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My engineering class Bass guitar
- Thread starter gman5552
- Start date
Nice High School project! I never made a bass way back in 1975 when I was in HS, but I did make an exact copy of an Acoustic 18" folded horn that I used in the rock band I was in. Wow, long time ago.
We made metal trowels and hanging basket brackets... This is cool!
Body looks great - transparent guards aren't my cup of tea as much as it does look cool. Just needs a tidy and you're onto a winner! How's it play and sound?
Body looks great - transparent guards aren't my cup of tea as much as it does look cool. Just needs a tidy and you're onto a winner! How's it play and sound?
Nice project!
You may find more advice on future projects over in the Luthier's Corner ... that's where the bass builders hang out.
You may find more advice on future projects over in the Luthier's Corner ... that's where the bass builders hang out.
That's really cool! They have a cnc machine in shop class now? Things have changed in the last 15 yrs I guess..
I don't know about the program you may have used, but "Offset" is the name of the function in the cad/cam programs I've used to get something like what you want for shaping the right side of the pickguard. Set up a second layer in the body file. Trim/break the body silouhette at the neckjoint and again near the right of the bridge and offset in from that line .375-.5". Assign that offset line to the second layer, double the contour of the neck pocket and then continue drawing the rest of it. You then ought to have a sw8 pickguard file to cut with.
I do like the shape of the guard near the pickup. Keep that if you can.
I do like the shape of the guard near the pickup. Keep that if you can.
Excellent, Nay, AMAZING first project! Just a couple tweaks and you've got a mutli-grand custom shop killer bass.
First, I agree the pickguard needs trimmed. It need to be trimmed such that it leaves just an even thin line of visible wood along the edge (especially at the horn where it seem to sort of hang over the edge). And then of course beveled. But my opinion is that in spite of the Ibanez neck (which is an idea too cool for words, I mean people are always putting a Jazz neck on a P-bass, so why not go all the way to thin and fast? That's a custom bass worth some cash!) I don't like the clear pickguard. Too high techy for an old-school bass. My suggestion
use the trimmed clear one as a model and make a tort guard (beveled natch). Yep and be sure in making the new guard that you've moved the pickups over (means the hole in the guard needs moved too!) As mentioned by others, strings are supposed to lie between the pairs of poles for that kind of pickup.
OK. We are getting there. There is only one thing left for that killer piece of wood you made this bass from. Namely about 10 or 12 coats of tru-oil finish. (It's for hand-rubbed gun stock refinishing, find it on line. Many coats of Minwax poly or Tung oil rub will work too ) Yep, Building a bass or guitar is always about the finish on the wood an you got the materials here for a truly GREAT looking bass, all you need now is the elbow grease!
And of course since this is TB, no evaluation would be complete without noting that in addition to a tort guard, flat wound strings are also de rigueur!
(Just kidding about flats and tort. You get to use anything you like!)
In spite of critique, still A+ on project!
First, I agree the pickguard needs trimmed. It need to be trimmed such that it leaves just an even thin line of visible wood along the edge (especially at the horn where it seem to sort of hang over the edge). And then of course beveled. But my opinion is that in spite of the Ibanez neck (which is an idea too cool for words, I mean people are always putting a Jazz neck on a P-bass, so why not go all the way to thin and fast? That's a custom bass worth some cash!) I don't like the clear pickguard. Too high techy for an old-school bass. My suggestion
use the trimmed clear one as a model and make a tort guard (beveled natch). Yep and be sure in making the new guard that you've moved the pickups over (means the hole in the guard needs moved too!) As mentioned by others, strings are supposed to lie between the pairs of poles for that kind of pickup.OK. We are getting there. There is only one thing left for that killer piece of wood you made this bass from. Namely about 10 or 12 coats of tru-oil finish. (It's for hand-rubbed gun stock refinishing, find it on line. Many coats of Minwax poly or Tung oil rub will work too ) Yep, Building a bass or guitar is always about the finish on the wood an you got the materials here for a truly GREAT looking bass, all you need now is the elbow grease!
And of course since this is TB, no evaluation would be complete without noting that in addition to a tort guard, flat wound strings are also de rigueur!
(Just kidding about flats and tort. You get to use anything you like!)
In spite of critique, still A+ on project!
I'd be inclined to replace the pickguard material with something opaque. Great Work otherwise. Well done.
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Good work! I wish my HS had a CNC router. As the others have said, re-align the pickups (easy to do since you have plenty of space to work with in the cavity), further contour/bevel the pickguard, and get a finish on that baby and you are golden.
- Apr 20, 2009
- 2,620
- 4,666
- Disclosures
- Endorsements: your name could be here, Mr. Sadowsky!
Yes, putting your name on the headstock will definitely help the sound quality!
How cool is that? I especially dig the clear pickguard. Please do post pics of your next build as well!
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