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No. 5 - Fifth scratch build, first 5 string

BishopJP

BishopJP

Supporting Member
Apr 5, 2019
1,293
4,718
North Carolina
#1
This will be my fifth build from scratch. For an extra challenge (as if I wasn't challenged enough) I decided to make this my first 5 string, which will also be a 35" scale.

This has introduced quite a few design challenges, more on that later...

Here is where I am at the moment.

20210117_134713.jpg

templates almost complete...

20210117_144708.jpg

layers glued up (except for the top). Sapele back, black limba core, wenge top with approx 1/8" thick cypress veneers which should make for some nice contrast.

20210117_145143.jpg

The bocote fretboard I had milled previously wound up being too short for a 35" scale neck; first issue. This pao ferro fretboard has some interesting grain and should work instead.

20210117_145043.jpg
preview of what the top should look like.

For anyone following the Winter Build-Off on the other site, I am posting there as well.
Thanks for looking, more coming soon!
 
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#3
BishopJP said:
This will be my fifth build from scratch. For an extra challenge (as if I wasn't challenged enough) I decided to make this my first 5 string, which will also be a 35" scale.

This has introduced quite a few design challenges, more on that later...

Here is where I am at the moment.

View attachment 4133807
templates almost complete...

View attachment 4133808
layers glued up (except for the top). Sapele back, black limba core, wenge top with approx 1/8" thick cypress veneers which should make for some nice contrast.

View attachment 4133809
The bocote fretboard I had milled previously wound up being too short for a 35" scale neck; first issue. This pao ferro fretboard has some interesting grain and should work instead.

View attachment 4133810 preview of what the top should look like.

For anyone following the Winter Build-Off on the other site, I am posting there as well.
Thanks for looking, more coming soon!
Click to expand...

That wood is crazy nice! You kinda ran down my list of favorite woods and picked a sweet assortment. Sorry to hear about the bocote. That's near the top of my favorite list and would have been killer. But is that replacement really pau ferro? That has to be the nicest looking piece I have ever seen.

Also, when I saw your headstock I had a bit of deja-vu. A couple of months back I did a bunch of sketches to come up with a unique headstock design for an upcoming build. It was sortof a mashup of Fender and Peavey and I thought it looked pretty good. Turns out it looks a lot like yours. I mean, it's not identical or anything, but shares many design cues. I guess there are only so many headstock variants out there! But yeah, I guess it goes without saying, I think it looks great.
 
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#6
Jeff Siddall said:
That wood is crazy nice! You kinda ran down my list of favorite woods and picked a sweet assortment. Sorry to hear about the bocote. That's near the top of my favorite list and would have been killer. But is that replacement really pau ferro? That has to be the nicest looking piece I have ever seen.

Also, when I saw your headstock I had a bit of deja-vu. A couple of months back I did a bunch of sketches to come up with a unique headstock design for an upcoming build. It was sortof a mashup of Fender and Peavey and I thought it looked pretty good. Turns out it looks a lot like yours. I mean, it's not identical or anything, but shares many design cues. I guess there are only so many headstock variants out there! But yeah, I guess it goes without saying, I think it looks great.
Click to expand...

I have never actually worked with Pao Ferro before so I don't have much to go on. I got it from a seller that I have bought from several times before and seems trustworthy. It looks like the pictures of Pao Ferro fretboards I've seen albeit with a bit more figure.

Glad you like the headstock! I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised to hear that it is largely inspired by my own Peavey basses. It really is hard to come up with a unique headstock!

Rôckhewer said:
This is gorgeous.
Thanks for posting here as well. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm really excited about this build, even it is making my head hurt.
 
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#7
Ok, first real issue...

20210119_085627.jpg

If you are looking at the picture wondering why my truss rod is so short, you see the issue! I tried to figure out the entire build ahead of time, measured, re-measured, 2nd and 3rd guessed my self endlessly and I STILL didn't think if my truss rod would be long enough!

Anybody know where I can get a 26" truss rod, quick?!

I know Luthier's Mercantile makes custom lengths, but that's like $35 each and 6-8 week lead time!
 
#8
BishopJP said:
Anybody know where I can get a 26" truss rod, quick?!
Click to expand...
LMI ... beautiful custom rods... as quick as any custom job. Not much more $ than standard.
Or...
I can send you a 27" rod.... tomorrow.
I ordered 2 that length and then my client changed his mind on the scale ... so I'm not using them.
Kinda doubt I ever will. :confused:
 
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#12
Well, it's been a while... decided to take a little time off before my shop starts ramping up for spring.

Here is where the project is at the moment...
20210207_175324.jpg
I used my newly hacked-together router sled to flatten the core. Previously, I have been able to send the body blanks through my planer, as long as they were less then 13" wide. This one is slightly wider. The surface isn't perfect, but a little sanding should fix any imperfections.

20210207_175843.jpg
This is where things get experimental... I routed a channel 1/4" wide by 1/2" deep. The finished thickness of the neck at the nut will be 7/8"; subtract 1/4" for the fretboard leaving 5/8" so this channel will be 1/8" from the back of the neck. This NOT for the truss rod.

20210207_181116.jpg
I saturated these carbon fiber strands with epoxy, then laid them in the bottom of the channel in the neck blank.

20210207_182756.jpg

Whatever epoxy was left I poured into the neck channel. I clamped a strip of sapele into the channel, cutting it a little short so the excess epoxy could squeeze out the ends. Once the epoxy is cured, I will re-rout the channel to fit the truss rod!

Anyone curious about this carbon reinforcement technique can read more about it in this thread...
DIY Carbon Fiber reinforcement?

I did not pioneer this technique, I am trying it out using information freely given by people much more knowledgeable than I!

Thanks for checking out my build as it sloooowly progresses!
 
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#13
Making progress!

Glued up the core and the two bottom layers...

Clamp-henge! I promise there is a bass body in there, somewhere.
20210214_145613.jpg

I used epoxy for this glue-up; I may have used too much, I got a ton of squeeze-out!

Neck blank has been cleaned up and tapered, ready to route for the truss rod, as soon as it gets here. Still need to glue ears on the headstock.
20210215_093225.jpg

In the foreground, you can see the little window I left for the extra epoxy to squeeze out, there's one on the other end as well.

Next step is cleaning up the body and prepping it for the top!
 
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#15
Quick update:

I have cleaned up the body a little, after the glue-up.
20210216_195106.jpg

Book-matched sapele back. I accidentally drilled through the back when drilling for the registration pins! :banghead: I bought a new drill press, I think I got a little excited!

I guess I need to decide if I will leave it as is or plug it with sapele. Either way, it's gonna be a feature! Though it may not look it here, this bit of wood has some nice grain that will come alive with oil.

20210216_195126.jpg
The cypress stripe turned out the way I hoped! Once finished, the sapele should darken and the cypress should be a nice golden color. The dark line is left over epoxy which should sand off.

That's all for now!
 
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#17
Jeff Siddall said:
That limba is going to look great! Part of me is sad that more of it won't be visible, but the wenge makes me feel better about it!
Click to expand...

I agree, I struggle with this every time I do a layered glue-up! In this case, I wanted something that would have interesting detail along the edges so sacrifices must be made!

Fear not, I have more of that limba and another build planned! :)
 
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#18
BishopJP said:
I agree, I struggle with this every time I do a layered glue-up! In this case, I wanted something that would have interesting detail along the edges so sacrifices must be made!

Fear not, I have more of that limba and another build planned! :)
Click to expand...

You're not wrong about it being interesting along the edge:
Body end (DSC_8867).jpg


Looking forward to your next limba build already!
 
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