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Multi-Build
- Thread starter Jason_A
- Start date
Just a quick update... most of these bodies/necks are now up for sale here http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f129/bodies-necks-sale-866389/
I really hate to do it, but unfortunately I've developed an allergy to at least one of the woods, which has caused me to break out in rashes on my arms and neck.
There's still plenty to be done with each bass, but I thought some of the folks that hang out here might be interested in a project that at least has some of the hard parts already done.
I really hate to do it, but unfortunately I've developed an allergy to at least one of the woods, which has caused me to break out in rashes on my arms and neck.
There's still plenty to be done with each bass, but I thought some of the folks that hang out here might be interested in a project that at least has some of the hard parts already done.
- Jul 1, 2008
- 125
- 0
- Disclosures
- Pickup Maker, Luthier, and Repairman, Wimsatt Instruments
Zebrawood got me. I've been building guitars and basses for years and about 3 years ago I developed an allergy to Zebrawood.
I am sad for the day that I become allergic to Cocobola.
The leopardwood one just arrived on my doorstep. Jason does really nice work.
Jason, I really hope you figure out a way around the allergy problem. It'd be a shame to lose your talent.
Jason, I really hope you figure out a way around the allergy problem. It'd be a shame to lose your talent.
Back from the dead....
I figured I probably ought to finish this bass before I make it to the 10 year anniversary of starting it. I've had this thing really close to done for a REALLY long time, but just haven't had much motivation to finish it. I've shifted to primarily playing guitar, but I'm back to playing bass at least occasionally, so I finally have that last bit of motivation to push through and finish the thing. Most of the woodworking was done - just a few minor things to finish.
Part of my mental block with this thing was dealing with the frets. The neck is bound, and I didn't want the fret tangs sticking through the binding. So I attempted to fret it once, trimming off the tang so only the fret top overlapped the binding. However, that was a disaster. The binding is just too wide for that to work. So a few days ago I finally caved and pulled the frets, cut the fret slots through the binding, and refretted the thing. I'm not happy about the fret slots going through the binding, but it's not the end of the world. At least the frets will actually work this time
Then it was on to finishing the last of the actual woodworking. I got the bridge mounted, drilled the holes for the controls and input jack, and got the battery box route done.
I've had parts for the thing sitting in a box for so long, I didn't even remember what I had bought for the thing. Looks like I have a Bartolini preamp and a set of Nord Big Singles for the electronics, a Hipshot B bridge, and some Gotoh tuners.
I have a little fret dressing to do on the neck, then I think I should be moving on to the finish work. I have gloss lacquer to spray it with, but I'm really digging the matte look. I'll spray it with the sealer first, which I think will stay at a relatively flat finish and see if I decide to just leave it like that.
I figured I probably ought to finish this bass before I make it to the 10 year anniversary of starting it. I've had this thing really close to done for a REALLY long time, but just haven't had much motivation to finish it. I've shifted to primarily playing guitar, but I'm back to playing bass at least occasionally, so I finally have that last bit of motivation to push through and finish the thing. Most of the woodworking was done - just a few minor things to finish.
Part of my mental block with this thing was dealing with the frets. The neck is bound, and I didn't want the fret tangs sticking through the binding. So I attempted to fret it once, trimming off the tang so only the fret top overlapped the binding. However, that was a disaster. The binding is just too wide for that to work. So a few days ago I finally caved and pulled the frets, cut the fret slots through the binding, and refretted the thing. I'm not happy about the fret slots going through the binding, but it's not the end of the world. At least the frets will actually work this time
Then it was on to finishing the last of the actual woodworking. I got the bridge mounted, drilled the holes for the controls and input jack, and got the battery box route done.
I've had parts for the thing sitting in a box for so long, I didn't even remember what I had bought for the thing. Looks like I have a Bartolini preamp and a set of Nord Big Singles for the electronics, a Hipshot B bridge, and some Gotoh tuners.
