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First Build- 32" Walnut/Blue Mahoe (Completed)

Discussion in 'Luthier's Corner' started by Zombbg4, Jul 30, 2009.

  1. Jul 30, 2009 #1
    Zombbg4

    Zombbg4

    Jul 15, 2008
    Olympia,Wa
    Hey all, you may remember the thread I posted a while back when I was in the planning stages and gathering materials, well it's done! I intended on documenting it but it always slipped my mind...:scowl: Anyways here are the specs:

    32' Scale Fretted 4 String 24 frets
    Walnut body w/ Blue Mahoe top/back , danish oil finish
    Wenge/maple/wenge neck w/ Mac Ebony fingerboard
    Standard Jazz Bass Pickups in Wood covers, passive
    Wilkinson Tuners, no name bridge made in china
    Ebony knobs

    A LOT has changed since I set off on this build, It was supposed to be a 5'er, 33" scale, active electronics ect... It didn't turn out to be quite what I wanted and I was going to make it into a fretless 5 when my loving girlfriend decided to adopt it! She'd always wanted a bass and kept putting it off, so I was very suprised she wanted it. Through a weird chain of mistakes from the people I got the body blank and FB from I got them for free, and along with the cheaper electronics and hardware this bass was pretty inexpensive.

    NOTE:The bass is by no means perfect, and I've learned tons from all the mistakes and I'm confident for my next build. Wish i didn't have to learn the hard way but it will stick with me because of it. Anyway here it is...

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    l_975d00418f9642a2899332653a2062c0.png

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    It's shown with out the knobs on and I'm yet to spray the pup cover screws black or just get some better ones that are already black. Hope you enjoy, I loved the build and can't wait to get started on the next.
     
  2. Jul 30, 2009 #2
    roberthabraken

    roberthabraken

    Jan 8, 2009
    The Netherlands
    It looks very good and sweet for a first build!! There's only one thing: you may want to use other screws for the pickup covers, the ones you've used right now seem a little out of place. For the rest it looks very good!

    How does it sound?

    Edit: sorry, see you've mentioned it about the pup screws yourself already. I suggest regular pickup screws in black, they sell 'm at every guitar parts shop.
     
  3. Jul 30, 2009 #3
    jworrellbass

    jworrellbass Commercial User

    May 17, 2009
    Colorado Springs CO
    Owner, builder: jworrellbass
    Very nice for your first build.
     
  4. Jul 30, 2009 #4
    Zombbg4

    Zombbg4

    Jul 15, 2008
    Olympia,Wa
    Totally, like I said I'm going to spray them black and if they still don't look right Ill pick some up from bestbassgear. As far as it sounds, well currently it has a mismatched set of older strings, but the punch is rediculous! Popping on the G string really kicks you in the face, yet it still has a warm sound. Couldn't ask for more and I can't wait to put a fresh set of string on it! Thanks for the kind words Robert, by the way I got the idea of using danish oil from you, I love the stuff! Perfect finish IMO.
     
  5. Jul 30, 2009 #5
    roberthabraken

    roberthabraken

    Jan 8, 2009
    The Netherlands
    Ah that's nice :).. it's a good finish indeed, brings out the grain and figure wonderfully and it's so easy to apply, it dries fast and it's very cheap.. :D

    I've got one question: I see you've used 'standard' jazz pups with a custom cover.. I'm interested in doing this as well, since I like the looks but don't want to wind my own pickups. How did you do this? Just make a cover on top of the original one? Or did you replace the cover?
     
  6. Jul 30, 2009 #6
    Zombbg4

    Zombbg4

    Jul 15, 2008
    Olympia,Wa
    Its great stuff. I was standing in Lowes looking at this or Formby's tung oil, glad I went with the danish. The covers on the pups were removable so I took them off and popped the "raw" pickups in. I actually did this so the cavities would be easier to route, I covered up a few other mistakes and wasn't taking any chances on that one.
     
  7. Jul 30, 2009 #7
    roberthabraken

    roberthabraken

    Jan 8, 2009
    The Netherlands
    May I ask what brand of pups you've used? My covers (DiMarzio) weren't removable (at least, not without doing them some damage).
     
  8. Jul 30, 2009 #8
    Zombbg4

    Zombbg4

    Jul 15, 2008
    Olympia,Wa
    Plain old MIM Jazz pickups. They actually sound pretty nice, too.