Yeah i have the chance to go visit him in ottawa hahah. Being busy with school and truing to find a job to fund my future projects not much time to go visit, nor do i know when he's off work xD in time hopefully by summer
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.
Custom Grabber - 1st A to Z build
- Thread starter ThaCoast
- Start date
The snow is slowly melting, temperature is rising, once that happens i'll have 5 bass bodies to make: One slab thunderbird (like the spectors), my short scale supernova project, a Dan armstrong body (it's one my dad would want later on in life, might as well have the body now for it 
), and two ripper/grabber bodies (one will be a ripper body for myself, the other is a grabber body to replace the one i've made this round) So prepare yourselves, i'll be revisiting this bass sooner than i thought hahaha.
), and two ripper/grabber bodies (one will be a ripper body for myself, the other is a grabber body to replace the one i've made this round) So prepare yourselves, i'll be revisiting this bass sooner than i thought hahaha.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,021
- 1
- 31,746
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Pretty much, Kinda wanna sell the hipshot bridge and use the string through ferrules from this bass on my ripper bass body (since it'll be spot on original minus the pickups which will be GFS black lipstick tube humbuckers & it'll be a blood red color with ebony stained rosewood fretboard 
) Plus the overall length will be 45.75" instead of my 48" plus the body will be 16" wide instead of the 17" i built. The body will be proprotioned, & with a new bridge, i'll have the strings aligned with the pole pieces on the mudbucker.
) Plus the overall length will be 45.75" instead of my 48" plus the body will be 16" wide instead of the 17" i built. The body will be proprotioned, & with a new bridge, i'll have the strings aligned with the pole pieces on the mudbucker.
Would anyone know what other bridge can work with an EB-O mudbucker? Trying to find other options other than Schaller roller bridge (cause they take a while to get in stores), plus rather keep on low end of cost but that's another thing.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,021
- 1
- 31,746
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
True, but i don't want to use the 3 point since the pickup isn't at the neck, it won't have the right clearance over the pole pieces. I was looking at fender's amercian standard bridge since the barrels have 3 slots for the E & A string & 4 slots for the D & G string so it could work possibly. Was looking for a badass bridge as well, but i doubt my local store can even acquire them anymore.
Lots of planning/drawing last night to redesign the new body template for ripper/grabber shapes. Fly guitars is pretty much a lie in regards of the length of the bass. In any case, it's looking better, although i did make a true grabber before (just a tad bit too wide and maybe a bit too thick too) In correlation to the 21.5" length that fly guitars advertises, the overall length would be @48.75", not 45.75" like they said. Since my body is now 20" length wise, the overall length is 45.75".
All this to say that, in the near future, Along with my supernova bass & 2nd thunderbird body, i will also revist this bass and make it true 100%.
All this to say that, in the near future, Along with my supernova bass & 2nd thunderbird body, i will also revist this bass and make it true 100%.
Looking at my newly finished tempalte, and looking at my grabber as well, & i'm pretty damn sure that the lower width is 15.5, not 14.5. It looks very small at 14.5 inches wide, If i boost it another inch it'll look much better. As well as boosting a little bit on the upper width. But everything else remains the same. Will take care of this sometime next week, i'm too busy with school and trying to get that stuff done in time .
Kickstarting this thread again with some updates: took the strings off, and the bridge too (cause i'm going to sell the hipshot bridge). Going to create a 12" radius block and radius the fretboard (all parts doesn't pre-radius the board & i didn't notice until a few weeks ago). So this means removing the frets and cleaning up the slots, I'm also going to properly size edge to edge the board because it's pretty wide and flat around the 9th to the 21st fret. Then i will radius the fretboard, re-install the frets, bevel the frets.
Also, i'm not using the ferrules as i've done previously since the bridge will be gone and replaced by a fender deluxe bridge (which although does have the string through option, i'm not going to utilize it as i've not heard a difference between top load and through body). THe body will also be slimmer than what it is now, if i compared it to the original body depth of 1.25, this new body of mine will be 1/8 thicker. Also, since it will be the correct 45.75" overall length, the body is 20" in length, 15.5' width (because 21.5" is too long making the overall 48.75" and 14.5" is too small a width for comfort and even the general look of it as well). Color wise it'll be the same thing as i did previously. A one off color is nice. Pictures come later on. Stay tuned
Also, i'm not using the ferrules as i've done previously since the bridge will be gone and replaced by a fender deluxe bridge (which although does have the string through option, i'm not going to utilize it as i've not heard a difference between top load and through body). THe body will also be slimmer than what it is now, if i compared it to the original body depth of 1.25, this new body of mine will be 1/8 thicker. Also, since it will be the correct 45.75" overall length, the body is 20" in length, 15.5' width (because 21.5" is too long making the overall 48.75" and 14.5" is too small a width for comfort and even the general look of it as well). Color wise it'll be the same thing as i did previously. A one off color is nice. Pictures come later on. Stay tuned
For my refret, i was planning on using the same frets previously installed (since the neck would be less wide and perfectly radiused) would it be a bad idea & i should go with some new frets or is it no problem at all since the higher frets would be a tad shorter due to teh width of the neck.
