• 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.

First Build (fingers crossed)

#21
Gilmourisgod said:
Cool build, welcome to my world of making mistakes and then fixing them for fun and profit. +1 on the BEAD tuning. That would seem to solve any potential string spacing problems and give you the same usable range of a 5 string in a narrower fingerboard, plus better tension in the B string with the 36" scale. I don't know why this tuning isn't more common. Id eventually like to try this, assuming I survive my own glacially slow build with enthusiasm intact.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the kind words. I agree with the 4 string tuning sentiment. My dilemma is, I have already modded a frankenbass (so to speak) into a 4 string that is tuned to BEAD. I think I'll save this neck for another bass and either use the other neck that I have (5 lam maple/purpleheart) for this one. Then again, a trip to buy lumber is never a waste of time, so I was also thinking about a wenge/padauk neck. Or wenge maple? I'm not sure.

All I know is, I share your feeling on enthusiasm for a glacially slow build. Hence, my trip for more wood. That usually gives me a burning desire to mess things up all over again.
 
#22
Let me add this. I know when building an instrument you want to see it finished and you are so excited about it but keep telling your self this through out the entire build. DO NOT RUSH ANYTHING!!! Mistakes will happen no matter what but you need to slow down make full scale drawings of everything before you start cutting anything. Believe me I make mistakes every time I build an instrument and I have now built more than 10 basses. I have finally got myself in the mind set to do it as close to right in the first place, so I do not have to re-do or worst waist wood. If you are not sure of something then just wait, think or ask someone here. Once you know the answer then go back at it. Also I cannot tell from your photos but if your body wings are not attached to the neck yet then wait till you contour the body wings as close to finished as possible before gluing them to the neck. Trying to round over a body wing by the neck is hard and you can ding up the neck and fingerboard real easy. How I know because I did this on my first bass that was a neck thru. So just take your time and measure twice cut once. That is something else I have to always tell my self 100 time a build. Now keep us updated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gilmourisgod, Robotic Attack and lbridenstine
#23
thebassbuilder said:
Let me add this. I know when building an instrument you want to see it finished and you are so excited about it but keep telling your self this through out the entire build. DO NOT RUSH ANYTHING!!! Mistakes will happen no matter what but you need to slow down make full scale drawings of everything before you start cutting anything. Believe me I make mistakes every time I build an instrument and I have now built more than 10 basses. I have finally got myself in the mind set to do it as close to right in the first place, so I do not have to re-do or worst waist wood. If you are not sure of something then just wait, think or ask someone here. Once you know the answer then go back at it. Also I cannot tell from your photos but if your body wings are not attached to the neck yet then wait till you contour the body wings as close to finished as possible before gluing them to the neck. Trying to round over a body wing by the neck is hard and you can ding up the neck and fingerboard real easy. How I know because I did this on my first bass that was a neck thru. So just take your time and measure twice cut once. That is something else I have to always tell my self 100 time a build. Now keep us updated.
Click to expand...

Indeed. This is all really good advice, and very appreciated.

The body wings aren't yet glued to the neck, thankfully. I was leaving that for the reasons you gave. It just seemed like it would be inherently hard to shape them being attached. Past that, you're right. I did rush this because I was so pumped to be building my own.

Thank you for the words of wisdom. I will keep this updated, for better or worse.
 
#24
thebassbuilder said:
Let me add this. I know when building an instrument you want to see it finished and you are so excited about it but keep telling your self this through out the entire build. DO NOT RUSH ANYTHING!!! Mistakes will happen no matter what but you need to slow down make full scale drawings of everything before you start cutting anything. Believe me I make mistakes every time I build an instrument and I have now built more than 10 basses. I have finally got myself in the mind set to do it as close to right in the first place, so I do not have to re-do or worst waist wood. If you are not sure of something then just wait, think or ask someone here. Once you know the answer then go back at it. Also I cannot tell from your photos but if your body wings are not attached to the neck yet then wait till you contour the body wings as close to finished as possible before gluing them to the neck. Trying to round over a body wing by the neck is hard and you can ding up the neck and fingerboard real easy. How I know because I did this on my first bass that was a neck thru. So just take your time and measure twice cut once. That is something else I have to always tell my self 100 time a build. Now keep us updated.
Click to expand...
Sound advice. I really can't afford this hobby with two sons in college, and two more in the pipeline, so I agonize over every step to avoid ruining my expensive lumber. Lucky so far all my mistakes have been easy to fix, but I have to cut the neck profile and start carving, putting that off until everything else I can logically accomplish is done, which includes all the work on the body wings. Let's hear it for first time builders doing neck through basses! Sound judgement! Overconfidence! Bind Faith!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jonny5bass, thebassbuilder and Robotic Attack
#26
So, I decided for forego the current neck and body shape. I still have the wood and have started carving on it, but after a trip for some wood for a new neck, I think I am going to finish this one first. It will accommodate the bridge I have on hand, and I will be able to route in everything properly and try (really, really try) to not jump the gun and take it slow. I'll return to the bass that I started this forum with when I get a narrower bridge and some more tuners and PU's.

