Fretless HalfStatus

[MPU]

Overthinking is always better than underthinking. It's easier to delete the extra thoughts than to repair the damage from the thing you forgot.

I've found out that (over)thinking something before making or doing helps to leave most of the unnessessary hassle out of the doing itself. Thinking when doing is much, much more unefficient. And if I haven't thought something before doing then comes the repair like you said.

 

[Max Bogosity]

There's a difference between underthinking and intuition.

Intuition is what you call it in retrospect if it worked out ok.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Is visualizing the same as thinking? My Lizard Brain is incapable of building ANYTHING in the real world until I've already "built" it in my head. Of course sometimes the tactile reality suggests something that needs changing, or you realize that your visualization was just plain flawed...... BTW, another fascinating build Marko, I missed this one somehow.

 

[MPU]

After some overthinking, visualizing and following my intuition I have the neck profile pretty much done. I'm within just a hair from the templates I made from 2nd and 12th fret. I had to raise the neck pocket bottom with veneers a bit. Veneers are glued and drying at the moment. I try to get a pic later tonight.
Next I'm trying to copy the knobs with Tinkercad and 3d-print some knobs. I need to make a headpiece and finish the neck before assembling the bass. I may use Passinwind preamp with Status J pickups I have.

 

[MPU]

After lunch and short nap I made a 3d- file for the knobs.

Test fitting the shaped neck. According to my measurements there’s about 3mm of maple around the cf layer. Neck feels very solid when trying to bend it by hand.

I’m not sure if I like the heel in maple or if I paint it black. I’m leaning towards black pretty much.

After playing some air bass I started to French polish the body.

 

[ctmullins]

This keeps getting more and more sexy!

 

[RichterScale]

I’m not sure if I like the heel in maple or if I paint it black. I’m leaning towards black pretty much.

Is all the hardware and pup covers black?
What about an inlay?

 

[MPU]

Is all the hardware and pup covers black?
What about an inlay?

Yes, all hardware except headpiece at the nut end is black. I think I'm going to keep it simple so no inlay this time.

 

[MPU]

Not much different looks. I wiped countless coats of schellac on the body and three coats of Osmo oil/wax on the neck. Tomorrow I’m using grey Mirka sanding felt to take the shine of the body to more satin. Then I have to assemble the bass to measure the headpiece. Double ball end strings need pretty accurate distance between bridge and string holder. I ordered two sets of Status db strings and plan to make this bass for db strings only.

 

[MPU]

I made a test print at work today. I have to print a test with higher resolution as well. Not quite as nice as the original but the shape is correct.

Also started to machine the headpiece. I decided to stop for tonight as I felt a bit lazy. Better to stop than make a mistake and have to machine it all again from the start.

 

[MPU]

Starting to look like a fretless bass! I finished the headpiece and routed the neck for it. Also routed the nut slot and made a nut out of Richlite. Neck needs no truss rod adjustment, I got a slight relief with no truss rod adjustment. Acoustic sound is very clear and even thru the whole fingerboard. Fingerboard needs no sanding, there’s no high or low spots. I leveled it along string paths for 22” radius.
Electronics are still not mounted. I have printed four knobs with higher resolution and they came out very nice. Tomorrow I’m printing couple of more knobs. hopefully I have time to wire the bass tomorrow or latest in the weekend.

What nut height should fretless bass have? At the moment there’s 1mm nut height and I kind of think that it’s a bit too high.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

From everything I've read, you want the same minimal clearance you'd have from bottom of string to first fret on a regular nut, minus the fret height. So maybe something like 10-12 thou?

 

[Slidlow]

Measure the string clearance on a fretted bass (one you like the set-up on) at the second fret while holding the string down to the first fret. There you go!

 

[Lo-E]

What nut height should fretless bass have? At the moment there’s 1mm nut height and I kind of think that it’s a bit too high.

The trick that has worked for me for 30+ years is this:
-Place a shiny matchbook cover on the fingerboard just in front of the nut.
-File until you just start to scrape the shiny coating off of the matchbook cover.
-You’re done.

This method, while not really a measurement at all, was taught to me by Carl Thompson sometime around 1990 and it has never failed me.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

View attachment 4803515

Not much different looks. I wiped countless coats of schellac on the body and three coats of Osmo oil/wax on the neck. Tomorrow I’m using grey Mirka sanding felt to take the shine of the body to more satin. Then I have to assemble the bass to measure the headpiece. Double ball end strings need pretty accurate distance between bridge and string holder. I ordered two sets of Status db strings and plan to make this bass for db strings only.