There's so few places to get information but if i look closely, i can find what i need to know. I could potentially re-use my frets because they have only 2 hours of play total so the frets are in good condition. If i do remove them, i must be extremely careful 9at least i have another wire in case, but i won't let it come to that ) So onwards i go, i'm going to start with the fretboard today and hopefully, i still have some satin clear to shoot on the newly exposed wood.
) So onwards i go, i'm going to start with the fretboard today and hopefully, i still have some satin clear to shoot on the newly exposed wood.
So i've removed the frets, and have them all numbered with masking tape. got a fretboard template, traced it & took it to the sander. Little touch ups to be done. & i'm hoping to get a radius block sometime soon. One of my basses has an almost flat radius as well but it still sounds & performs great. In any case, the neck is almost done for good, just some fine sanding along the edges and the its clear coating time!
Hopefully in a few weeks, when i'm no longer sick and it's no longer cold, i'll be breaking out some wood to remake the body and good news, i'll have the fender deluxe bridge in may. i've made a deal with one of my friends/clients since he owed me a few hundreds i figured if he gets the bridge for me while he orders a bridge for his bass, and just pays me 80$ itll benefit both of us
Hopefully in a few weeks, when i'm no longer sick and it's no longer cold, i'll be breaking out some wood to remake the body and good news, i'll have the fender deluxe bridge in may. i've made a deal with one of my friends/clients since he owed me a few hundreds i figured if he gets the bridge for me while he orders a bridge for his bass, and just pays me 80$ itll benefit both of us
Neck has been coated and is now left to dry for the next two weeks. If anything this bass will be complete by june. At least it's what i'm aiming for. Also wish that stupid case would show up. Everything is coming from the states and its taking waaayyyy longer than what i expected/hoped for. At least this revamped version will fit the case better in all aspects.
So i've been looking at the fender deluxe bridge and it wouldn't work for the EB-O pole spacing. Glad i caught it now & told my friend too order me the schaller roller bridge. 1- i know it works over the pole spacing, 2-it looks heavy duty as F***. So anyway that's that for the bridge, i get the birdge i need, and the body will be done sometime...today maybe it's nice outside but then again, i'd like to have more space in my room to leave everything (no workshop which is a downfall xD). Stay tuned.
And so today was a good productive hour: Got the wood blanks out, cut 3 pieces, only two are used for this new grabber body which to my surprise will be 1.5" thick as one blank is 3/4" thick. Which i'm happy with & i'm sure my old man will be too with all the weight of the hipshot and the thcik somewhat 1.75" body. At least everything will be compact and true to the original in someways but better in others. My hopefull deadline for this is june. This weeks focus is mainly getting one other project done along with this grabber's body. Stay tuned, i'll try to get as much pictures uploaded during this whole build at least more than before hahaha.
In the mix of the grabber body being built, i'm also going to utilize the composite board that i've foolishly acquired at first for a coffin case build for universal use with my thunderbird(s), ripper & other long scale basses.
Body template has been cut out & traced onto the 24 hour glue cured blank. Pickguard tempalte has been made (with a slight trim to allow space between it & the bridge - which means i've backed the pickup route a tad closer to the neck but it's still centered in the pickguard). Also just broke out the neck screws to see if i would need to replace them with smaller ones since hte body is now 1.5" (which is just .25 over the original 70's version) but i'm pleased to say that i don't. The good thing about this revist: i'm not paying for anything new, except half of the shipping & handling for the bridge & a color spray can, nothing else. It'll be lighter, all strings will line up with the poles & will fit in pretty much any vintage/semi-hollow/homebuilt case!!
With the old body, i've tested out the upper strap pin location. The standard being within the upper horn making the strap tug on it, but i've tried placing it at the standard fender location & TBH, there's not much difference other than maybe it feels natural to have it in the fender place rather than "stock'. I might compromise and go in between. WHo knows, but til then i can relax & watch tv Yes i know, useless thread without pictures. Soon guys, soon....
With the old body, i've tested out the upper strap pin location. The standard being within the upper horn making the strap tug on it, but i've tried placing it at the standard fender location & TBH, there's not much difference other than maybe it feels natural to have it in the fender place rather than "stock'. I might compromise and go in between. WHo knows, but til then i can relax & watch tv
Yes i know, useless thread without pictures. Soon guys, soon....
Today seemed like a Great day out to set up my bike for the summer & Cut out the body for the "new" grabber. Almost done, just gonna take it to the sander to get the fine line of it. Then it's tracing/carving out the arm/tummy cuts. Drill holes for the pickup/electronics & route them out. Drill holes for the strap pin (at least the bottom one for now), and jack placement. If i have time, i'll route the neck pocket down to 9/16th. ground wire from the bridge location will be drilled too...this time at a shallow angle
First pics for the revist build. After 2 hours of cutting/sanding = Slimmer body in terms of length x width x depth dropping 1.5" x 1.5" x (roughly) .25". Essentially, it's a very well rounded grabber bass. The weight of this body alone is significant improvement over the first body plus the lower and upper widths are in correlation to each other. It's overall a pleasing sensation!! The only hole drilled so far is the bottom strap pin (will continue work on thursday as i've got a paper due tomorrow), the plan on thursday is to route the pickup/control cavities & neck pocket. Next monday's focus will be the new pickguard (the sliding piece is still the original i made before).
Anyways, enough talk, here's the pictures
enjoy
Anyways, enough talk, here's the pictures
enjoy
