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First build / body design

roberthabraken

roberthabraken

Jan 8, 2009
1,999
6
The Netherlands
#1
Hi,

I am planning my first build and spent a week or so to come up with a nice design, but I find it very hard.. so I thought I'd post two of 'm and maybe you guys can help me out :smug:.

I think it's gonna be a jazz setup with a mahogany body, 34", 24 frets and..

.. a more standard jazz bass inspired body shape with a standard neck pocket so I can bolt on my own or a replacement neck /w paddle peghead.

.. or a more 'original' body shape, where I have to make the neck myself, because the neck pocket is more towards the end of the fingerboard / or maybe a neck-through-body (which I think is really beautiful but maybe a bit challenging for a first build).

Included both designs... what do you think?
 

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#4
Thanks, I think you're right.. it's a jazz bass, but kinda with my own twist to it and the lines came out well. Though, I felt it wasn't very different, but than again, why should it be... it's a bass after all :).

I've got some plywood lying around waiting for it to become a template.. so I think I'm just gonna give it a try..
 
#6
I like the 2nd design also. U might look at some of the Ibanez guitars where they really thin the body down around the outside edges. Looks sharp and gets rid of alot of weight. They are thick in the middle and thin on the edges.
 
#7
I dont like the second design, IMO Tbones change makes it look better though. I like the first design much more than the second and Tbones suggestion but I would make a little change on the bass side horn. Id make the bass cut a bit deeper so the whole body wont look too rigid as Disappear said.
 
#8
eleonn said:
I dont like the second design, IMO Tbones change makes it look better though. I like the first design much more than the second and Tbones suggestion but I would make a little change on the bass side horn. Id make the bass cut a bit deeper so the whole body wont look too rigid as Disappear said.
Click to expand...

this style of body has been done by manne basses, and quite gracefully by scott french

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but im mainly not digging the Uber skinny waist line and the 'slab' upper horn in the OP's design. i think the basic concept is good, but that it just needs a little refining:smug:
 
#10
tbone409 said:
by adding a simple bump, i tried to make the "tamer" design a little more unique, just a suggestion, but it sets it apart a little bit.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll think about it..

BluesHonky said:
I like the 2nd design also. U might look at some of the Ibanez guitars where they really thin the body down around the outside edges. Looks sharp and gets rid of alot of weight. They are thick in the middle and thin on the edges.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's one of the models I am inspired by :D.. I like the standard Jazz Bass body variations as by Fodera, Lakland combined with some more modern shapes like those Ibanez models.

tbone409 said:
this style of body has been done by manne basses, and quite gracefully by scott french

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but im mainly not digging the Uber skinny waist line and the 'slab' upper horn in the OP's design. i think the basic concept is good, but that it just needs a little refining:smug:
Click to expand...

What I dislike about those designs, is that the upper and lower horn are, how do you say.. drawn in one line / extend each other.. I'm more into the Cort Curbow kind of designs, if you know what I mean.


I find it really helpful to get some feedback.. and while discussing about it, I think jazz bass variations (like Lakland) are my thing.. so I am going to make a template out of it, hold it and see what it does :bassist:... I'll post some pics soon.
 
#11
roberthabraken said:
What I dislike about those designs, is that the upper and lower horn are, how do you say.. drawn in one line / extend each other.. I'm more into the Cort Curbow kind of designs, if you know what I mean.
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ok then i mis understood your desire, and you're aiming for something more like this:
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and as for the jazz i think you design is classy, and reminds me a little bit of celinder and lecompte
celDB1%20copy_big.jpg

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either way you go i think it'll be a great project.

and as for my suggestion its just that a suggestion:)
 
#12
tbone409 said:
and as for the jazz i think you design is classy, and reminds me a little bit of celinder and lecompte

either way you go i think it'll be a great project.

and as for my suggestion its just that a suggestion:)
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Yes, I guess that's it.. classy.. Celinder.. and I really like the LeCompte!!

And about your suggestion: the longer I look and it, the more I like it.. so I'm gonna go for that one :D !!!
 
#15
#2 is nicer than #1. Can't say I dig the one with the extra bump.

In fact I built something that looks kind of similar.

finished_body_close.jpg


I'll warn you though, it might not sit well if you rest it on your leg while you play.
 
#17
Arx said:
#2 is nicer than #1. Can't say I dig the one with the extra bump.

In fact I built something that looks kind of similar.

finished_body_close.jpg


I'll warn you though, it might not sit well if you rest it on your leg while you play.
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That's nice! The body shape does look like mine indeed. I think I see piezo pickups in the saddles, is that true? How does it sound?

And about my designs... I printed out #2 and found out that it is too small... also, on full scale, I think the bump isn't coming out very well. Maybe I'll just size it up a bit, but still not sure on the design...

sonic assassin said:
i think if the first one curved a bit more on the top horn id like it a lot more. seems to just kinda stick straight up.

the second one is pretty safe, and just different enough to set it apart.

not crazy about the bump idea
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'm going to try to curve the top horn some more.. About the second one: you're right, but still not crazy about it..
 
#18
roberthabraken said:
That's nice! The body shape does look like mine indeed. I think I see piezo pickups in the saddles, is that true? How does it sound?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. They're not piezo. Just expensive hipshot bridges that I wouldn't recommend. They work well, but I don't think there's enough advantage over the cheap ebay ones to justify the extra expense and work required to install them.

It sounds pretty awesome, of course, the super long scale length on the low strings, and the massive neck probably helps with that.

I made it really long in the body, because I knew it was going to be neck heavy due to the huge neck, and the extra inch of length that's wasted, but even so, it's got a bit of dive. Nothing serious, but with the heavy weight and slight neck dive, you feel like switching to another bass after an hour or so.

On a conventional 4 string, I think that body shape would be super nice.
 
#19
Time for an update. Wasn't satisfied at all with what I came up with... so threw everything away (figuratively speaking ;)) and started all over. I made numberous drawings, spent hours looking at what other builders built and finally came up with this:

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Please tell me what you think! (I myself am kinda :hyper: about this one :smug:)
 

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