From Russia with Love - Tonika project

[JIO]

Todays progress - after a session filing/sanding the new neck profile, I routed the hs face

I then added wood to the heel to work with the deep neck-pocket. It is shallower than the original neck heal, as it really didn't need to be that thick. Once I start the process of fitment and set-up, I'll get more info and can alter it if needed.

The basses neck-pocket was a mess as it was modded (another way of saying butchered) outsized for the original neck. (most likely at one time someone tried to install Fender-width neck ~) Not only that, but surprise-surprise - the pg needed re-positioning to align the center of the pu's to the center of the neck. Which also meant re-positioning the string-stop which was way off center. It's like whoever did the creative modification (kudos) was clueless about the need to align everything from a center-line. This is where a laser-level is imperative. (how did I ever live w/o one!) Once the center-line was established - I cut wood spacers to fill both sides of the neck-pocket and epoxied them in place. The E-side gap was larger than the G-side by half - you can see the spacer in this pic. Black is the perfect colour for blending in 'fixes' - so after some Bondo surface-leveling it will be easy to make that fix 'disappear'.

 

[joeLowB]

Todays progress - after a session filing/sanding the new neck profile, I routed the hs face

View attachment 7375051
View attachment 7375052
I then added wood to the heel to work with the deep neck-pocket. It is shallower than the original neck heal, as it really didn't need to be that thick. Once I start the process of fitment and set-up, I'll get more info and can alter it if needed.
View attachment 7375054
The basses neck-pocket was a mess as it was modded (another way of saying butchered) outsized for the original neck. (most likely at one time someone tried to install Fender-width neck ~) Not only that, but surprise-surprise - the pg needed re-positioning to align the center of the pu's to the center of the neck. Which also meant re-positioning the string-stop which was way off center. It's like whoever did the creative modification (kudos) was clueless about the need to align everything from a center-line. This is where a laser-level is imperative. (how did I ever live w/o one!) Once the center-line was established - I cut wood spacers to fill both sides of the neck-pocket and epoxied them in place. The E-side gap was larger than the G-side by half - you can see the spacer in this pic. Black is the perfect colour for blending in 'fixes' - so after some Bondo surface-leveling it will be easy to make that fix 'disappear'.
View attachment 7375053

Nice illustration of the laser lines... yes, a vital need.

Way better than snapping a chalk line!!

Great pix and story.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Nice illustration of the laser lines... yes, a vital need.

Way better than snapping a chalk line!!

Great pix and story.

Ok, I've got a laser level that I use like that but now I want to snap a chalk line on the next neck I install.

 

[Slidlow]

Ok, I've got a laser level that I use like that but now I want to snap a chalk line on the next neck I install.

I second the chalk linewhy didn't I think if that

 

[Phreaky Phriday]

I can't believe i never tried a laser level lol, when i mount a neck and measure for bridge and pickup positions, i draw lines with straight edge placed against the neck and try to work out center of the 2 not-parallel lines. Next time i will use laser level based on fret position markers lol

 

[JIO]

Nice illustration of the laser lines... yes, a vital need.

Way better than snapping a chalk line!!

Great pix and story.

I second the chalk linewhy didn't I think if that

I can't believe i never tried a laser level lol, when i mount a neck and measure for bridge and pickup positions, i draw lines with straight edge placed against the neck and try to work out center of the 2 not-parallel lines. Next time i will use laser level based on fret position markers lol

I never used a chalk-line on a guitar, but used string to line-up everything. It worked well enough but it was still not as accurate or easy as a laser. Center mark the nut, at the 12th fret (if no fb dots), the center of the pu's, and the bridge or string-stop - line them all up and Bob's yer' uncle!

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I can't believe i never tried a laser level lol, when i mount a neck and measure for bridge and pickup positions, i draw lines with straight edge placed against the neck and try to work out center of the 2 not-parallel lines. Next time i will use laser level based on fret position markers lol

I have done and still do both depending on what I'm doing or which method I happen to feel like using. I have a contraption I made from two aluminum yardsticks and some scrap flat aluminum connecting them together. It goes on either side of the neck and continues the lines down the body. On a painted body I'll put tape on the body on raw wood I'll usually just pencil line right on the wood for the neck lines then use my Sqwayre Tools Center finder and mark out a center line. You could also get a centering ruler. That method can be pretty fast and easy as well.

