I got some Peavey parts...

[ctmullins]

... and bringing that nut down a few inches?

Or are you setting this up to play slide?

 

[Reedt2000]

... and bringing that nut down a few inches?

Or are you setting this up to play slide?

Yes, nut height adjustment is on the list

It just arrived from the other side of the planet so figured I'd stick it in place for more of a visual mock up.

 

[Reedt2000]

Alright, bridge(s) time. Start with centers and scale and such, dropped them on to see what I'd be looking at.

Stealing @Jisch's technique of using spacers to line all the bits up, I measured a whole bunch and determined I'd need 6mm spacers to end up at 17mm string spacing. Before ripping a piece I decided to measure stuff on hand and see if I'd get lucky. Turns out my pencils are exactly 6mm flat to flat. But I can't use pencils, can I?

Yes, yes I can

It worked great, and, by some strange cosmic alignment, the original peavey bridge mounting holes landed exactly where I need them to be for the back of the outside and center bridge plates!

So they're on, aligned, and looking good

They are TALL, I'm worried a neck shim won't be enough and I'll have to recess them. We'll see as we get further along...

Couldn't resist a close-to-final-layout mockup:

It's definitely a BSO, I'm happy with today's progress

 

[Jisch]

HA! nice upcycle of pencils

 

[Reedt2000]

So the poles on my j pickup are clearly for wider than my spacing. It has what look like bar magnets (2 of em cause it's split coil) underneath, will it matter if the strings don't pass one the poles exactly in the center? The outside strings will pass over the inside pole pieces. It's not a huge deal if it won't work, I can flip it and get something else.

The MM lines up perfectly.

 

[ctmullins]

So the poles on my j pickup are clearly for wider than my spacing. It has what look like bar magnets (2 of em cause it's split coil) underneath, will it matter if the strings don't pass one the poles exactly in the center? The outside strings will pass over the inside pole pieces. It's not a huge deal if it won't work, I can flip it and get something else.

The MM lines up perfectly.

It’ll be fine. As long as the strings are inside the (invisible to the naked eye, and significantly larger than the visible pole pieces) magnetic field, it’ll work.

 

[Reedt2000]

The height of these saddles is really freaking me out, so I took some twine and tested it. I've got 7mm from the last fret to the underside of the string

So the bridges need to be recessed. If I sink em in the depth of their little platforms I lower things 5mm, and with a 2mm gap between string and fret I can definitely make it work with a tiny shim.

So, thats its, die has been cast, I've got to route a channel in for the bridges to sit down into. I have a router that was a Xmas gift. It scares me a bit cause I've never used one before

I think it should be simple. Take some wood, make a 3 sided template similar to routing a neck pocket, get the right pattern bit, afix the template, set the depth, remove the material.

I've got a maple shelf I can do a test run on to see how it goes. I don't think I have the right bit, but I have to look and see what came with the router.

Wish me luck

 

[ctmullins]

Practice. Wear safety goggles. Remove any distractions. Routers are immensely capable and useful devices, but like all power tools, they must be used with sober concentration.

 

[ctmullins]

Or, an alternative approach is to route an angle into the neck pocket, which will raise the string height at the bridge saddles. This is my preferred approach; I find a bit of neck angle more ergonomic personally. Between one and two degrees usually works for me.

 

[Reedt2000]

Or, an alternative approach is to route an angle into the neck pocket, which will raise the string height at the bridge saddles. This is my preferred approach; I find a bit of neck angle more ergonomic personally. Between one and two degrees usually works for me.

I considered that, but I think the saddles being as high up as they are might make it awkward on your right hand to play, and recessed tuners on a headless are pretty typical, I think that's the way to go. I will practice, I understand the concepts but have no feel for the tool at all yet. Gonna watch a bunch of videos too.

 

[Reedt2000]

OK, it's official...

...I have routed something!

I've been mapping this out in my head and today it's go time. I measured, made a template out of some pvc fake wood I used to fix my shed doors (it don't rot ), and clamped it on my test piece

@ctmullins

I measured everything again, carefully set my bit depth and...

...It worked! It's the right depth and dimensions.

It needs a little clean up. I think I can be smoother with the router, find that ideal speed to move it over the template.

Welp, time to setup the bass and give it a go

 

[ctmullins]

 

[Reedt2000]

I know you guys do this all the time, but it's a pretty big deal for me. It's also the next step towards building something from scratch, not just bodging together disparate parts

Well, all the stuff I did above, I repeated with the body, it's on the jig now, ready to go. Wish me luck

 

[Reedt2000]

It worked!

Pretty clean too:

Only issue are those 2 spots where the router got a little squirrely on the edge of the template. It's cool though, cause I'm either gonna cut that section of body out, or possibly just route it deeper for tuner clearance. Gotta think on it a bit.

But for tonight I'm stoked

The depth is perfect, just enough space for the tuner barrel to extend over the top.

 

[ctmullins]

Niiiice! Congrats, you’re in the club now!

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Excellent work, sir! Congratulations. Next thing, you’ll be saving up for a big, green pin router.

 

[Reedt2000]

Excellent work, sir! Congratulations. Next thing, you’ll be saving up for a big, green pin router.

No, I don't think so. Though the one I have came from Harbour freight, is big and clunky, and gets hung up trying to plunge (I greased it which helped that a little). There are definitely better units for what I'll be using it for, already been looking a little

 

[Reedt2000]

I think I want to use a cove or bowl bit to clearance the tuners. I'd do pretty much the same template setup but not going so deep into the body. I'd make it a little wider too cause I think it would look cool intersecting the shallow route that way. I think the concave carve will look cool as it intersects the rounded over edge of the body. What do y'all think?

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I think I want to use a cove or bowl bit to clearance the tuners. I'd do pretty much the same template setup but not going so deep into the body. I'd make it a little wider too cause I think it would look cool intersecting the shallow route that way. I think the concave carve will look cool as it intersects the rounded over edge of the body. What do y'all think?

It’s hard to see in this picture but I used a round bottom bit for the tuner recess on this body. I like it. If I did anything differently I’d use one with a bigger radius.

 

[Reedt2000]

Small update today. I was originally thinking about cutting away a chunk of body and removing the string-thru holes in the process. As it turns out they are too close the the bridges to feel comfortable doing that so I'm plugging them. The holes on the top are much smaller and hidden by the tuners so they stay, call em' tone holes

I bought these little tapered plugs:

Mixed up epoxy and gently tapped them in.

Then I mixed up a fine wood dust and epoxy slurry and put some around the nubs left sticking up. I've done this because the holes actually had a little bit of round-over. I'm hoping to better hide them and get it perfect flush.

I don't plan on staining the back (might steal @Lonnybass's move by staining and sanding back the top to pop the flame, gotta sand the Peavey finish back first then make that decision). I plan on shooting the whole thing in a darker amber tinted polyurethane (minwax aerosol polyshades in pecan).

Nuthin' to do now but let it cure. I'll see tomorrow how well it worked.

If you haven't been over to Lonny's build thread, you're missing cool stuff:

Winter Build-Off 2023: Twin Tigers!!!