Until then, I made this today... Which was a good time, to be sure. Plus, I have ALWAYS wanted a singelcut. So, here is the new one I will be updating on until completion. I am going to glue up the neck tonight.

20150415_181138[1].jpg
 
#28
thebassbuilder said:
That looks good and like it better than the other one. Good job.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I like the neck MUCh more on this than the other. And I appreciate the kind words.

thebassbuilder said:
Not sure if you are planning this already or not but make the neck taper from end of body to the nut. I always think this looks more natural.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if I know exactly what you mean. Do you mean start the taper at the end of the singlecut side? Or at the lower horn side? I'm honestly looking for advice, and I'm not sure if what I have in my head is the same process that you're suggesting.
 
#29
Start the taper from the strap button rear end of the bass behind the bridge. Make that the wides part of the neck thru and taper from there all the way through the body section and on to the nut. This way there is no rectangular block section in the body. I hope this makes sense as it is hard for me to describe.
 
#30
thebassbuilder said:
Start the taper from the strap button rear end of the bass behind the bridge. Make that the wides part of the neck thru and taper from there all the way through the body section and on to the nut. This way there is no rectangular block section in the body. I hope this makes sense as it is hard for me to describe.
Click to expand...

I think bass builder if talking about tapering the neck all along its length, so that it makes a very long trapezoid essentially. Here's a good video to demonstrate it: .
I'm loving the laminate necks, I've always been a sucker for building with those too! Probably because I don't have access to a lumber yard with quarter sawn, but it makes a fantastic substitution and I haven't had a warp in any of necks (maybe that's due to the 1/4" steel bar in the middle of my old ones though... Talk about the good reasons to use a real trussrod!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Robotic Attack
#31
Wasted4440 said:
I think bass builder if talking about tapering the neck all along its length, so that it makes a very long trapezoid essentially. Here's a good video to demonstrate it: .
I'm loving the laminate necks, I've always been a sucker for building with those too! Probably because I don't have access to a lumber yard with quarter sawn, but it makes a fantastic substitution and I haven't had a warp in any of necks (maybe that's due to the 1/4" steel bar in the middle of my old ones though... Talk about the good reasons to use a real trussrod!)
Click to expand...


Thank you. Yeah, I really like using neck lams. You can get pretty awesome, visually-striking results with them.

I had seen that video. That's the guy from Wyn, right? I think I watched that series with him. Afterward, all I could think about was how unreal it would be to a) have a shop like that, b) have the knowledge and ability to do that, and c) I pale in comparison to what seems to him to be the most rudimentary of stuff. Plus, the handmade rasps he has (I think they were in another of the videos) were unreal. One day, one day.

As of right now, I neither have the know-how, nor gluing jig for such a neck (and I had already clamped it up prior to seeing the suggestion). However, I would love to build a jig like that, as you can see in the video, it would make having multiple necks ready to rock and roll much more easy/realistic.

Also, I am thinking I am going to do a drop top on this bass, so the neck wont be visible form the front, anyway. I have some nicely figured padauk that I can put on it. We shall see.

As the dude once said, "That's f***in' interesting, man. That's f***in' interesting." Which I'm sure would be muttered by many that see me in the shop...:cautious:
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: thebassbuilder
#32
The video shows the way does it, which I think would be hard to taper the center boards. But he does have the same final result. I was thinking you glue the neck like you have it now and then just straight route the neck from nut to tail with a continuous taper.
 
#33
Well, it has been 10 days since I last posted. I've made some pretty good progress on the singlecut. I got the top half of the neck carved and shaped to almost what I'd like it to be. Now I need to get to planing the top down about a mm so accommodate the drop of padauk I'm using. I'm going to try and have that done by the end of the day, but as I've taken to heart is paying dividends: DO NOT RUSH. apologies for the delay, not only in postings, but in lack of pictures of progress. I get a little one-track-minded while I'm working.

At any rate, here is what I've been doing and some pics of how the bass actually looks currently.

Neck glue-up.
20150415_195424.jpg
 
#36
Body wings glued on. Also, I forgot to take pics of the truss rod route, but I can assure everyone (myself included) that it is centered and true this time. Also, on that note, I decided to forego making my own trusses and just bought some double action ones. They aren't that pricey, and I like the install much better.

20150426_083934.jpg
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back