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New project - my take on a '51 Precision Bass
- Thread starter SDB Guitars
- Start date
It's not exactly a J... it was a prototype of one of my early body shapes. I am, in fact, reusing the neck from that on this bass, as I'm making a new neck for the old body, and swapping the pickups for Nordstrand's.
Mahogany body, finished in Tru-Oil:
Mahogany body, finished in Tru-Oil:
Hope to have the round-over done this weekend, and have the "pickguard" made and ready to inlay...
All right, here's the latest -
I am kinda in a hurry to have this playable, so I'm going to forego inlaying the pickguard until after my honeymoon in a couple of weeks. Instead, I've made a pickguard (practice?) for this out of some of the craziest bloodwood I've ever seen. It's got a grain texture much like bubinga, but it's redder, and it definitely smells like bloodwood when it's being sanded.
Here's a quick picture for tonight, with more to follow tomorrow when I make the control plate (either out of some different, more traditional-looking bloodwood, or out of some wenge scraps I have around the shop:
I set a bridge on the body for reference purposes, and stuck the neck in the slot.
Thoughts?
I am kinda in a hurry to have this playable, so I'm going to forego inlaying the pickguard until after my honeymoon in a couple of weeks. Instead, I've made a pickguard (practice?) for this out of some of the craziest bloodwood I've ever seen. It's got a grain texture much like bubinga, but it's redder, and it definitely smells like bloodwood when it's being sanded.
Here's a quick picture for tonight, with more to follow tomorrow when I make the control plate (either out of some different, more traditional-looking bloodwood, or out of some wenge scraps I have around the shop:
I set a bridge on the body for reference purposes, and stuck the neck in the slot.
Thoughts?
Yeah, it's coming together nicely. I'll wipe a couple coats of finish on it later today, and post more pics. 
So, here's the update that I promised yesterday - sorry it's late. 
I sanded the pickguard wood down to 3/32" thick on the Performax, and then sanded through 600 grit using Abranet sanding discs. Also sanded the body to 600 grit. Wiped some Waterlox onto both, and here I am test-fitting the various bits:
The flourescent lights in my shop tend to wash out photos, so I apologize. Also, new camera (Yay!), not sure what I'm going to do with 14.1MP. Anyhow, here's a shot of the body with the cavity routed out, and the wiring channels (pickup and bridge) drilled:
Here's a shot of the back of the body, with the holes drilled for the neck screws. I'm using machine screws, with brass threaded inserts in the neck, ands I won't be using a neck plate. I just slightly countersink the machine screw heads:
{img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2216/5751498136_94045420e9_b_d.jpg[/img]
I made a cavity cover out of a scrap of bloodwood that I had laying around, it is also 3/32" thick, so it lines up nicely with the pickguard. I have yet to drill the holes for the controls, probably do that tonight. Here's a shot of the body with the pickguard, control plate, pickup, bridge and neck laid out:
I shaped the headstock using my oscillating spindle sander, cleaning up with a block and some hand sanding, and then I sanded the neck down with the abranet, up through 400 grit, then wiped on some Waterlox, as well. Body, pickguard and neck each got 4 coats of Waterlox. Here's a wider shot of the body and neck, so you can see it all together:
Should have it strung up by the end of the evening, after I get home from my day job of working as a part of The IT Crowd...
I sanded the pickguard wood down to 3/32" thick on the Performax, and then sanded through 600 grit using Abranet sanding discs. Also sanded the body to 600 grit. Wiped some Waterlox onto both, and here I am test-fitting the various bits:
The flourescent lights in my shop tend to wash out photos, so I apologize. Also, new camera (Yay!), not sure what I'm going to do with 14.1MP. Anyhow, here's a shot of the body with the cavity routed out, and the wiring channels (pickup and bridge) drilled:
Here's a shot of the back of the body, with the holes drilled for the neck screws. I'm using machine screws, with brass threaded inserts in the neck, ands I won't be using a neck plate. I just slightly countersink the machine screw heads:
{img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2216/5751498136_94045420e9_b_d.jpg[/img]
I made a cavity cover out of a scrap of bloodwood that I had laying around, it is also 3/32" thick, so it lines up nicely with the pickguard. I have yet to drill the holes for the controls, probably do that tonight. Here's a shot of the body with the pickguard, control plate, pickup, bridge and neck laid out:
I shaped the headstock using my oscillating spindle sander, cleaning up with a block and some hand sanding, and then I sanded the neck down with the abranet, up through 400 grit, then wiped on some Waterlox, as well. Body, pickguard and neck each got 4 coats of Waterlox. Here's a wider shot of the body and neck, so you can see it all together:
Should have it strung up by the end of the evening, after I get home from my day job of working as a part of The IT Crowd...
Harder to ground a wooden bridge.
Seriously, though, I thought about it. I have a wooden bridge all made up (bloodwood) - it takes the same saddles as the chrome bridge (eBay ABM knockoff - it's what I had available while waiting for the Babicz Full Contact.
), but as stated above, grounding was my main concern.
If you could still get the Naimish Bridge, I'd probably have one made from bloodwood and brass... that *would* out this over the top. But, sadly, it's not a happening thing. I'm thinking the Babicz will work well, though I wish it was available in black chrome. I just can't wait to string this bad boy up and see what it sounds like!
I'm actually considering a single volume control, no tone, as I rarely use the tone. Either that, or maybe a "Bass Varitone" in it's place.
I'm actually considering a single volume control, no tone, as I rarely use the tone. Either that, or maybe a "Bass Varitone" in it's place.
- Mar 11, 2010
- 244
- 18
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Höfner, Pyramid Strings, Dr. No FX & Asterope cables
