Well this one is neat also.
This and pic #2 above are it for me but they each have a different goodness to them.
The going upstairs shape of #2 and just neat fully decorated head with this last one, we will call it #4.
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Off with its head! 6-string headless conversion/parts build
- Thread starter Reedt2000
- Start date
This and pic #2 above are it for me but they each have a different goodness to them.
The going upstairs shape of #2 and just neat fully decorated head with this last one, we will call it #4.
The headstock can actually be wider than the nut! Even if you don't fill the holes, you should be able to add enough room to give the string locks room to breathe. The outer strings might bend a bit beyond the nut, but consider this as adding another degree of freedom for your design.
Here's a bad pic of a Padalka bass showing what I mean. He has enough width to keep the strings in-line, but the idea is still reasonable for the problem you're trying to solve.
Here's a bad pic of a Padalka bass showing what I mean. He has enough width to keep the strings in-line, but the idea is still reasonable for the problem you're trying to solve.
I know it CAN be but I'm trying hard to avoid it to appease the voices in my head that tell me it would look better if it wasn't
WOW. Great job.Compressor fried in the AC unit at work so I got to split early and I put a little time in on the heel's disguise. A little sanding with the dremel, a little by hand, and...
...what weirdness at the heel? I don't see anything?
View attachment 3921483
Its still recessed in the pocket but I think I'm gonna lay veneer on the back of the heel too. One of the original mounting holes in the neck gets exposed in this body and the veneer would cover it (all holes would be filled first) and raise the top to almost level (it would be a tiny bit proud but I can finesse it by hand after so its level).
None of that happening today though, got a 2nd job to get to
Thanks man, there is an element of luck in that the thin plain hard maple planks I bought (shout out to Ocooch Hardwoods Ocooch Hardwoods - Thin Wood for Scroll Sawing, Laser Engraving/Cutting, Woodturning, Intarsia and More ) happened to have grain that lined up with this neckWOW. Great job.
Mishaps at work keep affording me unexpected time to plug away at this
Today it was our phones & internet being down from the tropical storm yesterday. I got to take a 1/2 day so I glued and clamped the veneer layer on the bottom of the neck heel.
This will do 2 things, one is hide an exposed neck screw hole from the neck's original mounting screw layout. More importantly it raises the height of the frets to the point where it should be within the range of adjustment of the new bridge's saddles. I filled the old holes over the weekend with epoxy and toothpicks (cause I knew I'd be hiding them). If you wonder what the foam is, I put it between the frets and a piece of plywood I'm using as a clamping caul to (hopefully
) avoid any damage to the frets from the clamp-up.
Then I worked on the nut (which arrived this past week). I bought this pre-slotted brass nut direct from China for like $8.
It seems pretty well made, but it was 6mm thick, and the neck has a 4mm shelf for the nut to sit on. I measured and marked it out. Ground away the bulk with the dremel, did the rest by hand (basically rubbing it on a piece of wood with sand paper glued to it), then polished it with the dremel and polishing compound... and it now looks like this:
I'll make height adjustments as part of the final setup process.
With the nut rough fit I can mark out the final headstock design and bridge location.
Getting closer
Today it was our phones & internet being down from the tropical storm yesterday. I got to take a 1/2 day so I glued and clamped the veneer layer on the bottom of the neck heel.
This will do 2 things, one is hide an exposed neck screw hole from the neck's original mounting screw layout. More importantly it raises the height of the frets to the point where it should be within the range of adjustment of the new bridge's saddles. I filled the old holes over the weekend with epoxy and toothpicks (cause I knew I'd be hiding them). If you wonder what the foam is, I put it between the frets and a piece of plywood I'm using as a clamping caul to (hopefully
) avoid any damage to the frets from the clamp-up.Then I worked on the nut (which arrived this past week). I bought this pre-slotted brass nut direct from China for like $8.
It seems pretty well made, but it was 6mm thick, and the neck has a 4mm shelf for the nut to sit on. I measured and marked it out. Ground away the bulk with the dremel, did the rest by hand (basically rubbing it on a piece of wood with sand paper glued to it), then polished it with the dremel and polishing compound... and it now looks like this:
I'll make height adjustments as part of the final setup process.