 

[Flamingo21]

Dang! I was given a laser level twenty years ago, never found a use for it and trashed it last Summer.

 

[JIO]

Dang! I was given a laser level twenty years ago, never found a use for it and trashed it last Summer.

 

[JIO]

Assembled, aligned and intoned (tape marking bridge location) - now playable/basically set-up, enough to move on to the detail finish work on the neck. I already installed aluminum position markers on the fb side - something I do on all my basses since owning a Dano made bass. The correct size (5/16") abalone fb dots arrived today - I'll install them tomorrow. Still thinking about the two fb stripes... I want to address them one way or another.
The bass neck-dives because the upper horn is far short of the 12th fret even with the body being heavy. First playing it sounds decent - I was tempted to bring it to TSC rehearsal tonight but we have two shows (Wednesday night & Sunday afternoon) and we all need to focus on honing our sets. (not being distracted by a newly set-up bass)

 

[Max Bogosity]

Next time i will use laser level based on fret position markers lol

I'm sure I saw a post here once from someone who got in trouble that way. Things weren't lining up and he eventually figured out it was because the position markers were installed off-centre.

 

[JIO]

I'm sure I saw a post here once from someone who got in trouble that way. Things weren't lining up and he eventually figured out it was because the position markers were installed off-centre.

Yes - center of the nut/zero-fret, center of the 12th fret &/or heel.

 

[JIO]

Better daylight pics - fb dots installed. Here's the stats: 32" scale // zero-fret to 12th fret - 15-7/8" // zero-fret to N-pu center - 23-3/8" // zero-fret to B-pu center - 28" // N-pu center to bridge - 9" // B-pu center to bridge - 4-1/4" // (nut) string guide/zero-fret - 1.5" // heel - 2" // 9lbs/2oz

The 12th fret dots ended up a bit closer together than the original (which were close)... this neck alludes to the original but is pretty different in a few ways. Just adds to the general quirkiness.

hs face still has protective film on it which will be removed after spraying the neck/hs black.

 

[joeLowB]

Better daylight pics - fb dots installed. Here's the stats: 32" scale // zero-fret to 12th fret - 15-7/8" // zero-fret to N-pu center - 23-3/8" // zero-fret to B-pu center - 28" // N-pu center to bridge - 9" // B-pu center to bridge - 4-1/4" // (nut) string guide/zero-fret - 1.5" // heel - 2"

View attachment 7376001
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The 12th fret dots ended up a bit closer together than the original (which were close)... this neck alludes to the original but is pretty different in a few ways.
View attachment 7376011
hs face still has protective film on it which will be removed after spraying the neck/hs black.
View attachment 7376013

I kinda like those 12th fret dots... almost poetic, underneath the strings. Like a squinty-eyed KGB agent peering through half-drawn window blinds, waiting to see you do something subversive so he can transmit the report to the guy encased in epoxy near the bridge.

From Russia with love, indeed!

.

 

[JIO]

I kinda like those 12th fret dots... almost poetic, underneath the strings. Like a squinty-eyed KGB agent peering through half-drawn window blinds, waiting to see you do something subversive so he can transmit the report to the guy encased in epoxy near the bridge.

From Russia with love, indeed!

.

 

[JIO]

First impressions (as a critical player) -

Call me a sucker for tone like that, but this bass rocks. The neck turned this nearly unplayable instrument into a real instrument. (that it never was originally) I'm lucky to be very open to play various necks/profiles etc, so this one being med-scale & narrow is a blast to play! The neck turned out great - I have the action set at a nice height (between low and medium) Lowdium? so playing is a breeze. The tone is right up my alley - new strings always colour first impressions and being that this is the first time I hear it - two thumbs up! (and I never use my thumb playing!) Big output from the bared singles and both, both pu's & just the B-pu sound great. So spot-on in the feel, output & tone dept.

Let's talk about the body shall we...

As a life-long artist/designer myself - that body shape has nothing remotely due to 1) ergonomics, and 2) aesthetics. It's a lump of a body - like someone handed you a big heavy smooth tree trunk. For all of us seeing it in 2025 - it's historically charming how club-footed it is. How is it that The Shaggs didn't play these instruments? (oh wait.., wrong decade ) So what I'm saying.., as fun as it is to play and how good it sounds - it ain't no Kubicki Ex-Factor! Once again - here's where that 'taking in an orphan kitty in the rain' thing kicks in and you go - it's heavy and lumpy and not very comfortable... but I just love how bizarre it is (and not only that but now it's a player!)

