Redefining a custom bass

[JIO]

So I know Jio has done...something.
I know it's nearly done.
I know he sent those small teaser photos, though I don't know what that'll mean for the finished design.

'Nervous' may not be the way to describe how I'm feeling...'anxious?'

I bet there's more than a few of us wondering what Jio has come up with for this bass . The striped " barber shop pole " [ sorry don't know how else to describe it ] look of the original seems like a real challenge to keep in some form yet transform to something more in keeping with Jio's usual artistic splendor . Will be looking forward to the end result for sure ! Kelly

I'll post something a bit later - it's a beautiful day in the Bay Area and I'm out for a bridge-and-back bike ride!

 

[dukeorock]

I'll post something a bit later - it's a beautiful day in the Bay Area and I'm out for a bridge-and-back bike ride!

Jealous! I'm in a van all day, traveling from Cincinnati to St. Louis

 

[Reedt2000]

 

[dukeorock]

I bet there's more than a few of us wondering what Jio has come up with for this bass . The striped " barber shop pole " [ sorry don't know how else to describe it ] look of the original seems like a real challenge to keep in some form yet transform to something more in keeping with Jio's usual artistic splendor . Will be looking forward to the end result for sure ! Kelly

I thought it had kind of an old bread board look...like a cutting board. In my mind at least. Andrew Drake has done some insanely cool stuff with striped patterns, IMO

 

[Old Blastard]

I agree. The stripes on my fretless are more mainstream, but so am I.

 

[Old Blastard]

Jealous! I'm in a van all day, traveling from Cincinnati to St. Louis

At least it's beautiful country!!!

OK, I lied.

 

[dukeorock]

At least it's beautiful country!!!

OK, I lied.

If you think flat is 'beautiful,' then it was a glorious trip

 

[Old Blastard]

Been through that area. Makes Nebraska look like the Rockies.

 

[JIO]

Been through that area. Makes Nebraska look like the Rockies.

Actually northwestern Nebraska has some interesting landscapes. Sort of dark side of the moon-esk...

 

[JIO]

View attachment 2810046

Love the raccoon critters!

 

[dukeorock]

If you guys haven't been to the gildaxe Facebook page, I highly recommend it

Jio is a seriously creative guy!

 

[JIO]

O-k boys and girls... here's the skinny - I will do a full pictorial and detail-filled continuation of the completed bass here on Monday morning. It came out... great! I'm very happy with the final product! In the meantime, it's Gildaxe open studio's weekend! I just finished posting all recent pics and details on my Gildaxe fb page (link below) so if you want to see it - it is there now. Please take advantage of this to see it's completion and while you're there check out all the other projects/commissions I've done over the past number of years - enjoy!

 

[Novarocker]

O-k boys and girls... here's the skinny - I will do a full pictorial and detail-filled continuation of the completed bass here on Monday morning. It came out... great! I'm very happy with the final product! In the meantime, it's Gildaxe open studio's weekend! I just finished posting all recent pics and details on my Gildaxe fb page (link below) so if you want to see it - it is there now. Please take advantage of this to see it's completion and while you're there check out all the other projects/commissions I've done over the past number of years - enjoy!

Oooo i saw it! Looking good!

 

[JIO]

View attachment 2810046

A little story related to raccoons... my last rental house I lived in had an "architectural detail" over the living room (essentially a 'modernized' 1 story bungalow) in the form of a squat 'space' with a flat overhang roof. (very Frank Lloyd Wright) It looked good from the street, but didn't do anything functional. (my landlord was an architect) So he had one small rectangular air-vent/opening space/whatever in one squat wall - and he had screwed metal mesh over it. Well, raccoons are very good with their hands. Probably could be good bass players if given the chance. Anyway, they pulled the mesh off and home-sweet-home! So every now and then, they'd have a party up there and there was bumpy action on my living-room ceiling. And a couple times I caught the family going out for the evening watching through my glass door to the back yard. First a mommy and daddy and 5 little scamps in tow. I'd leave stale bread out for them in small chunks surrounding a tin water bowl. (raccoons like to dip their food in water) Figured they would like a late snack when they come back from wherever the go 'out' to. It was always gone the next morning. I know some (most?) homeowners don't like them - but they are what they are and they used to freely inhabit their space that we took over... Anyway.., as far as I go - animals are generally amazing, especially ones that are so industrious! (and cute with the little black mask and those busy fingers) Beavers are amazing architects - way more amazing than my ex-landlord.

 

[JIO]

Jealous! I'm in a van all day, traveling from Cincinnati to St. Louis

Hope your St Louie gig went well! Only time I was there was back in art-school (KCAI) days ('72?) - three of us (two guys and a gal) hitchhiked to the Fox Theater in this time of year to see the Grateful Dead play. We left mid day and somehow got there, got tickets and walked into the theater just as they hit their first note. (!) After the show ended - we hitched back to KC in the back of an open backed pick-up truck and brother it was cold! Our female comrade had a full length thrift-store fur coat (real fur!) so we both huddled around her shivering! (three dog night?) We were young and fearless then!

 

[dukeorock]

Great story!

