I agree. I know that seeing that white stripe around the PG would bug me.
Glad you caught the positioning of the PG. I saw that 1st pic and said oh no he has it too low...
It's really looking great.
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Gene Simmons LoBue Tribute Build
- Thread starter bassgod76
- Start date
I agree. I know that seeing that white stripe around the PG would bug me.
Glad you caught the positioning of the PG. I saw that 1st pic and said oh no he has it too low...
It's really looking great.
+1. looks like when he first had the bass. before all the paint just with the mudbucker of later years. can't wait to see more. that mahogany looks great
Last night I shaved a forearm and belly contour.
I basically kept both contours pretty subtle. Lots of scraping, filing, planing, and sanding resulted in this:
I tried taping a line. The wood rasp made this experiment, short lived.
Forearm contour
Drawing out a belly contour
Its a crappy picture, but a subtle belly contour. I can always go back to shave more. I just didn't want to over-do it.
I positioned out my pickup cavity. 30 minutes of measuring resulted in this. The shaded area is the part to be drilled out via Forstner.
The tricky part will be leaving enough wood in the corners for the mounting screws, yet having enough clearance to get all the pickup into the cavity. I foresee Dremil shaving in my future.
My cavity templates come in today, so I "hope" to have both cavities done by tonight.
I basically kept both contours pretty subtle. Lots of scraping, filing, planing, and sanding resulted in this:
I tried taping a line. The wood rasp made this experiment, short lived.
Forearm contour
Drawing out a belly contour
Its a crappy picture, but a subtle belly contour. I can always go back to shave more. I just didn't want to over-do it.
I positioned out my pickup cavity. 30 minutes of measuring resulted in this. The shaded area is the part to be drilled out via Forstner.
The tricky part will be leaving enough wood in the corners for the mounting screws, yet having enough clearance to get all the pickup into the cavity. I foresee Dremil shaving in my future.
My cavity templates come in today, so I "hope" to have both cavities done by tonight.
Last night I shaved a forearm and belly contour.
I basically kept both contours pretty subtle. Lots of scraping, filing, planing, and sanding resulted in this:
Drawing out a belly contour
Whole thing coming to life. But for the belly contour, isn't it usually a bit more on the horn and just goes bit passed the forarm contour. Like if you look at it from the side, the belly countour should stop at about the beginning of the forarm. That's just me. Still looks good.
The body is so strange how the horns are short. Like I said, I can always take off more.
Just for kicks, I placed my LoBue next to my 34" scale Punisher. I hope this bass balances better than the Punisher.
I started boring out material for my pickup and control cavity. I also drilled the preliminary holes for my controls.
The proper sized holes are drilled for the pots. Getting an idea of what they will look like in the cavity.
Getting the cavity template in place.
After boring out the control cavity.
After routing, seeing how my pots look.
Pots in place
Figuring out where to locate the input jack.
Finding center where my input jack will be.
Using a screw and a washer, I roughly position my input jack plate.
Getting the plate squared.
Final positioning
After drilling out the input jack hole, I finalize the input plate.
I used this tool to get centered pilot holes for my input plate screws.
All in place!
Controls in place with input jack mounted.
Let me just say that routing mudbuckers is no fun.
The stupid mounting screws top mount, and are so close to the edge of the cavity. Your measurements better be tight, because routing out too much wood is EASY.
Since I could not locate a mudbucker routing template, I decided to use a "moving template" strategy.
Basically it boils down to routing a 1/4 of the cavity at a time.
First pass
Next
Next
Next
Done
You can see how close the screw holes are to the edge. Because the base of the pickup has a large foot print, getting the pickup in the cavity is a nail biting experience.
Pickup wire drilled. The first hole in the back corner didn't work, but after shielding, this hole will be gone.
Getting foam pieces in position.
Pickup installed. I needed to shave the cavity a bit to accommodate the pickup base.
Cover goes on. Time to get the cover screws pre-drilled.
Through some miracle, the cover screwed in nicely. I was sweating that!
Looking nice!
I discovered that the routing template for my control cavity cover wasn't thick enough to accommodate my long router bits. With this in ind, I just took 3/4" mdf, and thickened my template.
I hope to route it flush tonight.
I started boring out material for my pickup and control cavity. I also drilled the preliminary holes for my controls.
The proper sized holes are drilled for the pots. Getting an idea of what they will look like in the cavity.
Getting the cavity template in place.
After boring out the control cavity.
After routing, seeing how my pots look.
Pots in place
Figuring out where to locate the input jack.
Finding center where my input jack will be.
Using a screw and a washer, I roughly position my input jack plate.
Getting the plate squared.
Final positioning
After drilling out the input jack hole, I finalize the input plate.
I used this tool to get centered pilot holes for my input plate screws.
All in place!
Controls in place with input jack mounted.
Let me just say that routing mudbuckers is no fun.
The stupid mounting screws top mount, and are so close to the edge of the cavity. Your measurements better be tight, because routing out too much wood is EASY.
Since I could not locate a mudbucker routing template, I decided to use a "moving template" strategy.
Basically it boils down to routing a 1/4 of the cavity at a time.
First pass
Next
Next
Next
Done
You can see how close the screw holes are to the edge. Because the base of the pickup has a large foot print, getting the pickup in the cavity is a nail biting experience.
