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New Build: Chambered 4-string fretless bass

#62
Thanks Maurizio.

I did some work on profiling the neck today. I mainly focused on the heel.

neck_profile_1.jpg


neck_profile_2.jpg


Still some tweaking to do, but I think it'll work out nicely.
 
#63
Did a little more work refining the heel transition:

neck_profile_3.jpg


And the headstock:

neck_profile_4.jpg


You can see how the laminate didn't line up perfectly after the scarf glue. It's a fraction of a millimeter off. Damn it. Oh well.


And here's the...curvy-ness:

neck_profile_5.jpg
 
#64
HaMMerHeD said:
Did a little more work refining the heel transition:

neck_profile_3.jpg


And the headstock:

neck_profile_4.jpg


You can see how the laminate didn't line up perfectly after the scarf glue. It's a fraction of a millimeter off. Damn it. Oh well.


And here's the...curvy-ness:

neck_profile_5.jpg
Click to expand...

If you would have stuck a piece of veneer in the scarf glue up, there would be little chance that you would ever see the lams being off. Plus, it looks cool.

lowsound
 
#66
I made the bloodwood electronics cavity cover today. That's 3 bloodwood parts total for this build. Here they are:

bloodwood_parts.jpg


I cut the cavity cover on a bias because the wood kept splitting along the grain when I attempted to cut it "straight".
 
#68
I got the neck mounted today:
neck_mounted.jpg


There is still a bit of cleanup to do on the neck heel to make the contours mate nicely:
neck_mounted2.jpg


Strings!
strings_1.jpg


And whoops!
strings_2.jpg

Due to the through-body stringing, the string silks cross the nut. I guess I'll have to try new strings.

Really happy with the headstock:
headstock.jpg


BTW, the neck is 0.8" (~20mm) thick at the nut, including fingerboard.
 
#72
Thanks folks.

I got some more polishing cloths from Stewmac and thought I'd give the bridge a shine:

bridge_polished.jpg


That picture is much closer to the actual color than the earlier ones. It's a beautiful red.

Of course, it's hard to get a good still photo of gloss, but the polish did bring the color out nicely.
 
#77
I love the general look of this bass. How close is it to completion now?

I would love to hear a sound sample.

I'm not to crazy about the body shape (I prefer a design with more curves rather than points) but, other than that I like what you've done.
 
#78
All it really lacks is a bridge slot, a bunch of sanding, and finishing.

Problem is, I don't have the right tools to slot the bridge right now, and I've been working part-time since losing my full-time job in may, so I can't afford what I need.

Hoping to get it wrapped up soon, but not sure.
 
#80
I can completely understand the lack of funds. Been there, done that...will likely make many return trips back over the rest of my lifetime.

This caught my eye because I had wanted to get an Epiphone Zenith with the lined fretless neck. Unfortunately they have discontinued the fretles model (as I understand it they still make the fretted Zenith).

No one seems to know why they discontinued the FRetless Zenith either. It had good reviews and the only negative thing I have heard is from the snobs who think a fretless bass shouldn't have the lines either.

Well, I hope you are able to finish it soon.

Like everyone else I like that bloodwood bridge. The truss rod cover seems a bit bulky for my taste but that's just my opinion, which means nothing.
 

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