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Custom Grabber - 1st A to Z build

#361
Hopkins said:
You can add 100 coats of clear and it will never be level until you sand it level.
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Indeed, but i'm just saying that due to many flakes having been applied before the first initial paint coat & then some 4-5 coats of clear after it wasn't a flat surface really. Hence why i chiselled some flakes out, made the body surface flat once again & shot 3 coats of green on top & added some flakes. Now the body surface is still flat, & my varnish can now cover the whole surface without having bumps of flakes piercing through
 
#362
ThaCoast said:
Indeed, but i'm just saying that due to many flakes having been applied before the first initial paint coat & then some 4-5 coats of clear after it wasn't a flat surface really. Hence why i chiselled some flakes out, made the body surface flat once again & shot 3 coats of green on top & added some flakes. Now the body surface is still flat, & my varnish can now cover the whole surface without having bumps of flakes piercing through
Click to expand...

Your flake population was much more full before though. The trick is to spray enough finish so you can sand it level, then spray another coat of clear after you have level sanded it.
 
#363
It's not nearly complete, i did a level sanding & wanted to see how good it looked all assembled (minus the bridge that has yet to be ordered :/ )

11822373_10207211359463790_5448819693690232810_n.jpg


I gotta say, it's stunning. But gotta shoot some more clear over the whole body & do a final wet sanding before putting it back together. Im hoping to have the bridge around that time before i start school again.
 
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#364
ThaCoast said:
It's not nearly complete, i did a level sanding & wanted to see how good it looked all assembled (minus the bridge that has yet to be ordered :/ )

View attachment 661212

I gotta say, it's stunning. But gotta shoot some more clear over the whole body & do a final wet sanding before putting it back together. Im hoping to have the bridge around that time before i start school again.
Click to expand...

Looking good Andii!!!

I have a question, which applies to Grappers in general:

It seems to me, that the distance covered by the sliding pickup on a Grapper is very small - Does that really make for a significant difference in sound having the pickup in either bridge or neck position, or is it just a novelty invention by Gibson?
 
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#365
hillerup said:
Looking good Andii!!!

I have a question, which applies to Grappers in general:

It seems to me, that the distance covered by the sliding pickup on a Grapper is very small - Does that really make for a significant difference in sound having the pickup in either bridge or neck position, or is it just a novelty invention by Gibson?
Click to expand...

Well i couldn't answer for a real grabber, but i know for mine there's a slight change. It's not much, but if you've got an ear for it, you can pickup that towards the neck it's bit more bassy towards the bridge it has more bite. But then again, mine is an EBO replacement pickup by whoever (it's not gibson branded) & has the same sliding distance as the original grabbers do.

I suppose to answer you're question, it's more a novelty invention rather than a practical change in tone. :D
 
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#368
hillerup said:
Looking good Andii!!!

I have a question, which applies to Grappers in general:

It seems to me, that the distance covered by the sliding pickup on a Grapper is very small - Does that really make for a significant difference in sound having the pickup in either bridge or neck position, or is it just a novelty invention by Gibson?
Click to expand...

Think about it like this, It moves enough to go from a P position to a MM position. It does make a noticeable difference.
 
#371
So there's one good news about this bass: The hard case just came in store today after waiting since i ordered back in december. Thank you U.S.A for making everything in music much harder to get cause it has to pass by you before coming to canada. I'm going to get it tomorrow during the day, but am hopefully able to leave it at a friends place (who lives pretty close) because there's no more space for big things in my room, amid all the instruments & builds i'm doing. All in all, i might leave the bass in the case as well until i get the bridge (which in good news should be fairly soon since my other friend who's ordering the bridge will be able to order it finally!) So this bass is coming to an end slowly but surely.
 
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#372
It's been close to a month since i last posted, But good news, 2mrw's the day i finally order the bridge. So it should arrive at my door in a few weeks time& it'll finally be done for good. Right now, it's just sitting in the case (lack of proper exposition room) & then once i get the chance, it's off to my old man's place (just in time for his 53rd :P) Wanna see the look on his face when i say it's his loll. Thanks to all for your insight, opinions & general support for my first project ever.
 
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#375
Well it wasn't september 18th, but indeed today, the order for the bridge has been made (along with a couple other things my friend Mike & i need - he needs electronics for his blink 182 sig guitar/bass & i've got new frets for my eastwood pbass copy (doing a complete refret it's over due for a bass that's about 15-18 years old). But i'm excited cause in 2-3 weeks time, i'll have the bridge & be able to finish the bass for good. IT's been way too long & i can't wait to hear (& ultimately post) how the beast sounds. Will post pictures in the remaining sun & leave daylight when it's all together & set up. Im in love with it & will be sad to see it go, but heck, it's for my dad.
 
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#376
So i've received the Schaller Roller bridge for this build!! With the shim, allen key for saddle height & the screws. I installed it w/o the shim at first & maxed out the saddles & it wasn't high enough to get the strings off the frets. Added the shim & strings are off the frets but god it's too high from the pickup (so i'm not expecting very much output - & i can't raise the pickup either). I might have to route the pocket some more..

Cause my neck heel is exactly 1 1/16" (with frets) - the schaller bridge at the lowest saddle point 5/8" (w/shim under bridge) = ??

Keeping in mind that my neck pocket depth is already 5/8" deep like the standard. How deep am i supposed to go.
 
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#377
ThaCoast said:
So i've received the Schaller Roller bridge for This grabber bass. With the shim, allen key for saddle height & the screws. I installed it w/o the shim at first & maxed out the saddles & it wasn't high enough to get the strings off the frets. Installed it with the shim & no difference. I'm thinking i should route the neck pocket a bit deeper to allow the strings to not touch the frets at all while strung up. It's already at 5/8 (the standard), was wondering how deep i should go, or to calculate how much clearance i need with this bridge. Should i use the shim when calculating the neck pocket depth or should i exclude it?
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I'd exclude the shim/spacer if you plan on routing. It only exists to serve as an addition if needed to adapt to existing platforms. I use that bridge on two different basses, one with its use and one w/o and other than the height function, there is no difference.
 
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#380
ThaCoast said:
Affirmative. But existing platforms? what d'you mean.
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That it was an option to raise the bridge height on whatever bass it would be installed on. A Peavey bass, a Fender bass, a Gibson bass - all different platforms with potentially different bridge height needs.
 

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