Pickup wire drilled. The first hole in the back corner didn't work, but after shielding, this hole will be gone.
Getting foam pieces in position.
Pickup installed. I needed to shave the cavity a bit to accommodate the pickup base.
Cover goes on. Time to get the cover screws pre-drilled.
Through some miracle, the cover screwed in nicely. I was sweating that!
Looking nice!
I discovered that the routing template for my control cavity cover wasn't thick enough to accommodate my long router bits. With this in ind, I just took 3/4" mdf, and thickened my template.
I hope to route it flush tonight.
- Nov 27, 2003
- 2,017
- 5,417
- 50
- Disclosures
- Rogue luthier employed at Knooren Handcrafted bass guitars
Nice!
I'm stoked to see so much progress, although probably not as stoked as you must be about making so much progress.
I'm stoked to see so much progress, although probably not as stoked as you must be about making so much progress.
I've got some KISS fans messing their drawers over this build. I'm doing my best considering the awesome wood workers on this forum.
I forgot this picture.
This is when I discovered that split shaft pots come in two varieties: fine and coarse spline. The knobs I have are for (import) coarse spline pots. These fit great on my 3rd knob, but the V&T require fine spline knobs. Not a big deal.
This is when I discovered that split shaft pots come in two varieties: fine and coarse spline. The knobs I have are for (import) coarse spline pots. These fit great on my 3rd knob, but the V&T require fine spline knobs. Not a big deal.
Just for kicks, I placed my LoBue next to my 34" scale Punisher. I hope this bass balances better than the Punisher.
I'm positive it will. Speaking of the punisher, i tried one at my local music store. meh, didn't like it so much. It looks cool and all, but i dont like the feel to it. But your lobue will balance better. Looking good so far, glad you made progress with it. It's really coming to life now. Keep it up, we kiss fans and bass enthusiasts are anxious to see this thing roar
I'm positive it will. Speaking of the punisher, i tried one at my local music store. meh, didn't like it so much. It looks cool and all, but i dont like the feel to it. But your lobue will balance better. Looking good so far, glad you made progress with it. It's really coming to life now. Keep it up, we kiss fans and bass enthusiasts are anxious to see this thing roar
The Punisher is not a great bass. Comfort was probably last on the list when the design was invented.
My Axe balances better, but that's because the blade adds weight in the back end. Unfortunately, it makes the bass come in at nearly 10 lbs.
Yeah, i tried the axe way back when it first came out in stores. Was nice to play. sitting down is an issue cause if you plug it in, you have no way of resting it on your thigh. But standing up, it looks flipping huge. Out of every bass gene has played, i think the coolest ones were his Lobue obviously, his spector, the grabber and the axe. Also that reworked eb-0 he had was cool too. He should've stayed with gibson, he had a better tone. Growly, nasly dirt tone.
- Nov 27, 2003
- 2,017
- 5,417
- 50
- Disclosures
- Rogue luthier employed at Knooren Handcrafted bass guitars
Seeing as how he used Vintage Gibson Grabber and Ripper basses on kiss' most recent albums He apparently agrees with that logic.
Speaking of studio work, I found this picture of Paul playing a type of guitar one doesn't associate with Kiss' hard rock music.
Invalid Link Removed
Wow BG, it's really coming together. Looks really cool with the hardware on.
I'm wondering, how are you going to do the truss rod access?
I'm wondering, how are you going to do the truss rod access?
Okay, this question is for my friends who have built basses.
My build fabrication stage is coming to an end. Soon, it will be time for finishing.
During my first bass build, I sprayed black nitro. Everything seemed to go well until I got to the clear coat stage.
The finish would imprint so easily, even days after spray. Some guys told me that they would let the body cure for months before doing any final buffing or final assembly.
I plan to use black nitro for my LoBue.
Any tips and tricks to avoid this imprinting issue?
I was thinking about using Reranch rattle cans, but I'm skeptical.
My build fabrication stage is coming to an end. Soon, it will be time for finishing.
During my first bass build, I sprayed black nitro. Everything seemed to go well until I got to the clear coat stage.
The finish would imprint so easily, even days after spray. Some guys told me that they would let the body cure for months before doing any final buffing or final assembly.
I plan to use black nitro for my LoBue.
Any tips and tricks to avoid this imprinting issue?
I was thinking about using Reranch rattle cans, but I'm skeptical.
Nitro takes a while to "gas off" and cure completely. It will be dry to the touch after about 20-30 minutes, but if you lay it on a table you will have issues with the imprinting like you experienced before. I just did a bass with reranch nitro and I let it hang for a little over a month after the final spray before touching it.
I have read about other finishing options that dry much faster, but I don't have any experience with them. My current build will be finished with a poly clear coat, which is supposed to cure faster than nitro, but I haven't reached that stage yet (haven't even bought the paint).
I have read about other finishing options that dry much faster, but I don't have any experience with them. My current build will be finished with a poly clear coat, which is supposed to cure faster than nitro, but I haven't reached that stage yet (haven't even bought the paint).
Man that sucks.
Well, I guess that will buy me time to work on my Dynasty suit...
Did you sand it in between coats?
