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First Build (old german bass content)

#21
I really dig the Tolex, it looks like some funky Japanese bass from the 60's, or a no-name Iron Curtain country bass, the name is perfect, just ambiguous enough to sound like some long defunct company. I've done Tolex on a speaker cab (badly) and managed to cover the worst of my incompetence with metal corner protectors. I never would have thought it possible on a bass, but you pulled it off!
 
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#22
Morten_B said:
Very cool project..! I also really like the tolex and the white piping.. Well done :cool:

You have not described your process of working with the tolex, but here are a few tips that you can consider. Maybe they can help you regarding the ''problem areas'' you have described. Here are some pics for illustration, this is a bass stack I made for myself recently...

1...
Don't be afraid to use a heat gun on the tolex. In fact, you must use a heat gun to get the tolex working with you instead of against you when working on corners and bends. It's really easy to mold into shape when hot, and it keeps the shape when cooled down.
2...
Don't be afraid to cut the tolex where you have corners / bends otherwise there will be too much tolex and you can't get a tight fit. It will keep ''folding''. For instance, in the second picture I have attached (close up of an orange corner) there is 3 seams where I have cut the tolex and pushed it back together and glued it down. You can barely make out one seam, but the two others are totally invisible.
3...
When gluing the tolex I prefer to use this type of glue that you brush on, and you can get it locally in Germany. The spray glue makes such a mess..! Invalid Link Removed
however, when gluing seams after cutting the tolex, or when gluing the tolex into the channels where you have the piping I use CA (crazy glue). A lot of ''holding power'' is needed in areas where you have stretched the tolex and it needs better glue otherwise it will un-glue itself after a while.
That's my experience from working with the lovely stuff... It takes time and patience, but so does the alternative of making a beautiful finish...
Click to expand...

Hi Morten, thanks for your feedback.

I did some trials on an old piece of bass body. The heat gun on the tolex was too hot and melted it... I took an hair dryer which was smoother and better to do the job. The fact is that the corners and bends are harder to manage on a bass body than on a cab, especially the 2 horns around the neck joint. I think I didn't put enough glue on this area. Fortunately, the horns on my bass are not as sharp as on a JB or PB for example.
I didn't try to apply the glue with a brush. You must be right on that point. I hesitated to order the liquid glue at Tube-Town, but finally bought spray at the local shop...

I really like your job on your cabs, especially the 3 colors and piping. I plan to use the rest of red tolex to make a hard case for my amp head. It's a cheap but great Hartke LH500 that I want to mod to match with the bass : red tolex and chickenhead knobs, and a white face. But it's another story....
 
#23
neeko said:
Hi Morten, thanks for your feedback.

I did some trials on an old piece of bass body. The heat gun on the tolex was too hot and melted it... I took an hair dryer which was smoother and better to do the job.
....
Click to expand...

A hair dryer is safer for sure, but it does not heat the tolex enough to really mold it into shape. If you melt the tolex you are too close with the head gun. Backing of a bit until you get it really, really hot, but not as hot as it's melting is what you need. Get that balance right and the tolex will work with you and not against you.

PS... I know the cabs are easier, doing tolex on a curved shape like a bass body is not easy..!!! But with the right amount of heat, and some carfully arranged cuts in the tolex it will work :)
 
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#24
Morten_B said:
A hair dryer is safer for sure, but it does not heat the tolex enough to really mold it into shape. If you melt the tolex you are too close with the head gun. Backing of a bit until you get it really, really hot, but not as hot as it's melting is what you need. Get that balance right and the tolex will work with you and not against you.

PS... I know the cabs are easier, doing tolex on a curved shape like a bass body is not easy..!!! But with the right amount of heat, and some carfully arranged cuts in the tolex it will work :)
Click to expand...
Yep, but it was my first attempt and I guess the next one will be better thanks to my first experience and advice from TBers like you ;)
 
#31
reverendrally said:
Awesome! Love it! :thumbsup:

Any chance of the some soundclips?
Click to expand...

Here they are !

Recorded thru my SANSAMP BDDI with all settings at 12 o'clock.

The bass line is (a bit more than) inspired by "Oh Darling" from who you know...

Each line was played with : Neck PU, Neck+Bridge PU, Bridge PU. Fingerstyle first and then with pick/palm mute.

Enjoy ! (I hope)
 

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#35
Salicete said:
I can't imagine the amount of time, the level of skill, and patience it required to knock that beauty out.

Really cool bass!
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Thanks salicete ! It was a great experience for me. It did not take me so much time : about 15 full days of work for a six month period, during vacation, but I had the chance to get the support from my friend luthier, Michael, who coached me during the building. I didn't have the skill either, even if I don't have "two left hands" as we say in french. The fact is I always wanted to have my own bass build, from my personal specs (like many of us I guess...). Michael told me : "you can do it yourself. Come at the workshop and I'll help you". I answered "banco !". I was selling my 92 MIM JB at this time. I gave him the cash, asking him "is that enough ?". "Yep".
It was so great I'm already working on another project (a Rick 4005 clone) !

I've learned a lot during this period and got the "bass build virus"...

I'm happy now to share this experience on TB and get this kind of feedback !
 

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