I have a little fret dressing to do on the neck, then I think I should be moving on to the finish work. I have gloss lacquer to spray it with, but I'm really digging the matte look. I'll spray it with the sealer first, which I think will stay at a relatively flat finish and see if I decide to just leave it like that.
deepestend
Commercial User
- Feb 21, 2003
- 6,249
- 8,168
- Disclosures
- Website and Social Media at Sadowsky
Made a little more progress - mostly "detail" stuff so I could move on to finishing. Got the fret ends cleaned up, side markers installed, sanding, etc. I'm in the process now of spraying the sealer. Most of these woods are fairly porous so I'm trying to build up as heavy of a sealer coat as I can. Based on past experience, once the sealer and lacquer dry, they tend to strink back a lot and "depress" into the pores of the wood, so I'm planning on going with a heavier than normal finish on this one, so I have enough there to sand back to try and compensate for shrinkage after the finish is cured. Hopefully tomorrow the lacquer starts going on.
I got the lacquer sprayed a couple of weeks ago. I'm planning on playing the bass next weekend, so I'm going to start assembly. The lacquer hasn't cured as much as I'd like, so I'm not going to buff out the body just yet. I went ahead and did the neck... because impatient. And likely I'll end up sanding the back of the neck down to more of a satin finish later on - I tend to prefer that over a gloss finish on the neck.
The lacquer went on nice and I'm happy with the depth of the finish. I buffed out the neck and it came out really smooth.
Body and neck before buffing:
Neck after buffing:
Today's goal is to get the neck done - so making the nut, installing tuners, and leveling/rounding/polishing frets.
The lacquer went on nice and I'm happy with the depth of the finish. I buffed out the neck and it came out really smooth.
Body and neck before buffing:
Neck after buffing:
Today's goal is to get the neck done - so making the nut, installing tuners, and leveling/rounding/polishing frets.
Most of the neck work is done - made the nut, leveled and polished the frets, and have the body and neck mounted. I have strings on it and will let the neck sit for a while to "settle in" and then check frets and setup. The nut will need a lot of tuning - I left the slots a little high. so most of them will need to come down a bit.
Speaking of the nut... I picked up the only bone nut they had at my local GC, and it seemed like it was going to work. After some initial measuring, I didn't think it was going to be tall enough. So I found some thin ebony I had in a box and made a liminated nut.
I layed out the slots and got them roughed in and the nut shaped and smoothed
I use a small square to keep the slots straight
Tuners installed
Neck preped for fret work
Strung up for initial testing - it looks like a bass!
Speaking of the nut... I picked up the only bone nut they had at my local GC, and it seemed like it was going to work. After some initial measuring, I didn't think it was going to be tall enough. So I found some thin ebony I had in a box and made a liminated nut.
I layed out the slots and got them roughed in and the nut shaped and smoothed
I use a small square to keep the slots straight
Tuners installed
Neck preped for fret work
Strung up for initial testing - it looks like a bass!
Slowly making progress. Pickups, battery box and controls/electronics all mounted. Just a few wires to solder up and it should be electrified. Still a few more detail things to finish after that - control cavity cover, truss rod cover, strap buttons, and leveling a few high frets. Should be able to wrap that all up by the weekend to take this guy out for a first use on Sunday.
Well, it's a bass now. Not a great picture, but it will have to do for now. It's usable, but there's one fret that's still a problem, so I'll have to deal with that eventually. For now I think it's more or less done. I'll make a truss rod cover, but otherwise it's good enough for its maiden voyage. Initial impressions are that it actually plays quite well (once I get that fret dealt with), and sounds really great. I have DR High Beams on it, and that with the Big Singles and the Bart pre, it sounds both clear and fat. Really digging it. More beauty pictures at another time (probably after I actually buff the body out). The lacquer is kind of bumming me out though - way more fragile than I think it's supposed to be (maybe that's what happens when you leave it sitting in the garage for like a decade before spraying it 
)
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