Latest EUB Build - w/ PIX

After a couple threads where a bunch of you TB'ers helped me out, and countless hours in my shop, I'm finally done (minus some final setup) with my latest EUB build.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f101/belly-rest-body-brace-options-current-eub-build-848995/

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f101/endpin-options-second-eub-build-840033/

Here's the specs:

The body is 5 layers and is hollow. It's book-matched sapele on the top and back, with a 1/32" dyed black veneer under the Sapele, and then 5/4 Ash in the middle. I cut the center out of the ash section leaving about half an inch thickness on the sides. I carved two F-holes in it and then painted the inside edges black. Being hollow, the tone is pretty respectable and the weight is manageable as well.

The neck is 7 layers, consisting of maple, 1/32" veneer, flame maple, sapele, flame maple, 1/32" veneer maple. Interestingly, the "regular" maple seems to have pretty nice flame to it too.

I used a K&K bass max on a bridge I built myself. The K&K goes into the body and then to a Strat style output jack on the back.

The bridge isn't quartersawn but rather flatsawn maple. I don't know if tracking down some quartersawn would make much of a difference and since the bridge design when through several iterations (this is the 4th that I built), I wanted to use less expensive wood until I finalized the design.

It's got "El Crappo" 1/2 scale strings on it right now. I knew they'd go on and of a dozen or more times as I went through the design/build process but i have a set of 1/2 Corellis from Bob on order for it that should help with the overall tone.

Here are some pics:

 

OMG, you freaked me out a bit Doug. I immediately scrolled up to see what forum I had posted this in. Thanks for the kind words and the slightly accelerated heart beat

 

Joe - no problem. I got so much useful info from TB, I don't mind giving back a bit here.

1) where'd you get the wood? - sapele and maple were from Austin Hardwoods in Santa Ana, CA. Veneer was mail order from B&B Rare Woods. the ebony fingerboard was from Bob at Gollihur. On my first EUB, I shaped the fingerboard myself and planned on doing it that way now, but a ebony blank cost more than the pre-shaped board from Bob.

2) what pickup did you use? K&K Bass Max

3) is it a 3/4 size bridge? - I had to build the bridge to my own specs. It's shorter than a 3/4 and even a 1/2 size bridge, but a bit taller than my Eminence EUB's bridge.

4) how did you drill the endpin hole? - take a look at my thread on endpins and you'll see it's actually a 3/4" hole with a 4" long steel tube in it. The steel tube is has an OD of 3/4" and an ID of 5/8" and the endpin rod is 5/8" aluminum. The thread explains how it all works. I used a 3/4" forstner bit to drill the first 4 inches and then a standard 5/8" bit to punch the rest of the way through. I left about 5 inches of Ash at the bottom so there would be plenty of surface area to contact my steel tube and keep the endpin solid.

5) is the body brace detachable? If so why doesn't it wobble? - Yes it is. I used the same 5/8" aluminum rod and then on the body used a brass tube insert that is 3/4" OD and 5/8" ID. The insert only goes in about 2" and beyond that I used a taper auger to put a slight taper in the wood at the bottom of the hole so that when the 5/8" aluminum rod goes in, the conical shape of the hole holds it in place. If it ever gets loose, I have a surface mount insert (mcmaster car #94122A100) that I can mount to the back with a knurled knob to pin it in, similar to the old Azola design.

6) what did you finish it with? - I used tung oil from Austin's.

Hope that helps.

 

Glad to help Joe. You of course have to answer questions when you finish your build too!

Thanks Senior Packer Guy.

 

You know, I didn't even think to weigh it. The hollow body was entirely about tone, but a quick trip to the wife's bathroom scale showed 17.8lbs.

Since I posted the photos, I've changed the bridge to use larger adjusters (the nice aluminum ones from Gollihur Music) and the body brace is different now too. Instead of being rounded "in" it's now rounded out so it stays put quite a bit better.

 

Thanks. Obviously the multiple layers are all for show but I figured why not go for it?

Now to get the scoop on the fingerboard dialed in a bit better...

 

Thanks all.