Really appreciate your feedback here @Slidlow . After reading your comments, I did some searching around, and there are a few postings (youtube and elsewhere) where they used a 0.1" side thickness and bent it. But they only used 1 layer, did not build up. I think I'll plan on resawing at 1/8" (0.125) and then sand/plane down closer to 0.1. And of course kerfing will be added to join top/back. The maple I'm using is not figured.
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ES-335 bass build
- Thread starter 83_Silberpfeil
- Start date
Yes I meant to use 1 layer as in typical acoustic assembly. Talking about layers was in reference to what you are seeing on the drawing you mentioned. At 0.100" the sides will be plenty strong and kerfing provides surface to attach the top and back as well as meat to cut a binding trough into the edges. There should be plenty of information available on bending guitar sides. It is the same process for what you want. I've done it for acoustics and my dad does it all the time for his violins.
Hey, 83. Nice design. With all the prep and planning you’re doing this should be pretty sweet. Looking forward to seeing it come together.
Today I made the master template for the body. And fromthe master traced and rough cut 4 more pieces.These will be the form to bend and hold the sides/rimpile. Each piece just over 5/8 thick. Two pieces will be stacked and secured make the form. The side will be 1.25” wide. Did not have enough time to route each piece to match the master template. That’ll have to wait till next time.
I was able to rip two strips and of 1.25” wide maple for the sides. Each is about 1/8 thick - will sand down to about 0.1” thick.
More planning and layout ---
pickups: reverse split Yamaha BB1200S Alnico V
bridge: Schaller 3D-4
preamp - Yamaha BB1200S, cloned --- you can see the original in one of the pics
Will need to carefully plan and figure out how to squeeze in the preamp and battery, and then a cover/lid on the back.
pickups: reverse split Yamaha BB1200S Alnico V
bridge: Schaller 3D-4
preamp - Yamaha BB1200S, cloned --- you can see the original in one of the pics
Will need to carefully plan and figure out how to squeeze in the preamp and battery, and then a cover/lid on the back.
1. Re-cut the body templates that will be used to bend the sides. Apparently the body dimensions of Viking1 bass that serves as the inspiration for this build is noticeably larger than the ES335 body. Longer and wider. So had to redraw the body, and cut the templates. They are now all shaped and ready to go. Wish me luck on the next step: bending sides. I know I’ll meed it
2. Making another neck blank, this time out of birch plywood. Likely will add/glue a 1/4” flat piece on top to simulate fingerboard. This will serve as a test run along w test run body #3 below. Will connect 2&3 and shape to dimensions per my olan and add p/i, bridge, nut, and machine tuners - all to make sure that everything is going to work as designed - or to inform design change if necessary.
3. Will be gluing up 3 pieces of poplar: 3/4” x 5.5” x 20”. This will simulate the body.
Good lumber is expensive, and lots of work put in to making the blank. Don’t want to be forced to redo.
Not yet. Will be rigging/hacking it out w 1.5” pipe, base plate, and secure to a plank. Thenheat the pipe w higher wattage/heat bulbs (halogen???), heat gun, or small torch.
Thinking of buying a copper fitting w 1.5” OD for better heat distribution - instead of the standard steel pipe. Waht do you think?
Thinking of buying a copper fitting w 1.5” OD for better heat distribution - instead of the standard steel pipe. Waht do you think?
Before I had a real one I was using length of 3" aluminum tube and a real heavy soldering iron like used in tin smithing. Just laid the iron inside the tube and powered it with a variac to adjust temp. Aluminum conducts heat quite well.
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That would be 3” long or dia? I will go w 1.5” dia - tight enough for the ‘horns’ and the cutouts. Prob 3~4 inch length would be sufficient.
How would I search for that high power iron?
How would I search for that high power iron?
I was previously using 3" diameter for acoustic guitar body. Smaller would be needed for your application. The actual bending irons have a wedged oval shape giving a large diameter on one edge and a small diameter on the opposite edge and a low curve on either side. The heavy soldering iron I found at a flea market one time. They are supplied for tin smiths or used in the old days for auto body repair with lead solder.
Thanks for elaborating @Slidlow . Will try to look for these tin soldering irons. Found some aluminum tubing/pipe w 1.5" dia via amazon/ebay. But wondering how I would secure to the wood board??? I would need to either tap thread it or somehow weld it.
My thoughts about the copper fitting as well --- will somehow need to be welded/soldered secured to the board.
Think I'll just go with this set up...
Galvanized steel pipe/nipple:
1-1/2 in. x 6 in. Galvanized Steel Nipple-567-060HN - The Home Depot
Floor Flange:
LDR Industries 1-1/2 in. Black Iron Floor Flange-310 F-112 - The Home Depot
My thoughts about the copper fitting as well --- will somehow need to be welded/soldered secured to the board.
Think I'll just go with this set up...
