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First Build - New Favorite Hobby

Dream Weaver

Dream Weaver

Jul 11, 2009
259
0
OH
#1
I'm still rather surprised I took on this task, but I must say I have no regrets. It is a great stress reducer and gives me a great sense of accomplishment with even the smallest of feats. I had always loved working with wood, but have never done anything even remotely like this. It seemed like a great challenge to undertake.

I decided to do a 6 string bass, as I already have a 4 and 5 that I like. I have been wanting to get an extended range bass to play around with some Dream Theater and Jazz stuff anyways. After a month of researching it seemed like an odd choice for my first build, but I was determined to try. If I fail, I will still walk away with a wealth of experience for a second attempt.

Specs:
6 String - Fretted
34" Scale
Neck: Bloodwood and Rock Maple
Body: Soft Maple
Neck and Bridge Soapbar Pickups
Active Pre-amp with Passive switch.

Thus far, I have only done the rough shaping of the body wings and most of the rough shaping of the neck. I started on the fingerboard, but screwed up by cutting the taper first... instead of after cutting the slots. I was also disappointed with the first fingerboard which was marred while planing it to thickness. I didn't think to leave excess on the ends to keep the planer from gouging the ends. Live and learn I guess. I was planning on using the scraps of bloodwood I had, but I may try something else. I was aiming for a bright tone, but I'm not sure if there is a such thing as "too much" to the point where active electronics will not be able to shape it and balance it out.



I'm happy to admit that I know nothing so any corrections, criticisms, or comments are welcome. I am just enjoying this ride as a welcome respite from my daily grind at the office. The more I fail, the more I learn... So let 'em rip.


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#8
Oddly enough, the fat stripe down the neck was not initially intended. I planed the bloodwood to the wrong thickness. I didn't color code my printed plans and flip flopped which was which. I hadn't planed the rock maple yet, so I just adjusted the placement and thickness to make it work. I was initially wanting to do B-M-B-M-B. With the maple as the accents. Learning experience. Now I know to be more liberal with the labeling on my drawings.

I uploaded a few more pics too.


Here is the front view of the wings, minus the neck separating them.
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Here was my first mistake. I tried to remove chunks of the soft maple wings with a table saw to make it easier to cut on my el cheapo bandsaw... Yeah, still not sure what I was thinking there...
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After an epic string of profanity, I was ready to head back to the store and get another billet. I started thinking about it, and since it was on the back I was thinking about just plugging it. I bounced some ideas off my father who does a good bit of wood working, and he asked why I didn't just use some scraps of blood wood to plug it. Made sense to me, but just one plug seemed out of place and accidental. So I cut two more gouges in the horn and plugged them with some bloodwood scraps. After the glue dried I was FAR from impressed. After rough cutting the excess material on the plugs and some really rough sanding, it looked infinitely better. The more I sanded, the better it looked. By the time I was done shaping it almost looked... intentional.
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#20
Finished ordering all the hardware and electronics... ugh... I can actually hear my wallet weeping. :bawl:

Ended up with two Bartolini split coil soapbar pups and a Bartolini 3way preamp with an active/passive mode/switch.

I ended up going with black hardware after changing my mind 30 times. I just sketched out what I thought I wanted to see... and chrome or gold just didn't fit. Plus, black hardware seems to go with just about anything.

I got lazy and ordered a pre-slotted fingerboard. I attempted to make one out of the remnants of bloodwood I had kicking around and I screwed up. I didn't really think the process through. I planed it to roughly the thickness i wanted, cut off all excess, and then proceeded to cut the taper and plane it again... ... ... what on earth was I thinking. The planer gouged the area before and after the first fret because I didn't leave enough excess on the board when planing it to compensate for the blade. Plus, since I cut the taper BEFORE slotting the board... I was kind of up the creek without a paddle. Oh well, live and learn. I think think it would have ended up being too much bloodwood anyways. Also with the bridge I found, I will need to adjust the neck and string spacings slightly. So, I guess it worked out in the end.

I went with an ebony fingerboard that I found one online for about 30 bucks. Not sure how the quality will be, so I may dye it to the shade I want afterwards. I'm really tempted to try some inlays on it. Not sure if I have built up that kind of courage yet, but I have some ideas already rattling around that I'm really anxious to try. We'll see once it arrives.

Since no post is proper without a picture, here is the tweaked sketch of what I am moving towards. The headstock is already going to be changed since I ended up deciding to go with 3+3 tuners. One of these days i'll make a game plan and stick to it... ... ... riiiiight.

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