your family?? You could start a family business!
What does the neck joint at the body look like? I am trying to wrap my head around how it will support the string tension.
Here are some pics of 'Skeletor', the guitar prototype for this build...
Crazy, crazy guitar/bass ideas - prototypes
Basically the steel plate is supporting the loading of the strings in "Sheer". What will be interesting is see how much difference 6 big bass strings make over the acoustic guitar strings I had on the prototype. If it turns out it's not stiff enough, I can literally just use a slightly thicker piece of steel. 1 or 2 mm extra will make a big difference.
Couldn't sleep in this morning despite staying up a bit last night for new years. Probably a good thing. It's going to be 95degF today. So I was up watering the lawns and feeding guinea pigs (not mine). I really want to fire up my drop saw and cut my steel plates but 8:30am on new year's day seemed a little early. LOL
I stained my test headstock to see how black it would get. This was with a pretty heavy coat. Not all that impressed. I guess it'll take a few goes.
I'll also stain the other side and sand it back to see how it goes bringing out the grain.
I stained my test headstock to see how black it would get. This was with a pretty heavy coat. Not all that impressed. I guess it'll take a few goes.
I'll also stain the other side and sand it back to see how it goes bringing out the grain.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,019
- 1
- 31,736
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Hello Rev, from last year!! Still six hours of 2017 left where I live. Dropping into the low 20s F too. I love stories from across the globe!
Interesting about the stain. Must be some pretty dense and closed-grain wood, huh? Still, might be good for accenting figure.
Interesting about the stain. Must be some pretty dense and closed-grain wood, huh? Still, might be good for accenting figure.
Flipped the headstock over and tried the blue stain I have on it... Not entirely convinced.
Then, it being 10am, I pulled out the drop saw and cut me some metal.
One of the tricks with this design is getting your screws as close to the edge as possible. By doing so you have the best chance of ultilizing the steel in sheer along the line where the body wings and neck meet. However, if the screws are too close to the edge, they will split the end grain. So I did a little experiment.
Turns out 6mm is not enough. 8mm is more than safe. Then some marking out. I screwed up the thin piece twice. All good though. Measure three times, screw it up twice, measure another four times and cross your fingers.
Drilling, drilling, drilling....
Then, it being 10am, I pulled out the drop saw and cut me some metal.
One of the tricks with this design is getting your screws as close to the edge as possible. By doing so you have the best chance of ultilizing the steel in sheer along the line where the body wings and neck meet. However, if the screws are too close to the edge, they will split the end grain. So I did a little experiment.
Turns out 6mm is not enough. 8mm is more than safe. Then some marking out. I screwed up the thin piece twice. All good though. Measure three times, screw it up twice, measure another four times and cross your fingers.
Drilling, drilling, drilling....
Dude, that looks super-cool!
Will it be playable/wearable with a strap, or will you need an end-pin?
You mean there are more nuts in your family?? You could start a family business!
I positioned the upper horn round the 11-10th fret to give me a little extra balance. I can also do the Ritter/Dingwall trick and move the other strap button round onto the back of the body.
Re my Sis-in-law. This was the last thing I built for her...
I reckon that says it all.
I'm not far off getting the body all put together... which feels like a really weird thing to say. It's also a bit more complicated than you're average "bolt-on". Getting the bridge end put together will be the tricky bit.
I put another coat of black stain on the headstock and then another. It doesn't seem to get any blacker than this. So I tried oiling it too with Danish oil.
So, it's more slate grey or anthracite than jet black like I was hoping initially. Having side that, I don't mind the look of it. I'm still thinking about what I'll do with the body timbers.
I put another coat of black stain on the headstock and then another. It doesn't seem to get any blacker than this. So I tried oiling it too with Danish oil.
So, it's more slate grey or anthracite than jet black like I was hoping initially. Having side that, I don't mind the look of it. I'm still thinking about what I'll do with the body timbers.
It's a wonder I got any of this done tonight. I went out to get some wood screws just before dinner and my wife called me to drop some pretty bad news on me. A work situation that has been festering for some time appears to be a LOT more rotten than I first imagined. Really, really sad stuff. Broken people behaving very badly. Tomorrow is my day off, but I'll need to deal with that situation first thing. Today wasn't a great day work-wise and neither was yesterday. If all goes well tomorrow, it will swallow most of the day. If it goes badly... I don't want to think about that. My younger son asked me tonight, "Hey dad, wanna play pool?" I replied, "Actually what I want to do is dig a hole and hide in it." He completely misunderstood and looked very enthusiastic, "Can I help you dig!?!" I groaned.
After feeling sorry for myself and moping through a board game (I won), we put the kids to bed and I hit the shed. Got this far...
Monoplane. Then I realized both the edges on the wings weren't straight I had to be... wait for it... planed. Then I put it back together.
Biplane.
I have to say, I started to feel excited again. It is ludicrously light for such a big bass, although quite neck heavy without the bridge/PUs/tailpiece. I realised the bolt on headstock could also be another place for an extra strap nut if it's needed. Leo would be proud of me.
BTW, my wife looked at the blue stain. Two words. Not happening.
After feeling sorry for myself and moping through a board game (I won), we put the kids to bed and I hit the shed. Got this far...
