NBD Warmoth Deluxe 5 Jazz build

[bobpond]

I need a 5 string passive bass and my 4 string jazz and 5 string Gecko came out so great Warmoth was the way to go.

I have pictures here from open box. I'll post updates as I go along. The finish plan is two soak coats of tung oil (50%) from milkpaint to seal and protect from moisture, then wet sanding with the same mixture at 320 and 600 to do a slurry grain fill. Then I'll add 50% poly to the mix and again wet sand with this at 800 and 1000. I'll assess at that point and maybe do a few thin coats of poly.

Specs
Swamp ash body
Maple neck with wenge fretboard
6230 stainless frets
More to follow

 

[irjason]

It sure looks like a promising build!

 

[HalfManHalfBass]

subbed!

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Super sweet!

 

[bobpond]

Thanks for the replies. Here we go with soak coat #1. I hope the full size images aren't a problem for anyone. If they are let me know I'll switch to thumbnails.

Everything ready.

Front soaking

The glare caught the area that soaked up with quickest, I saw this on my last bass too, the way the grain falls there soaks in almost as much as end grain.

backs soaking

This was just about when I applied more, see how it is drying in the contour?

I kept it this wet for about 40 minutes, wiped down any excess and I'll do the same tomorrow. Yes its very messy, but underneath the paper is a butcher block I need to refinish with the tung oil too so it's OK.

 

[bobpond]

Soak coat #2 done, no need for pics it doesn't look any different. Here some additional build details.
Schaller 496 bridge
Schaller Strap locks
Schaller BML Light tuners (all hardware is chrome)
Bartolini 57J1 L/S Pickups. Original, deep tone, dual in-line coil.
Wiring will be V/V/T with CTS 250k pots, neck volume is also DPDT push pull, I will wire for series/parallel.
Witchcraft output jack
Orange Drop .047uF cap

Next update next weekend, I'm going to let the soak coats dry for a week before beginning the wet sanding with the tung oil/solvent mixture..

 

[HalfManHalfBass]

Soak coat #2 done, no need for pics it doesn't look any different. Here some additional build details.
Schaller 496 bridge
Schaller Strap locks
Schaller BML Light tuners (all hardware is chrome)
Bartolini 57J1 L/S Pickups. Original, deep tone, dual in-line coil.
Wiring will be V/V/T with CTS 250k pots, neck volume is also DPDT much pull, I will wire for series/parallel.
Witchcraft output jack
Orange Drop .047uF cap

Next update next weekend, I'm going to let the soak coats dry for a week before beginning the wet sanding with the tung oil/solvent mixture..

Wow, that's looking good!

If I had a bass that nice I'd be itching to screw the thing together as fast as possible in order to play it! I know that I sure wouldn't be able to wait a week between coats.....and that's why I always mess up my finishes: through sheer impatience!

I can't wait to see it finished (already!)

Please keep us posted!

 

[bobpond]

Wow, that's looking good!

If I had a bass that nice I'd be itching to screw the thing together as fast as possible in order to play it! I know that I sure wouldn't be able to wait a week between coats.....and that's why I always mess up my finishes: through sheer impatience!

I can't wait to see it finished (already!)

Please keep us posted!

As I was writing that post I was thinking the same thing I wish it was done already I want to play it. Fortunately it was practice time so I spent two hours on my Gecko and felt better.

First two coats are *supposed* to cure for two to four weeks. I cheat a bit as my first wet sand is the same mixture, but after that I will have to wait at least two weeks before starting the poly mix coats.

Maybe I'll write up a build thread on the Gecko I never got around to that.

 

[HalfManHalfBass]

As I was writing that post I was thinking the same thing I wish it was done already I want to play it. Fortunately it was practice time so I spent two hours on my Gecko and felt better.

First two coats are *supposed* to cure for two to four weeks. I cheat a bit as my first wet sand is the same mixture, but after that I will have to wait at least two weeks before starting the poly mix coats.

Maybe I'll write up a build thread on the Gecko I never got around to that.

Bobpond, would you by so kind as to answer a few questions regarding this build please?

1) Which nut width did you choose for the neck?

2) I think the Schaller 496 bridge has 17.5mm spacing, but do you think an 18mm bridge would work with this neck? Without endangering the G and B strings to fall over the edges of the neck (like some Musicman Stingray 5s are prone to do?)

3) Which string trees are you intending to use? Hipshot 2 and 3 string retainers?

Many, many thanks and I for one would be very interested to hear of your previous Gecko build!

 

[bobpond]

Bobpond, would you by so kind as to answer a few questions regarding this build please?

1) Which nut width did you choose for the neck?

2) I think the Schaller 496 bridge has 17.5mm spacing, but do you think an 18mm bridge would work with this neck? Without endangering the G and B strings to fall over the edges of the neck (like some Musicman Stingray 5s are prone to do?)

3) Which string trees are you intending to use? Hipshot 2 and 3 string retainers?

Many, many thanks and I for one would be very interested to hear of your previous Gecko build!

1) Nut width is 1-7/8". That just happened to be what was on the neck with the fretboard I liked in the showcase, this matches my Gecko. I have a Carvin 5 string fretless I build that is 1-3/4" which would have ben fine too.

2) The Schaller 496 adjusts from 15.8 to 17. I'll go with 17. The neck is 74mm at the heel. Assuming spacing is center to center, .045 G, .132 B, that all adds up to 74.24mm at the bridge. I would not plan a build like that, I believe the Deluxe 5 Jazz is meant to be 17mm. You may want to ask Warmth directly. If you want wider than 17mm I would suggest looking at Gecko 5 Medium which is meant for 19mm.

3) I have a 4 string bar retainer, but I am considering a Hipshot 4 string retainer instead.

