SBO 2022 - GMC Basses #9: Back to the beginning

[GMC]

Hi! I'd like to start my entry to the 2022 Summer build Off.
It's a scratch build, so i'll start with a few pictures of the re-sized raw lumber:

Opps, nearly forgot the "We are all having a super happy fun time" shots:

 

[GMC]

This is my 9th bass build since starting way way back when the internet was a lot smaller and Talkbass didn't exist! This bass is for my Son, who has now a growing collection of fine basses. Late last year we talked about a build for him and what he's like in a custom bass. I'd already built one for my daughter and it was high time he had one too. He wanted this project put on hold until he'd completed his masters Degree, which was literally a few weeks ago and he came around for an evening and played a load of basses, we put down some specs. He had a rummage through my lumber and we settled on a plan. He really liked the first and third basses that I build. Namely a 4 string, ebony fretboard and a 3 piece through neck. He loved the Paduak of the 3rd bass, so we went through my lumber and picked out the body wood and neck blanks.

This will be a 34" scale, 4 string bass with standard string spacing. He want's a pair of jazz pickups and I happen to have a pair of Bartolini J's in stock. He likes the body shape of bass 1&3 that i built and he likes the head stock and tuners that I used. He wants a similar active / passive EQ options. I have a black ebony slotted and radi' fingerboard in stock (way back from the Craft Supplies days). 20" rad (my preferred radius).
However, I'm not sure this fingerboard is exotic enough for this bass...so I have a Marbled Ebony board blank on order. Photos, as soon as it arrives.
I have some Maple and black veneers that I'll be using too ( they are off site at the moment, so they aren't in the shot. Although i might look out for some Padauk veneers if I can find some in the length I need.
The bridge is likely to be a hipshot unit in Gold. Gold or gold and black hardware, including the tuners.
The finish will be a clear coat, just to seal in the deep redness of the Padauk.
Here's a few pictures of Bass #1, the first bass that I built. Ironically...it's not quite finished.

Here's an image of my first 4 basses:

So for bass #9 and my entry to the Summer 2022 build off...it's a supper happy time...back to the beginning again.

 

[Durham52]

Sounds good, watching this one. Your bass #1 is none to shabby, you do good work.

 

[Beej]

Really nice wood combo, those colours are striking together.

 

[GMC]

Sounds good, watching this one. Your bass #1 is none to shabby, you do good work.

Thanks! It plays nice and sounds good too. I built this about 25 years ago. I really should get around to re-finishing it.

 

[GMC]

I decided to split the centre laminate and put a maple piece. So now it's a 5 piece neck. I glued the laminates and clamped. Progress!

 

[GMC]

I also made a start in a new Body Shape template.

 

[GMC]

I let the neck blank settle overnight and removed the array of G Clamps. The billet needed a LOT of planing to level and square. One of the Maple neck laminates has a few burr/flame/wavy bits...so putting this though a machine plane is not an option...that meant digging out my hand plane set. So starting with a big 'ol no7, to a No5 and then finishing with scrapers my fav block plane. a few hours and a lot of shavings later, my garage smells of sweet fragrant paduak and maple and my shoulder is done for the day!
I took the time to mark out the neck billet for later cutting, fretboard placement, head angle cut, neck cut, fingerboard taper, headstock centre and truss rod channel. I also made a start on planing one of the body blank laminates too. The workshop is now covered in curly wood shaving and bright red wood dust.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Sweet! Nothing like a pile of multicolored wood shavings.

 

[Gary_M]

 

[TerribleTim68]

I let the neck blank settle overnight and removed the array of G Clamps. The billet needed a LOT of planing to level and square. One of the Maple neck laminates has a few burr/flame/wavy bits...so putting this though a machine plane is not an option...that meant digging out my hand plane set. So starting with a big 'ol no7, to a No5 and then finishing with scrapers my fav block plane. a few hours and a lot of shavings later, my garage smells of sweet fragrant paduak and maple and my shoulder is done for the day!
I took the time to mark out the neck billet for later cutting, fretboard placement, head angle cut, neck cut, fingerboard taper, headstock centre and truss rod channel. I also made a start on planing one of the body blank laminates too. The workshop is now covered in curly wood shaving and bright red wood dust.View attachment 4738413 View attachment 4738415 View attachment 4738416 View attachment 4738418 View attachment 4738419

I freakin love the hand planes!

 

[AK4570]

Seconded

 

[GMC]

Yesterday, I spent my spare time clearing up the workshop...which involved a lot of sweeping, collecting and hoovering. But today...I have a nice environment that is safe to work in.
Today is truss rod routing day! Thanks to my 6mm ball head router bit...the 2 way truss rod sits very snugly in it's slot.
I'm not going to add any carbon fibre rods to this particular bass. It's only a 4 string. The 5 piece laminated neck and truss rod will be more than sufficient stiffness for the Low E.

 

[GMC]

I've been on a bit of quest with the fingerboard. Here in the UK Macassar Ebony bass boards is like "un-obtainium". What is available is eye wateringly expensive and not that wild to look at. Black ebony looks quite milky/streaky and expensive. I had one board on order that I was keen on, but the vendor pulled out. I bought another similar board and the same thing happened. So I went for a hunt for other interesting woods / boards. I settled on a very nice Zebrano fingerboard, which is nice and straight grained, nearly quartered. I'll get some Pictures tomorrow.

 

[GMC]

Here's a photo of the Zebrano fingerboard blank that I sourced from "Luthier Crafts".

It's already squared and planed...so it's just a matter of radius and slotting...lol!

 

[GMC]

When i routed the truss rod channel, I wanted to keep the truss rod entrance quite neat. It was so neat, I couldn't get a truss rod wrench in the cavity. I certainly couldn't adjust the rod either. So it needed widening and lengthening with my router.
So now I can swing a standard wrench in there are adjust the rod. I also oiled up the rod and epoxied the non adjusting end into the neck slot.

 

[GMC]

The Gold hipshot 4 string bass bridge has arrived. I do like gold with black components!

 

[GMC]

I've cut the truss rod fillet, planed and glued in place. Photos tomorrow. I re-made a rough body template too, the previous one wasn't quite right around the upper horn. Hopefully soon, I can start plaining the body wing segments to the right thickness...and then add some cool veneers. I have Padauk, black and maple!
I didn't realise that hipshot had changed the design on the B style bridge. It's now top loading only, it used to be through body and top loading. Oh well...this bass is now top loading only! That's a wee bit easier.

 

[GMC]

As promised:
I used a Wenge truss rod fillet. Why? because I had it at hand and it's a very hard and stiff wood.

 

[GMC]

This afternoon, it was time to start slotting the Zebrano Fingerboard. It was supplied pre-plained and thicknessed. It it was easy to mark out, centre lined and affixed to my 34" slot cutting jig that I built years ago.
I use a Japanese Dozuki Tennon saw for my first pass and then later I use a slightly thicker fret saw. I also thin down the fret tang using an arbour so that the fret wire sits in the slots well. I find the Dozuki saw is a bit thin and the frets don't like to hammer / press in on a hard wood board.
Once the 24 frets and zero fret was cut, I stared the radius process. I start with a plane, trim down the sides of the board and then make my first pass using a 16" radius and then on to my preferred 20" radius. I use the 16" initially because focusses the 60 grit sand paper on the board edges first. This Zebrano board is quite hard, a bit like ebony. It's wide enough to have done a 5 or 6 string. After about an hour, I'm about half way there. I'll leave it over night and inspect it with fresh eyes tomorrow.