Hello everyone, I am getting ready to start my first build and through my research on the web and this forum in particular have decided to document it. I have found other threads like this to be helpful and hope that this can help others. I would also like feedback from those of you who are experienced in the craft. So I am starting out with: swamp ash body, neck through design, maple neck with a bubinga stripe, bubinga fret board, trying to decide weather to go fretless or not, EMG pickups probably 2 active MMCS with the EMG electronics and everything. The bass will be totally stealth. All black on black. Natural finish, similar to the Warwick $$. I am a woodworker/ furniture/ general carpentry guy and I have a stocked shop so the wood aspect dose not phase me, the only thing I am concerned about is the electronics and the fretting, hence the fretless consideration. I am going to post pics and stuff once I get started, but for now just looking for some input on fretless vs. fretted. I play mostly rock, punk, ska, reggae and a little blues. Thanks yall and keep up the good work!
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My First Build
- Thread starter seesilva
- Start date
well, do you play fretted or fretless, would you like to learn fretless if you do not already, just consider that, and it should be easy to decide. but really fretting is not that difficult, some peopel will argue, but i didnt find it that hard at all. the only hard part was actually slotting the board, the physical sawing
I say fretted. It's not to hard to install frets, it's the slotting and radius you have to worry about. But most Luthier suppliers will do that for a small fee (it's worth it!). Just make sure you buy pre-bent fret wire. Leave about 1/8 inch longer on each side, and start at one side of the board, tap it in gently (w/wooden or soft light hammer) move to the other side and tap it in. Once both sides are in, carefully tap in the rest. Then just file the excess and dress the fret!
I have play fretted. I have played fretless and thought that it was really fun. I would like to learn to play fretless. I want to build a bass that will be designed for the music that i play. Basicly I want a bass that can do it all, sound good and look good doing it. but i guess that is what everyone wants?
yeah, pretty much, but, if you want a fretless, make a fretless, cause, you can always put frets in later. or take frets out, what ver you want really
You said you wanted to build a bass for the style of music you play? In my opinion a fretless can be the most versitile meaning you can play it like a fretted guitar if your songs have simple lines or you can play more technical stuff without having to switch basses. But thats just my way of looking at it. (I play a fretless even though my bands music doesnt really make use of what it can do but i like knowing that i can)
Thank for all the input. I am still not sure if I want to go fretless or not. I think I am gonna go to the music store and play one for a bit and see. No pictures yet cuz I lost my camera. So far I have bought all of my wood and made my templates. I am trying to decide on all the other odds and ends so as I can get them ordered and have them on hand for the build. Not much of an update but I should get some good shop time in this week.
I have decided to ahead and try fretting the neck. I have ordered all my components and just received them yesterday. Its really cool getting all this stuff in at once and you just have like all these parts. Anyway, I've got my neck blank made and squared, the body wings roughed out and i am ready to route for the truss rod, so i can get the neck a little further along. I have taken a few pictures but with a friends camera and will up load as soon as i can.
good call. For most of those music styles fretted is the norm, and while you can certainly play everything on a fretless that you can on fretted, it will definitely sound different, especially if it's set up with a low action.
I did the fretting on my first bass, starting with a fretless neck. It wasn't too tough.
Look here
You might want to read through the whole build from the start
I learned a ton on that first build, maybe reading my process will save you from making some of the same mistakes I did.
-Nick
I did the fretting on my first bass, starting with a fretless neck. It wasn't too tough.
Look here
You might want to read through the whole build from the start
I learned a ton on that first build, maybe reading my process will save you from making some of the same mistakes I did.
-Nick
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
It's water based "Forest Green" aniline.
I got it from Lee Valley. I think someone on here mentioned who made their dyes one time. You may be able to find out with a search, if you don't have a Lee Valley in your area.
It's listed under "Intense Aniline Mixing Colours".
If you order some, don't be surprised when you open the package and it's brown. It turns green as soon as you add it to the water.
-Nick
I need some info on truss rods. I have searched the forums and cant find what I am looking for. I understand that you apply small amounts of silicone to keep the rod from vibrating and stuff my main question is dose the rod float other than the silicone or is it glued in a the bottom? If any one could steer me in the right direction it would help. I am ready to glue my fret board on and don't have a clue.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
The rods should be free to move. Spotting silicone on both ends of the inserts (top and bottom) is a good idea. You might want to put some wax at the end of the threads, although oil will work good too, just to keep the movement. The glue, in theory (for the fingerboard glue up) should have more of a tendency to flow outward, instead of in the channel.
The silicone shouldn't interfere with the movement of the rod at all. some people put a bit of silicone in at the end to keep the rod from rattling.
When I made the neck for the bass #2 (in progress) I just routed the channel so that the rod doesn't have any space to rattle.
Can't really say a lot more than that though, since it's my first neck, and not finished yet.
wax, or a non-drippy grease on the threads is a good idea. I used anti-seize (designed for keeping bolts from rusting in place). Not sure if that's recommended, but I figured it should do the trick.
-Nick
put some in the middle, and at both ends. the silicon will not harden like glue and will therefore not make the rod not be able to move
It has been about a week and I have gotten a couple of hours in the shop. Finally got some pictures to show. We'll see how uploading them goes.
[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/9404/bass011m.th.jpg]The neck roughed out with the truss rod channel routed.
[img=http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/9553/bass012.th.jpg]Nice shot of the head stock.
[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/4826/bass013j.th.jpg]Fingerboard mock up.
[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3258/bass022.th.jpg]The body with a scrap cut from the neck.
[img=http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/8109/bass019.th.jpg]Truss rod set and finger board glued and clamped. Good to go.
[img=http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/5831/bass023.th.jpg]Ready to cut my first fret slots. I used a guide block clamped to the neck to make sure the saw kerfed straight and square and clean.
[img=http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/7924/bass025.th.jpg]The fretted neck no frets installed yet.
[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/5725/bass027.th.jpg]Now it is starting to look good. Fret markers installed. Finger board sanded and ready for fretting.
Let me know what yall think so far. Is there any thing that looks like trouble that i should adress now. Is there anything that I should be looking for or checking any advice for this stage in the game? I feel as if the build is going fairly smothly at this point. No major problems. I have all the parts on hand for referance so that helps.[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/732/bass015.th.jpg]I am looking forward to and dreading the installation of the frets. any advice? the body wing glue ups are not far off now and cant wait till it looks like a real bass! thanks
[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/9404/bass011m.th.jpg]The neck roughed out with the truss rod channel routed.
[img=http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/9553/bass012.th.jpg]Nice shot of the head stock.
[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/4826/bass013j.th.jpg]Fingerboard mock up.
[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3258/bass022.th.jpg]The body with a scrap cut from the neck.
[img=http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/8109/bass019.th.jpg]Truss rod set and finger board glued and clamped. Good to go.
[img=http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/5831/bass023.th.jpg]Ready to cut my first fret slots. I used a guide block clamped to the neck to make sure the saw kerfed straight and square and clean.
[img=http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/7924/bass025.th.jpg]The fretted neck no frets installed yet.
[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/5725/bass027.th.jpg]Now it is starting to look good. Fret markers installed. Finger board sanded and ready for fretting.
Let me know what yall think so far. Is there any thing that looks like trouble that i should adress now. Is there anything that I should be looking for or checking any advice for this stage in the game? I feel as if the build is going fairly smothly at this point. No major problems. I have all the parts on hand for referance so that helps.[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/732/bass015.th.jpg]I am looking forward to and dreading the installation of the frets. any advice? the body wing glue ups are not far off now and cant wait till it looks like a real bass! thanks
