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Headless, 24 fan-fret 5-string project - the Meteorlite

#62
ctmullins said:
Sweet! The Montana holo-flake is pretty great.
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It is! Key is a deep gloss clear-coat over it, which spikes its inherent magic! I just brushed on a coat of the "rubbed-on" gloss poly. it looks amazing! I've done a lot of very cool finishes over 13 yrs under Gildaxe - but this one is really unique. No way I can accurately photograph/document what's going on. It's all about subtlety and layering depth - it's a WTFinish!?! :) I very much doubt another guitar producer has a finish even remotely like this one.

I'll attempt to describe it with words; it's not CAR.., it's not Pelham Blue.., it's not even 3TSB... it's very dark bronze/black, shiny, textured and organic... and mysterious. Is it metal, like something that's been galvanized? It has a consistent cratering over the surface - tiny craters interlinked like a honeycomb... upon scutany, you can tell it's metal based - it has a definite 'metal' quality. But then there's the Hologram flakes... that's where it gets "Sci-Fi" (dawn of Sci-Fi) as in, if it's from another galaxy.., it sparkles! 🤖 (robot returns...)
 
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#63
Mostly done - had to order solder-less EMG pu cables as my EMG pu's are old and who knows what happened to their cables.

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Everything is wired-up, just need to 'plug-in' the pu's -
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#64
I just realized I have this 'thing' about 5 string basses. Probably being an artist, purely seeing it as iconic/stylistic/difinitive. I think I've always felt a 5-string bass (5'r) should look different than a 4-string bass. A "4-string" (otherwise universally known as a bass guitar for decades...) developed its identity around 4 strings. Yes, later there are 5 strings, 6r's, 8's, 12's... point being, a 5-string has certain attributes that a 4-string doesn't. The physicality of the wider neck, rethinking the lowest string on your bass, not overdoing the sub-sonics unless that is what's expected/called for.

Maybe splitting hairs here, but I feel the same way about the trend in live shows that max sub-bass for the drum kick and bass (guitar). Better? Flatly no. Reminds me off driving in a friend's car as a teen and he had a reverb-box hooked up to their cassette player. (probably 8 track!!! - cah-chunk!) and we were listening to Crimson & Clover, which is already drenched in Reverb! So take the most reverb-y song imaginable and double that! :woot: I think it was my awakening as a young teen to avaunt guard/art music. Reminds me of David Lynch (RIP) - one of my favorite contemporary artists.

Gotta admit there's some great hooky bass-lines going on... :bassist: But I don't understand him playing in first position starting on the G string-B for the 'bass break'. I know he's shown playing a hollowbody, but I hear it as staring on the D string/9th fret.

 
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#65
Having said all of that.., it's a weird looking bass by conventional standards. :) But it's extremely ergonomic, light and balanced and feels good. It should sound awesome. It should be a joy to play - melt under your fingers etc... I am hopeful. News at 11...
 
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#66
JIO said:
Having said all of that.., it's a weird looking bass by conventional standards. :) But it's extremely ergonomic, light and balanced and feels good. It should sound awesome. It should be a joy to play - melt under your fingers etc... I am hopeful. News at 11...
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Hi JIO, Happy Holidays! I just discovered (and devoured) this thread. Bravo - you’re a brave luthier/artist. That finish is stunning, but the whole thing is a dive into the deep end for a vintage 4-string specialist. …definitely a work of art! Thanks for the blow by blow, let us know how you like playing it. One pedestrian question - what’s the string spacing at the bridge? It looks like 17…
 
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#67
TomB said:
Hi JIO, Happy Holidays! I just discovered (and devoured) this thread. Bravo - you’re a brave luthier/artist. That finish is stunning, but the whole thing is a dive into the deep end for a vintage 4-string specialist. …definitely a work of art! Thanks for the blow by blow, let us know how you like playing it. One pedestrian question - what’s the string spacing at the bridge? It looks like 17…
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Back attcha' Tom and thanks for the kind words - hope you and yours are doing well! :) The bridge spacing is 2-7/8" from B-G and 1.5" at the "nut"/string restraints. So on the narrow side which may work for me. I've made a couple 5-string basses but never really played them much. (they were made to sell and only played setting them up) I'll string it up once I connect the pu's to the pre and get it making electric sounds. I did do an initial set-up to make sure I had the bridge location correct (which it was/is) but I didn't really play it. Nice hearing from you - have a great New Year! Are you playing NYE?
 
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#69
JIO said:
Back attcha' Tom and thanks for the kind words - hope you and yours are doing well! :) The bridge spacing is 2-7/8" from B-G and 1.5" at the "nut"/string restraints. So on the narrow side which may work for me. I've made a couple 5-string basses but never really played them much. (they were made to sell and only played setting them up) I'll string it up once I connect the pu's to the pre and get it making electric sounds. I did do an initial set-up to make sure I had the bridge location correct (which it was/is) but I didn't really play it. Nice hearing from you - have a great New Year! Are you playing NYE?
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NYE is an all-new (to me) piano+guitar trio. Reading gig (no rehearsal), some cool tunes (not sure what genre to call Bowie, Waits, Hiatt, K.T.Oslin, etc). 10-midnight only. You?

PS - I like 18 mm spacing at the bridge. That looks 17-ish. But if you like those skinny vintage 4-string necks then 17 might be just your thing!
 
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#70
TomB said:
NYE is an all-new (to me) piano+guitar trio. Reading gig (no rehearsal), some cool tunes (not sure what genre to call Bowie, Waits, Hiatt, K.T.Oslin, etc). 10-midnight only. You?