With the nut rough fit I can mark out the final headstock design and bridge location.
Getting closer
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Today I blended the underneath veneer into the heel. Not as nice of a grain match as on top, but still nicer than leaving a hole. After some more smoothing and finish it will be pretty well hidden.
Now my heel extension is sandwiched which I think can only help support the joint. Any evidence of this is hidden in the pocket.
With it fit, I marked it out and got it ready to meet the body in a more permanent sense.
And now the two are one! (Or at least they were for these pics, I then had to disassemble and continue the project)
Ive decided that this is the headstock shape I'm going with.
I have noticed another potential problem (which I knew could be an issue, but I needed the nut to be sure). I don't know if I have enough break angle across the nut. I may need to run a string retainer right after the nut, something like a brass rod or bar...
I feel good about today's progress so gonna put it down and think about it.
Anybody know how much break angle is necessary? Thoughts and experiences would be appreciated
Now my heel extension is sandwiched which I think can only help support the joint. Any evidence of this is hidden in the pocket.
With it fit, I marked it out and got it ready to meet the body in a more permanent sense.
And now the two are one! (Or at least they were for these pics, I then had to disassemble and continue the project
)Ive decided that this is the headstock shape I'm going with.
I have noticed another potential problem (which I knew could be an issue, but I needed the nut to be sure). I don't know if I have enough break angle across the nut. I may need to run a string retainer right after the nut, something like a brass rod or bar...
I feel good about today's progress so gonna put it down and think about it.
Anybody know how much break angle is necessary? Thoughts and experiences would be appreciated
Still trying to figure out the head on this thing. Made a "path of least resistance" mock up just to see what it would look like. Its not bad, not what I was envisioning, but not bad. It will be the easiest to do and probably work the best. It also leaves plenty of room for a string retainer...
Made an awful phone image editor app mockup of it on the bass too
Made an awful phone image editor app mockup of it on the bass too
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It looks good to me!
How much distance is between the surface of the headstock and where the string will be clamped down?
How much distance is between the surface of the headstock and where the string will be clamped down?
The bottom of the hole in the string lock is 8.5mm off of the headstock surface. The nut height is slightly less than that. I think a polished brass retaining bar is probably the best way to address this. It should look pretty good, if I have any concerns about that plan its whether or not it will block truss rod adjustment. I'll have to get some brass rod and lay it out to see. If the retainer has to be removed to adjust the neck its not the end of the world
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Alright, time to commit. I've decided to favor function over form and go with the straight cut head. I laid it out again, leaving everything a little larger than I need. I figure I can tweak and adjust later, after the locks are installed.
Then, off it came
A couple small relief cuts
And its back to sanding. Its looking good. I realized the holes from the tuners on the back (the little screw holes). will be exposed, so I filled them with epoxy and toothpicks.
While that cures I have to go get a torx bit cause that's what the locks have on their screws and I don't have the right size
Still, I should have all of the mods done to the neck today. Then its on to decisions about the body
. Might need advice there, more to come, stay tuned
Then, off it came
A couple small relief cuts
And its back to sanding. Its looking good. I realized the holes from the tuners on the back (the little screw holes). will be exposed, so I filled them with epoxy and toothpicks.
While that cures I have to go get a torx bit cause that's what the locks have on their screws and I don't have the right size
Still, I should have all of the mods done to the neck today. Then its on to decisions about the body
. Might need advice there, more to come, stay tuned Got the torx driver, did a bunch more sanding, and installed the locks.
I like it, though it wasn't what I pictured when I started the project. I do think it will work well and it meets 2 other important criteria, it looks appropriate and it looks intentional
The install was not totally problem free. I drilled the first pilot hole for the string lock with too large a diameter bit. And I got a small split from another one
I took em all off, spread the split with a large screw (just a tiny bit) so I could get some CA down in there, then filled that hole and the one that was too big with CA and toothpicks.
When it cures I'll re-do those and ream them all with a bit one step larger and it should be fine
I like it, though it wasn't what I pictured when I started the project. I do think it will work well and it meets 2 other important criteria, it looks appropriate and it looks intentional
The install was not totally problem free. I drilled the first pilot hole for the string lock with too large a diameter bit. And I got a small split from another one
I took em all off, spread the split with a large screw (just a tiny bit) so I could get some CA down in there, then filled that hole and the one that was too big with CA and toothpicks.
