My Cliff Bordwell 2020 summer bass builds!

My Cliff Bordwell 2020 summer bass builds!

For at least ten years now I have been a buyer and a big fan of Cliff Bordwell basses. I’ve owned nine of his basses over the years, with two new ones in progress currently. Cliff’s basses are of the best quality and craftsmanship I have ever played! Not to mention that Cliff has great communication and finishes his builds at the time he forecast they will be done each time.

Even though I am not affiliated with Cliff’s business in any way, he was nice enough to name a model after me after I asked him to modify his Ball bass design to be much larger in size since I was such a large guy at the time. That model is the BIG McNeely model, and I still own two of them.
Here is a picture of the two BIG McNeely models I currently own.


Here is a pic of the CB basses I have owned.


Now on to the new builds....

Big McNeely-Bass 4-string
Dimensions
Scale length: 32
Neck shape: Jazz
String spacing at Bridge: 19mm
Construction
Neck: Wenge with with one inch flame maple thick stringer down the middle
Fingerboard: Spalt Purpleheart Ebony side stripes with Maple accent veneer underneath
Fingerboard Radius: 0(Flat)
Nut: Dymondwood
Full faced top: Yes
Body woods
Top: Buckeye burl w/purplheart stripes further out like artist series
Accent: .125 Purpleheart
Core: PNG Walnut – Purpleheart catseye bottom side
Accent: Thin Purpleheart(.022)
Back: Figured Walnut
Headstock shape: “CB”
Headstock plate: Same wood as top
Walnut back of headstock cap
Cavity cover: matching (probably won’t match with the back that is chosen)
Hardware
Color: Black
Bridge: Hipshot style “A”
Tuners: Ultralites
Truss rod: two-way adjustable
Fretted: 24
Output: 1/4" Face mount(N/C)
Electronics
Pickups: Aguilar SUPER DOUBLE 4SD-D1
Pickup covers: Buckeye Burl Wood pickup caps with Purple Heart accent
Preamp: Aguilar OBP-3
Controls: (5)Vol/blen/treble/mid/bass - Buckeye Burl with PurpleHeart knurled knobs
Luminlay side dots
Top:

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SCB-Bass 4-string
Dimensions
Scale length: 34
Neck shape: P-bass - D
String spacing at Bridge: 1.675 nut 20mm
Construction
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard: Birdseye Maple
Fingerboard Radius: 9.5”
Nut: Dymondwood
Full faced top: Yes
Body woods
Top: Tulipwood
Body: Alder
Headstock shape: “CB”
Headstock plate: Same wood as top
Cavity cover: Alder
Hardware
Color: Black
Bridge: Hipshot style “A”
Tuners: Ultralites
Fretted
Output: 1/4" Face mount
Electronics
Pickups: Fender (Fender Professional P pickups)
Pickup covers: Standard
Preamp:NA
Controls: (2) Volume/Tone
Notes:
Luminlay side dots
TI jazz flats
Top:


I am very excited to see both basses come together after coming up with the specs with Cliff’s help over the last year or so. I’ll update this thread whenever I get updates, thanks for reading!

-ScottM

 

Here are my two build updates so far.
BIG McNeely body core wood being glued up.


SCB bass’s top being cut.



-ScottM

 

Thanks, and I’ll be looking out for your build thread soon I think!

-ScottM

 

Do you have any ideas for a new build?

-ScottM

 

Both ideas sound cool, I’ve always wanted to try a holly topped bass!

-ScottM

 

Thank you!
That bass I’ve had the longest. I swear it must have been 10 years since I bought it. It still plays great; perfect neck.

Edit: Yep, I did a review on this bass back in
July 31, 2009
CB Basses Big McNeely

-ScottM

 

Here’s an update from one of my basses this morning from Cliff.
It’s the SCB bass’s Tulipwood headstock cap!



-ScottM

 

Thanks!
I played an Alembic a long long time ago that had a tulipwood top on it. It must have been at least 20 years ago, and sense then I wanted one!
The last one I had I only sold to help pay for my house, so I don’t regret it... but do miss it!

-ScottM

 

All kinds of great updates on the SCB today, here is the heel accent wood being used.

It’s a sweet looking piece of Douglas Fir!


-ScottM

 

Both of those are gorgeous!

-ScottM