PS - I like 18 mm spacing at the bridge. That looks 17-ish. But if you like those skinny vintage 4-string necks then 17 might be just your thing!
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No NYE gig, but a mid-day J1 B-day show with The Sean Conneries and friends at Winters' tavern in Pacifica. It's a J1 tradition I started 9 yrs ago. Two hrs, whoever shows up - just a fun get together!

I got the 'solder-less' pu connectors & assembled the EMG pre according to the instructions... and zero sound! I need to go back now and double check all the steps. Once I get it making bass sounds, I'll let you know how I like the tight spacing. I briefly had a late '80s G&L 5r with tight spacing but didn't own it long enough to determine if it worked for me. The 'fan frets' may distract me enough to make it work!

Have fun on your NYE show - Bowie, Waits & Hiatt sounds good to me! :bassist:
 
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#72
It's alive! Watched an EMG vid on set-up and discovered the reason it wasn't making sound. One of the 2-prong plug-ins needed to be flipped. Pointed out how it was even noted in the directions! (see below) Simple fix! Weighed it totally completed w/strings and it's a svelte 5lbs/7oz! Light as a feather as they say. Playing-wise, I hardly notice it being fan-fretted. Partly because looking down, the frets look.., normal - something about the angle & line of sight. And as far as tight spacing, that doesn't have much impact either. As a four string player, the difference is remembering there's a B string. I know it seems obvious, but it takes getting used to. Otherwise it plays well. Only thing I notice possibly relates to using 4 string pu's. There's plenty of pu on either side of the strings, but the B & G strings aren't as loud as the E,A & D with pre-amp adjustments flat/centered. By adding more N-pu and a bit more treble I can get it pretty close to even. At this point, adding 5-string J pu's isn't something that would 'drop in''. As far as comfort goes, an ergonomic 5 string weighing a little over 5lbs is about as comfortable as you get! And... it stands up straight leaning against an amp - no need to bring a stand!
So right under the wire completing 2025's last project! :bassist:

The couplers are usually marked with arrows and exposed poles which face upward. Flipping it was the difference between working or not working.

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Flipped coupler middle lowest one - I soldered the three wires to the jack, the slip-on couplers didn't feel secure -
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I had to reverse the N-pu (EMG upside down now on the B-side) to allow the cable connector to couple. It was just long enough once doing so. The colour/look is elusive... the hologram sparkles favor green and the bass colour is a grayish hue...
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It's raining today so I'll have to wait to take a sunshine pic - the flash brings out the Hologram sparkles. ATC it's pretty subtle overall.
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Tuning the G string when plugged in is tight, but it can be done - the D & G are hard to turn in general -
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I don't know if this is Kosher - but for now...
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Keep on rockin' in 2026 - :bassist:

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#73
Ok.., so I determined that the 4-string (poll-less) EMG J pu's are for 4-string basses :facepalm:... in this case at least for the B-pu. Tapping the ends shows where the magnet response tapers off. On the N-pu, the cut-off is right on the lines. but on the B-pu it crosses those lines. So... without disfiguring modifications I can carefully route the ends of the B-pu cavity wider but... the four screw-flanges would not be in the same location. Since the flanges are only part of the plastic cover - I band-sawed the flanges off! I'll figure a way to super-glue on correct width flanges in the needed locations (I have spare blk J covers - plastic superglues well) and Bob's yer' uncle! I also need to solder the passive J pu wires to the pu selector pot (as illustrated in the EMG BTC instructions).., but once I get a nice fat response from the B-pu - it'll get this bass 100% right! I always favor the B-pu on my basses w/two pu's anyway, so as long as it has a nice strong response - the N-pu should provide all the low-end I'd need to hear in blending/balancing the two.

Developing a new bass is always a process - :bassist:

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#74
Sorry for the blurry pic - I removed the flanges from a J pu cover using an X-acto knife. Once sanded, they were re-positioned/superglued on the shifted de-flamged 5r Fender pu cover.
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When they all line up - time to stop sanding.
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Problem solved! B & G sound balanced with the rest. Pretty seamless fix.
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#75
I just ordered EB flats for the 5r - I think flats would sound better on this bass. I read a tb thread about what strings work well on an active 5r and many tbr's play these strings. Them an TI flats. These are less expensive - I've tried TI flats on a 4 string fretless and didn't like them. Dunlops sounded good on paper but they too are expensive. I like that these are nickel-coated as I use nickel strings on most all my basses. I used their "Boomer" 4 string set years ago, but don't have a memory if I liked them or not.

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#77
JIO said:
Caught a non-rain partly sunny moment to shoot a couple pics outside -

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Most of my finishes would profit from professional photography - the top one ^ is not bad (looks like the finish) but doesn't show-off the hologram effect much.
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You almost need a video of you moving the body in the light to really capture any color change, or candy finishes or really nice figured wood
 
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#78
Matt Liebenau said:
You almost need a video of you moving the body in the light to really capture any color change, or candy finishes or really nice figured wood
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It's true, like those AI product displays where you can rotate the image from multiple viewpoints. Yah.., no... :) Best encountered in person!
 
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#79
I like this pic - this bass is very sexy. Always tempted to come up with a name.., it gives me "shark", but that's not going to work for me... I also think dolphin (Warwick already claimed it), or something aquatic.., don't ask me why - the "Sea Kelp 5r" just doesn't resonate. Maybe it's the "fins" at the hs...


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