Galvanized steel pipe/nipple:
1-1/2 in. x 6 in. Galvanized Steel Nipple-567-060HN - The Home Depot
Floor Flange:
LDR Industries 1-1/2 in. Black Iron Floor Flange-310 F-112 - The Home Depot
A Yamaha basis combined with a ES335 body shape made me think of Peter Hook's Eccleshall Bass too. Supposedly "Hook started out on a "terrible" EKO bass copy".
In the sixties, Crucianelli and Eko made shortscale basses based on the ES335.
Eko
Crucianelli
Link Removed
The mentioned Italian factory's made laminated body's.
Also assembled the jig to bend the sides. Pipe is 1.5” diameter. Will need to attach a horizntal board/piece so that the entire jig can be clamped to a flat surface.
Thinking of using heat gun as heat source. Would rather avoid a flame torch.
Thinking of using heat gun as heat source. Would rather avoid a flame torch.
So, the scarf joint dried and looks pretty decent for my first ever attempt. It is a ~ 13 degree scarf, and a 3% neck break angle.
QUESTION: which step should be done first (not necessarily next step)????
1) cut the neck to get the thickness profile correct? OR
2) cut the neck width/tapper correct (e.g narrow near nut --- to --- wider at 22nd fret).
No experience here --- looking for simplest, least risk, or least skills required, approach. As I think thru it, if I do #2 first, I will still have a flat neck/fingerboard surface to use, which might then make #1 easier to cut.
But, if I do #1 first, then the taper will make it more difficult to cut #2???
Looking for advice here.
Thanks!
QUESTION: which step should be done first (not necessarily next step)????
1) cut the neck to get the thickness profile correct? OR
2) cut the neck width/tapper correct (e.g narrow near nut --- to --- wider at 22nd fret).
No experience here --- looking for simplest, least risk, or least skills required, approach. As I think thru it, if I do #2 first, I will still have a flat neck/fingerboard surface to use, which might then make #1 easier to cut.
But, if I do #1 first, then the taper will make it more difficult to cut #2???
Looking for advice here.
Thanks!
There are ways to make either work. I prefer #1 first, then #2.
Also, I find it a lot easier to route my truss rod slot (and CF rod slots if you're using them) before you taper the sides. That gives you a flat edge to use as a reference. I looked back through the thread and didn't see where you've routed that slot yet.
Thanks @TundraMan , first for replying and advising. Second, for your neck angle calculator on your website ;-).
What you suggest makes sense. I think I will try it that way.
You're correct, there's no route/slot for truss rod. This neck, is a test/rehearsal run. See that I used all plywood to make this neck? I wanted to do the neck and attach it to a test/rehearsal body. Then, assemble all the hardware and parts (bridge, pick-up, tuning keys, nut, and string), and sort it out to make sure everything fits/works. Only then will I go back to my 5-piece laminate and build the actual neck.
What you suggest makes sense. I think I will try it that way.
You're correct, there's no route/slot for truss rod. This neck, is a test/rehearsal run. See that I used all plywood to make this neck? I wanted to do the neck and attach it to a test/rehearsal body. Then, assemble all the hardware and parts (bridge, pick-up, tuning keys, nut, and string), and sort it out to make sure everything fits/works. Only then will I go back to my 5-piece laminate and build the actual neck.
Work/life kept me occupied for past few weeks. Finally was able to make some progress this weekend.
Got the test/dry run neck rough cut today and also glued the fake fingerboard. Skipped the truss rod routing.
@TundraMan - followed your approach and cut the thickness profile first, then cut the width taper. One valuable lesson that I learned —— wait till the neck thickness/width cuts are done before gluing on the wings for the headstock. I did the opposite and had difficulty manouvering the neck along the bandsaw.
Here is a pic...
Got the test/dry run neck rough cut today and also glued the fake fingerboard. Skipped the truss rod routing.
@TundraMan - followed your approach and cut the thickness profile first, then cut the width taper. One valuable lesson that I learned —— wait till the neck thickness/width cuts are done before gluing on the wings for the headstock. I did the opposite and had difficulty manouvering the neck along the bandsaw.
Here is a pic...
Once again, been occupied with other life events so no real progress since my last post. I did acquire a figured maple billet for the body (top/back). It arrived today, and upon opening/inspection seems to be very good quality. The tiger stripe figure is not nearly as prominent as it is shown on the pictures below (from the seller). But, if I held the billet at a certain angle against light source, I can definitely see the figure. I figure (pun intended) once I apply the finish, the tiger figure will stand out more.
The billet dims are approx 1-3/4 X 11 X 40. More than enough for both the top and back of my ES335-type body -- even if the my design is a bit bigger than the ES335 plans.
Will be re-sawing into book-matched halves next time I go to the woodshop.
The billet dims are approx 1-3/4 X 11 X 40. More than enough for both the top and back of my ES335-type body -- even if the my design is a bit bigger than the ES335 plans.
Will be re-sawing into book-matched halves next time I go to the woodshop.