When it cures I'll re-do those and ream them all with a bit one step larger and it should be fine
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Got my holes sorted out and installed the locks. Got some final shaping done on the head (I had rounded it out too much so I made the lines on the front more defined). I strung it up with some twine as a string stand-in and accessed the break angle. It had some but I didn't feel good about it, especially because the nut may need to get lowered when it first gets setup. I bought some 3/16" brass bar, made some feet out of it and figured out where I wanted to locate it.
Installed it while it was too long and marked for length, then cut it and sanded.
I went for the angled install cause it lets me comfortably get an allen key past to adjust both truss rods. I didn't polish it today but I will, and it will end up shiny like the nut.
I pulled the bridge, pickups, and some knobs I've got laying around, and did the most complete mock up yet.
I'm liking it, gotta start really thinking about how to handle the body and finish...
...but not today, weather is cool so I'm headed out hiking.
Installed it while it was too long and marked for length, then cut it and sanded.
I went for the angled install cause it lets me comfortably get an allen key past to adjust both truss rods
. I didn't polish it today but I will, and it will end up shiny like the nut.I pulled the bridge, pickups, and some knobs I've got laying around, and did the most complete mock up yet.
I'm liking it, gotta start really thinking about how to handle the body and finish...
...but not today, weather is cool so I'm headed out hiking.
So, I'm of two minds with how to approach the body. What's certain is I have to remove material from the top, behind the bridge, to clearance the tuners. My original plan was to strip the finish, and refinish using products I've had experience with and should give me a decent end result (as long as I'm patient, prepare well, and apply properly ). The plan was to tape off the top and do it in a deep amber, then unmask and do the whole thing in clear gloss leaving the alder natural. I'd also do the neck heel extension and headstock face in the same amber. (The rest of the neck in thin satin poly)
Looking at it though, I can't help thinking that it won't ever be quite as professionally finished as it is right now...
Do I try to preserve the finish? That would mean removing the wood from the top in such a way that I don't chip out the finish. If I could do that, then I could try to dye the newly exposed wood to match the red that's around the outside of the burst, mask, clear, and polish that area. I could try and stain the heel extension and headstock face to match, or leave them natural maple. Another thought would be to finish the wood beneath the tuners, the heel extension, and the headstock face black (gloss or satin?)
Thoughts anybody? I don't really love the red-ness of this finish as it is, but it is in pretty good shape. With some compound and swirl remover I can probably get it to really shine.
I think the fact that the body is from a very expensive bass is playing a part in my 2nd guessing of my original plan.
If anyone has suggestions or thoughts I'm open to ideas
). The plan was to tape off the top and do it in a deep amber, then unmask and do the whole thing in clear gloss leaving the alder natural. I'd also do the neck heel extension and headstock face in the same amber. (The rest of the neck in thin satin poly)Looking at it though, I can't help thinking that it won't ever be quite as professionally finished as it is right now...
Do I try to preserve the finish? That would mean removing the wood from the top in such a way that I don't chip out the finish. If I could do that, then I could try to dye the newly exposed wood to match the red that's around the outside of the burst, mask, clear, and polish that area. I could try and stain the heel extension and headstock face to match, or leave them natural maple. Another thought would be to finish the wood beneath the tuners, the heel extension, and the headstock face black (gloss or satin?)
Thoughts anybody? I don't really love the red-ness of this finish as it is, but it is in pretty good shape. With some compound and swirl remover I can probably get it to really shine.
I think the fact that the body is from a very expensive bass is playing a part in my 2nd guessing of my original plan.
If anyone has suggestions or thoughts I'm open to ideas
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I would try to rout the bridge/tuners recess without chipping. If it fails, then refinish.
Yeah, I'm with MPU. Try to preserve the finish. Carefully score an outline on the area to be routed?
If you get serious chipping, proceed with stripping.
If you get serious chipping, proceed with stripping.
The finish looks too good to strip. I like the scoring first idea but start near the center of the bridge, try a few different methods working your way out to the edge hopefully you'll find the safest way for a clean Cut by the time you get to the crucial bit, the edge of the bridge. Looking great.