St. Louis gig went very well. Finished the gig, slept 2.5 hours then drove home. Thinking a nap is in order

 

[JIO]

...where was I.., oh yah - after a coat of sanding-sealer/fine sanding, an ivory coloured base coat. I chose a hue similar to the creme pg and near the value of my top-coat colour.

Top-coat is a pale blue-green that erred on the side of blue knowing that the full process would move more to green. I love colours that flip-flop depending on the available light situation. The neck pocket and pu cavities is the base colour. You can see the 2 new pot holes flanked by the ones that won't be used anymore.

I coated the control and pu cavities with carbon sheilding paint, and copper taped over the unused holes. Tone pot was removed - now V-V.

First some shots at sunset under that lovely warm glow with long shadows - I strung it with an old set of LaBella flats as it was sent in two boxes w/o strings. Sounds great!

Detail showing all layers: wood, ivory base-coat, blue-green coat, gold glitter-blast dusting and satin clear lacquer. Note aged pg screws.

To stylistically establish that this is my artistic interpretation of a player-worn bass (as in, not fake anything) I dusted the glitter-blast over the completed work on it - including over the exposed wood. It's subtle as I intended and quietly states - this is all about the way these finishes look - not about trying to cop unearned "mojo".

A bit less dramatic light - at rest after it's reconstructive surgery. Patient is recovering well!

Once the lacquer had 24hrs to cure for level sanding, I buffed it to a silky smooth feel. It's feels really nice - satin finishes are where it's at. I fine sanded the pg and control-plate also to a matte sheen. Satin sheens are cool because as the bass is played, wherever it's interfaced/touched - it will buff naturally to a gloss. Same with the pg which will show wear more readily than shiny/gloss.

The combination of the gold glitter-dusting and lacquer clear-coat over the blue-green will subtly move the colour more green over time due to the lacquer amber-ing

It was a pleasure working on such a nice instrument made by Andrew Drake - quality stock!

 

[dukeorock]

Love it!

I'll admit, when I first got the pics a few days ago I had to just stare at it for quite awhile. There was a brief moment of "what have I done?!" That passed quickly and I started loving this more and more. Andrew Drake makes amazing basses. The neck on this bass is to die for. It always felt and played like 'my' bass and now it looks like 'my' bass too. The reshaping of the body was a huge improvement visually. The pickguard and control plate took it a step further and the finishing details are lovely to me. Thanks so much, Jio!

 

[Fat Freddy]

...where was I.., oh yah - after a coat of sanding-sealer/fine sanding, an ivory coloured base coat. I chose a hue similar to the creme pg and near the value of my top-coat colour.
View attachment 2811670
Top-coat is a pale blue-green that erred on the side of blue knowing that the full process would move more to green. I love colours that flip-flop depending on the available light situation. The neck pocket and pu cavities is the base colour. You can see the 2 new pot holes flanked by the ones that won't be used anymore.
View attachment 2811673
I coated the control and pu cavities with carbon sheilding paint, and copper taped over the unused holes. Tone pot was removed - now V-V.
View attachment 2811674
First some shots at sunset under that lovely warm glow with long shadows - I strung it with an old set of LaBella flats as it was sent in two boxes w/o strings. Sounds great!
View attachment 2811676

View attachment 2811677

View attachment 2811678

View attachment 2811679

View attachment 2811680
Detail showing all layers: wood, ivory base-coat, blue-green coat, gold glitter-blast dusting and satin clear lacquer. Note aged pg screws.
View attachment 2811681
To stylistically establish that this is my artistic interpretation of a player-worn bass (as in, not fake anything) I dusted the glitter-blast over the completed work on it - including over the exposed wood. It's subtle as I intended and quietly states - this is all about the way these finishes look - not about trying to cop unearned "mojo".
View attachment 2811682
A bit less dramatic light - at rest after it's reconstructive surgery. Patient is recovering well!
View attachment 2811683
Once the lacquer had 24hrs to cure for level sanding, I buffed it to a silky smooth feel. It's feels really nice - satin finishes are where it's at. I fine sanded the pg and control-plate also to a matte sheen. Satin sheens are cool because as the bass is played, wherever it's interfaced/touched - it will buff naturally to a gloss. Same with the pg which will show wear more readily than shiny/gloss.
View attachment 2811684
The combination of the gold glitter-dusting and lacquer clear-coat over the blue-green will subtly move the colour more green over time due to the lacquer amber-ing
View attachment 2811687
It was a pleasure working on such a nice instrument made by Andrew Drake - quality stock!
View attachment 2811688

View attachment 2811689

Gotta say....Love you to bits JIO but that bass looks like its been dragged behind a bus for a couple of miles.....From me....a thumbs down.....

Hey.....Horses for courses though....right?

 

[JIO]

Love it!

I'll admit, when I first got the pics a few days ago I had to just stare at it for quite awhile. There was a brief moment of "what have I done?!" That passed quickly and I started loving this more and more. Andrew Drake makes amazing basses. The neck on this bass is to die for. It always felt and played like 'my' bass and now it looks like 'my' bass too. The reshaping of the body was a huge improvement visually. The pickguard and control plate took it a step further and the finishing details are lovely to me. Thanks so much, Jio!

thanks for giving me this cool project and your trust in me - my goal was to redefine the bass so you want to play it and if that becomes reality then I've been successful!