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Foo Bass
- Thread starter Elias Graves
- Start date
I have to make a few comments on the Schaller bass bridge. It's a cast piece, with radius built in. The height adjusting screws ride in slots to maintain alignment. The springs are sized perfectly to allow full adjustment travel with hangups. The roller saddles have graduated size slots cast in and are adjustable laterally. The design is top load.
It's among the nicest bridges I've ever seen. Even the bottom is clean.
I adjusted the rollers to the outside to illustrate the movement available.
It's among the nicest bridges I've ever seen. Even the bottom is clean.
I adjusted the rollers to the outside to illustrate the movement available.
Yeah I've got one of those on a bass. They are nice.
I don't change strings a lot, and never had an issue anyway, but I've heard people say they're worried about the rollers moving around so they've put a tiny drop of clear nail polish on the threads to keep them in place.
Again, I've never found it to be an issue anyway.
I don't change strings a lot, and never had an issue anyway, but I've heard people say they're worried about the rollers moving around so they've put a tiny drop of clear nail polish on the threads to keep them in place.
Again, I've never found it to be an issue anyway.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,002
- 1
- 31,692
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Agree. I like mine a lot. The only reason I like the Hipshot A better is the (lack of) quick release slots in the tailpiece. I think that's just because the Schaller is an older design, before quick release slots became so popular. But there's no doubt about the Schaller being a quality piece in every respect.
Tonight, I made some ears for the headstock. We're just a bit narrow, so I used some cutoff scrap from the neck and made a pair.
A little gouge from my chisel. Argh. It may not show from the side but I'll fill with epoxy and sawdust. Shouldn't be a problem under the plate.
A little gouge from my chisel. Argh. It may not show from the side but I'll fill with epoxy and sawdust. Shouldn't be a problem under the plate.
Here's a little color sample we did. The Orange is the mahogany with some yellow dye and lacquer, the black is the ebony and the other is the burl for the headstock. It will also get the yellow dye and clearcoat.
A sketch of the headstock shape. More on that later.
Now, my band saw is in storage due to lack of space. I thought I could cut the profile for the neck with my scroll saw but it has insufficient capacity. I started out with a coping saw but sugar maple is just too stinking hard. I switched to a jig saw with long blades but that got seriously hot after an inch of cutting and was going to take forever. I finally broke down and used the router to cut it. Very messy. I left it fairly oversized and I'll take the rest down with spokeshave, chisel and rasp, I guess.
I left a flat foot on either end so I can keep it square as I cut the top profile, which is next. I'm doing that cut with a template, which I am going to make now.
The headstock shape is copied from my brother's Gibson Marauder six string. We feel it is the ideal balance between sheer functionality and in your face attitude. Plus, it will represent our "arrowhead" theme that we are going after.
On that front, say hello to the truss rod cover decoration. I'll be smoothing out the back side and attaching it to a black plate to make up the cover. My brother has decided to call it Arrowhead and we will even be echoing the arrowhead theme in the F holes and pickguard. Should be cool. The arrowhead was located in a creek bank in northwestern Oklahoma.
A sketch of the headstock shape. More on that later.
Now, my band saw is in storage due to lack of space. I thought I could cut the profile for the neck with my scroll saw but it has insufficient capacity. I started out with a coping saw but sugar maple is just too stinking hard. I switched to a jig saw with long blades but that got seriously hot after an inch of cutting and was going to take forever. I finally broke down and used the router to cut it. Very messy. I left it fairly oversized and I'll take the rest down with spokeshave, chisel and rasp, I guess.
I left a flat foot on either end so I can keep it square as I cut the top profile, which is next. I'm doing that cut with a template, which I am going to make now.
The headstock shape is copied from my brother's Gibson Marauder six string. We feel it is the ideal balance between sheer functionality and in your face attitude. Plus, it will represent our "arrowhead" theme that we are going after.
On that front, say hello to the truss rod cover decoration. I'll be smoothing out the back side and attaching it to a black plate to make up the cover. My brother has decided to call it Arrowhead and we will even be echoing the arrowhead theme in the F holes and pickguard. Should be cool. The arrowhead was located in a creek bank in northwestern Oklahoma.
Sub'd! That's my favourite headstock shape (The Gibson Grabber & G3 both have it, although the Ripper does not). Can't wait to see more updates 
Work continues on the neck. I've done a little shaping to the back side but mainly I'm prepping it to install the headstock cover plate. It will be a thin piece of birch ply topped with the maple burl.
The back, still pretty rough.
The front, with a rough cut on the arrowhead shape.
And the clamping party. You can't have too many clamps.
The back, still pretty rough.
The front, with a rough cut on the arrowhead shape.
And the clamping party. You can't have too many clamps.
Alright, we have a headstock plate which will be the substrate for the veneer. This headstock is quite the sammich.
Next up is the veneer. I need to get this in now so the fretboard sits properly. I'd honestly rather wait to put it on but in this case, I cannot delay it.
More clamps!
Not too bad. No air bubbles and no gaps round the edges. Looks like a good seal.
Next up is the veneer. I need to get this in now so the fretboard sits properly. I'd honestly rather wait to put it on but in this case, I cannot delay it.
More clamps!
Not too bad. No air bubbles and no gaps round the edges. Looks like a good seal.
I am going to put some lacquer over the veneer now to help protect it during the rest of construction. There is much rough handling yet to come.
I believe so.
More work in the fretboard. I have the back side all nice and flat now and ready to glue.
Because of how the neck goes together, it's going to be difficult to get to the end of the fretboard when it's glued up so I'm polishing the end now.
I took one shot of the fretboard tip with flash and one without. Under normal light, the pale streaks are very faint but under bright light, they are very apparent.
The stuff takes a polish like a champ, though. That's for sure.
Without flash. Dark as night.
With flash. Visible streaks.
The inlay material is ordered so next I'll begin cutting for those. The inlays are going to be burl maple bars across the width of the board.
I've decided to do the inlays before I glue up the board.
My inlay experience is limited but my brother wanted something different for the fretboard besides dots.
After searching around, we became inspired by some of the Hofner bar designs.
We are making some changes to the design, however. Ours will go about halfway through the depth of the board so they will show up from the sides as well as the front. These will be made from burl maple to match the headstock rather than the shell that Hofner used.
Getting underway. I'm doing these as a 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 deal with each side of the inlay being the same width as the inlay itself. That works out to about 0.55" for the third fret.
Here's a general idea.
Photobucket is being very flaky tonight, though. Hard to upload for some reason.
My inlay experience is limited but my brother wanted something different for the fretboard besides dots.
After searching around, we became inspired by some of the Hofner bar designs.
We are making some changes to the design, however. Ours will go about halfway through the depth of the board so they will show up from the sides as well as the front. These will be made from burl maple to match the headstock rather than the shell that Hofner used.
Getting underway. I'm doing these as a 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 deal with each side of the inlay being the same width as the inlay itself. That works out to about 0.55" for the third fret.
Here's a general idea.
Photobucket is being very flaky tonight, though. Hard to upload for some reason.
The first inlay cut is made. Whew. I'm going to need to buy a smaller router bit, though, to do the higher frets.
