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JC Basses 6 String Rainbow Build Thread

#22
contakt321 said:
Cool project.

Just a note: IIRC most CT basses are fully rounded over on the edges, not just beveled - but actually REALLY rounded over.
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Carls basses, with the exception of the "no frills" basses, are all hand carved. what looks like a roundover on some earlyer instruments is actually carls carving. Some of the newer instruments are more distinguishable as handcarved.
 
#23
I was able to sand the body down to exactly 1-3/8" thick and then rounded over the edges completely. It still needs quite a bit of sanding, but now I can start on the pickup, bridge, neck and control cavity placement.

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I think I am going to go with a maple neck with padauk stringers and the thin ebony stripes between them. Also, most likely a padauk "tranny block" between the neck and body.
 
#25
Well today I routed out the spots for the bridge and pickup. Yesterday I ordered all the electronics, string ferrules, straplocks and truss rod. I also glued up the neck and it is drying right now. I ended up going with a maple/padauk/maple/padauk/maple laminate with black veneers between the layers. I forgot to take a picture of it before I left my shop though.

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#28
wilser said:
tres cool!

2 questions:

what kind of bridge is that that requires such deep routing? any pics of the underside of the bridge?

are you gonna do a CT style cat's eye on it?!?!?

alright, sue me, that was 3 questions :D
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chris.gotfunk said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but that looks like a Warwick bridge minus the anchor of course. :D

Peace,
Chris
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It is a Warwick bridge simply because they have been the best bridges I have found for adjustability. 360 degrees no problems. I don't have a picture of the underside of the bridge, but there is a lower part on it that is roughly 3/8" thick. So my route is about 1/2" deep so it can be lowered or raised if needed.

I am not sure what cat's eye you are referring to...?
 
#29
This is a "cat eye" on a Carl Thompson bass...

JordanBass_catseye.jpg
 
#32
Where did you get the woods for this?

How difficult was it to plane and square the wood strips before attaching them?

What kind of string spacing does that Warwick bridge provide?

Why not a Hipshot A style bridge?

Where did you get the proper dimensions for the body and neck?

Beautiful project. Consider me suscribed!
 
#33
bassgod76 said:
Where did you get the woods for this?
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Those could be scraps from other builds or he just cut them from other pieces he had on his stock.

bassgod76 said:
How difficult was it to plane and square the wood strips before attaching them?
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For him not much I guess. He's a builder.

bassgod76 said:
Why not a Hipshot A style bridge?
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This is matter of tastes I guess.

bassgod76 said:
Where did you get the proper dimensions for the body and neck?
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Most of the neck dimensions are given by the scale and string distance at the nut and brigde. The neck profile is a matter of tastes. The body dimensions will depend on the design.
 
#34
bassgod76 said:
Where did you get the woods for this?

How difficult was it to plane and square the wood strips before attaching them?

What kind of string spacing does that Warwick bridge provide?

Why not a Hipshot A style bridge?

Where did you get the proper dimensions for the body and neck?

Beautiful project. Consider me suscribed!
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Eleonn got it right on with most of that. Some of the wood was scraps and other I bought for this project. My goal was to use as much leftover parts as I could. I am using the bridge, pickup and wood from other builds to cut down on costs.

It really wasn't that hard to plane them down. Just ran one side over the jointer and then the other side through the planer to get the sides parallel.

This Warwick bridge is 17.5mm string spacing, but is adjustable so you can go more or less by quite a bit. I chose that bridge because it is very adjustable and solid. Expensive though.

The sizes for the neck are dictated by the nut and bridge string spacing. For the body, I just looked at a picture and drew my own full scale model.

Oh and thanks.
 
#35
Oh okay. I thought there were size limitations as far as placing small pieces through a jointer or planer.

I saw people selling wood pieces on Ebay for cheap. Your project really has me thinking instead of buying an $$$ blank from Warmoth.

How heavy is the body?

After you glued it, did you wipe off the seams or did you let the excess dry?

Did you run the body through planer after it was glued?
 
#36
bassgod76 said:
Oh okay. I thought there were size limitations as far as placing small pieces through a jointer or planer.

I saw people selling wood pieces on Ebay for cheap. Your project really has me thinking instead of buying an $$$ blank from Warmoth.

How heavy is the body?

After you glued it, did you wipe off the seams or did you let the excess dry?

Did you run the body through planer after it was glued?
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If you have the right tools you should make the wood pieces yourself, it will save you tons of money.

I don't have a scale, but I would say it is fairly lightweight considering it is a smaller body and not as thick as most I do.

I try to wipe up an glue I can while it is wet, it makes cleanup easier when it dries. It was too wide for my planer once it was all glued up, so I had to use the safe-t-planer thing on the drill press.
 
#38
Today was yet another productive day in the shop. My neck blank was all dry and I could start getting it ready to become a neck. I ran it over the jointer and then into the planer. Then I started cutting out the neck shape for the back, sides and headstock angle. I also made the channel for the truss rod and glued on the fretboard.

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Next I will trim the fretboard to the final size and start shaping the back of the neck. I will also make the neck pocket very soon.
 
#39
Jeronimofesto said:
Today was yet another productive day in the shop. My neck blank was all dry and I could start getting it ready to become a neck. I ran it over the jointer and then into the planer. Then I started cutting out the neck shape for the back, sides and headstock angle. I also made the channel for the truss rod and glued on the fretboard.

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Next I will trim the fretboard to the final size and start shaping the back of the neck. I will also make the neck pocket very soon.
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I wish you had pics of the neck, from the start. Looks great!
 

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