The neck laminates are Honduran and I'm fairly sure that the Body wood is as well.
Moonshine
Humm...I figured it might be White Bluffian. LOL!
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
New Moonshine Guitars custom bass!
- Thread starter chadhargis
- Start date
Humm...I figured it might be White Bluffian. LOL!
Rick posted a pic on Facebook today and it appears to be a maple top for a P bass all clamped up. This is good!!
And out of the clamps she comes....A bass top is born.
Really looking forward to seeing where this goes. I had the pleasure of playing a used Moonshine Purple P-bass at a local shop. I don't need another P-bass, but I still kind of kick myself from time to time for not buying it.
No doubt this is going to be a good one!
No doubt this is going to be a good one!
View attachment 3126668 Hmmmmm...
@chadhargis; this is the purpleheart billet I was telling you about...
THESE PICTURES ARE GIVING ME WOOD
Moonshine
It's been a bit since I've updated the thread. Nothing new to report today, but I know Rick and his assistant are hard at work cranking out instruments.
Since I know Rick personally and he lives close by, it's difficult to not pester him about timelines and delivery dates. I've always been into woodworking, and along with that commonality, Rick is also a bass player, a motorcyclist, a lover of cars, and a Christian man....just like me. I didn't pick Rick to build my bass just because he's a great builder. I also happen to think he's a great person as well and I enjoy chatting with him and hanging out in the shop.
Man! I can't wait to play this thing!
Since I know Rick personally and he lives close by, it's difficult to not pester him about timelines and delivery dates. I've always been into woodworking, and along with that commonality, Rick is also a bass player, a motorcyclist, a lover of cars, and a Christian man....just like me. I didn't pick Rick to build my bass just because he's a great builder. I also happen to think he's a great person as well and I enjoy chatting with him and hanging out in the shop.
Man! I can't wait to play this thing!
In the spirit of keeping this thread up to date, I figured I'd pop in and say "hi" as the build continues.
There is one thing I've learned as I wait for this build...I am so impatient that I need to go get new toys to tide me over. During the time since I commissioned the build, I did a big preamp review thread which included buying and selling several preamps. I finally settled on the Noble DI, which is a freakin magic device. Then I got sucked into the compression thread here. I sold my MXR M87 and got a Keeley Compressor Pro. Then I got a G-Lab BC-1 and then got notified that I could purchase a hand build FEA Labs DE-CL compressor...so I bought that. I added a Mooer drive pedal. I've completely redone my pedal board.
Then I started jonesing for a new bass. I traded my Lakland 55-02 for a custom bass a guy had built in Arizona. The wiring was jacked up and the neck was a bit sticky, so I put in a new John East preamp, sanded the neck, and applied a hand rubbed tung oil finish. Plays and sounds great! Then I traded my fretless parts bass for a Dingwall Combustion 5. Never owned a fanned fret bass, but OMG...the B string is really that good. I also traded my Telecaster for a Reverend Mercalli 5. I suck at guitar and never played it.
So I have a killer board now, and a wide range of very unique basses. But as you'll see below. There is a hole in my wall of sound. It's reserved for the bass Rick is building. It's the missing piece.
There is one thing I've learned as I wait for this build...I am so impatient that I need to go get new toys to tide me over. During the time since I commissioned the build, I did a big preamp review thread which included buying and selling several preamps. I finally settled on the Noble DI, which is a freakin magic device. Then I got sucked into the compression thread here. I sold my MXR M87 and got a Keeley Compressor Pro. Then I got a G-Lab BC-1 and then got notified that I could purchase a hand build FEA Labs DE-CL compressor...so I bought that. I added a Mooer drive pedal. I've completely redone my pedal board.
Then I started jonesing for a new bass. I traded my Lakland 55-02 for a custom bass a guy had built in Arizona. The wiring was jacked up and the neck was a bit sticky, so I put in a new John East preamp, sanded the neck, and applied a hand rubbed tung oil finish. Plays and sounds great! Then I traded my fretless parts bass for a Dingwall Combustion 5. Never owned a fanned fret bass, but OMG...the B string is really that good. I also traded my Telecaster for a Reverend Mercalli 5. I suck at guitar and never played it.
So I have a killer board now, and a wide range of very unique basses. But as you'll see below. There is a hole in my wall of sound. It's reserved for the bass Rick is building. It's the missing piece.
Last edited:
Great range of tones and options...looks like everything is covered...cept one!
It's time for a little update to this thread so it doesn't get stale.
Rick is busy cranking out work, and I'm still waiting for my number to come up. In the mean time, I've taken on a couple of projects.
First was to make my "super jazz" Curcio Custom bass into a more "normal" jazz. Since the routes are for soapbars, I picked up some of Cary Nordstrand's Big Singles. I shielded the pickup cavities and dropped in new pickups. I've got some veneer on order to make some trim rings to hide some of the route I filled in with wood filler. Bass sounds very cool. A bit "bigger" than a normal jazz bass, hence the Big Single name.
The second project I'm going to work on to bide my time is to build a precision bass. Every bass player needs a good P with flats. I sold my Fender P5 and I'm kicking myself for it. So I'm doing a Warmoth parts build. Yeah, I know it won't have any resale value, but I'm making it to play, not to sell. Gonna be a cool project.
Rick is busy cranking out work, and I'm still waiting for my number to come up. In the mean time, I've taken on a couple of projects.
