New bass build!

[fatmarris]

Maybe more Rickish like this one but reverse it and restyle it some.

Could you reshape it like this? Still Fenderish but a little sleeker look that would go better with your body I think. It's the Warmoth Warhead

I’ll try to draw some stuff up and see if I come up with something I like.. at the moment I’m not too bothered by the headstock but I also haven’t really thought too much about it

 

[fatmarris]

I ask you to please consider making a wooden pickguard.
To me the plastic black or white look cheesy, but maybe that's just me.

I do love the contours and grain looks great.

Thanks!! I was a little nervous about the contours, but overall happy with it.. the grain looks beautiful!! I’ve been pleasantly surprised.. I’m pretty attached to the grain so I could never do a solid color finish on it at this point

What about a darker wood accent there instead of a plastic pickguard material like a Rosewood or Wenge?

I know plastic isn’t everyone’s favorite.. but I think that wood and organic materials feel too modern for me.. most of my inspiration for this bass and most of the things I resonate with have well designed nonorganic pickguards.. big plastic shapes.. just my opinion I guess but that’s the idea

 

[Clark W]

I’ll try to draw some stuff up and see if I come up with something I like.. at the moment I’m not too bothered by the headstock but I also haven’t really thought too much about it

Yeah I wouldn't be worried about the headstock either. But a little more modern shape to it would be awesome considering the body shape is definitely modern. It would look sharp if you could do it. Love that body.

 

[Barticus]

Thanks!! I was a little nervous about the contours, but overall happy with it.. the grain looks beautiful!! I’ve been pleasantly surprised.. I’m pretty attached to the grain so I could never do a solid color finish on it at this point


I know plastic isn’t everyone’s favorite.. but I think that wood and organic materials feel too modern for me.. most of my inspiration for this bass and most of the things I resonate with have well designed nonorganic pickguards.. big plastic shapes.. just my opinion I guess but that’s the idea

Fair enough, it’s your build

It’s such a modern looking body.

 

[fatmarris]

I’ve had zero free time these past couple weeks and things have slowed which is fine. That’s how it works at times..
I installed tuners and string retainer.. but that’s about it.. the ferrules were a pain VERY tight so I fit them just enough to get the heads located properly since I’ll have to remove all of it for paint..

otherwise just waiting on parts..
next issue I haven’t totally figured out yet is the pickguard mounting. It was cut for an inset guard but I will be doing a surface mounted guard.. So now behind where the ideal screw holes should go would be there’s no wood! Just the ledge for the inset guard.. so I’ll probably have to glue up some wood to support the guard but haven’t looked much into it

 

[fatmarris]

So I was thinking of ways to mount the string bar.. it’s proximity to the tuner was way too close, but I wanted to make it something relatively clean…

Solution was some hand filing and a forstner bit. I think it came out really nice.. now I just have to find some acorn nuts in the right size…

 

[JIO]

Well first fit up is awesome!!!! It isn’t perfect which is exactly what I expected doing this from 1000 miles away over the internet.. BUT!!! It’s DEFINITELY close enough! I’m really excited to get this thing where I want it!! Some deeper contours and wiring channels and whatnot..
anyways.. FIT PICS!!
View attachment 7389811View attachment 7389813
Neck pocket fits really nice!

I've used these Peavey pu's - you can wire each coil separately and together for tonal variety, especially when two are used.

 

[JIO]

So I was thinking of ways to mount the string bar.. it’s proximity to the tuner was way too close, but I wanted to make it something relatively clean…

Solution was some hand filing and a forstner bit. I think it came out really nice.. now I just have to find some acorn nuts in the right size…

View attachment 7418788View attachment 7418790View attachment 7418791

I like that you are incorporating the vintage string bar (like ones commonly used on '60s MIJ basses) and how you resolved the tuner-plate to make it work. I've done similar modifications to make something work. Recently, on a neck with tight post-hole spacing I did this -

 

[fatmarris]

I've used these Peavey pu's - you can wire each coil separately and together for tonal variety, especially when two are used.

