Look what I found

[Scoops]

I had some shellac left from working on a different project, so I thought I'd put it on this.

Here's my next project. Still working out some of the details

 

[lbridenstine]

Ooo, what's the fretboard wood?

Rosewood neck?

 

[Scoops]

Ooo, what's the fretboard wood? Rosewood neck?

The body is walnut and as I mentioned has a coat of dark amber shellac
The neck is macassar ebony
The finger board is Pau Ferro been wiped down with denatured alcohol to show color

Probably going the single music man pup route.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

What you got there is some serious wood porn. Shouldn't you be working on the Violin Bass? What would she think if she knew you were flirting with this lumber?

 

[Scoops]

What you got there is some serious wood porn. Shouldn't you be working on the Violin Bass? What would she think if she knew you were flirting with this lumber?

There are so many inappropriate things that could be said here.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

We'll leave it to the imagination then! Another beautiful instrument in the making.

 

[CosmoReverb]

Beautiful wood!

Vaguely reminiscent, to me at least, of a Guild Pilot which is a design I've always loved the lines of.

 

[Scoops]

Beautiful wood!
Vaguely reminiscent, to me at least, of a Guild Pilot which is a design I've always loved the lines of.

Very interesting because you are the 3rd person here at TB that has made this comment. The other 2 comments came from a build that used the same body outline.

Shouldn't you be working on the Violin Bass? What would she think if she knew you were flirting with this lumber?

The violin bass will not get jealous because it's her sister. The body of this bass was cut from the same piece of wood I used to make the top on the Violin
I wasn't actually planning on building this because I was unhappy with the coloration of the raw wood. So right as I was finishing my beer and closing down for the night, I thought i'd use up the last of a batch of shellac I made for the violin. It was a very pleasant surprise indeed.

 

[Scoops]

OK,

Here's another that I had started, and now will be getting back to

Since I last posted to this build, I figured out what I would like to do with this
So here are the Specs
Strings: 5
Body Style: D2 (original design)
Body wood: Solid Flamed Walnut
Neck: Ebony
Fingerboard: Ebony
Fingerboard Radius: 10"
Bridge: Hipshot Aluminum 17.5mm spacing
PuPs: Nordstrand Bigman
Tuners: Hipshot ultralite
Preamp: Maybe

So the big question Im facing right now is which FB do I put on this.
The wife, who is a big supporter of my builds (and occasional design co-coordinator) says the the Pau Ferro board is too busy, and says the Ebony board looks better. I usually agree with her, but in this case, not so much. Any opinions? (see below)

 

[Gnal]

The ebony board is very understated and places the emphasis on the body figuring.

I'm not a builder, but I appreciate what you guys do. Personally, I'd save the pau farro board for something with a more plain body.

Edit: but both will be great... So I don't know :/

 

[charlie monroe]

I think that the macassar neck should get a skunk stripe and that the neck/fret board should be one piece.

 

[Scoops]

I think that the macassar neck should get a skunk stripe and that the neck/fret board should be one piece.

I've been contemplating this, but probably not for this build. I really want to make this a 5 banger. I don't have a piece of Macasssar wide enough for the for a 5 stringer. That's why I'll be going with the ebony.

 

[seedokebass]

That body is smokin! Maybe wood pickup covers?

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I think I'll agree with your wife and @Gnal, the pau ferro might be too much, that body is so gorgeous, no need for further wood gluttony. Go with the dark ebony. I think the long stripes on the pau ferro would clash with frets at right angles, that would look killer on a fretless.

 

[Scoops]

I was trying to save that FB for a different build, but unfortunately, I think the design co-coordinator is right......again

 

[BAG]

I'll play it safe and say "your wife is right"

 

[Will_White]

I agree with your wife, the ebony looks better. That's a great piece of pau ferrro is really nice but it doesn't quite flow with the body. I think its too similar of coloration but not similar enough.

My wife agrees with yours as well

 

[Scoops]

Thanks all for the feedback.

Based on comments, and other things, I'm going with the ebony.
I've been wanting to do something like this with ebony, where it will look like one big contiguous piece of wood. Said another way, its difficult to see the seam between the FB and neck, so I kinda like that.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Damn, that's a nice hunk of ebony, hard to find something that consistent looking over that length. is that dyed at all, or is it really that black?

 

[Scoops]

Damn, that's a nice hunk of ebony, hard to find something that consistent looking over that length. is that dyed at all, or is it really that black?

It is that black! No Dye.

It does weigh a lot right now. I'll have to wait to see how much weight I loose when I profile the neck. Every oz. may count, so I may have to downsize the head stock