So this is my first complete build in nearly two years since my old shop burned down. Took me a bit longer to complete it than I anticipated (not having a proper workshop setup), but it is finally here. Introducing: The Snatcher! 
Got this about 98% done. Need a truss rod cover, strap locks, and waiting on a logo emblem thing for the headstock....but other than that, it's playable and done! I went with budget parts on this because it's more of a prototype/proof of concept for me, but I have a few more that I want to build, and I'm up for commission sales as well. As far as I know, no one really builds Grabber-style basses, and I can't afford a vintage one, so I was looking forward to completing this build.
Specs:
- 3 piece ash body
- 4 piece curly maple neck with curly maple fretboard (21.5mm at 1st fret)
- 34.375" scale (20 frets)
- Two-way truss rod (CB Gitty)
- Jescar Medium SS frets
- Tusq nut
- Guyker brand bridge, tuners, and pickup (Hipshot knock-offs and a stacked coil pickup)
- Bolt-on neck with 1/4"-20 threaded inserts
- Sliding pickup - the whole point of this build!
- CTS pots (with some random knobs I had laying around)
- Strung up with D'Addario 45-105 in Drop D
- 9 lbs. 4 oz.
- Ceruse finish using Rubio Monocoat (Intense Black Pre-color, then Silver Grey Oil Plus 2C with Accelerator)
- Tru-oil finish on the neck and fretboard (5 coats)
A few notes about this thing:
For future builds, I have a plan on incorporating some 3D printed parts for the pickup mount/slide mechanism. That was easily the trickiest part of this entire build. Finding bass pickups with ears, like guitar pickups, is damn near impossible if it isn't a custom-made pickup or a '51 tele bass style pickup - neither of which I was interested in for this build. I don't have *direct* access to a 3D printer, but I may just design the file in CAD and send it off to be made.
I have plans to custom-make a case for this because finding a case wide enough for the lower bout is damn near impossible. I searched extensively to try to find a case under $400, and they just don't exist. May as well make one.
This was my first time using Rubio ever. It isn't as idiot-proof as all of the Youtube woodworkers would lead you to believe. I'll use it again in the future because it's a hell of a lot better than spraying finishes, but there is a learning curve involved for sure.
I am PLEASANTLY surprised with this Guyker brand stuff. The bridge is cast, not milled, but it is for sure high-mass, stable, has a lot of adjustment built in, and the tuners are stable and very smooth. The pickup didn't come with any wiring diagram (nor does one exist online, and have fun trying to get a hold of the company). Many iterations of soldering later and trying to figure out what goes where, I got it. The pickup sounds nice and fat and growly. Very much like a fat J-bass by the bridge and a fat P-sound by the neck. The sound noticeably changes when you slide the pickup back and forth. Trying to make a video demo of this soon, which I'll post.
Now who wants one???
Got this about 98% done. Need a truss rod cover, strap locks, and waiting on a logo emblem thing for the headstock....but other than that, it's playable and done! I went with budget parts on this because it's more of a prototype/proof of concept for me, but I have a few more that I want to build, and I'm up for commission sales as well. As far as I know, no one really builds Grabber-style basses, and I can't afford a vintage one, so I was looking forward to completing this build.
Specs:
- 3 piece ash body
- 4 piece curly maple neck with curly maple fretboard (21.5mm at 1st fret)
- 34.375" scale (20 frets)
- Two-way truss rod (CB Gitty)
- Jescar Medium SS frets
- Tusq nut
- Guyker brand bridge, tuners, and pickup (Hipshot knock-offs and a stacked coil pickup)
- Bolt-on neck with 1/4"-20 threaded inserts
- Sliding pickup - the whole point of this build!
- CTS pots (with some random knobs I had laying around)
- Strung up with D'Addario 45-105 in Drop D
- 9 lbs. 4 oz.
- Ceruse finish using Rubio Monocoat (Intense Black Pre-color, then Silver Grey Oil Plus 2C with Accelerator)
- Tru-oil finish on the neck and fretboard (5 coats)
A few notes about this thing:
For future builds, I have a plan on incorporating some 3D printed parts for the pickup mount/slide mechanism. That was easily the trickiest part of this entire build. Finding bass pickups with ears, like guitar pickups, is damn near impossible if it isn't a custom-made pickup or a '51 tele bass style pickup - neither of which I was interested in for this build. I don't have *direct* access to a 3D printer, but I may just design the file in CAD and send it off to be made.
I have plans to custom-make a case for this because finding a case wide enough for the lower bout is damn near impossible. I searched extensively to try to find a case under $400, and they just don't exist. May as well make one.
This was my first time using Rubio ever. It isn't as idiot-proof as all of the Youtube woodworkers would lead you to believe. I'll use it again in the future because it's a hell of a lot better than spraying finishes, but there is a learning curve involved for sure.
I am PLEASANTLY surprised with this Guyker brand stuff. The bridge is cast, not milled, but it is for sure high-mass, stable, has a lot of adjustment built in, and the tuners are stable and very smooth. The pickup didn't come with any wiring diagram (nor does one exist online, and have fun trying to get a hold of the company). Many iterations of soldering later and trying to figure out what goes where, I got it. The pickup sounds nice and fat and growly. Very much like a fat J-bass by the bridge and a fat P-sound by the neck. The sound noticeably changes when you slide the pickup back and forth. Trying to make a video demo of this soon, which I'll post.
Now who wants one???
