RedLady 5: the sequel

[dmarino]

I built a 5-string bass around some red EMG pickups, as an extension of the "RedLady" theme. I wanted to make another red pickup bass, but do a 5 string this time. I also wanted to leave the top natural and do a red veneer pinstripe in the body. I had this idea for a while, and it was finally time to do it.
I think I started this build around July 4th. This was my 6th build.

RedLady 5 Neck-through 5 string bass.

Neck: Hard maple, purpleheart, African mahogany. Birds-eye maple fretboard. 24 frets.

Body: Poplar, with a flamed maple book-matched top

Finish: Crimson Guitars Penetrating Oil, High-Build Oil

Pickups: EMG P5X (red) and DCX (red)

Active controls: EMG BTS - 18v system

Tuners: Gotoh Y-key

Bridge: AllParts with 18mm spacing

Weight: 8.02 lb.

RedLady 4 and RedLady 5

I've got a few build pics I'll post below for some detail.

Thanks for looking!

 

[dmarino]

Looks like I started July 4th.

I used a Stew-Mac 2-way rod.

Roughing in the neck carve. Hadn't put the ears on the headstock yet.

Necks!

This was after I radiused the fretboard. Ready to glue the body wings on.

Body wings going on.

 

[bholder]

Wow!

 

[dmarino]

Readying the top wood

beautiful figure in this maple top. I re-sawed it and got 2 tops out of it.

Red Veneer time

After cleaning up the body shape a little

Routing out the body cavities

 

[dmarino]

Routing the pickup cavities

Not sure I love how the red veneer looks on the headstock, maybe too much of a good thing?

Shaping the body, trying to make the red pinstripe even and smooth

I used threaded sleeves and machine screws for the covers

Starting with the oil. I wet-sanded with oil through a few different papers from 800 through 2000 grit

I wanted to keep building this finish to a gloss, it took a lot of coats, but it looks great. Lots of depth and chatoyance to the figure on this top