I probably wouldn't muck with some of these basses if I were sane, but when I can turn a curio wall-hanger into a rockin' machine... I mean, that's pretty spot-on right, and I'm the harshest critic of anything I do. So I'm speaking the truth when I say I've had very good success in that dept. As Jaco was quoted saying "it ain't braggin' if it's true". I've created a lot of killer basses - partially lucky, partially laser focused on my own vision & ear.

But also not braggin' that what's 'in it for me' is the creative involvement - period. Art & music are the two things (and cycling ) that have energized me since birth. Art since birth, bicycles early on, bass started in '66 when I was 13. I was never a professional (earns one's living as a musician) but have played professionally/to professional standards all my life. So if I walk into Guitar Center and pull a bass off the wall.., it's not likely to interest me. But if I'm in a guitar shop like Real Guitars here in SF and sit down with some funky old bizarro-shaped bass... I'll at least give it a play/listen.

 

[JIO]

Because it's special... I bought a dedicated strap for it. Being suede leather - it will hopefully help with the balance thing... It's a shade that I think would appeal to Soviet Russia circa 1970s.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Ok, I've got a laser level that I use like that but now I want to snap a chalk line on the next neck I install.

Yeah, Real Luthiers use chalk lines. Or maybe a Transit and a target pole.

 

[joeLowB]

First impressions (as a critical player) -

Call me a sucker for tone like that, but this bass rocks. The neck turned this nearly unplayable instrument into a real instrument. (that it never was originally) I'm lucky to be very open to play various necks/profiles etc, so this one being med-scale & narrow is a blast to play! The neck turned out great - I have the action set at a nice height (between low and medium) Lowdium? so playing is a breeze. The tone is right up my alley - new strings always colour first impressions and being that this is the first time I hear it - two thumbs up! (and I never use my thumb playing!) Big output from the bared singles and both, both pu's & just the B-pu sound great. So spot-on in the feel, output & tone dept.

Let's talk about the body shall we...

As a life-long artist/designer myself - that body shape has nothing remotely due to 1) ergonomics, and 2) aesthetics. It's a lump of a body - like someone handed you a big heavy smooth tree trunk. For all of us seeing it in 2025 - it's historically charming how club-footed it is. How is it that The Shaggs didn't play these instruments? (oh wait.., wrong decade ) So what I'm saying.., as fun as it is to play and how good it sounds - it ain't no Kubicki Ex-Factor! Once again - here's where that 'taking in an orphan kitty in the rain' thing kicks in and you go - it's heavy and lumpy and not very comfortable... but I just love how bizarre it is (and not only that but now it's a player!)

I probably wouldn't muck with some of these basses if I were sane, but when I can turn a curio wall-hanger into a rockin' machine... I mean, that's pretty spot-on right, and I'm the harshest critic of anything I do. So I'm speaking the truth when I say I've had very good success in that dept. As Jaco was quoted saying "it ain't braggin' if it's true". I've created a lot of killer basses - partially lucky, partially laser focused on my own vision & ear.

But also not braggin' that what's 'in it for me' is the creative involvement - period. Art & music are the two things (and cycling ) that have energized me since birth. Art since birth, bicycles early on, bass started in '66 when I was 13. I was never a professional (earns one's living as a musician) but have played professionally/to professional standards all my life. So if I walk into Guitar Center and pull a bass off the wall.., it's not likely to interest me. But if I'm in a guitar shop like Real Guitars here in SF and sit down with some funky old bizarro-shaped bass... I'll at least give it a play/listen.

This is so cool @JIO! Thrilled this bass SOUNDS so good! I was sure you'd get it to look good... but what a bonus it plays and sounds great!

What a terrific story! Happy for you!

.

 

[Engle]

Today I 'slimmed' the neck (rough cut) and epoxied blk/wht/blk pg material on the hs face. I'll post detail pics later. Tomorrow - rout the pg material and start re-shaping the neck contour. It will be a big change from the original 'baseball-bat' P-nut width neck playing-wise; a nice slim, J-style profile.

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oh.., and Canadian friend Irv @Engle surprised me with an appliqué that matches vintage Tonika basses - so sweet! Thanks Irv
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