I just want to say that, in my opinion, that is a beautiful body design. And executed with craftsmanship.

What I like about the design (styling) of it is:

• It has a dramatic, distinctive shape. Bold lines and curves and edges. At first glance, you know the attitude of this bass.
• I really like those bevels. They add a second set of white highlight lines, repeating the shape. If you do bevels, they need to be bold and precise. These are.
• The wood grain is beautiful. It doesn't dominate the design. It's a secondary background texture that flows with and adds to the shape. It says Wood, but doesn't overpower the design. This, in my opinion, is how wood grain should be used.
• It also looks like the ergonomics are thought out. It should be comfortable to hold and play.

Nice job, Marko!

 

[MPU]

I just want to say that, in my opinion, that is a beautiful body design. And executed with craftsmanship.

What I like about the design (styling) of it is:

• It has a dramatic, distinctive shape. Bold lines and curves and edges. At first glance, you know the attitude of this bass.
• I really like those bevels. They add a second set of white highlight lines, repeating the shape. If you do bevels, they need to be bold and precise. These are.
• The wood grain is beautiful. It doesn't dominate the design. It's a secondary background texture that flows with and adds to the shape. It says Wood, but doesn't overpower the design. This, in my opinion, is how wood grain should be used.
• It also looks like the ergonomics are thought out. It should be comfortable to hold and play.

Nice job, Marko!

I have to give credit of the body shape to Rob Green, mr Status himself. This body is originally from a Status S3000. I made a new replica body for my S3000 and this one was left over. I had the pickups left over as well so I thought why not use them. My thinking goes that with two basses with same neck shape, same balance, same reach and same ergonomics it would be easier to learn play fretless. And, to be honest, classic Status headless shape has pleased my eye since 1985 when 15- years old Marko saw Marillion's Live from Loreley where Pete Trewavas was playing Status.

 

[MPU]

This project is pretty much finished. I filed the nut slots to 0,25mm height, wired the pickups via Noll mixpot to a RobbieK preamp. I needed to drill only one new potentiometer hole compared to three new holes needed if I had wired Passinwind preamp on this bass. Intonation is not adjusted yet and string heights need some tweaking too. I’ve played this one couple of nights and I’m suprised how much I can play in tune. The side marks are a great help and to me they are very easy to read. I may round the nut end back of the neck some more as it looks a bot too box-like as it is. I like the look of the whole bass and especially the end of the neck where all those who know something about instrument making will see right away that there is something unusual going on inside the neck.
Thanks to Martin @Keith Guitars and Rob @RobbieK for their knowledge about the neck structure and preamp.

 

[TFM94]

View attachment 4809896 View attachment 4809897 View attachment 4809898 View attachment 4809899

This project is pretty much finished. I filed the nut slots to 0,25mm height, wired the pickups via Noll mixpot to a RobbieK preamp. I needed to drill only one new potentiometer hole compared to three new holes needed if I had wired Passinwind preamp on this bass. Intonation is not adjusted yet and string heights need some tweaking too. I’ve played this one couple of nights and I’m suprised how much I can play in tune. The side marks are a great help and to me they are very easy to read. I may round the nut end back of the neck some more as it looks a bot too box-like as it is. I like the look of the whole bass and especially the end of the neck where all those who know something about instrument making will see right away that there is something unusual going on inside the neck.
Thanks to Martin at #Keith Guitars and #RobbieK for their knowledge about the neck structure and preamp.

How do I get Keith Guitars # so that the whole name is blue ?

Wow, that turned out beautiful. How does this neck compare to solid wood necks with string tension on? Does it flex less than a solid maple neck, for example?

I really like the exposed cross-section at the headpiece. Everybody can claim that they have a carbon fiber reinforced neck, but you have proof!

 

[Jeff Siddall]

I like the look of the whole bass and especially the end of the neck where all those who know something about instrument making will see right away that there is something unusual going on inside the neck.

That turned out great, and I agree, the exposed end of the neck is a treat for those who can appreciate it.

 

[MPU]

Wow, that turned out beautiful. How does this neck compare to solid wood necks with string tension on? Does it flex less than a solid maple neck, for example?

I really like the exposed cross-section at the headpiece. Everybody can claim that they have a carbon fiber reinforced neck, but you have proof!

It is notably stiffer than full maple neck for sure. I can bend it with pressing by hand but it takes more force than full maple neck.