Yeah I had a t40 for years I never really used it as more than a big humbucker thing.. so who knows my current wiring harness is just volume and tone..
Maybe it would be cool to VV either coils instead of a split that way you keep the hum canceling properties? Not sure exactly how that would work but interesting idea..
I really wanted this to be a simple one option bass so I’ll probably keep it as a VT for now..

 

[fatmarris]

I like that you are incorporating the vintage string bar (like ones commonly used on '60s MIJ basses) and how you resolved the tuner-plate to make it work. I've done similar modifications to make something work. Recently, on a neck with tight post-hole spacing I did this -

View attachment 7431208

That looks great!! Clean cuts!!
a lot of the shape I resonate most with are either Gibson or MIJ which is a lot of the inspiration for most of my stuff.. or maybe just not fender.. no offense I like a lot of what they were doing at fender but when I was growing up that’s what EVERYONE had so I guess my taste has kinda swayed the other direction since then..
Hopefully all that will come across in the final product as much as I want it too.. it’s all in the small details

 

[JIO]

That looks great!! Clean cuts!!
a lot of the shape I resonate most with are either Gibson or MIJ which is a lot of the inspiration for most of my stuff.. or maybe just not fender.. no offense I like a lot of what they were doing at fender but when I was growing up that’s what EVERYONE had so I guess my taste has kinda swayed the other direction since then..
Hopefully all that will come across in the final product as much as I want it too.. it’s all in the small details

My 1st basses were Gibsons ('68 EB-3 & '63 T-bird II), but once I started playing Fender's and other brands - I enjoy what each brings to the table and don't favor one brand over another. Fender basses dominated the'50s/'60s because most professionals played them, as simple as that. I like your design - I've done similar mish-mashes.

 

[fatmarris]

Not much happening over here it’s been a really busy winter.. but I had some downtime this past weekend and started tackling some of the stressors.. for whatever reason the pickguard area had me stumped.. the body came with some threaded inserts and a ledge to mount an iset pickguard.. I’m not interested in that idea but I couldn’t surface mount a pickguard with the ledge there.. last week I was laying in bed trying to sleep with way too much going on in my head and the idea of dowels popped in there at random and I was off to the basement!

I started by drilling out the holes that held inserts and then drilling new holes for the sides then filled all those nice and tight

Then cut the insert holes flush to the ledge.. once those were filled I was able to drill half inch holes and shave down some dowels to make much tighter fit.. and fit to the shape of the control cavity too

I don’t know why it didn’t come to me sooner.. maybe too many other things clogging up my brain.. may not be the cleanest fix but I’m happy with it and once it’s filled and painted I’ll forget about it..

I also got the neck inserts installed and I leveled the heal

And started working on pickguard templates

 

[fatmarris]

Bolting things together to keep me motivated

When building something I’m constantly thinking what will it sound like. Sometimes even listening to things that make me question everything.. seeing the whole picture makes me remember what I’m working for

My wife (and a few friends) (and a few of you guys) said why would you paint over such a pretty grain! So I’ve been thinking about going natural.. I’ve seen a few good examples..

but in the end who knows.. I can always paint it later…

 

[doran.dragic]

Looks great to me, I wouldn't paint it either.

 

[LowWay]

I would paint it. But another nice option would be a translucent burst stain that you could see the wood grain through. Bright and colorful. Mybe like yellow/orange/red?

 

[deepestend]

One vote for keeping it natural.

 

[fatmarris]

I would paint it. But another nice option would be a translucent burst stain that you could see the wood grain through. Bright and colorful. Mybe like yellow/orange/red?

This was one of the original ideas too we will see what wins out but I just haven’t been able to see it in my head yet

With colors the possibilities are endless… which is almost too much!

 

[Pep]

Whatever you do I would not paint it. Thst grain needs to show.
Personally I would either clearcoat as is or stain it.
This would be my choice.

 

[Pep]

Here’s a Cherryburst and a Honeyburst.

.

 

[LowWay]

what tool are you using to do the stain mockups?