If I have time this week I will start a thread on the Gecko build. Thanks!

 

[eastcoasteddie]

1) Nut width is 1-7/8". That just happened to be what was on the neck with the fretboard I liked in the showcase, this matches my Gecko. I have a Carvin 5 string fretless I build that is 1-3/4" which would have ben fine too.

2) The Schaller 496 adjusts from 15.8 to 17. I'll go with 17. The neck is 74mm at the heel. Assuming spacing is center to center, .045 G, .132 B, that all adds up to 74.24mm at the bridge. I would not plan a build like that, I believe the Deluxe 5 Jazz is meant to be 17mm. You may want to ask Warmth directly. If you want wider than 17mm I would suggest looking at Gecko 5 Medium which is meant for 19mm.

3) I have a 4 string bar retainer, but I am considering a Hipshot 4 string retainer instead.

If I have time this week I will start a thread on the Gecko build. Thanks!

Warmoth has a page on their site that shows width of both Standard and Deluxe neck heels...

Invalid Link Removed

The Deluxe neck heel measures 2.906" and Std neck measures 2.865" (sts neck is supposed to be exactly as MIM JV specs)
The MIM Jazz V is 18mm, as I believe is the MIA Deluxe.

My Squier Affinity JV neck measures 2.835" (0.030" smaller than the Warmoth std neck, and has 18mm spacing.
I tried going 19mm but the strings were too close to the edges of the neck...I believe that 18mm is the widest you can go.

 

[HalfManHalfBass]

1) Nut width is 1-7/8". That just happened to be what was on the neck with the fretboard I liked in the showcase, this matches my Gecko. I have a Carvin 5 string fretless I build that is 1-3/4" which would have ben fine too.

2) The Schaller 496 adjusts from 15.8 to 17. I'll go with 17. The neck is 74mm at the heel. Assuming spacing is center to center, .045 G, .132 B, that all adds up to 74.24mm at the bridge. I would not plan a build like that, I believe the Deluxe 5 Jazz is meant to be 17mm. You may want to ask Warmth directly. If you want wider than 17mm I would suggest looking at Gecko 5 Medium which is meant for 19mm.

3) I have a 4 string bar retainer, but I am considering a Hipshot 4 string retainer instead.

If I have time this week I will start a thread on the Gecko build. Thanks!

Many thanks for all the information, I'm still trying to decide whether an 18mm spacing is worth risking......

I'm looking forward to the Gecko write up though!

Peace,

Rob.

 

[HalfManHalfBass]

Warmoth has a page on their site that shows width of both Standard and Deluxe neck heels...

Invalid Link Removed

The Deluxe neck heel measures 2.906" and Std neck measures 2.865" (sts neck is supposed to be exactly as MIM JV specs)
The MIM Jazz V is 18mm, as I believe is the MIA Deluxe.

My Squier Affinity JV neck measures 2.835" (0.030" smaller than the Warmoth std neck, and has 18mm spacing.
I tried going 19mm but the strings were too close to the edges of the neck...I believe that 18mm is the widest you can go.

Some interesting information there, I had never seen that page before on Warmoth's website -thank you.

Peace,

Rob.

 

[bobpond]

Thanks @eastcoasteddie you have better info than me. I got the 74mm width from the same place, but I was incorrect about the string spacing.

I'm finding string spacing specs on bridges to be confusing. Schaller specs on Warmoth site say max width is 68.26mm. I have adjusted the outside strings to their max and I measure 72mm from the outside centers.

This page give a good description as well Invalid Link Removed

I went with the Schaller because I had a reason to have as much as possible directly from Warmoth on the same order, they drill for bridges they do not sell.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I'm actually considering getting a fretless Standard V neck for this Affinity jazz that I have...O always wanted a fretless JV, and Fender doesn't make them...have to go "Custom"
If that .030" difference between my heel and the heel of the Warmoth neck can easily be remedied with a little sanding, it might be the perfect option for me. The tuning machines should drop right in...

I wonder how tight their tolerances are in reality...if you get a neck from them, how close to their specs will it really be?
@bobpond, have you measured your neck with a caliper to check actual width?

 

[bobpond]

@HalfManHalfBass thanks for the question about the retainer I bought a hipshot and I like it a lot better

 

[bobpond]

Here's a couple of shots of the slurry process. It did not come out well in pics for the body so this will hopefully give the idea. This was pretty hard, grinding in the finish at 320 grit to push as much as I could into the wood. The sanding session was about 2 hours.

This is the wenge fretboard. Hard stuff. No way am I going to fill those ruts but I don't want to, my whole point in this approach it get a hard protective finish but let the wood still have some character not a mirror finish.

 

[fender62custom]

Looking good!! congrats!!

 

[bobpond]

Kind of boring giving the tung oil time to cure. You can see a little dust from where the wood is rough and I didn't get the slurry completely wiped down. Here's the body after the 400 grit slurry pass. Going to do 600 today and start mixing in the poly so it will be one third each tung oil, orange solvent and poly for 600.

 

[bobpond]

Yeah totally boring waiting for the tung oil to cure. It's been pretty dry here and the dehumidifier is running for 50% or lower down there so tomorrow I'm resuming.

The 600 coats filled in the grain even a little more than I really wanted, so I'm done with the wet sanded slurry. Time to start daily very light coats of more poly than tung oil. Basically I'm making my own TruOil and varying up the amount of poly as I go. I'll use kind of a French polish technique from here on out. That worked well on my last Jazz bass with the same body wood, this time there are a couple of mistakes I will try not to make, last time my coats were a little heavy and when buffing out I moved sandpaper grits too fast. This time I will make the coats thin enough so hopefully I don't need much buffing when I'm done.

We will see.