Monoplane. Then I realized both the edges on the wings weren't straight I had to be... wait for it... planed. Then I put it back together.
Biplane.
I have to say, I started to feel excited again. It is ludicrously light for such a big bass, although quite neck heavy without the bridge/PUs/tailpiece. I realised the bolt on headstock could also be another place for an extra strap nut if it's needed. Leo would be proud of me.
BTW, my wife looked at the blue stain. Two words. Not happening.
Sorry to hear about the work stuff Rev....
I'm looking forward to seeing what the final weight on this beast is. I realize it's huge and will be heavier than a more convential sized/scaled bass of similar construction. I didn't care for the headstock stain either.
-Jake
I'm looking forward to seeing what the final weight on this beast is. I realize it's huge and will be heavier than a more convential sized/scaled bass of similar construction. I didn't care for the headstock stain either.
-Jake
Thanks Jake. It wasn't any prettier this morning, but nothing catastrophic has happened so I guess it's a continuing waiting game.
After drilling (too many) holes and cutting down a heap of screws I got the bass together late this morning. Having put the tailpiece on... I can't believe how long that tailpiece sat in my parts draw... I put the bass on my knee to check the balance. Thankfully, it seem reasonably neutral. It is just a touch neck heavy, but it still has some PUs and other junk to go on so we should be ok. I just put it on the scales and it's 3kg (6.6lb) as is. That's not bad really. Here's a pic next to my old dreadnought acoustic for reference. For some reason no one has offered to lend me a P-bass.
:lol:
One problem is the headstock. I had designed it with the expressed purpose of being able to put it in one of my wall hangers. Which is a bit of a fail. I think I can mod the headstock to fix that though. Should be pretty straight forward.
So with all that done, now begins all the work to tidy it all up and get it ready for strings.
After drilling (too many) holes and cutting down a heap of screws I got the bass together late this morning. Having put the tailpiece on... I can't believe how long that tailpiece sat in my parts draw... I put the bass on my knee to check the balance. Thankfully, it seem reasonably neutral. It is just a touch neck heavy, but it still has some PUs and other junk to go on so we should be ok. I just put it on the scales and it's 3kg (6.6lb) as is. That's not bad really. Here's a pic next to my old dreadnought acoustic for reference. For some reason no one has offered to lend me a P-bass.
:lol:
One problem is the headstock. I had designed it with the expressed purpose of being able to put it in one of my wall hangers. Which is a bit of a fail. I think I can mod the headstock to fix that though. Should be pretty straight forward.
So with all that done, now begins all the work to tidy it all up and get it ready for strings.
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Working on that neck joint...
Close but not right yet I think. It's a weird shape to try and form. I've been struggling with it.
Glued up a laminated blank for the nut. Old piano veneers and black dyed maple.
Close but not right yet I think. It's a weird shape to try and form. I've been struggling with it.
Glued up a laminated blank for the nut. Old piano veneers and black dyed maple.
Some more tom-foolery this morning.
Bazinga! 5 piece bridge blank. Jarrah and dyed maple veneer. After many disasters in the past, I pinned this one with toothpicks. What I was surprised by was how much the veneer swelled when it got wet. Michael will be disappointed to know I didn't use Araldyte this time. Titebond dripping everywhere instead. LOL
In other news, after agonizing over finish colours, I've made a decision. I poured some naptha on the body timber today and it looks pretty good. It's somewhat like ash, only more yellow. So as boring as that is, I'll be going natural. The jarrah fingerboard also has a pretty wicked flame in it, so that's cool too.
Bazinga! 5 piece bridge blank. Jarrah and dyed maple veneer. After many disasters in the past, I pinned this one with toothpicks. What I was surprised by was how much the veneer swelled when it got wet. Michael will be disappointed to know I didn't use Araldyte this time. Titebond dripping everywhere instead. LOL
In other news, after agonizing over finish colours, I've made a decision. I poured some naptha on the body timber today and it looks pretty good. It's somewhat like ash, only more yellow. So as boring as that is, I'll be going natural. The jarrah fingerboard also has a pretty wicked flame in it, so that's cool too.
It's 115F (46C) outside today. Won't be much cooler in the shed. No bass building till it cools down. I'm hiding in the aircon drinking "Shandies".
Trade ya, its about 5 degrees Fahrenheit in Jersey tonight.
Managed to borrow these lovely old gouges from my father inlaw. They're good old steel and sharpened up pretty well using a trick I learned from Crimson Guitar.
Started off with this.
Then vigorous sanding with 80 and then 240. Across the grain and then with it.
I'm pretty happy with that. Much better than before. I think I'll leave it like that. BTW, The stains around the screw holes are where I got a bit carried away with the soap on the threads. Nothing to worry about. While I was doing this, a friend turned up with this for my daughter.
Needless to say, I think her unicorn obsession has reached new heights... or is that depths? Hmm...
Started off with this.
Then vigorous sanding with 80 and then 240. Across the grain and then with it.
I'm pretty happy with that. Much better than before. I think I'll leave it like that. BTW, The stains around the screw holes are where I got a bit carried away with the soap on the threads. Nothing to worry about. While I was doing this, a friend turned up with this for my daughter.
Needless to say, I think her unicorn obsession has reached new heights... or is that depths? Hmm...