First was to make my "super jazz" Curcio Custom bass into a more "normal" jazz. Since the routes are for soapbars, I picked up some of Cary Nordstrand's Big Singles. I shielded the pickup cavities and dropped in new pickups. I've got some veneer on order to make some trim rings to hide some of the route I filled in with wood filler. Bass sounds very cool. A bit "bigger" than a normal jazz bass, hence the Big Single name.
The second project I'm going to work on to bide my time is to build a precision bass. Every bass player needs a good P with flats. I sold my Fender P5 and I'm kicking myself for it. So I'm doing a Warmoth parts build. Yeah, I know it won't have any resale value, but I'm making it to play, not to sell. Gonna be a cool project.
UPDATE!
Happy day today! Got a text from Rick this morning confirming my choice of pickups (Zen Blades) as he's putting in an order with Nordstrand. Be on the lookout @Carey and thanks for the Big Singles...they are awesome as are all your pickups.
The other news Rick imparted on me is, "Gluing necks up this week". My response to him:
Happy day today! Got a text from Rick this morning confirming my choice of pickups (Zen Blades) as he's putting in an order with Nordstrand. Be on the lookout @Carey and thanks for the Big Singles...they are awesome as are all your pickups.
The other news Rick imparted on me is, "Gluing necks up this week". My response to him:
Good way to look at it. That approach worked for Michelangelo. He always maintained he didn’t sculpt so much as he liberated the figures from the stone.
It's been a bit since I updated the thread here, so here's what's been happening.
Rick texted me the other day and pitched a new idea for the neck. It will be a 9 piece lamination instead. Not sure what brought about the change, but when a master builder suggests it...you go with it. I'm sure it will be amazing.
Anyway, neck is supposed to be getting started this week and I'll have to see what comes next. I'm hoping to have some pictures to show as they are much more interesting than my writing.
Rick texted me the other day and pitched a new idea for the neck. It will be a 9 piece lamination instead. Not sure what brought about the change, but when a master builder suggests it...you go with it. I'm sure it will be amazing.
Anyway, neck is supposed to be getting started this week and I'll have to see what comes next. I'm hoping to have some pictures to show as they are much more interesting than my writing.
Update
And here it is...the laminates have been cut for my neck. Seven piece neck with maple, wenge, and purpleheart. This is gonna be dead sexy!
And here it is...the laminates have been cut for my neck. Seven piece neck with maple, wenge, and purpleheart. This is gonna be dead sexy!
- Jan 28, 2009
- 2,929
- 4,152
- Disclosures
- Owner: Moonshine Custom Guitars
Please note that this is a mock up... The wenge and maple laminates have not been sanded and this is not ready to be glued up.
It is going to be a beautiful neck!
Moonshine
Yeah...it's not quite a baby picture...more like an ultrasound image at this point. But I don't care. I'm super excited. I love basses. I love woodworking. So the building of it is as fun for me as it will be playing it.
Just recently built this one from Warmoth parts. I fudged up the truss rod route in the pickguard so I had to make a cover (not shown as this is a pic before I made the cover). Oh..and I made trim rings for the "super jazz" hanging next to it because the wood filler for the jazz pickup screws was ugly.
Ouch! Coming up on two months since I've updated this thread. That's unacceptable. Shame on me!
Not much to report. Rick continues to slave away in the shop getting out customer orders that are in line in front of me. It's a marathon, not a sprint. I'm hoping it's finished before my trip to GearFest and Summer NAMM. Would love to get it on display at NAMM and show it off at GearFest. I know Rick's work will blow people's mind.
On another note, I love my Warmoth P bass so much that I'm having John Scott of Bluesman Vintage Guitars make me a 5-string version of Fender's "Parallel Universe" Tele bass. Gonna look just like the one below with five strings and a different headstock obviously. It will also receive John's trademark "vintage" look. Checked nitro, oxidized hardware, etc. but I elected not to have it relic'd. I told him I want the look of a 50yo case queen. It will also feature V/T for each pickup, but will be fully passive. It will also NOT be a slab body. He's going to do the belly and arm relief for me.
Not much to report. Rick continues to slave away in the shop getting out customer orders that are in line in front of me. It's a marathon, not a sprint. I'm hoping it's finished before my trip to GearFest and Summer NAMM. Would love to get it on display at NAMM and show it off at GearFest. I know Rick's work will blow people's mind.
On another note, I love my Warmoth P bass so much that I'm having John Scott of Bluesman Vintage Guitars make me a 5-string version of Fender's "Parallel Universe" Tele bass. Gonna look just like the one below with five strings and a different headstock obviously. It will also receive John's trademark "vintage" look. Checked nitro, oxidized hardware, etc. but I elected not to have it relic'd. I told him I want the look of a 50yo case queen. It will also feature V/T for each pickup, but will be fully passive. It will also NOT be a slab body. He's going to do the belly and arm relief for me.
- Jan 28, 2009
- 2,929
- 4,152
- Disclosures
- Owner: Moonshine Custom Guitars
Seeing how Chad Started this thread in July of 2018 I guess its been about 7 months...
I took this build on with Chad knowing full well that I had a heavy build schedule as well as being in the middle of expanding my shop. He has been really cool... I know he wants this bass really, really bad and I can't wait for him to have this bass in his hands.
Moonshine
