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First Build: SC5 Headless

#161
Was able to get some more work done over the holidays. I now have a SC5 up to the same point as the Habanero.

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For reference, here are both basses with a Pedulla RB5.

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It just occurred to me that I haven't described how i get the neck flush with the body after it's glued in place. Because the necks are tapered, it always sits a little proud of the body in the neck pocket. I use double sided tape to hold two pieces of scrap wood, that are the same thickness, to the body. I use these to support my router so I can slide it along the top and take off just enough material to make everything flush. I put a third piece of scrap across the fingerboard (across the two other pieces) to make a hard stop that prevents me from cutting into the fingerboard. I usually leave about 1/16" just in front of the fingerboard that I have to clean up with a chisel. I hope that makes sense. I'll try and remember to take pics for the next one.

I've decided that I also need to make a jig to hold the neck blank while I'm drilling the holes for side position markers. Holding it by hand (even with a solid back to hold it against) isn't giving me as good a result as I would like.
 
#166
I took a break from carving the neck and sanded the back and back edge radius down to see how it would look when it's finished (wetted with mineral spirits). I was a little worried that I wouldn't like it as much because I knew it was going to get darker ...

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I think I'll like it just fine! :hyper:
 
#167
Neck is 95% there. Just one small area to sand smooth and then polish. I used my Pedulla RB5 neck as a guide. I used a contour gauge throughout the process to make sure nothing got too far out of whack. If I had to describe the shape, it's definitely thin with a D-ish profile. I'll leave the rest for when I'm ready to do the final sanding before applying the finish.

I've been putting off the control cavity for a while, so today I'll spend some time figuring out how big I can make it. That will help determine what I'll be able to fit in there. I'm pretty sure an EMG BQC (stacked bass and treble), a stacked volume/volume, two 9V batteries and a switch would fit, but it's going to be tight. If I can make it fit, it would be really nice to have the stacked adjustable mid control in there as well.

Does anyone happen to know if you can wire a 3-way switch (Mini On-On-On Flat Switch) so that "up" is active, "middle" is off (i.e. mute) and "down" is passive (bypass the preamp)? I definitely want the ability to bypass the preamp in case the batteries die, but I also like having a mute switch. It would help me save space if I can combine these into a single switch.
 
#168
fretless_guy said:
Does anyone happen to know if you can wire a 3-way switch (Mini On-On-On Flat Switch) so that "up" is active, "middle" is off (i.e. mute) and "down" is passive (bypass the preamp)? I definitely want the ability to bypass the preamp in case the batteries die, but I also like having a mute switch. It would help me save space if I can combine these into a single switch.
Click to expand...
I don't know how you could use a 3-way on-on-on DPDT. It's simple with a 3-way on-off-on DPDT
 
#169
pilotjones said:
I don't know how you could use a 3-way on-on-on DPDT. It's simple with a 3-way on-off-on DPDT
Click to expand...

That's what I figured. I was hoping that I could use the on-on-on version from BBG since it would mean I could get most of my hardware from on source. Do you happen to know a guitar parts place that stocks them? I just noticed that they have been discontinued at StewMac.
 
#170
Hmmm, I wasn't looking for that in particular when I was shopping. I ended up getting my parts from Newark, after looking at the guitar suppliers and the electronics suppliers (Newark, Digikey, Mouser). I found the guitar suppliers to be cheaper on one guitar-specific component (blue Bourns pot, which I didn't buy anyway), but the electronics suppliers cheaper on everything else.

It's just more work using the electronics suppliers' sites because they carry such a huge catalog, and have so many more options.
 
#171
I found one (AllParts). Looking through the electronics supplier’s website has me wondering about pots now.
Has anyone compared carbon element pots with conductive plastic pots? Is there a noticeable difference? The Boruns (blue or black, anyone know what the difference is?) pots are nice and small, but they don’t have concentric versions.
 
#172
I think I've got the electronics sorted out. I'm 95% sure I have room to run an Aguilar OBP-3, EMG BQS Control, Audere (Z-mode or 4-Band Classic), Nordy 3B or a Bee Pre (from Bee Basses). All would definitely be a tight fit, but I should be able to shoehorn them in there. Now I just need to decide which one to use! I'll probably go with something that I can get prewired so I don't have to source all of the little electronic parts.
 
#173
It's decision time. I have some time to work in my shop a little this weekend. I need to decide if I'm going to carve the neck transition on the Habanero or not.

Do I stick with this ...
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Or do I go for this ...
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To be honest, that scares me more than just a little bit. I'm not even really sure how to go about it (other than going at it with a chisel and a mallet).
 
#174
One reason not to is that the original Habanero is a neck through, so it looks more natural with a carved neck transition. If you'd do that you'd see all layers and transitions. Maybe it turns out great, but it doesn't feel as logic as with the neck through. I think what you have right now looks awesome. But if you decide to carve it, I think you're brave and cool ;).
 

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